National Museum of the Pacific War Oral History Collection - 93 Matching Results

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Oral History Interview with Ramon Acuna

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ramon Acuna. Acuna grew up in Arizona and joined the Army National Guard in 1941. He joined the Bushmasters, Company B, known as the Bushmasters. Acuna spent time in Panama for a year before sailing to Brisbane, Australia on the USS Dickman (APA-13). He also spent time on Toem and Wakde Netherlands, New Guinea, and Luzon. His division was at the Battle of Lone Tree Hill or the battle of Wakda-Sarmi. Acuna stayed on Sarmi, il… more
Date: unknown
Creator: Acuna, Ramon
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
transcript

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
Duration: 1 hour 20 minutes 40 seconds
Creator: Aust, Abner
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
transcript

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
Duration: 58 minutes 08 seconds
Creator: Barton, Albert
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with William C. Beyer, March 14, 2001

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William C. Beyer. Beyer grew up in Texas and joined the Marines in January 1942. After training, he was assigned to the third division in artillery. He departed on the USS Mount Vernon for New Zealand. He anecdotes about meeting with some Maori people. Then he departed on the Cresent City for Guadalcanal in May 1943. From Guadalcanal he left for Bougainville in November 1943. He describes being caught in a foxhole for two da… more
Date: March 14, 2001
Creator: Beyer, William C.
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Arwin Bowden, September 9, 2000

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Arwin Bowden. He begins by discussing his training in San Diego and New Zealand before the Battle of Tarawa. He describes being wounded in the battle, the casualties he saw and being shipped back to Pearl Harbor for treatment, then joining the battle of Saipan. He ancedotes about Japanese killing themselves rather than surrendering, eating food from a garden watered from rainwater running down from outhouses, the wages he ma… more
Date: September 9, 2000
Creator: Bowden, Arwin
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

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
Duration: 1 hour 48 minutes 31 seconds
Creator: Brown, 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 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
transcript

Oral History Interview with E. R. Dolinar, April 5, 2003

Description: Interview with E.R. (Ed) Dolinar, a serviceman with the U. S. Navy during World War II. He discusses going to boot camp, torpedo school and submarine school. He was on the SSN Stingray as a torpedo crewman that offloaded supplies and guerillas in the Philippines. It picked up stranded Japanese sailors and transported them to Australia. The Stingray was then decomissioned. He was then part of a crew that studied and stripped captured German submarines, and he discusses the differences between th… more
Date: April 5, 2003
Duration: 46 minutes 08 seconds
Creator: Bryk, Clarence & Dolinar, E. R.
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with Earl Smyth, Jr., October 20, 2003

Description: Interview with Earl Smyth, Jr., a serviceman during World War II. He discusses his time aboard the USS Saratoga at the Battle of Midway and at Guadalcanal, where the ship sustained two torpedo attacks. He saw Pearl Harbor three days after the attack.
Date: October 20, 2003
Duration: 45 minutes 38 seconds
Creator: Bryk, Clarence & Smyth, Earl, Jr.
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Harold Buell, September 30, 2000

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Harold Buell. While attending college in Iowa, Buell took advantage of the Civilian Pilot Training program and earned a pilot's license in 1940. He volunteered for the Navy and went to flight school at Pensacola, Florida, where he earned his wings and a commission in November, 1941. He was assigned to go aboard the USS Yorktown (CV-5) as a member of Scouting Squadron 5 (VS-5) and arrived in time for the Battle of the Coral S… more
Date: September 30, 2000
Creator: Buell, Harold
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with W. G. (Bill) Campbell, April 21, 2000

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with W. G. (Bill) Campbell. Campbell grew up in Texas, attended Texas A&M, and married in 1939 before joining the Army in 1943. After training, he went to Australia, Dutch New Guinea, Palu, Leyte, and Mindanao. He describes riding in amphibious vehicles and interacting with the natives. He discusses various illnesses he had during the war and his interactions with his brother, an engineer. He also describes surveying work in some… more
Date: April 21, 2000
Creator: Campbell, W. G. (Bill)
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with James Carnes, March 28, 2022

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Carnes. Carnes joined the Navy in 1944 before he finished high school. In the Navy, he became a signalman and was assigned to USS Norton Sound (AVM-1). Carnes was aboard when the ship went to Okinawa, where he describes being attacked by kamikaze aircraft. When the war ended, Carnes went to Japan briefly before returning to the US and receiving his discharge.
Date: March 28, 2022
Creator: Carnes, James
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

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 Mr. Gibson's 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
Duration: 56 minutes 42 seconds
Creator: Cox, Bill & Gibson, Buck
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
transcript

Oral History Interview with Richard Bennett, November 15, 2001

Description: Interview with Richard (Dick) Bennett, a pilot during World War II. He discusses his enlistment in the Army Air Corps, basic training and flight school. He then went to a base in South Carolina to learn to fly B-25s. At Fort Myers, Florida he flew B-26 bombers and trained to fly them off of aircraft carriers so they could drop torpedos on the Japanese fleet during naval battles. He traveled across the Pacific to Brisbane only to be told that they didn't have B-26s for the crews; the colonel the… more
Date: November 15, 2001
Duration: 1 hour 17 minutes 09 seconds
Creator: Cox, Floyd & Bennett, Richard
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with Albert Bouley, June 27, 2001

Description: Interview with Albert Bouley, a U. S. Marine during World War II. He discusses his enlistment in the Marines just after Pearl Harbor; his assignment to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Division; the battle of Guadalcanal; malaria and dysentery; the battle of Cape Gloucester; the use of Pavuvu as a base; the battle of Peleliu; his return to the United States; guard duty at the Brooklyn Naval Yard and his service as an instructor in a heavy weapons school before the end of the war. He joined the Air… more
Date: June 27, 2001
Duration: 2 hours 53 minutes 42 seconds
Creator: Cox, Floyd & Bouley, Albert
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with Arwin Bowden, March 9, 2000

Description: Interview with Arwin Bowden, a marine during World War II. He begins by discussing his training in San Diego and New Zealand before the Battle of Tarawa. He describes being wounded in the battle, the casualties he saw, and being shipped back to Pearl Harbor for treatment before joining the battle of Saipan. He describes ancedotes about Japanese killing themselves rather than surrendering, eating food from a garden watered from rainwater running down from outhouses, the wages he made, and the ti… more
Date: March 9, 2000
Duration: 1 hour 1 minute 03 seconds
Creator: Cox, Floyd & Bowden, Arwin J.
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with Garvin Kowalke, January 23, 2001

Description: Interview with Garvin Kowalke, a pilot during World War II. He discusses joining the Army Air Corps, going to Air Cadet training to become a pilot, and training on various aircraft (AT-17, UC-78, P-36, P-33, T-6, BT-13, B-17, B-29) before becoming a B-29 pilot; he shipped out to Guam and flew standard and fire bombing runs over Japan. He discusses having to ditch the plane on the way back to Guam once when the engines failed, seeing another B-29 crew have to bail out over Toyko Bay and get pic… more
Date: January 23, 2001
Duration: 1 hour 46 minutes 10 seconds
Creator: Cox, Floyd & Kowalke, Garvin
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with Charles Pase, April 12, 2001

Description: Interview with Charles Pase, a marine during World War II. He discusses joining the Marines and training on New Zealand and other Pacific islands. He describes landing on Tarawa, the battle of Tarawa itself, and locating and burying the dead bodies after the battle. He also talks about going to Hawaii for more training before going to Saipan, various guns and artillery he used, encountering natives on Saipan and being in Nagasaki after the bomb was dropped. He relates ancedotes about having to… more
Date: April 12, 2001
Duration: 1 hour 43 minutes 51 seconds
Creator: Cox, Floyd & Pase, Charles
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with Hermi Salas, February 14, 2005

Description: Interview with Oral interview with Hermi Salas, a U. S. Marine during World War II. Salas was assigned to the Third Marine Division and was present for the invasion of Guam in the Mariana Islands. He was wounded on Guam and evacuated to a hospital ship, the USS Solace. He also participated in the Iwo Jima landings. After a few weeks at Iwo Jima, Salas was wounded again and placed aboard the USS Solace. He discusses his experiences in the hospital recovering from the wounds he received in the B… more
Date: February 14, 2005
Duration: 1 hour 49 minutes 16 seconds
Creator: Cox, Floyd & Salas, Hermi
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with James F. Sansom, October 8, 2004

Description: Interview with James F. Sansom, an officer in the U. S. Army during World War II. Sansom joined the Army in 1940 and began training on anti-aircraft guns in Florida. He was selected for Officer Candidate School (OCS) and was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1942. He was assigned to the 843rd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Air Warning Battalion, which made its way to India via the Panama Canal and Australia. Shortly after reaching Calcutta, the unit moved to Myitkyina, Burma. After the war, Sansom w… more
Date: October 8, 2004
Duration: 1 hour 22 minutes 06 seconds
Creator: Cox, Floyd & Sansom, James F.
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
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