[Annotator's Notes: There is some chit chat between the interviewer and interviewee before the interview begins.] Sidney Grossman was born in Meriden, Connecticut in July 1926. His father worked for a clothing store during the Great Depression. Grossman had two older sisters. He played a lot of sports during his childhood. He was coming home from the movies when he found out about the attack on Pearl Harbor [Annotator's Notes: the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 7 December 1941] by the Japanese. Grossman enlisted in the Navy in 1944 and after he graduated from high school, he was sent to boot camp in Samson, New York. He remembered camp was rough because his instructor was hard on the inductees. He marched all the time and had to follow orders. He was sent to radio school in Bainbridge, Maryland and trained there for 19 weeks, learning code and radio operation. After graduating in the top five percent of his class, he volunteered for service aboard PT boats [Annotator's Notes: patrol torpedo boats]. He took PT boat training in Melville, Rhode Island for nine weeks. He learned how to use the PT radio and how to operate PT boats. He was trained by veterans that had already returned from war.

Sidney Grossman was assigned to a PT Boat [Annotator's Notes: patrol torpedo boat] and was going to be part of the invasion of Mainland Japan, but then heard about the dropping of the atomic bombs and soon the war was declared over. Grossman went overseas at the end of the July 1945. While on the ship, he slept in a hammock. He received orders to help with moving boxes but decided not to go. He received a punishment to work in the mess hall, which he enjoyed. He was assigned to Squadron 40 [Annotator's Note: Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 40 (MTBRon 40)] and started to train for the invasion, but just a few days after being the Philippines, the Japanese surrendered. After the war, Grossman was transferred to Ship Repair Base, Navy 3864. He did various menial jobs until he found an add in the paper for a clerical position and became a typist in a ship secretary's office. Later he took a test for yeoman work, which he passed. Grossman thought the Filipino's were nice, but some were greedy. He remembered he played lots of sports while being overseas. He eventually got hurt playing a sport and had to go into the hospital. He was supposed to go to the atomic bomb testing at Bikini atoll [Annotator's Note: Operation Crossroads, a pair of nuclear weapons tests conducted by the United States in July 1946 at Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands], but he and his friends were able to find a way to return home instead. He returned home and was discharged at the end of June 1946.

Sidney Grossman was discharged as a Yeoman 3rd Class on 22 June 1946 and went to the University of Connecticut [Annotator's Notes: in Storrs, Connecticut] the following September. Grossman describes the various kinds of PT boats [Annotator's Notes: motor torpedo boats] and their similarities and differences. He mentioned that as the war progressed many of the PT boats were installed with radar and more weapons including the torpedoes that were original the blueprints of the vessel. They also increased on men on the boat as the war progressed holing up to 14 men. Mufflers were added to keep the boat quiet during battle. There were several bases for the PT boats towards the end of the war. Grossman remembered he was assigned to base 17. When Grossman returned home, he took advantage of the G.I. Bill and went to school. He got married and continued in school for four years. He recalled a lot of veterans went to school on the G.I. Bill. Grossman was able to get back to civilian life easily because he did not have to go into combat.

Sidney Grossman remembered the day when President Roosevelt [Annotator's Note: Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States] died. Roosevelt had been the President since Grossman was a little kid, so it was a shock to hear of his death. Grossman does not recall any celebrations when the war officially ended. The war changed his life because he was able to go to school and support his family. It also helped him become a better citizen. Grossman "sneaked" home when he returned home. He was supposed to go to Bikini atoll to help with the atomic bomb testing [Annotator's Note: Operation Crossroads, a pair of nuclear weapons tests conducted by the United States in July 1946 at Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands] but found a way home instead. Grossman recalls that even though his experience in the military benefited him greatly, at time he did receive antisemitism from the men in the enlisted ranks. He coped with it and did not make trouble over it. Grossman believes that it is significant for The National WWII Museum [Annotator's Note: in New Orleans, Louisiana] should exist and continue to teach to the public.