USS SLC...Marine...Dean Michael Atkinson, Pfc
Mike passed away on May 4th, 2007
Feb. 7th, 2006
I graduated from the US Marine Boot Camp in San Diego, CA. and was sent to sea school. I was
aboard the USS Salt Lake City from March of 1944 until Aug. 1945. During that time the SLC
was in the South Pacific and participated in the Invasions of Iwo Jim, Okinawa and Japanese
Kamikaze attacks. I was a Captain's Orderly and acting Chief of the Starboard Anti-aircraft
Battery.
A few days after WWII ended, my appendix ruptured and filled my body with gangrene poison. I
was transferred to a hospital aircraft and flown to Alaska and then later to ??Seahlk??? and
eventually to the Great Lakes Navy Hospital. The new medicine, "Penicillin", saved my life.
I still thank God for this.
After three serious operations and six months in the hospital, I was discharged from the
Marine Corps as a Pfc. in January of 1946. I graduated from Vincennes University in 1949 and Indiana University in 1952. I married a wonderful woman and we celebrated our 60th wedding anniversary this year.
At the Indiana University I was the Cadet Colonel Commander of the ROTC Corps that consisted
of 4,400 Infantry, Quartermaster, and Air Force Cadets. I graduated as the most outstanding
military student in the class of 1952.
I was commissioned a regular Army Second Lieutenant and sent to the Infantry School at Fort
Beaning, GA. Upon completion of the school I went to combat in Korea. I served as a Combat
Patrol Leader, Platoon Commander, and Company Commander. At the end of this assignment, I
went to the Military Intelligence School and I was assigned as an agent in the Counter
Intelligence Corps.
I resigned my regular Army commission and became a civilian with a USAR commission and went to work with the Federal Government at the US Army Finance Center. I was employed in Munich
Germany, Fort Ord, and ended my civilian career at the Pentagon as a Labor Relations
Specialist in the Director of Civil Personnel Office, Department of the Army. I retired in
Jan. of 1986. I later retired from the USAR as a Colonel.
In 1966 I received the Award as the most outstanding alumnus of my high school. During my military career I graduated from the US Army Infantry School, Counter Intelligence Corps School, US Army command and General Staff college, The Industrim War College and personnel management for Executives, which I also taught several times.
Since my retirement I have spent time rehabilitating our older son who returned from Vietnam a 100% disabled veteran.
I spend most of my time with charity projects, religious missions, leading bible study groups, teaching, preaching and counseling prisoners, and we helped build a church.
God has been very good to me and my family. I'm a "Born Again Christian" and I urge everybody to become one.
Mike Atkinson
SLC Deck Log May 1944
Attended the following SLC Reunions:
2004
2006
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