National Museum of the Pacific War Oral History Collection - 45 Matching Results

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Oral History Interview with A. J. Dunn, July 13, 2011

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with A J Dunn. Dunn joined the Navy in 1940 and received basic training in San Diego. Upon completion, he was assigned to the USS Oglala (CM-4) at Pearl Harbor. On the morning of 7 December 1941, he was returning from liberty when the attack began. Unable to find his ship, he jumped aboard the USS Mugford (DD-389) just as it was getting underway. After seven days of patrols, he returned to the harbor and was transferred to the US… more
Date: July 13, 2011
Creator: Dunn, A. J.
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with A. K. Sheffield, May 20, 2016

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with A K Sheffield. Sheffield joined the Navy in late 1943. He completed Armed Guard School in San Diego. He served with the Navy Armed Guard aboard a transport ship, and traveled to the Philippine Islands. In May of 1944, Sheffield was aboard the SS Henry Bergh when it ran aground on the Farallon Islands, and shares details of those events. He traveled through the Pacific Islands, to Japan and throughout the Atlantic. Sheffield does … more
Date: May 20, 2016
Creator: Sheffield, A. K.
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with A. N. Wiseman, March 29, 2011

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Al Wiseman. Wiseman joined the Navy in 1942 and was assigned to the USS Greene (AVD-13). He served as a deck seaman and stood lookout while on watch. Wiseman discusses traveling as an escort to Brazil and then travelling to the Mediterranean. He describes taking part in the invasion of Southern France. The Greene was then sent to the Pacific and performed escort duty near Okinawa. He describes seeing several Japanese air att… more
Date: March 29, 2011
Creator: Wiseman, Al
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with a Palau Native

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with a native of Palau born in 1917. He lived briefly in Saipan and returned to Angaur, Palau, as a young man. In 1943 when the bombing of Palau first began, he volunteered for the Japanese Navy to avoid starvation, since natives were prohibited from buying imported food such as rice. He boarded a ship that was sunk by an American submarine and spent the night floating amidst 12-foot sharks. In the morning, he swam to a damaged b… more
Date: unknown
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Abe Santos, February 24, 2001

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Abe Santos. Santos joined the Navy in November of 1939. He served as a Fireman aboard the USS Astoria (CA-34). They participated in the battles of the Coral Sea, Midway and Savo Island, where the ship was sunk. He traveled back to Pearl Harbor aboard the USS Wharton (AP-7). Santos was placed on tugboat duty for six months, then transferred to Johnston Island as a Second-Class Machinist’s Mate. He assisted with airstrip constructi… more
Date: February 24, 2001
Creator: Santos, Abe
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Abel Ortega, July 15, 2002

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Abel Ortega. Ortega was drafted into the Army in March, 1941 and was in the Philippines by November. Ortega was with a tank battalion on Luzon and recalls the retreat to and subsequent surrender on Bataan. Ortega also recalls how his Christian faith served him, and others around him, during captivity. He describes his experiences on the Bataan Death March. Ortega remained in the Philippines for over two years before being sh… more
Date: July 15, 2002
Creator: Ortega, Abel
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Abner Aust, March 19, 2013

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Abner Aust. Aust joined the Army Air Forces in September 1941 and completed flight school in April 1943. He was assigned to Venice, Florida, as an instructor, often receiving extra runway duty on account of his mischievous acrobatics. In October 1944, he joined the 506th Fighter Group, 457th Fighter Squadron, as flight commander. Upon familiarizing himself with the P-51, he flew his first missions out of Tinian, moving next … more
Date: March 19, 2013
Creator: Aust, Abner
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Acencion Fernandez, February 19, 2005

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Acencion Fernandez. Fernandez, a Texas farm boy born in 1924, was drafted when he was 18 years old. He was based in Honolulu, Hawaii. He was assigned to the USS LCI-80 where he served as a loader on a 40-inch gun. At the Mariana Islands of Saipan and Tinian and at Iwo Jima, he was involved in strafing the beaches to enable Marines to land. Later his LCI landed Marines on Okinawa. He briefly mentions the presence of Navajo co… more
Date: February 19, 2005
Creator: Fernandez, Acencion
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Adanto D'Amore, October 8, 2005

Description: Transcript of an oral interview with Dr. Adanto D'Amore. D'Amore describes his education briefly at Ohio State University where he graduated from medical school. Shortly thereafter, he joined the US Army Air Corps, where he examined candidates for jump school. He eventually was assigned as flight surgeon to the 19th Bomb Group and sent with them to Clark Field in the Philippines in October, 1941. After the Japanese invaded, D'Amore and elements of the 19th Bomb Group moved to Mindanao. After th… more
Date: October 8, 2005
Creator: D'Amore, Dr. Adanto A. S.
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Adolph Krchnak, May 23, 2015

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Adolph Krchnak. Krchnak joined the Army in December of 1944. He completed parachute school. In late 1944, early 1945 he was stationed in the Philippines with the 11th Airborne Division. They served in a traditional infantry role in the Philippines. His division participated in the Liberation of Manila in the spring of 1945. In August of 1945 they traveled into southern Japan as part of the occupation force. He was honorably disch… more
Date: May 23, 2015
Creator: Krchnak, Adolph
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Al D'Agostino, April 19, 2012

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Al D’Agostino. D’Agostino joined the Merchant Marine in 1945 and received training in Brooklyn. Upon completion, he was assigned to the SS Monterey where he worked as a butcher. His first trip to the Pacific was transporting European troops, who were unhappy about the looming invasion of Japan. The war ended while the Monterey was in transit, and the soldiers returning home were a much happier bunch. Even more joyful was the… more
Date: April 19, 2012
Creator: D'Agostino, Al
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Al Hiegel, September 18, 2005

Description: Transcript of an oral interview with Al Heigel. When Heigel finished high school in June, 1944, he joined the Navy at Little Rock, Arkansas and went for boot training at San Diego. He was assigned as a radar operator and reported aboard the USS Independence (CVL-22) at Pearl Harbor. Heigel describes the light carrier and its construction and features. He also speaks of the time the Independence was hit by a torpedo off Tarawa in 1943. Heigel then describes events off Okinawa: watching the USS F… more
Date: September 18, 2005
Creator: Heigel, Al
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Al Jowdy, September 21, 2008

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Al Jowdy. Jowdy enlisted in the Navy in July 1942 at the age of 15, with his parents’ consent. His first assignment was pulling bodies out of sunken ships in Pearl Harbor. At Guadalcanal, his ship was torpedoed. Due to the presence of enemy subs, he could not be rescued initially and spent two weeks floating in a raft. Then he joined a rescue effort to aid the USS Wasp (CV-7), only to be torpedoed again, spending another fou… more
Date: September 21, 2008
Creator: Jowdy, Al
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Al Kiracofe, March 6, 2006

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Al Kiracofe. Kiracofe joined the Navy in 1942 and received yeoman training at Great Lakes. Upon completion, he was assigned to CASU-22 at Quonset Point, helping to prepare squadrons for overseas deployment. He was then assigned to Carrier Air Group 41, which was just beginning to use radar for night flying. One of his duties as yeoman was to send letters of regret to the parents of soldiers who were killed in action. The exp… more
Date: March 6, 2006
Creator: Kiracofe, Al
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Al Stevens, March 27, 2006

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Al Stevens. He graduated from Michigan State University in 1943 as a metallurgical engineer. He enlisted in the Navy in 1944 in Detroit, Michigan. He attended the Navy Electronics School at Harvard University as well as a specialized radar training program organized by MIT at the Harbor Building in Boston, Massachusetts. He received further training in radar countermeasures at Ocracoke Island, North Carolina. He served on th… more
Date: March 27, 2006
Creator: Stevens, Al
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Alan Pilot, August 10, 2010

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Alan Pilot. Pilot joined the Army in January 1943 and received basic training at Camp Howze. He received further training in Louisiana for the European Theater and then in California for the Pacific Theater. In January he left for Camp Old Gold at La Havre, where he served as a combat medic, supporting Companies E, G, and H of the 343rd Infantry, 86th Division. His unit relieved the 8th Division and fought in Cologne, where … more
Date: August 10, 2010
Creator: Pilot, Alan
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Albert Barton, November 6, 2010

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Albert Barton. Barton joined the Navy and was trained as a radioman. He became a crewman on an Avenger torpedo bomber in October 1943. Barton flew off of the USS Mission Bay (CVE-59) and the USS Tripoli (CVE-64) and performed anti-submarine patrols in the North Atlantic. He describes how depth charges were dropped, the armament of the plane, and how they were trained to skip-bomb. Barton was then sent to the Pacific where he… more
Date: November 6, 2010
Creator: Barton, Albert
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Albert Brown, March 2, 2010

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Albert Brown. Brown joined the Navy and served as a Radarman with amphibious forces at Guadalcanal for one year. In 1942, Brown worked aboard submarines as a specialist in surface attacks using radar. Admiral Chester Nimitz appointed him the officer in charge to create the Pacific Fleet Radar School for Senior Officers, and to instruct them in radar techniques. Brown completed this work through late 1945. He continued his service… more
Date: March 2, 2010
Creator: Brown, Albert
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Albert Day, February 23, 2004

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Albert Day. Day was born in Olney, Texas 23 September 1921 and graduated from high school in Vivian, Louisiana in 1942. Upon joining the Navy 4 June 1942, he was sent to The Great Lakes Naval Training Station for boot training. Afterwards, Day was assigned to the Amphibious Forces at Solomons, Maryland for training where he learned navigation and signal communications. Completing the course in October 1942 he went to Redwood… more
Date: February 23, 2004
Creator: Day, Albert
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Albert Dimminger, July 5, 2006

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Albert Dimminger. Dimminger worked for Hammond Aircraft and Consolidated in 1939, building aircraft. He joined the Navy in March of 1942. Beginning in mid-June Dimminger served as Aviation Metalsmith Third Class aboard the USS Hornet (CV-8). From August through October they operated around the Solomon Islands. On 26 October, during the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, the ship was struck and sank by a dive bomber and torpedo pla… more
Date: July 5, 2006
Creator: Dimminger, Albert
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Albert Finley, April 11, 2006

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Albert Finley. Finley joined the Marine Corps around December of 1943. He provides vivid details of his boot camp experiences. He served with Headquarters Company, 4th Marines, as a radar mechanic on Corsairs, repairing radio and radar gear. Beginning in September of 1944 they traveled to Guam, Kwajalein, Pearl Harbor and Majuro in the Marshall Islands. Finley shares a number of anecdotal stories, including working with POWs. He … more
Date: April 11, 2006
Creator: Finley, Albert
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Albert Jeffers, December 28, 2011

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Albert Jeffers. Jeffers joined the Navy in 1943 and received basic training in Illinois. He received diesel engine maintenance and repair training at submarine school in Connecticut. Upon completion, he was assigned to the engine room aboard the USS Threadfin (SS-410) as a fireman, first class. He participated in the tracking operation that led to the sinking of the Japanese battleship Yamato. He was transferred to the USS M… more
Date: December 28, 2011
Creator: Jeffers, Albert
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Bill Brown, June 26, 2000

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bill Brown. Brown was studying at the University of Texas at El Paso whe nhe joined the Army Air Force in 1942. Brown discusses his flight training, which occurred throughout Texas. With training cmplete, Brown was sent to Hawaii where he continued training with the 45th Fighter Squadron, 7th Air Force. Soon his unit was shipped to Iwo Jima where they flew bomber escort for bombing missions over the home islands of Japan. Br… more
Date: June 26, 2000
Creator: Brown, Bill
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Buck Gibson, October 19, 2002

Description: Interview with Buck Gibson of Waco, Texas, a veteran from the United States Navy during World War Two. The interview includes some of Strauss' background before and after the war as well as his personal experiences while in the Navy, including memories of his training, life in the Navy, the sinking of the USS Indianapolis, and what happened after he was rescued.
Date: October 19, 2002
Creator: Cox, Bill & Gibson, Buck
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
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