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Oral History Interview with Tina Burnham, January 1, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Tina Burnham. Burnham was born in Sulpher Springs, Texas and graduated from high school in 1940. She attended a trade school in Texarkana, Texas to become a riveter. She was then employed at Spartan Aircraft Industries in Tulsa, Oklahoma as a riveter. On this job she manufactured wings on Grumman Wildcat aircraft. In January 1944 she joined the Coast Guard Women’s Reserve (SPARS) and went to Palm Beach, Florida for six weeks of intensive training. She describes the clothing she was issued and the training she received. Upon completion of boot camp she went to Philadelphia working as a pharmacist’s mate in the St. Agnes Hospital. She was then selected to attend the College of Pharmacy at Columbia University. She graduated 31 December 1944. After spending a short time in the SPARS barracks sick bay in Norfolk, Virginia she was transferred to the Marine Hospital in Norfolk. While at the hospital she rotated through the various departments. She states that surgery was her favorite. She was then sent to the Elizabeth City, North Carolina, Coast Guard Air Station where she served until being discharged 20 May 1946.
Oral History Interview with Farrell Kluttz, January 6, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Farrell L. Kluttz. Kluttz joined the Navy in December 1937. His first assignment was aboard the USS Downes (DD-375). In 1939, he was transferred to the USS John D. Edwards (DD-216) on Asia Station. His enlistment ended the day before the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Kluttz was in San Francisco then. he elected to stay in the Navy and was assigned to the commissioning crew of the USS Electra (AKA-4) in Tampa, Florida. They delivered some Marines to New Zealand in mid 1942 and made the North Africa landing later in November. Kluttz was aboard when the Electra was torpedoed and returned to South Carolina with he in April 1943. When he returned, Kluttz attended fire control school and graduated as a Chief Firecontrolman. He served at Newport, Rhode Island getting several sailors qualified to go aboard the soon-to-be commissioned USS Franklin (CV-13). Kluttz was aboard the Franklin when is suffered the bomb hits in March, 1945. He abandoned ship off the fantail and was rescued out of the water by the USS Hunt (DD-674). Kluttz was located by the captain of the Franklin and went back aboard at Ulithi. He was aboard the Franklin at Brooklyn when the war ended. During the Korean War, Kluttz served aboard the USS Waller (DD-466).
Oral History Interview with Edward Chandler, January 12, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Edward Chandler. Chandler quit school and joined the Navy in 1942. After boot training, he went to diesel school before reporting to Little Creek, Virginia for amphibious training. His first assignment was aboard an LCT in North Africa. Chandler had duty ashore maintaining engines at a port facility. From there, he went to Palermo and then Naples in early 1944. At Naples, he continued to repair ship engines. He also worked at the Anzio beachhead. He returned to the US for some leave and then was assigned to USS LST-502, which took him to the Pacific in time for the invasion of Okinawa. Chandler was discharged in 1946.
Oral History Interview with John Crooker, January 19, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Crooker. Crooker joined the Navy on 6 December 1941. He served as an officer (ensign to lieutenant commander), stationed in 1944 and 1945 in New Guinea, and as an intelligence briefer for Admiral T.C. Kinkaid, Commander, Seventh Fleet, on the USS Wasatch (AGC-9) and in the Philippine Islands. He participated in the Leyte and Lingayen Gulf operations from October of 1944 through August of 1945. He was discharged from active duty in October of 1945.
Oral History Interview with Robert Vickers, January 19, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Vickers. Vickers was born in Adams Mill, Ohio 20 February 1924. Joining the Army Air Forces in November 1942, he was sent to Keesler Field, Mississippi for basic training. He was then sent to Mississippi State College then the Cadet Classification Center in San Antonio. He received preflight training prior to being sent to Garner Field, Uvalde, Texas for flight training by civilian instructors. Vickers describes some of his experiences while flying the PT-19 primary trainer. He recalls being sent to Waco, Texas and describes the training he received flying the BT-13. Upon completion of the course he was sent to twin engine advanced school at Blackland Airfield at Waco. He received his wings and commission in April 1944, and was sent to Liberal, Kansas for B-24 bomber training. Upon completion, Vickers received orders to Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho for combat crew training. In October 1944 the crew went aboard the USS Washington (BB-56) bound for Liverpool, England. He was assigned to the 8th Air Force, 392nd Bomb Group, 578th Bomb Squadron stationed at Wendling, England. Vickers flew thirty combat missions. In recalling some, he tells of a mishap in toggling bombs, of the crew bailing out of their disabled aircraft, of encountering a German M-262 jet fighter, and of flying the last mission flown by the 8th Air Force on 25 April 1945. He returned to the United States June 1945retired in 1975.
Oral History Interview with Earle Falvey, January 20, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Earle M. Falvey. Falvey was born 14 March 1923 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Quitting school in 1938, he worked various jobs until joining the Navy in December 1942. Upon completing boot camp at Newport, Rhode Island, he attended gunnery school. From there, he volunteered for submarine school at New London, Connecticut. He describes the training, including being aboard an S-boat, an O-boat and an E-boat. Upon graduating he was assigned to the USS Flasher (SS-249) in time for its first war patrol from Pearl Harbor in January 1944. He was injured during a surface battle with a Japanese ship and was sent to the Mare Island Naval Hospital where he spent six weeks after surgery. Falvey returned to Australia and he describes experience with Aborigines during his rail travel to Fremantle. Upon his arrival in March 1945, he was assigned to the crew of the USS-Besugo (SS-321). He recalls various actions in which the Besugo was involved including the sinking of the German submarine, U-183. They picked up one German survivor, who joined a Japanese prisoner they had picked up from a tanker they had sunk. Falvey discusses the serious problems they had with torpedoes. He describes being under depth charge attack. Falvey’s boat was at sea when Japan surrendered. He remained in the submarine forces until he was discharged October 1947.
Oral History Interview with Sam D. Jones, January 22, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Sam D. Jones. Jones joined the Army in 1937. He served with the 12th Field Artillery at Fort Sam Houston. Jones details his duties caring for the horses and how caissons operated. He discusses camp life and talks about the exercises his unit participated in. Jones tells an interesting story about his last ride before his horse was retired and tells how that horse was given a military burial many years later. He left the Army in 1940 and volunteered to join after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Jones spent a year working in a message center at Camp Wallace and then was transferred to the 86th Infantry Division. He went to Europe and describes the severe cold encountered upon their arrival in the winter of 1944-45. Jones routinely led a convoy of two and a half ton trucks from the front to ammunition depots to keep the 105mm howitzers in his unit supplied. He describes being strafed by a German plane when fully loaded with ammunition. Jones describes interactions with the German people. He returned to the US and was discharged soon after the surrender of Japan.
Oral History Interview with Arthur E. Kelly, January 26, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Arthur E. Kelly. Kelly was born 4 March 1920 in Duluth, Minnesota. Graduating from Duluth Denfield High School in May 1939 he attended Duluth Junior College for two years. To supplement his income, he joined the Minnesota National Guard. While in college he received his pilot certification through the Civilian Pilot Training Program. His National Guard unit was called to active duty and went to Camp Claiborne, Louisiana. While there, he was accepted as a flying cadet and sent to Kelly Field, Texas for pilot training. He received his wings and commission in October 1942. He was sent to Harlingen Air Base, Texas and flew various planes with men learning to fire machine guns from aircraft. He then went to Smyrna, Tennessee for training in B-24 bombers. Upon completion of his training he returned to Harlingen and flew with other aerial gunner trainees. After six months, he went to Alabama for pilot training in B-29 bombers. He completed the training in March 1945 and was assigned as an aircraft commander. After receiving a crew, they flew to Saipan and were assigned to the 498th Bomb Group, 873rd Bomb Squadron. He flew three bombing mission over Japan and landed on Iwo Jima twice upon returning to Saipan. After the surrender of Japan his crew dropped food and supplies to various prisoner of war camps. He returned to the United States in December 1945 and was discharged December 1946.
Oral History Interview with Cecil C. Harris, February 3, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Cecil Harris. Harris was born 20 February 1925 in Raymond, Mississippi. In January 1943 he joined the Army Air Force Enlisted Reserves and entered basic training at Kessler Air Base, Mississippi. In May 1943 he was sent to the University of Tennessee in preparation for pre-flight training. He went to Nashville for classification and was selected for pilot training. He went to Montgomery, Alabama for primary training by a civilian instructor. After training in BT-13 aircraft at Courtland, Alabama, he flew AT-10 aircraft in advanced training at Freeman Field, Indiana and graduated 22 May 1944. He then went to Gulfport, Mississippi to begin B-17 crew training. Upon completing the training the crew was sent to New York City where in January 1945 they boarded the RMS Aquitania. Landing in Scotland they were transported to Glatton Air Base, England where they reported to the 457th Bomb Group, 748th Bomb Squadron. In reporting to the Deputy CO, Harris found the man had been his Boy Scout Master many years before. He flew thirty-two combat missions and describes a number of them. Of particular interest is his recollection of an encounter with a German M-262 jet fighter and witnessing the fighter shoot down a B-17. His unit was ordered back to the United States and the crew flew a B-17 home, arriving on 8 June 1945. Harris was discharged 19 October 1945.
Oral History Interview with Raymond Renfro, February 6, 2006: Transcript of an oral interview with Raymond Renfro. Born in 1923, he enlisted in the Marine Corps in November 1942. After training in Camp Pendleton, California, he was assigned to a machine gun squad in the 4th Marine Division. He describes landing on the Marshall Islands of Roi and Namur during the Battle of Kwajalein. He also relates his experiences in a rifle platoon under Captain Houston Stiff during the Battle of Saipan. He was wounded by an exploding shell and evacuated to a hospital ship. He was given a medical discharge in January 1945. The interview contains information about his early family life as well as information about his brother, Robert Renfro, who was captured by the Japanese while serving in the Army Air Corps in the Philippines.
Oral History Interview with Thomas F. Jordan, February 9, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Thomas F. Jordan. Jordan joined the Navy on 8 December 1941. He was assigned to the USS Wichita (CA-45) and worked as a deck seaman. Jordan describes convoy duty, traveling in foggy conditions, and a collision between two British ships. He mentions an incident detailing how the ship was segregated. Jordan discusses taking part in the invasion of North Africa and trading fire with French ships at Casablanca. He then describes taking part in a battle off of Guadalcanal and then bombarding Attu and Kiska before the landings. Jordan transferred to the aviation division and then became a plane captain at Alameda Naval Air Station for the remainder of the war. He remained in the reserves and discusses his experiences during the Korean War.
Oral History Interview with Zane Puckett, February 10, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Zane Puckett. Puckett joined the Navy in April, 1942. After boot training, he qualified for communications school. Upon graduation, Puckett was assigned aboard USS PC-602. After transiting the Panama Canal, Puckett joined USS YMS-93 as her signalman in August, 1943. At the Marshall Islands, they patrolled for submarines and accidentally damaged their wooden keel. After repairs at Pearl Harbor, YMS-93 headed for Okinawa in time for the invasion. Puckett explains how minesweepers operated. When the war ended, YMS-93 swept waters off the coast of Japan.
Oral History Interview with Warren Kerrigan, February 13, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Warren Kerrigan. Kerrigan joined the Navy in January of 1943. He completed quartermaster and signalman school. He served as Seaman First Class and Quartermaster Striker aboard USS Frost (DE-144) in June of 1943. He also worked on the deck force aboard the ship. They made one convoy escort voyage to Casablanca between November and December. They participated in coastal escort operations with the USS Croatan (CVE-25) hunter-killer group. They operated with Escort Division 13 in the North Atlantic hunting enemy submarines. They completed patrols, and sank German submarines, from March of 1944 through April of 1945, also taking prisoners from sunken vessels. Additionally, they rescued survivors from the USS Warrington (DD-383) and escorted Franklin D. Roosevelt to Yalta. Kerrigan was discharged in January of 1946.
Oral History Interview with John Sleasman, February 17, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John F. Sleasman. Sleasman was born 16 June 1926 and joined the Navy in 1943. After attending boot camp at Sampson, New York he went to machinist school in Dearborn, Michigan. He then trained as a diver in Manhattan, New York and tells of the sunken USS Lafayette (AP-53) (formerly the SS Normandie) being used for training purposes. In 1944 he was sent to the ship salvage depot in Noumea, New Caledonia. Sleasman recalls working on the heavily damaged SS Elilu Thompson, for which he received a special commendation. He also remembers an incident that claimed the lives of two of his fellow divers. In December 1945 he returned to the United States and was assigned to the USS Amphion (AR-13). He was discharged in 1946.
Oral History Interview with Thomas Burke, February 20, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Thomas Burke. Burke was born in Kendall, Kentucky 26 March 1917. After graduating from Monroe High School in Rochester, New York in 1935 he attended Union College, Schenectady, New York majoring in electrical engineering. He graduated in 1939. On 1 December 1941 he entered the US Navy at New London, Connecticut. He entered Submarine Officer’s School at New London with three months training on the submarine USS O-6. Upon graduation he was assigned to the USS Flasher (SS-249) as the communications officer. Burke describes four of the six combat patrols the Flasher made while he was aboard and mentions the shipping tonnage sunk by the boat. He also tells an interesting story involving two Chinese seamen who were picked up after the Flasher sank their sampan. After returning to San Francisco for an overhaul, the submarine made a seventh and uneventful patrol from which they were recalled, as Japan had surrendered. The submarine was taken to the New Orleans Navy Depot and Burke was discharged soon thereafter.
Oral History Interview with Thomas Koltoniak, February 21, 2006: Transcript of an oral interview with Thomas Koltoniak. He joined the Navy despite being underage. He was assigned to the USS Texas (BB-35), first in the radio division, then in the aerial division. He shares an anecdote about visiting a munitions dump in Iceland on one of the ship's Atlantic crossings. He mentions the radio broadcast of General Dwight Eisenhower?s ?Voice of Freedom? message from the Texas while off the coast of North Africa. He participated in aerial photography missions along the French coast in preparation for the invasion of Normandy, France. He relates that the Texas was hit by two German shells, one of which failed to explode, during the Battle of Cherbourg. He describes the invasion of Iwo Jima. He also describes the processes of taking-off and landing on an aircraft carrier. He discusses attacks by kamikazes at Okinawa as well as the capture of a kamikaze pilot.
Oral History Interview with John Stutterheim, February 28, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Stutterheim. Stutterheim was born 14 June 1928 in Indonesia. He speaks fondly of growing up on the island of Java. Stutterheim was 13 years old in December of 1941, when Pearl Harbor was attacked. With the surrender of Java to the Japanese in 1942, Stutterheim and his younger brother and mother were taken to one prison camp and his father to another, where they all remained until their liberation in 1945. Their camps were located around Batavia and Jakarta. He recounts his experiences during the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies, sharing the brutal conditions in a Japanese labor camp and collapse of Dutch colonial rule.
Oral History Interview with Al Kiracofe, March 6, 2006: 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 experience upset him to the point that he remembered the date of each letter for the rest of his life. He was transferred to Carrier Air Group 10 aboard the USS Intrepid (CV-11) and helped to set up squadrons in Alameda from January 1943 to September 1944. At Okinawa, a kamikaze hit caused the deaths of eight men on the Intrepid. When the ship returned to Alameda for repairs, Kiracofe was so shaken up that he was ordered to a US Naval hospital for treatment and received a medical discharge in July 1945.
Oral History Interview with George Redman, March 9, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with George Redman. Redman joined the Navy in May of 1941. He served on the deck force aboard the USS Mississippi (BB-41). From May to 7 December, they escorted convoys back and forth across the North Atlantic. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, they transferred to the Pacific Fleet. Redman completed diving school and worked with the ship’s pumps. He became Seaman First Class, Coxswain, and later became head diver and Gun Captain. Aboard the Mississippi, Redman participated in shelling Japanese forces during the Gilbert and Marshall Islands and the Philippines campaigns and the invasions of Peleliu and Okinawa. He also served in the Battle of Surigao Strait. Redman was discharged around December of 1945.
Oral History Interview with Andrew Bofinger, March 10, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Andrew Bofinger. Bofinger joined the Naval Reserves in October of 1941, and was called to active duty on 15 December 1941. He served as Boatswain’s Mate Second Class, and worked on the offshore patrol in sailing vessels searching for Japanese subs. In June of 1943 he received a direct commission as ensign, and was assigned as Skipper aboard the minesweeper, YMS-93. In early 1944 they traveled to Hawaii, then the Marshall Islands conducting patrols, search and rescue missions and maintenance sweeping. In March of 1945 they swept mines on the east coast of Okinawa and rescued crewman from the USS England (DE-635). Bofinger was discharged in February of 1946.
Oral History Interview with Merle Hatch, March 11, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Merle Hatch. Hatch grew up in El Paso, Texas, and was drafted into the Army in January, 1941. Hatch was eventually attached to the 77th Infantry Division after he had gone to Officer Candidate School and received his commission as an infantry officer. Hatch speaks briefly about invading Guam and comments on Japanese soldiers in general. Hatch was a platoon leader on Guam. He relates a story about using a flamethrower on Guam. Hatch also served on Ie Shima and Okinawa. After securing Okinawa, Hatch's unit went to Cebu, in the Philippines, where Hatch was wounded by a renegade Japanese soldier. He met his future wife, who was a nurse, in the hospital on Leyte. He also shares a story about arriving on Hokkaido for occupation duty.
Oral History Interview with Cesar Forezan, Jr., March 12, 2006: Transcript of an oral interview with Cesar Fourzan, Jr. He enlisted in the Army in 1940 and was assigned to C Troop of the First Cavalry Division. He trained as a cavalry soldier at Fort Bliss, Texas. He was sent to Fort Riley, Kansas where he attended Officer Candidate School. He shares an anecdote about losing his accent in order to receive his commission. He was assigned to the 9th Cavalry and served as the squadron paymaster. He shares anecdotes about taking African American soldiers into Mexico for recreation and about taking aerial photos of Fort Clark, Texas. He participated in a horse march from Fort Ringgold, Texas to Alpine, Texas, when he was in the 112th Cavalry, Second Cavalry Division. He shares anecdotes about his trip to Australia aboard the USS Hermitage (AP-54); witnessing the landing of General McArthur on Leyte; adopting a puppy and interacting with children on Luzon; and his return trip to the United States. He also shares his recollection of eating ground grasshoppers. He spent twenty-nine years and seven months in the Army and attained the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Oral History Interview with Kathryn Ast Hatch, March 12, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Kathryn Ast Hatch. Hatch grew up in Wisconsin and went to nursing school in Madison. She joined the Army in 1943. Once she was inducted and trained, she was assigned to the 44th General Hospital. Then, she shipped out for Australia, where she worked in a 2,000 bed hospital in Townsville. Hatch was in charge of a ward and cared for wounded soldiers and pilots from the New Guinea campaign. Eventually, she moved with her unit to New Guinea and then the Philippines. Hatch describes some of the infections she witnessed, such as malaria.
Oral History Interview with Richard Paine, March 13, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Richard Paine. Paine joined the Navy Reserves soon after 7 December 1941. He served as a photographer’s mate in charge of a photo printing lab in Washington DC. Paine briefly discusses the equipment he used. He was discharged in 1944 when he contracted a serious case of tuberculosis and took several years to recover.
Oral History Interview with Pierre J. J. Kennedy, March 16, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Pierre Kennedy. Kennedy was born in France 20 February 1923. He graduated from high school in Massachusetts in 1940. He was called into active service in January 1943 at Brigantine Field, New Jersey. Upon completing basic training he went to the University of Pittsburg as an aviation cadet. After washing out, he went to Tyndall Field, Florida to attend gunnery school. He then was assigned as the tail gunner on a B-24. In August 1944 the crew flew a new B-24 to Foggia, Italy. Upon arrival the crew was assigned to the 781st Bomb Squadron, 465th Bomb Group (H). On 13 October 1944, after flying eighteen combat missions, Kennedy replaced the tail gunner on another B-24. During a bomb run over an oil refinery, Kennedy’s plane was damaged by flak and he bailed out. He was captured by German soldiers and was taken to Dulag Luft, near Frankfort, for interrogation. He was then taken by train to Stalag Luft IV where he stayed until 6 February 1945. Before the advancing Russian Army, the prisoners began a forced march that lasted eighty-six days and covered 500 miles. Kennedy describes the cold and hunger the prisoners endured. On 2 May 1945 the group was liberated by British 2nd Army Armored Division tanks. He was flown to Brussels, and was there when Germany surrendered. He boarded the USS Sea Robin (SS-407) at Le Havre and arrived in the United States on 28 July 1945. He received his discharge 20 October 1945.
Oral History Interview with Thomas Kenney, March 16, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Thomas Kenney. When Kenney finished high school in 1941 in Houston, Texas, he went to work for a railroad company before volunteering for service in the Navy. He trained in San Diego before going to signal school. After signal school, Kenney was assigned to the Armed Guard. He was assigned to an oil tanker that the Merchant Marines operated. He spent 18 months aboard the vessel hauling oil from points in teh Carribean to points in the Pacific for the fleet oilers stationed there. Kenney also recalls serving aboard a victory ship, the SS Paducah Victory (1945), and hauling ammunition aboard it to Okinawa. Kenney describes the methods and procedures of signalling between ships in a convoy. Kenney also describes life aboard a tanker as a signalman.
Oral History Interview with James Harward, March 20, 2006: The National Museum of the pacific War presents an interview with James Harward. Harward joined the Army in October, 1944. When he arrived in France, he was assigned to B Company, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division in time to participate in combat in Germany. He describes his combat experiences and shares anecdotes about his occupation duty as well. When Harward returned to the US, he was discharged after a 30 day furlough.
Oral History Interview with George Steiger, March 22, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with George Steiger. Born in 1924, Steiger joined the Marines in 1943. He received artillery training as well as DUKW (also referred to as a Duck (an amphibios vehicle)), radio, and telephone training. He was an assistant gunner with the Fifth Marine Division. He describes his role in invasion of Iwo Jima as well as seeing the first American flag raised on Mount Suribachi. At the end of the war, he was sent to Sasebo, Japan as part of the occupation force. He discusses disarming kamikaze boats. He was transferred to the Second Marine Division stationed in Nagasaki, Japan. He describes the area that was hit by the atomic bomb as well as interactions with the local citizens. He returned to the United States in 1946.
Oral History Interview with James Atkinson, March 23, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James E. Atkinson. Atkinson was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas in 1921. His younger brother was killed in Europe during the war. Atkinson attended Vanderbilt University with a football scholarship in 1940. In 1942 he joined the Navy Reserves and entered the V-12 Navy College Training Program. Soon afterwards, he entered Midshipman’s school at Notre Dame. Upon graduating 20 June 1944, he was commissioned an ensign. He then entered submarine school at New London, Connecticut. He describes the characteristics of a fleet submarine. After completing four months of school, he flew to Brisbane, Australia and reported aboard the USS Flasher (SS-249). Atkinson served during the boat’s fourth, fifth and sixth combat patrols. He describes sinking two Japanese destroyers and four tankers. On the sixth combat patrol, they sank two Japanese ships and returned to Pearl Harbor for overhaul in April 1945. Afterwards, the boat was at sea bound for Guam when the atomic bombs were dropped on Japan. Returning to New London, Connecticut, the crew decommissioned the boat.
Oral History Interview with Al Stevens, March 27, 2006: 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 the USS Wasatch (ACG-9). When the ship was anchored, he was assigned to deliver orders and mail. He describes the Operation Olympic portion of the plan to invade Japan. He was part of the force that occupied Wakanoura and Nagoya, Japan. He shares an anecdote about obtaining a Japanese sword as a souvenir in Nagoya. In North China he participated in the repatriation of the Japanese, Chinese, and Koreans. He wrote a book, ?Up Close and Personal,? about his World War II experiences.
Oral History Interview with Bill Lane, April 1, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bill Lane. Lane was attending the University of Texas and tried joining the Marine Corps, but did not pass the physical. He instead opted for the Army, which accepted him. He trained at Fort Custer, Michigan. There he trained as a military policeman and was soon shipped to a prisoner of war camp housing German submarine sailors in New Mexico. After being sent to west coast, Lane boarded a ship and sailed 23 days to New Caledonia, where he was assigned to the Americal Division. From there, Lane went to Guadalcanal in late 1942 and relieved and replaced a Marine unit on the front line. Lane recalls his experiences fighting he Japanese at the Tenaru River on Guadalcanal. He was armed with a Browning Automatic Rifle. Lane also describes some experiences while on R & R in Australia before he headed for Bougainville. After a brief amount of time in the Palau Islands, Lane headed for the invasion of Leyte. Later on, he moved to Luzon and fought in Manila. Lane backtracks and shares some anecdotes about being a personal river for General Douglas MacArthur in Sydney while on R & R. After the war, Lane served as a military policeman in Osaka during the occupation of Japan and shares several anecdotes, including one in which he got shot in the leg. He also recalls seeing several former American POWs and comments on the shape those men appeared to be in. Lane eventually was sent back to the US and discharged in February, 1946.
Oral History Interview with Leonard Dimminger, April 6, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral history with Leonard Dimminger. Dimminger finished high school in June 1942 and immediately enlisted in the Navy. After basic training in San Diego, he went to Idaho for radio communications training. He eventually became an aviation radioman. He went overseas in early 1943 to Australia and was eventually assigned to VP-52. He describes several night flights he made with VP-52. He stayed with this squadron while he was overseas. He returned to the US on leave and was sent to radio school. Before returning overseas, the war ended and Dimminger opted to be discharged in December 1945.
Oral History Interview with Robert Shiels, April 6, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Shiels. Shiels served in the Corps of Cadets, Field Artillery, at Texas A&M. He obtained an Electrical Engineering degree and graduated in charge of a Field Artillery Regiment. He was called to active duty with the Army shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor in December of 1941. He served as a Communications Officer and Motor Pool Officer in the 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. From December of 1942 through January of 1943, they participated in the Battle of Mount Austen, the Galloping Horse, and the Sea Horse on the island of Guadalcanal. In late 1943 they traveled to New Caledonia, where he changed over to Signal Corps. He was discharged in 1945.
Oral History Interview with Albert Finley, April 11, 2006: 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 was discharged in the fall of 1946.
Oral History Interview with Raul Treto, April 11, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Raul Treto. Treto was born in Harlingen, Texas 4 November 1921. In September 1942 he was drafted into the Army and sent to Camp Robinson, Arkansas for eighteen weeks of basic training. Upon completion of basic he was assigned to the 98th Signal Battalion and sent to Camp Blanding, Florida for advanced training. In June 1944 the battalion traveled by troop train to Camp Stoneman, California. Boarding a liberty ship, they proceeded on a thirty day voyage to Aitape, Papua New Guinea. Upon arrival in New Guinea, Treto was assigned to a radio platoon. While on New Guinea he saw a USO Show put on by Bob Hope. He tells of going to Morotai as well as taking part in the invasion of Luzon. During August 1945 he was selected to go aboard the USS Mount Olympus (AGC-8) as part of the crew manning the radios and was on board in Tokyo Bay when the surrender of Japan was officially accepted. He returned to his unit which was stationed outside Yokohama. He returned to the United States and was discharged December 1945.
Oral History Interview with Delmar Oldenettel, April 13, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Delmar Oldenettel. Oldenettel was drafted into the Army and, after training, was shipped to a replacement depot in New Caledonia. In August, 1943, he was assigned to the 25th Infantry Division at Guadalcanal. From Guadalcanal, he went to Vella Lavella for the invasion. Afterwards, he went to New Zealand for rest with the rest of the division. Oldenettel then describes combat on Luzon when his unit landed at Lingayen Gulf in January, 1945. By October, 1945, Oldenettel had earned enough points to be rotated back to the US.
Oral History Interview with Wallis Hines, April 18, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Wallis Hines. Hines joined the Army in September of 1943. In March of 1944 they traveled to Naples, Italy, where he was assigned to C Company, 3rd Chemical Mortar Battalion. In May they set up a mortar position in preparation for General Mark Clark to lead the Fifth Army in its capture of Rome in June. They participated in the Invasion of Southern France in August. In December they moved into Bastogne, Belgium in preparation for the Battle of the Bulge. Hines was discharged in November of 1945.
Oral History Interview with Eugene Cain, April 20, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Eugene Cain. Cain joined the Indiana national Guard and earned a commission. Cain speaks of following General MacArthur into the Philippines in 1944. Cain was an armored artillery battery commander. He describes the surrender of several hundred Japanese toorps. Apparently, after the war, Cain got into some trouble with a Filipino woman and was transferred out o fthe Philippines to Seoul, Korea, where he ran the officer's club. When Cain got out of the Army, he became an insurance broker.
Oral History Interview with C. E. Simmons, April 21, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with C E Simmons. Simmons joined the Navy in October of 1944. Beginning in January of 1945 he served aboard the USS Goshen (APA-108) as coxswain driving Landing Craft, Vehicle Personnel (LCVP) to the beach. They traveled to Hawaii and New Hebrides, and landed the first wave at the Battle of Okinawa. In September of 1945 he was assigned to the US Naval Training Center in Newport, Rhode Island, training new crewmembers for sea duty. He was discharged in October of 1947.
Oral History Interview with Henry Michalak, April 28, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Henry Michalak. Michalak joined the Marine Corps and, after training in San Diego, went to communications school. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines, 2nd Marine Division and sailed for the Solomon Islands after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He relates an anecdote about being on Gavutu and having an American dive bomber dorp a bomb near him. He then describes being present on Guadalcanal during the battle. His job during his time on Guadalcanal was making sure the telephone lines were operating and repairing them when they were down. When Guadalcanal was secure, Michalak and his unit went to New Zealand for R&R. In November, 1943, Michalak headed for Tarawa. He describes his combat experiences there and shares an anecdote about seeing a high school classmate on Tarawa whom he did not know was in the Marines. Michalak also share stories about his combat experiences on Saipan. He was wounded on Saipan and evacuated to a hospital ship. When he was recovered, he was sent to a naval ammunition depot in Oklahoma where he remained for the duration of his time in the service. He was discharged in November, 1945. Despite being separated from the service, Michalak served in the Korean War for one year, too.
Oral History Interview with Lew Weber, April 28, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lew Weber. Weber graduated from high school in Galveston, Texas, in May and joined the Marine Corps in July, 1943. He joined the Second Marine Division at Camp Tarawa on Hawaii late in 1943. Weber describes his experiences going ashore during the invasion of Saipan. he also describes a Japanese tank attack and being wounded on Saipan. Weber's unit was headed for Okinawa, but was diverted back to Saipan, where he finished the war. Weber then describes some experiences while on occupation duty in Japan after the war. Weber was awarded the Silver Star on Saipan. He finished by speaking about visiting the National WWII Memorial in Washington, DC.
Oral History Interview with Roy Simmons, April 28, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Roy Simmons. Simmons begins by describing his reaction to the news about the attack on Pearl Harbor. He stayed in college for a little while before hitchhiking to San Antonio and joining the Marine Corps. After he graduated in August, 1943, he was sent to Parris Island for basic training. He went to Officer Candidate School and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps before shipping out to Hawaii. Finally, he was assigned as an artillery forward observer at Saipan prior to the invasion of Okinawa. At Okinawa, he participated in a diversion landing on D-day, an attempt to confuse the Japanese. He finally landed on Okinawa several weeks later and describes his combat experiences. Simmons witnessed General Buckner getting killed. After the war, Simmons went to Japan for occupation duty and describes some of his activities outside of Nagasaki. While there, his unit inherited an ice cream plant in which they began making ice cream for the regiment. In April, 1946, he shipped back to the US.
Oral History Interview with Cleatus A. LeBow, May 2, 2006: Interview with Cleatus A. LeBow, a serviceman in the U. S. Navy during World War II. LeBow joined the navy in 1943 and went from Lubbock, Texas to San Diego for recruit training. He shipped out to Pearl Harbor aboard an LST from San Francisco. At Pearl Harbor, he was assigned to a work detail aboard the USS Oklahoma, which had just been righted. Shortly thereafter, he boarded the USS Indianapolis to serve as a range finder operator on one of the gun turrets. Upon leaving Hawaii, the Indianapolis went to Tarawa and then the Marshall Islands. LeBow witnessed Japanese civilian suicides on Saipan. He also witnessed the flag-raising on Iwo Jima from his range finder position aboard the ship. LeBow describes being hit by a kamikaze off Okinawa. He also discusses delivering atomic bomb components to Tinian and being torpedoed on the way to the Philippines. He describes abandoning the ship and spending five days in the water, including his faith in God, hallucinations, rescue, and his recovery.
Oral History Interview with Cleatus A. LeBow, May 2, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Cleatus A. LeBow. LeBow joined the Navy in 1943 and went from Lubbock, Texas to San Diego for recruit training. He shipped out to Pearl Harbor aboard an LST from San Francisco. At Pearl Harbor, he was assigned to a work detail aboard the USS Oklahoma, which had just been righted. Shortly thereafter, he boarded the USS Indianapolis to serve as a range finder operator on one of the gun turrets. Upon leaving Hawaii, the Indianapolis went to Tarawa and then the Marshall Islands. LeBow witnessed Japanese civilian suicides on Saipan. He also witnessed the flag-raising on Iwo Jima from his range finder position aboard ship. LeBow describes being hit by a kamekazi off Okinawa. He also discusses delivering atomic bomb components to Tinian and being torpedoed on the way to the Philippines. He describes abandoning ship, spending five days in the water, his faith in God, hallucinations, and being rescued and his recovery.
Oral History Interview with John Winter, May 17, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Winter. Winter joined the Navy around 1943, serving as a quartermaster aboard the USS Cronin (DE-704). Winter worked with the deck force, ordering all relevant supplies including paint, thinners, brushes, scrapers and more. They escorted convoys across the Atlantic to North Africa and Sicily. In December of 1944 they traveled through the Pacific, escorting freighters and aircraft carriers. Winter was discharged in early 1946.
Oral History Interview with Bud Rohling, May 18, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bud Rohling. Rohling recalls volunteering for the service shortly after Pearl Harbor was attacked. He was called up in March, 1942 and went into flight training. After training, he was assigned to the 3rd Photo Reconnaissance Squadron. Rohling's first job was to fly over the coast of northern Canada and Alaska and take photographs. He mentions also flying over the coast of Russia and taking a few photographs there as well. From there, he was assigned to Gush Kara, India. Rohling's unit ferried fuel to China and they flew photo recon missions along the coast. They did that for seven months and then went back to McDill Air Force Base, Florida. Once he returned, Rohling was assigned to B-29 bombers. His next assignment was on Saipan where he ran photo recon missions over the home islands of Japan. Rohling describes participating in some fire bombing missions over Japan. Rohling recalls photographing the atomic attack on Nagasaki. When the war ended, Rohling had enough points to rotate home, but instead made a request to join General Curtis LeMay's headquartes staff and hopefully stay in the Marianas. He ended up in Tokyo making more reconnaissance flights before being transferred to the Philippines. At Manila, he separated from the service and started up a small airline compnay in the Philippines.
Oral History Interview with William Frushour, May 24, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William V. Frushour. Born in Fulton County, Indiana 25 October 1921, Frushour graduated from high school in 1939 and attended St. Joseph’s College for two years. Upon being drafted in 1942, he went to Camp Grant, Illinois for basic training. After completion, he was sent to Camp Carson, Colorado for basic medical training. Upon completion of the medical training he was assigned to the 31st General Hospital. He went aboard a Dutch freighter for a 33 day trip to Noumea, New Caledonia then to Espiritu Santos where they built a hospital. Later he was sent to the Philippines, serving with the 7th Evacuation Hospital, which was near the front lines. He tells of some of his medical experiences while serving in the evacuation hospital. Returning to the United States in December 1945, he was discharged.
Oral History Interview with Chelly Mendoza, May 25, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Chelly Mendoza. Mendoza was drafted into the Army in August, 1942. He was attached as a medic to the 1st Cavalry Division. He went overseas in May, 1943 and landed at Oro Bay, New Guinea. Mendoza served as a litter bearer hauling wounded from the battlefield. He drove an ambulance in the Admiralty Islands during the campaign in 1944. In October, Mendoza went to Leyte during the invasion of the Philippines. Mendoza helped liberate the civilian internees from Santo Tomas in Manila, where he was wounded. He returned to the US and was discharged from the Army in December, 1945.
Oral History Interview with Roy McIlvain, May 26, 2006: The National Museum of the pacific War presents an interview with Roy McIlvain. McIlvain describes his experiences growing up in Kansas during the Great Depression. McIlvain joined the Army in January 1943. Instead of training, he joined a searchlight outfit in Washington DC. He was eventually attached to the 76th Infantry Division and traveled to England with them. He shares several anecdotes from his time in the infantry in France, Belgium and Germany. McIlvain carried a Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) and was wounded in February 1945. McIlvain shares several anecdotes about his experiences in WWII.
Oral History Interview with Joe Jeanes, May 31, 2006: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Joe Jeanes. Jeanes joined the Navy in 1942 at 15 years old. He completed basic training at the Naval Air Station in Corpus Christi, Texas, and was assigned to a PBY Squadron. They patrolled the Gulf of Mexico. In 1944, Jeanes was shipped to New Guinea and Hollandia. He worked for a Seabee outfit for a short period of time. He served aboard USS Ward (DD-139) until it sank in October of 1944, and then transferred to Manila until the end of the war. Jeanes returned home and was discharged in late 1945.

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