Stella Romanowski
Kristin Sheldon
Mr. Thomas
US History, Period 7
11 May 2006
Stella Romanowski
Interview with: Stella Romanowski
Date: April 22, 2006
Location: 2010 Walnut Way Noblesville, In 46062
The attack on Pearl Harbor brought a huge rush of unprecedented unity from the American people. Men and women from every class joined the war efforts. No one was untouched by the attempt to bring all of United States’ resources together to help the war effort.
[Stella had a hard time remembering a lot of details, she also got confused a lot, and didn’t remember events in order – random thoughts kept coming to her. For that reason I am putting the interview in more of a topic style.]
Topic: Stella’s husband, Sergeant Joseph Romanowski
Stella and Joseph got married in 1940, she was 19 years old and he was 24. Joseph was in the army prior to their marriage, so they had to move a lot. They were stationed in California for a few months, and also in Oklahoma. “I had a hard life when we were in Oklahoma. I always had a small job of some kind, it was terrible.”
Topic: Pearl Harbor
The day of the Pearl Harbor Attacks Stella felt “terrible, just awful. Everyone did.” Joseph was sent to the South Pacific, the Philippines to be exact, very shortly after the attack. Stella’s brother, Mitchell Cieluck, was just 18 years old at the time and he went and signed up right after the attacks.
Topic: Time over Seas
Joseph was in the South Pacific “for a very long time”, while she lived with her family in Michigan. They wrote short letters to keep in touch, “They were all inspected and not very long.” While over seas, Joseph did field artillery, and it “really affected his ears.” Her brother Mitchell was on a boat bringing injured people to safety, “It was a Red Cross boat so nobody would shot at them.” “Mitchell stayed the time he had to stay, then got out. He didn’t like the army.” “That was a crazy war.”
Topic: After the War
When Joseph came back Stella was so happy to see him. When I asked her if they threw a welcome home party she said, “Oh no, I was just so glad to see him that it was a party in itself.” Joseph was a salesman after the war, and he passed away in 1991.
Topic: Joseph’s Brother, Stanley Romanowski
Joseph’s brother, Stanley, was also in the beginning of the war, but was killed in 1942. “His body didn’t come back home until 9 years later. The whole town had a big parade when it came, everyone was there.” Joseph started a VFW in their hometown in Michigan in honor of his brother, and it is still there and running to this day. Stanley also received a Purple Heart.