National Museum of the Pacific War - 219 Matching Results

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Oral History Interview with Douglas A. Skinner, December 1, 2006

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents and oral interview with Douglas A. Skinner. Born 13 January 1923 in Fleetwood, Oklahoma, Skinner joined the Army 1 April 1943 and was sent to Fort Hood, Texas for basic training. Upon completion of basic, he volunteered for the Parachute Infantry and was sent to Fort Benning, Georgia for airborne training. He describes the training they received. Assigned to the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division he was sent to England. On … more
Date: December 1, 2006
Creator: Skinner, Douglas A.

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 George Medcalf, December 27, 2000

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Geroge Medcalf from Greensville, South Carolina. He discusses his experience in training in Camp Mcoy in Wisconsin and meeting his wife there. He also discusses his time in the Second Infantry Division with the 38th Regiment, Company C, preparing for the Normandy Invasion. Mr. Medcalf also relays how he had to take over command of his Company during the invasion when he was injured by flying shrapnel and sent back to England… more
Date: December 27, 2000
Creator: Medcalf, George

Oral History Interview with John Newsom, December 15, 2009

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Newsom. Newsom joined the Army Air Forces in 1942. He served with the 303rd Airdrome Squadron, 751st Bomb Squadron. They traveled to New Guinea, Leyte, Mindanao, Luzon and Manila. Newsome serviced B-25s, helped build airstrips and revetments for planes, as well as loading B-25s with bombs and ammunition prior to takeoff. Newsom shares his experience combatting Japanese soldiers on the islands, kamikaze attacks and bombing ra… more
Date: December 15, 2009
Creator: Newsom, John

Oral History Interview with Thomas Stevenson, December 8, 2009

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Thomas Stevenson. Stevenson joined the Navy around 1942. He completed Naval Communications training. Beginning mid-1944, he served aboard the USS Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413). He shares his experiences through the Battle of Samar, and the sinking of the Roberts in October. Stevenson was then assigned on staff to the Command Transport Division 107, working with converted destroyer escorts. He traveled to Midway, Guam, Okinawa and th… more
Date: December 8, 2009
Creator: Stevenson, Thomas

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 Cary Salter, December 11, 2003

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Cary Salter. Salter learned to fly in the Civilian Pilot Training program before entering the Army Air Forces in June 1942 and entering flight training. He was commissioned in August, 1943 and went to England in September 1944 where he joined the 354th Fighter Group to fly P-51s. Salter describes missions he flew over France and Germany where he attacked various ground targets and engaged in aerial combat. Salter flew over 60 com… more
Date: December 11, 2003
Creator: Salter, Cary

Oral History Interview with Peter Terpstra, December 31, 2005

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Peter Terpstra. Terpstra joined the Navy in February of 1944. He served in the Pacific aboard the USS Ara (AK-136). They traveled to Pearl Harbor with Seabees and Marines on board. They stopped at a staging area at Eniwetok where they collected all the ships heading out to invade Guam. Terpstra provides detail of the ship and equipment and weapons aboard. They went to Guam and he provides detail of some of the battle. He discusse… more
Date: December 31, 2005
Creator: Terpstra, Peter

Oral History Interview with Murphy Williams, December 26, 2001

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Murphy Williams. Williams recalls details about his ancestors in North Carolina prior to discussing his education. Williams went to seminary in the fall of 1941. He finished seminary in May 1944 and then entered the Navy as a chaplain. One of his first duty assignments was visitations to parents who had lost sons in the war. Another assignment took him to a Navy air facility in Groton, Connecticut. In July, 1945, Williams was ass… more
Date: December 26, 2001
Creator: Williams, Murphy

Oral History Interview with Melvin Grant, December 27, 2002

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Melvin Grant. Grant served in the Civilian Conservation Corps from 1940 to 1941. He provides detail of the CCC program, including accommodations, pay and food. Grant went to California and helped build Camp Cook, now Vandenberg Air Force Base, where he was on 7 December 1941. He was assigned to Company E, 7th Regiment, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Division. He was a demolition specialist and a flame thrower and describes both of the… more
Date: December 27, 2002
Creator: Grant, Melvin

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 Milton Goble, December 15, 2006

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Milton Goble. Goble was drafted into the Army Air Forces in 1942. He trained at the San Antonio Air Cadet Center. He was selected to be a pilot. In May of 1944 he went to Ballinger, Texas for pilot training on AT-10 planes. In September of 1944 he went to San Angelo, Texas for secondary flight training. He graduated from the twin engine group, housed in Flight A and describes a photograph of his classmates, providing their names … more
Date: December 15, 2006
Creator: Goble, Milton

Oral History Interview with Orland Boone, December 10, 2004

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Orland Boone. Boone enlisted in the Army Air Forces in December of 1942. He traveled to South America, to Guyana and Brazil. He flew in B-17s, serving as engineer gunner. In South America Boone worked in the weather office and the operations office. He flew practice missions 6 hours per day. In March of 1944 he was then sent to Europe in the 8th Air Force, 486th Bomb Group, 835th Bomb Squadron, flying in the B-17 lower ball turre… more
Date: December 10, 2004
Creator: Boone, Orland

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 Arlie Asmussen, December 27, 2005

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Arlie Asmussen. Asmussen joined the Navy in 1941, after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He served aboard the USS Owl (AM-2) beginning in February of 1942. His job aboard was to cook and serve as a deck ape, scrubbing the decks and bulkheads, and tying up the boats. In March they traveled to Bermuda and remained for 2 years. They provided target practice for submarines and went out on distress calls, rescuing a torpedoed cargo ship fr… more
Date: December 27, 2005
Creator: Asmussen, Arlie

Oral History Interview with Wendell Tombaugh, December 31, 2005

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Wendell C. Tombaugh. Tombaugh joined the Navy in November of 1944. He was trained in radar and provides some detail of his training experiences. He served aboard the USS Perkins (DD-877). His rank was Seaman First Class, and he shares stories of life aboard the destroyer. He was discharged in February of 1946.
Date: December 31, 2005
Creator: Tombaugh, Wendell

Oral History Interview with Harold Placette, December 8, 2001

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Harold Placette. Placette joined the Navy in July of 1940. He provides some vivid details of boot camp. He served 5 years aboard the USS Phelps (DD-360). He trained in radio maintenance and radar. They arrived in Hawaii in November of 1940, and they conducted fleet maneuvers and antisubmarine training. He was assigned to the Bofors gun, which he describes. Phelps was on board during the attack at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. … more
Date: December 8, 2001
Creator: Placette, Harold

Oral History Interview with Glenn Mitchell, December 17, 2009

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Glenn Mitchell. Mitchell, a native Choctaw Indian, joined the Marine Corps in 1943. After completing training in artillery as well as radio and telephone communication, he joined the 5th Marine Division, 13th Artillery Regiment. His primary function was to call in coordinates for a 105mm gun. At Iwo Jima, Mitchell landed under enemy fire which included attack. He developed battle fatigue and was relieved from the front lines… more
Date: December 17, 2009
Creator: Mitchell, Glenn

Oral History Interview with Ellsworth Handy, December 21, 2009

Description: Transcript of an oral interview with Ellsworth Handy. Born in 1914, he entered the Army in August, 1940. He was assigned to the 1st Cavalry Headquarters, 29th Quartermaster Regiment. In early 1942 he was sent to the Pacific Theater. He describes being transported from San Francisco, California to Australia aboard the RMS Queen Elizabeth. He was responsible for running convoys of trucks in remote areas of the country. As Plans and Recreation Officer in Brisbane, he arranged entertainment in a lo… more
Date: December 21, 2009
Creator: Handy, Ellsworth

Oral History Interview with Albert W. Boam, December 8, 2009

Description: Transcript of an oral interview with Albert W. Boam. Born in 1923, he enlisted as an Aviation Cadet in the Army Air Corps in 1942. He attended gunnery school at Buckingham Army Air Base in Naples, Florida. He describes his navigation training at Selman Field in Monroe, Louisiana. He was assigned to the 846th Squadron, 489th Bomb Group, 95th Combat Wing, 8th Air Force. He describes the flying the Southern Route to England as well as the navigation methods used. In 1944, he flew thirty-one missio… more
Date: December 8, 2009
Creator: Boam, Albert W.

Oral History Interview with Thomas C. Ketcham, December 16, 2009

Description: Transcript of an oral interview with Thomas C. Ketcham. Born in 1923, he was a member of the Enlisted Reserves Corps (ERC) while attending Purdue University. He was called to active duty in May 1943, assigned to field artillery, and trained in surveying methods. He describes the process of surveying for artillery purposes with a transit, a stadia rod and logarithm books. He was sent to Europe with the 85th Infantry Division, 403rd Field Artillery Battalion, Headquarters Battery. He describes th… more
Date: December 16, 2009
Creator: Ketcham, Thomas C.

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
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