PAUL STEIN –
Navy Diver
Paul Stein has written a stirring memoir of his years as a Navy diver during World War
II. He grew up in Brooklyn, attended Tilden High school, and at a Hadassah dance met his
future wife, Belle. He describes the experience as “love at first sight.” In 2015 they moved
from their home in Bayside, Queens, to North Shore Towers. They are still active at their
temple, the Oakland-Little Neck Jewish Center, as well as in participating in events at NST.
HOW DID YOU CHOOSE “IN THE
BEGINNING” AS YOUR MEMOIR TITLE?
As I began writing my life story, I realized
my adult life really began in the U.S. Navy
during World War II. Before then I was
just a Brooklyn kid who hung out with “the
guys” at Max's luncheonette on the corner
of Sterling Place and Rochester Avenue in
Crown Heights. It was after December 7, 1941,
that my life really began. I was determined to
get into the Navy rather than be drafted into
the Army. My father said he wouldn't sign
my enlistment papers until I earned my high
school diploma. I did that and got on a Navy
recruitment bus the next day. My last night
at home was mostly sleepless as I wondered
about what will await me when thrown in
with a lot of men from different parts of the
country and different religions.
HOW DID YOU BECOME A NAVY DIVER?
Because I was a good swimmer, I was
selected to be part of
an underwater demolition
team (UDT).
We were nicknamed
“frogmen.” After
much training, I was
sent to Algiers, North
Africa, where I boarded
the USS Vulcan.
I spent the rest of
my Navy career on
that ship. I was one
of only three Jewish
men out of 1,200 on
board. Many of the
men from southern
states had never
met a Jew before.
There were many
ugly encounters but
I managed to hold
my own.
I knew not to volunteer
for anything.
This was advice I
received frequently.
But one day a notice
was posted on the
bulletin board saying
that the salvage division
needed divers. I immediately volunteered
and was accepted. The next day I received my
diving suit and spun copper helmet. The suit
was quite heavy and took getting used to. The
helmet had a two-way radio in it so that we
could talk to someone top-side while we were
under water. We also wore weighted boots.
WHAT WAS YOUR MOST VIVID MEMORY?
It had to be June 6, 1944, when my group
of divers had to reach the beach at Normandy
under water after leaving our submarine. Our
mission was to secretly hit the beach, called
Utah, and plant explosives in the steel beams
buried in the sand by the Germans. This was to
deter landing by Allied ships. We donned our
diving gear and climbed out of the submarine
hatch. All this was done in the dark.
We swam toward the beach pulling 2 bags
of explosives. When our lieutenant raised his
arm we lit the fuses and took off for the rubber
rafts waiting to take us back to our submarine
Paul Stein and his wife, Belle
and safety. We were spotted by the Germans
and they began firing at us. In the dark we
couldn't find our submarine. When the first of
our charges went off, the sub appeared just a
few yards away. We lost three men of our group
to the enemy guns, but our operation was
deemed a success. It made the latter heroic
landing of LSTs possible.
DO YOU THINK BACK ABOUT YOUR YEARS
IN THE NAVY?
It put me in tip-top physical shape, it taught
me how to fend for myself, and to stand my
ground in the face of bigotry. I loved the uniform
those bell bottom pants--they had some
meaning for us Navy men. Even though we
fought one another for stupid reasons when
we had some drinks in our bellies, we still
fought as one unit, and that's how we won
the war.
DID YOU HAVE HELP WRITING THIS BOOK?
For their help, I want to thank my very
bright and beautiful daughter and doctor,
Marcy, and her husband David; my intelligent
son and attorney, Randy, and his wife Judy;
my granddaughters, Eliza and Rachel; and my
grandsons, Benjamin and Nathan. I cannot
forget to thank my beautiful wife and my best
partner in life, Belle, who was very patient
with me during my trying years. Also, to all
who served their country, a job well done.
Paul Stein’s memoir, “In the Beginning”
4 NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER ¢ June 2019