Oral History Interview with Robert Allen

Oral History Interview with Robert Allen

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Track One 0:30:38

Description

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Allen. Allen served as an orderly and body guard to Admirals Kimmel and Nimitz. He remembers that Nimitz was extremely considerate to his staff, for example ensuring they could return home immediately in the event of a family emergency. Nimitz knew all his men by name and would thank them personally for completing even small tasks. Nimitz enjoyed swimming and competitive games, and he was a good shot. Ever seeming like one of the guys, Nimitz would load Allen’s magazine for him at the shooting range. Allen … continued below

Physical Description

1 sound recording (30 min., 38 sec.)

Creation Information

Allen, Robert Creation Date: Unknown.

Publisher

National Museum of the Pacific War
Place of Publication: Fredericksburg, Texas

Audiences

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Provided By

National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Established in 1967, the Museum honors the 8 million Americans who served in WWII in the Pacific Theater by sharing their stories with the world. Located in Fredericksburg in the restored Nimitz "Steamboat" Hotel, the Museum partners with the Texas Historical Commission to preserve the historical resources of the era.

Description

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Allen. Allen served as an orderly and body guard to Admirals Kimmel and Nimitz. He remembers that Nimitz was extremely considerate to his staff, for example ensuring they could return home immediately in the event of a family emergency. Nimitz knew all his men by name and would thank them personally for completing even small tasks. Nimitz enjoyed swimming and competitive games, and he was a good shot. Ever seeming like one of the guys, Nimitz would load Allen’s magazine for him at the shooting range. Allen was reassigned to Johnston Island during the construction of the air strip. He remembers an extensive underground infrastructure there, which included a hospital, complete with ambulance chute.

Physical Description

1 sound recording (30 min., 38 sec.)

Subjects

Keywords

Library of Congress Genre/Form Terms

Library of Congress Subject Headings

World War, 1939-1945

University of North Texas Libraries Browse Structure

Language

English

Item Type

Sound

Identifier

Unique identifying numbers for this recording in the Portal or other systems.

Accession or Local Control No: OH00173
Archival Resource Key: ark:/67531/metapth1607495

Relationships

Oral History Interview with Robert Allen, [transcript] ark:/67531/metapth1603528

Collections

This recording is part of the following collections of related materials.

National Museum of the Pacific War Oral History Collection

This oral history collection depicts an instrumental era in American history. In these transcripts of interviews with World War II veterans are personal experiences with the war, from the Doolittle Raid and D-Day to the Battle for Bataan.

National Museum of the Pacific War Digital Archive

The Digital Archive presents digitized collections from the Center for Pacific War Studies collections at the National Museum of the Pacific War. Collections and material are continuously being added and represent only a small portion of the archives' physical holdings.

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