Born and raised in Clarkston, Steiner left high school early and enlisted in the United States Navy shortly after his 17th birthday in June 1942.
Steiner began his life in the military as a member of the Naval Armed Guard. This group of gunners, signal men and radio operators served aboard merchant ships that carried cargo vital to the Allied war effort. The Naval Armed Guard was tasked with defending these vessels from attack by enemy aircraft, submarines and surface ships. Without them, the merchant ships would have been easy targets and the critical supply line that provided Allied forces with everything they needed to survive and win would have been crippled.
From September 1942 to February 1944, Steiner helped protect three merchant vessels: SS Alpha (oil tanker), SS Cornelia (freighter) and SS Benjamin Goodhue (Liberty ship). Steiner’s keen eyes led to the destruction of an enemy submarine in April 1943. One evening while standing watch on the bridge of the SS Cornelia, he spotted an unidentified object in the water near San Juan, Puerto Rico. “It left some kind of a wake and I couldn’t determine what it was,” he said. Steiner notified his superiors and they signaled the Navy base. A destroyer was sent out to investigate. The next morning, Steiner learned the ship engaged a German U-boat and destroyed it.
Steiner’s first opportunity to really see the world came while serving aboard the SS Benjamin Goodhue from August 1943 to February 1944. He crossed the Atlantic Ocean, entered the Mediterranean Sea and engaged in operations involving ports in North Africa, Sicily and Italy.
“I loved being at sea,” he said. “I never got seasick. The rougher the water was, the more I seemed to enjoy it.”
Steiner was re-assigned to the Naval Amphibious Forces in March 1944. He served aboard two Landing Ship, Tanks – LST 715 and LST 45 – from July 1944 to November 1945. LSTs were vessels created by the Allies during WWII to support amphibious operations. They transported vehicles, supplies and troops, then landed them directly on shore without the use of docks or piers.
While aboard LST 715, Steiner was promoted to boatswain’s mate second class. Boatswain’s mates are considered masters of seamanship. According to the U.S. Navy, "boatswain’s mates are the heart of every ship." They “perform a wide range of duties, making (them) the jack(s)-of-all-trades on ships and on shore.”
After he transferred to LST 45 in October 1944, Steiner found himself participating in the Liberation of the Philippines. While anchored at Leyte Island, two kamikaze planes attacked on December 10, 1944. The first plane was headed for Steiner’s ship, but anti-craft fire from LST 45 struck it and set it on fire. This caused the plane to veer off course and crash into one of the Liberty ships (cargo ships) anchored near it. The second kamikaze plane crossed LST 45’s stern, then crashed into another Liberty ship. The collision ignited 650 tons of gasoline and ammunition, which caused the vessel to sink.
“I was scared to death at that point,” Steiner said. “I’m thankful that God kept me safe.”
In April 1945, Steiner participated in the invasion of Okinawa, a Japanese island. Codenamed Operation Iceberg, the invasion of Okinawa was the largest amphibious landing in the Pacific Theater. Steiner was discharged from the Navy on Nov. 13, 1945. Following the war, he married, raised five children (four daughters and a son) and moved to Oxford in 1968. General Motors hired him in 1967 to work in the Truck and Bus Group’s accounting department. Steiner retired in June 1990 as a supervisor in the capital appropriations department.
Even though Steiner had continued his education at the Pontiac Business Institute and Detroit Bible College, he didn’t receive his high school diploma until 2002. He participated in Clarkston High School’s commencement exercises at the DTE Energy Music Theatre. Steiner led the 475 graduating seniors into the pavilion and onto the stage. He received a standing ovation.
“It took me a long time to get that diploma,” Steiner said. These days, Steiner continues to enjoy life in Oxford Township with his second wife, Marjorie. On Nov. 9, the couple celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary. Steiner serves his community and his fellow veterans by being an active member of North Oakland Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 334.
He noted it’s “a pretty nice feeling” whenever someone thanks him for his service and he’s glad that more and more people are taking the time to recognize veterans, especially those who served in the Vietnam War. “They were not treated well when they returned home,” he said.
Steiner “strongly” encourages veterans to write about their military experiences and preserve them for posterity. He committed his story to paper and he’s glad he did. “It was an important time in my life,” Steiner said. “Veterans should write everything down, so they can share their stories with family and future generations.”