The Sunday morning attacks on Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941, and the declaration of war caused the size of the Marine Corps to triple. Within six months, enlistment rates skyrocketed from 2,000 new recruits per month to 10,000. For many young Americans, it was a way to get revenge. For others, it seemed the patriotic thing to do.

For Vincent J. Prusinskas, joining the military did not seem feasible. As the primary caregiver for his mother, the Detroit native knew he could not abandon his responsibilities.

But sitting at home when all of his peers were fighting on the frontlines in Asia, the 23-year-old felt guilty and began making negotiations. He made plans with other family members to take care of his mother and raised his right hand, stated the oath. and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps.

Prusinskas became part of platoon 515 at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego and endured the 12-week training regimen. Without any previous weapons experience, the city boy qualified as an expert on the rifle range, one of only four in his platoon. The other three were all Texans with rifle experience.

“The ability of the drill instructors to instill a brotherhood within the 60 men of the platoon was amazing,” said Prusinskas of his time at the depot.

After graduating boot camp, the proud Marine spent three months in Norman, Okla., training for an occupation in aviation ordnance.

Prusinskas arrived at Marine Corps Air Depot Miramar, Calif., in December 1943 to await his deployment to the islands in the South Pacific. Back then, Miramar served as the West Coast processing depot for embarkation of Marine squadrons to the South Pacific.

While at Miramar, he spent his first Christmas away from home. Instead of a family gathering, Prusinskas, or “Ski”, as the Marines called him, explored San Diego.

“I considered San Diego a base off a base rather than a city,” said Ski. “It’s full of Marines, sailors and soldiers like another military installation.”

Ski boarded a small aircraft carrier Jan. 8, 1944, en route to the Japanese islands. The carrier zigzagged across the Pacific Ocean avoiding Japanese submarines and arrived at the Solomon Islands three weeks later.

Upon arrival, Ski was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 25, an element of the 1st Marine Division. He worked at Tantouta Air Base on the island of New Caledonia. Tantouta’s runway consisted of a giant, metal strip placed on the beach. As an ordnanceman, Ski worked on the strip daily, installing F-6F Hell Cat Machine Guns into the F-4U Corsair fighter aircraft. The crews working on the runway received fire from the Japanese on a daily basis.

“At that time, the foxhole was our best friend,” said Ski.

After working in ordnance for only a short time, the major of the squadron called Ski into his office. The major had received Ski’s résumé and discovered that before he enlisted in the Marine Corps, he worked as a typist.

“I am in desperate need of a typist,” the major had told Ski. After arguing that he didn’t join the Marine Corps to become a typist, the young corporal followed the officer’s orders and reported to the MAG-25 Headquarters Squadron the next day.

Ski typed morning, noon and night to bring fitness reports and payrolls up to date. In two months, he was meritoriously promoted to sergeant, two months later, he earned the rank of staff sergeant.

He returned to the states in 1945 and attached to Marine Fighter Squadron 514. He remained a typist but traveled with the squadron to the Bikini Islands to test the first atomic bombs.

The staff sergeant watched large ships become twisted steel from aboard a ship three miles away.

In January 1947, the Marine Corps permitted Ski to end his enlistment five months early, and he did.

He moved to Key West, Fla., to enjoy the tropical weather he spent four years getting used to while in the South Pacific. He married twice, moved to Oklahoma and back to California where he presently resides.

“He has always been compassionate toward service members,” said John Batise, a close friend of Ski. “Even now, if we see young Marines at a restaurant, he will take care of their bill. He’s just the type of person who is always honorable and was proud to serve.”

To the Marines of today’s Corps, Ski says, “Semper Fi and keep up the good work.”