World War II Veteran Jerry Kinsley at St. James Cathedral in Orlando, FL, August 12th, 2010.
LISTEN Part I (24:05)
Veteran Kinsley served in the 90th Naval Construction Battalion in and around Japan. A contractor by profession, Mr. Kinsley was at work building the plant for the atomic bomb when he quit to serve in the military. He saw many boys coming back from the war who had lost limbs and he thought “I got to do something to help”. He went directly to the volunteer office on Orange Avenue in downtown Orlando and volunteered. A week after bootcamp he was in Pearl Harbor: “It was pretty well shot up. I saw a lot of ships on their sides in the harbor.”
Serving in WWII showed him, “You can help other people.” He is proud he was a part of WWII and that we did win. He says, “It is unbelievable we could be in the spot we were in with nothing and in a year’s time we got more boats, planes, jeeps than there were in the rest of the world. Pretty good accomplishment for the boys fighting in WWII.” Hear his firsthand account of these historic events.
Mr. Kinsley passed away on December 9, 2018. View his obituary
Peruse the images below under Attachments and read the descriptions. Click on the first image to begin the slide show.
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WWII Veteran Jerry Kinsley
Photo of WWII Veteran and Orlando builder Jerry Kinsley when he entered the military at age 29. Jerry Kinsley at age 21, prior...
WWII Veteran Jerry Kinsley and daughter Patricia
Photo of WWII Veteran Jerry Kinsley with daughter, Patricia, in Orlando, Florida.
WWII Veteran Jerry Kinsley and daughter Patricia
Photo of WWII Veteran Jerry Kinsley with daughter, Patricia, in Orlando, Florida. They are standing in front of a Buick he bought...
WWII Veteran Jerry Kinsley
Interview with World War I Veteran Jerry Kinsley at St. James Cathedral in Orlando, FL, August 12th, 2010.
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Kinsley
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Kinsley were married at Saint James Cathedral in downtown Orlando on March 26, 1941. Here is a photo...
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Kinsley
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Kinsley were married at Saint James Cathedral in downtown Orlando on March 26, 1941. Here is a photo...
WWII Veteran Jerry Kinsley - Change of Address
WWII Veteran Jerry Kinsley's official change of address.
WWII Veteran Jerry Kinsley - Official Change of Address
Official change of address correspondence for WWII Veteran Jerry Kinsley. Courtesy of the Kinsley Archives.
Jerry Kinsley - Age 27
Photo of Jerry Kinsley, age 27, upon return from building the atomic bomb plant in Oakridge, Tennessee and the Veterans Hospital in Tuscaloosa,...
Certificate of Incorporation of Kinsley Construction Company
Certificate of Incorporation for the Kinsley Construction Company on Forsyth Road founded by Orlando resident Jerry Kinsley. Operating under the names...
Jerry Kinsley - 1946 Home
Photo of the original home purchased by Jerry Kinsley in 1946 at 5205 S. Orange Avenue. The Kinsley family has maintained ownership...
Wigwam Village Motel
1961 aerial photo of Wigwam Village Motel at 700 South Orange Blossom Trail built by Orlando builder Jerry Kinsley. Photo courtesy of the...
Wigwam Village Motel
Photo of the steel frames for the Wigwam Village Motel at 700 South Orange Blossom Trail built by Orlando builder Jerry Kinsley....
Wigwam Village Motel
Close up photo of the steel frames for the Wigwam Village Motel at 700 South Orange Blossom Trail built by Orlando builder...
Kinsley Builders
Photo of construction of a two story law office in downtown Orlando built by Jerry Kinsley of Kinsley Builders. The Kinsley Construction Company...
Florida Builder Jerry Kinsley with Orlando Mayor Carl Langford
Photo of Florida builder Jerry Kinsley of Kinsley Builders meeting with Orlando Mayor Carl Langford and a group of bankers at an...
Kinsley Construction Company
Photo of the Kinsley Construction Company on Forsyth Road founded by Orlando resident Jerry Kinsley. Operating under the names of Kinsley Builders,...
Jerry Kinsley Receives Distinguished Service Award from Orange County Sheriff Kevin Beary
Photo of Jerry Kinsley receiving the Distinguished Service Award from Orange County Sheriff Kevin Beary for his contribution to the Orange County...
