Lorenzo DiCarlo was born in 1924 in San Pedro, California. He spent his entire life there and worked in his family's bakery business. Lorenzo's family immigrated to the United States at the turn of the 20th century, initially settling in Steubenville, Ohio, before moving to San Pedro. His grandfather, after working on the railroad, started a bakery in Ohio, which later relocated to San Pedro following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. 

Martin Cox, an historian and maritime enthusiast, has dedicated his career to uncovering the rich history of the Los Angeles Steamship Company (LASSCO). Born in England, Cox's interest in maritime history was sparked during his youth by a brief mention of LASSCO in a book. This curiosity led him to relocate to Los Angeles, where he extensively researched the company's history. Cox's research involved thorough investigations at libraries, archives, and utilizing online resources, including eBay, to collect brochures and other historical materials.

Ray Falk was interviewed for the Port of Los Angeles Centennial Oral History Project. He was born on September 23, 1922, on Terminal Island (formerly East San Pedro). Falk's grandfather, a German-born Swede, was an entrepreneurial ship captain who first arrived in San Pedro in 1877. He established a business in the area, including the Pepper Tree Saloon, and invested in property and ships, significantly contributing to the port's early maritime activities. Ray Falk recounts his early life on Terminal Island, where his father operated a fishing boat with a Japanese crew.

Robert A. Curry was born in 1931 in Toledo, Ohio. In 1939, his father moved to San Francisco, California, and the family relocated to Los Angeles in 1940. Bob grew up in the transportation and trucking industry. The family’s transition to the West Coast marked the beginning of their involvement in the trucking business. Bob’s father founded California Cartage Company during the war years, around 1943-1944, focusing on transporting aircraft parts between Los Angeles and San Diego.

Roy Coats was born on January 31, 1914, in Ladora, Iowa. He graduated high school in Des Moines, Iowa, where his family moved after his father's business failed during the Great Depression. Coats enlisted in the Navy in 1933 after a prolonged waiting period and trained in San Diego. He served on the USS Chester and the USS Houston, both heavy cruisers. After his naval service, he transitioned to a civilian career and began working at Cal Ship on Terminal Island in February 1941, where he worked in shipbuilding during World War II. 

Roy J. Cootes was born on December 3, 1932, at the old San Pedro Hospital in California. He spent his childhood in San Pedro, where his father worked as a shop superintendent for the Atlas-Imperial Diesel Engine Company, and his mother was a homemaker. Cootes attended local schools, graduating from San Pedro High School in 1950, and later obtained a certificate in internal combustion engine technology from Los Angeles Harbor College. In 1953, he pursued a brief career in professional baseball, signing with the San Francisco Seals.

Steven Cole was born in 1942in San Pedro, California. His m other, originally from Oakland, moved to San Pedro as a young child, while his father, a machinist from Amherst, Nova Scotia, arrived in San Pedro around 1918 or 1919. Cole's father worked at the Los Angeles Shipyard, which later became Todd Shipyard, before transitioning to the electrical business. Steven Cole grew up in San Pedro, assisting his father with the family electrical business, Cole's Battery, established in 1923.

Tony DiBernardo was born in 1928 on the island of Ischia, located off the coast of Naples, Italy. Tony's father, born in 1888, was a fisherman who supported his family by fishing off the coast of Africa. In November 1938, Tony, along with his mother and two older sisters, joined his father in San Pedro, California. Settling in San Pedro, Tony began his education at Cabrillo Avenue School, where he learned English in a class designed for new immigrants. Tony worked shining shoes at a local barbershop and later in a shoe repair shop and a produce market.