The Warrior Next Door Podcast

James Arlon Jenkins was an American Marine who served through some of the fiercest fighting of World War II. After enlisting in 1940, he witnessed the attack on Pearl Harbor before deploying to the Pacific theater, where he saw continuous action during the grueling campaigns on Guadalcanal, Guam, and Iwo Jima. Following the war, he completed occupation duty in Japan before being discharged with a disability caused by recurring bouts of malaria and severe stomach ulcers contracted during his service.

Returning to civilian life in Oklahoma, Jenkins worked to overcome the physical toll of tropical illness and combat trauma. He supported his family through shoe repair and pursued studies in mechanical engineering, ultimately building a stable postwar career that concluded with 18 years of service for the Tulsa Airport Authority. 
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On this final installment of the series, Raleigh talks about how the war impacted him and those he came to deeply admire in the Merchant Marines.
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In episode 3 of Merchant Marine Raleigh Wright's series, he discusses the Liberty ships maneuverability, or lack thereof, and touches upon the bringing of German POW's to the US.
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In episode 2 we continue with WWII Merchant Marine Raleigh Wright as he describes his second mission and action he saw at Anzio.
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In episode 1, we meet Merchant Marine Raleigh Wright in an interview that we conducted in 2008 where we hear about his enlistment and training as well as his first mission. 
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