Book: We Were Pirates by Robert Schultz and James Shell

Posted By on June 12, 2011

wewerepiratesbookEnjoying a World War II audio narrative and reading about the book We Were Pirates.  It is a book that help us understand the life of WWII American submariners, particularly Torpedoman Robert Hunt and his point of view. He shared his memories and his collection of photos and documents from his service aboard the USS Tambor; the audio, video (below) and book tells what it was like both aboard and on leave during his time in the Pacific. The information was well research and documented by authors Robert Schultz and James Shell (published in December 2010). Below is an audio recording from Hunt, Schultz and Shell.

  We Were Pirates: A Torpedoman’s Pacific War (mp3)

Listening to the audio and how the author’s preserved a bit of military history, returned my thinking to what my generation can do to honor these men. We do need to continue to save their memories in a way that future generation might hear their words. The Library of Congress has a Veterans History Project along with suggestions on how ‘we’ can interview and save their thoughts. I’ve downloaded the PDF and am planning to share it with a couple in my family in hopes to archive the memories of my father (Korea) and my father-in-law (WWII). Hmm … better not drag my feet too long?

Below is a short video of Bob Hunt as his crippled sub makes it into Pearl Harbor shortly after being attacked by the Japanese (below).

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  1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
  2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.
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