The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Tom Gillespie. Gillespie joined the Navy and went right to radio school because he was already a radio technician ion civilian life. He was assigned to Special Task Air Group 1 and trained with them to conduct drone strikes on Japanese targets. When he went overseas, he was based at Banika Island, near Pavuvu in the Russell Islands. They attempted a few strikes, but nothing ever came of the project, so the unit went back to the US before the war ended. Gillespie was discharged in November, 1945.
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.
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The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Tom Gillespie. Gillespie joined the Navy and went right to radio school because he was already a radio technician ion civilian life. He was assigned to Special Task Air Group 1 and trained with them to conduct drone strikes on Japanese targets. When he went overseas, he was based at Banika Island, near Pavuvu in the Russell Islands. They attempted a few strikes, but nothing ever came of the project, so the unit went back to the US before the war ended. Gillespie was discharged in November, 1945.
This text 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.
Gillespie, Tom.Oral History Interview with Tom Gillespie, May 21, 2008,
text,
May 21, 2008;
Fredericksburg, Texas.
(https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1613651/:
accessed April 30, 2024),
University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu;
crediting National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation.