on June 13, 2016
A pioneering member of our Navy Photography community, LCDR Sam Sorenson celebrated his 100th Birthday this last weekend. John Lewin, a good friend of his, presented a few things from our community to him. Happy Birthday Sam!
Here is Sam’s Bio….
Sam Sorenson was born May 20, 1916. He graduated from Brigham Young University in 1938 with a BA in Speech and Drama. He went to Hollywood to become an actor, and by chance heard a Navy LT speaking on the merits of Navy service. Impressed, Sam decided to join the Navy in January 1941, assigned to Corpus Christi, TX where powers to be determined that since he was from Hollywood, he would be a good OIC of the photo lab. After pleading that he knew nothing of photography, he requested he be assigned to the Photo School in Pensacola and graduated in 1942. Considered to be very proficient, Sam was chosen to be one of the 10 original OICs of the newly formed combat camera units. Sam was OIC of team #9. Secretary of the Navy Knox, after learning that the Navy had no film or still coverage of the historic Atlantic Charter signing between Roosevelt and Churchill, ordered the initiation of these units. Half of the units were deployed in the Pacific and the other half in the Atlantic; all considered mobile units. Sam spent the war in the Pacific. Afterwards he was assigned to the Navy’s Photographic Science Lab, (Navy Photo Center) where he provided motion picture and still coverage of and for the Roosevelt’s White House and Administration.
Upon leaving the Navy, Sam pursued private endeavors and retired as a LCDR from the Navy Reserves where he remained active with the photo community.
I had the pure honor of meeting Mr. Sorenson at a Thanksgiving Dinner for the Veterans in the Fredricksburg, TX area in 2015. A navy veteran myself, I had volunteered to help with the event. Meeting Sam, I was blessed with the many stories he shared with me that day. Rest in Peace my Brother, at the Throne of Christ. “Salute”