Alex talks being a B-17 bomber pilot with the 381st Bomb Group. When Alex says "ship", he is referring to aircraft.
For additional information about Alex Strohmayer, please click on this link:
https://news.hrvh.org/veridian/cgi-bin/senylrc?a=d&d=bronxvillereviewpressreporterBRONXVILLE19981112.1.9The article that mentions Alex is "World War II vet saddened by thinning ranks" by Maury Allen.