National Museum of the Pacific War - 57 Matching Results

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Oral History Interview with John Tait, December 6, 2001

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Tait. He discusses his childhood and education and what led him to join the US Navy. He describes his experiences during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the rest of the war in the Pacific Theatre.
Date: December 6, 2001
Creator: Tait, John & Alexander, William J.

Oral History Interview with Ray Hechler, December 6, 2001

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ray Hechler. He discusses his childhood and education and what led him to join the Marine Corps. He describes his experiences during the attack on Pearl Harbor and what he did for the rest of World War Two.
Date: December 6, 2001
Creator: Hechler, Ray & Alexander, William J.

Oral History Interview with Alan Fouts, December 6, 2001

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Alan Fouts. Fouts joined the Navy in 1939 and trained in San Diego. Upon completion of basic training, Fouts joined the USS Argonne (AG-31). Later, he was stationed at the submarine base at Pearl Harbor when the war started. He recalls witnessing the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor. He managed to get guns operational on the USS Widgeon (AM-22) before it got underway during the attack. Between the attacks, Fouts went alongside the US… more
Date: December 6, 2001
Creator: Fouts, Alan

Oral History Interview with Butler Irving, December 6, 2012

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Irving Butler. Butler joined the Navy in October of 1942. He completed Aviation Mechanic School in Memphis, Tennessee, and Gunnery School in Jacksonville, Florida. He was trained as an Air Crewman. In September of 1943 he went to Tarawa, Makin and Guam aboard the USS Enterprise (CV-6). He was made Second Class and placed in charge of 62 men going to the Admiralty Islands. He was later assigned to USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82) as … more
Date: December 6, 2012
Creator: Irving, Butler

Oral History Interview with William Waggoner, December 6, 2012

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Waggoner. Waggoner participated in a Civilian Pilot Training program in Nogales, Arizona. He volunteered in the Air Force Reserves, and trained at various bases throughout the U.S. He provides details of his training experiences. He trained as a tow pilot for gliders in Lubbock, Texas. In the spring of 1945 Waggoner was shipped to England. He was assigned to the 440th Troop Carrier Group and 95th Squadron in Orleans,… more
Date: December 6, 2012
Creator: Waggoner, William

Oral History Interview with Herb Elfering, December 6, 2001

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Herb Elfering. Elfering was in the California National Guard when it was activated in 1940 and went to Hawaii with the 251st Coast Artillery Regiment. He served in a searchlight battery. He was at Camp Malakole when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and recalls being strafed by planes at his radar installation. Afterwards, Elfering describes heightened security measures on Oahu. Once the war got started, Elfering and his unit we… more
Date: December 6, 2001
Creator: Elfering, Herb

Oral History Interview with Elijah Collins, December 6, 2001

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Elijah Collins. Collins joined the Navy in early 1941 and trained in San Diego. He was then assigned to the USS Blue (DD-387). Collins suffered from seasickness in the beginning. He was aboard the Blue at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked. Also, he was aboard when the Blue was sunk off Guadalcanal. After thirteen months ashore in Australia, Collins joined the USS McCord (DD-534) before going to torpedo school. From there, h… more
Date: December 6, 2001
Creator: Collins, Elijah

Oral History Interview with James Hastings, December 6, 2010

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James Hastings. Hastings was drafted into the Army in March 1941. He was sent to radar school and was promoted to an officer in the Signal Corps. Hastings was sent to New Guinea in 1943 and led an autonomous unit that operated on a radio boat disguised as a native fishing boat. He tells of an encounter with head hunters. Hastings was then sent to the 310th Bombardment Wing of the 5th Air Force in the Philippines where he mai… more
Date: December 6, 2010
Creator: Hastings, James

Oral History Interview with Hal La Vine, December 6, 2010

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Hal La Vine. La Vine was drafted into the Army in February of 1942. He was assigned to the 45th Division, 445th Combat Group. He graduated as an officer from cadet navigation school. He served as an instructor in Monroe, Louisiana. In November of 1942 his unit was assigned to a base in Hethel, England. La Vine served as a navigator aboard B-24s. They served as a lead crew, flying missions out of England in 1943. He describes life… more
Date: December 6, 2010
Creator: La Vine, Hal

Oral History Interview with Joseph Walker, December 6, 2009

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Joseph Walker. Walker joined the Navy in September 1943 after taking a course in navigation at Georgia Tech. He then attended midshipmen’s school at Columbia University. Upon completion, he was assigned to the USS Canberra (CA-70), where he served as assistant navigator. He enjoyed seeing the beautiful sunsets on the Pacific before his evening star-sights. His ship supported landings at Kwajalein and Hollandia and first enco… more
Date: December 6, 2009
Creator: Walker, Joseph

Oral History Interview with James Redfearn, December 6, 2009

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James Redfearn. Redfearn joined the Marine Corps after studying mechanical engineering at the University of Texas. He received basic training in San Diego. After serving as a drill instructor, he was assigned to the 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division. On account of his mathematical aptitude, he was selected as a forward observer, relaying target information to the artillery. Redfearn referred them to aerial photos, di… more
Date: December 6, 2009
Creator: Redfearn, James

Oral History Interview with Viola Kaplan, December 6, 2009

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Viola Kaplan. Kaplan was a first-year student at DePaul when the war started. She left the university to join the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) in the spring of 1942 and received basic training in Kansas. Given her background as a math major, she was assigned as a logician to headquarters in New Guinea, where ships were loaded before invasions. Kaplan alone determined how best to fill each ship with troops and supplies. She worke… more
Date: December 6, 2009
Creator: Kaplan, Viola

Oral History Interview with Edwin Schuler, December 6, 2008

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Edwin Schuler. Schuler joined the Navy and in early 1940 was assigned to the USS Phoenix (CL-46) as a fire controlman. During the attack on Pearl Harbor, he was at the gun director, preparing the ship’s artillery, which required the coordination of several hundred men. He describes the happenings at East Loch that morning, including a moment when he stopped to help a wounded Army man. After the ship got underway, they chased… more
Date: December 6, 2008
Creator: Schuler, Edwin

Oral History Interview with Gus Seeley, December 6, 2008

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Gus Seeley. Seeley joined the Navy in July of 1940. During his career, he completed schooling for Yeoman, Naval Intelligence, Stenography and the Portuguese Language. Seeley served as Yeoman Third-Class aboard USS Honolulu (CL-48). They were moored in Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked. Seeley was later transferred to USS LST-312, serving in the European Theater. He participated in the Sicily Campaign, the Salerno landings a… more
Date: December 6, 2008
Creator: Seeley, Gus

Oral History Interview with Arthur Rees, December 6, 2008

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Arthur Rees. Rees joined the Marine Corps in October 1941 and received basic training in San Diego. After training a few platoons as a drill instructor, he was transferred to Combat Engineers as a crane operator. He improved the airstrip at Guadalcanal and transferred supplies from LCTs to amphibious vehicles at Guam. He arrived at Iwo Jima just after D-Day and left for the States two weeks later. Although he was never on th… more
Date: December 6, 2008
Creator: Rees, Arthur

Oral History Interview with John Rauschkolb, December 6, 2008

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Rauschkolb. Rauschkolb enlisted in the Navy in 1938 and was assigned to the USS West Virginia (BB-48). As a third class signalman, Rauschkolb performed bunting maintenance, fixing torn flags as necessary. On the morning of the Pearl Harbor attack, he narrowly escaped strafing by jumping into oily water set ablaze by the USS Arizona (BB-39). He then reboarded his ship to fight fires, dragging a friend out of the flames a… more
Date: December 6, 2008
Creator: Rauschkolb, John

Oral History Interview with Charles Ide, December 6, 2008

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles Ide. Ide???s father completed the Naval ROTC program at the University of California at Berkley while Admiral Chester Nimitz was there. His father was among Nimitz???s first students. His father joined the Naval Reserve and became a Lieutenant in1940. His father was assigned as skipper of a net tender and he and his family of six headed to Pearl Harbor. They lived at the officer???s quarters. Charles provides some details… more
Date: December 6, 2008
Creator: Ide, Charles

Oral History Interview with Michael Ganitch, December 6, 2008

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Michael Ganitch. Ganitch joined the Navy in January 1941 and was assigned to the USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) as a quartermaster. He was getting ready to play a football game against the team from the USS Arizona (BB-39) when Pearl Harbor suddenly came under attack. He climbed to his battle station in the crow’s nest, grateful for the extra protection from his football padding. He recalls that American planes were shot down by f… more
Date: December 6, 2008
Creator: Ganitch, Michael

Oral History Interview with Richard C. Higgins, December 6, 2008

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Richard C Higgins. Higgins joined the Navy in December of 1939. He completed Aviation Radio School in San Diego. In 1940 he transferred to VP-43 at Naval Air Station, Sand Point, Seattle. He then served with a flight crew as Third Class Radioman in Patrol Squadron 22 (VP-22) on Ford Island. In October of 1941 they traveled to their new station at Midway Island. Higgins and his crew were in Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 during t… more
Date: December 6, 2008
Creator: Higgins, Richard C

Oral History Interview with Burdell Cobb, December 6, 2008

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Burdell Cobb. Cobb joined the Navy after graduating high school in 1940. Upon completion of basic training, he was assigned to USS Concord (CL-10) and then transferred to an aviation squadron on Ford Island. On 7 December 1941, Cobb was on the flight line when he heard an explosion and saw smoke rising from his hangar, prompting him to sound the fire alarm. Soon, a plane emerged from the smoke and flew towards Cobb, strafing… more
Date: December 6, 2008
Creator: Cobb, Burdell

Oral History Interview with Bernard Campbell, December 6, 2008

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bernard Campbell. Campbell joined the Navy in May 1941 and received basic training in San Diego. Upon completion, he was sent to the submarine base at Pearl Harbor, where he became a barber. During the attack on 7 December, he was assigned to an officer, as his foot messenger. He recalls that American planes were shot down by friendly fire later that evening, before personnel were quickly advised on nighttime Identify Friend… more
Date: December 6, 2008
Creator: Campbell, Bernard

Oral History Interview with Rolland Briar, December 6, 2008

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Simmons. Simmons joined the Navy in July 1943 and received basic training in San Diego. He received electro-hydraulics training and was assigned to the USS Davis (DD-395) as a gunner’s mate, his battle station in the lower forward handling room, sending up five-inch shells. He participated in the invasion of Normandy, providing support to troops landing on Omaha Beach. After escorting the USS Texas (BB-35) back to Eng… more
Date: December 6, 2008
Creator: Briar, Rolland

Oral History Interview with Richard Cunningham, December 6, 2003

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Richard Cunningham. Cunningham joined the Navy in 1940 and, after training, was assigned to the USS West Virginia (BB-48) at Bremerton, Washington. At tehe time, the ship was in drydock being updated with armor plating and more guns. Cunningham was aboard when the fleet was moved from California to Hawaii. He shares his experiences he had during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Cunningham was in a captain's gig headed fo… more
Date: December 6, 2003
Creator: Cunningham, Richard

Oral History Interview with Charlie Boswell, December 6, 2003

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charlie Boswell. After boot training in San Diego, he was assigned to the USS Tennessee in April 1941. The Tennessee was at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 tied up on the inside of the USS West Virginia, next to the pier. Boswell's battle station was as an ammunition handler on one of the 5-inch guns. He went down there and stayed there all day, sending up rounds. Boswell states that the Tennessee took two bombs hits. After… more
Date: December 6, 2003
Creator: Boswell, Charlie R.
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