The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Marcel Bisson. Bisson joined the Marine Corps in 1944 and after training was assigned as a replacement to the 5th Marine Division just prior to invading Iwo Jima. On the twelfth day, Bisson was wounded and evacuated. After some stays in hospitals, he was medically discharged in July 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Gene F. Dauer. Dauer joined the Marine Corps and trained at San Diego. While on leave after training, he missed returning in time to join his original unit and shipped out later to Hawaii. Eventually, he landed at Iwo Jima on D+4 four days after the initial assault. His duty on Iwo Jima included driving ambulances and working in the field hospital ward. He was on Hilo when the war ended and describes a tsunami on that island after the war.

Lecture given Monday, June 27, 2005 at Abilene Christian University: "Eighteenth-century Scotland produced an active restoration movement under the leadership of John Glas and Robert Sandeman. Within 40 years more than 50 congregations were spread across Scotland, England, New England and Canada. But by 1999 the movement was extinct. Why? What happened? What can be learned?"

Lecture given Monday, June 27, 2005 at Abilene Christian University: "Eighteenth-century Scotland produced an active restoration movement under the leadership of John Glas and Robert Sandeman. Within 40 years more than 50 congregations were spread across Scotland, England, New England and Canada. But by 1999 the movement was extinct. Why? What happened? What can be learned?"

Transcript of an oral interview with Major General Yoshihiro Minamoto. Through the work of the translator, Minamoto recalls attending a military academy in Tokyo and granduating in April, 1944. From there, he was assigned to a Japanese Army shipping division in Hiroshima. Through the translator, Minamoto describes training a special squadron of suicide boat operators for deployment on Okinawa. He arrived on Okinawa in September, 1944. Minamoto never got a chance to attack with his suicide boat squadron at Okinawa, so he was folded into an infantry unit already on Okinawa. Minamoto also describes surrendering once he heard the war was finished. When he returned to Japan after the war, he volunteered for service in the Japanese Defense Forces.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Gourley. Gourley joined the Navy in 1944. Once he finished boot camp, he was assigned to USS President Adams, (APA-19) bound for the invasion of the Philippines. When he arrived at Iwo Jima, Gourley went ashore for several days to help unload supplies. After the war, Gourley remained aboard and made several trips to Japan to haul troops back home. He took his discharge in 1946.

Interview with Gilberto S. Trevino, a U. S. Marine during World War II. He attended Texas A&M before serving in the Marine Corps. He was in the 28th Replacement Battalion when he was assigned to the 3d Marine Division and deployed to Iwo Jima. He discusses his first impressions of landing on the island. He describes the constructed Japanese defenses on the island and the use of Japanese Nisei interpreters to convince defenders to surrender. He returned to Texas A&M where he was in the Corps of Cadets (ROTC) and accepted his commission in the Army in time to serve in Korea. He eventually earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Texas A&M and a doctorate degree in pathology from Michigan State University. He retired from service in 1976 with the rank of colonel.

Transcript of an oral interview with Les Caffey. He was born near Ballinger, Texas, grew up on a farm near Brady, Texas and when he finished high school in 1944, he joined the Navy because his brothers and friends had all joined the service. He had two months training in San Diego, then went aboard a troopship to Pearl Harbor. From there, Caffey was assigned and went aboard the USS Wichita (CA-45). He speaks of towing the USS Canberra (CA-70) after it suffered a torpedo hit off the coast of Formosa. Caffey also speaks of watching from the deck of the Wichita planes from VF-2 come in and land on the illuminated deck of the USS Lexington (CV-16) after operations in the Philippine Sea. As the cruiser was headed into Buckner Bay to soften up Okinawa prior to the invasion, Caffey describes near misses by a torpedo and a kamikaze. After the war ended, the Wichita sailed to Nagasaki where Caffey describes scenes of destruction. After that, the Wichita was sent to Philadelphia for decommissioning and Caffey got his discharge shortly thereafter. He made his way back to Brady and reunited with his folks.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Warren Tsuneishi. Tsuneishi was living in California when the war started and was soon evacuated to a Japanese-American detention center. He joined his family at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center in Wyoming. He did not stay there long as he was allowed to attend Syracuse University. In 1943, he entered the Military intelligence Language School and studied Japanese to become an interpreter. He participated in the invasion of Leyte Island and worked as a translator and interpreter. Tsuneishi also went to Okinawa as a translator. Tsuneishi provides unique insight from the Japanese American perspective of his time in the Army.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Dotson. Dotson joined the Navy at 18 when he finished high school in 1943. He trained at Great Lakes Naval Training Center outside Chicago. From there, he went to Maryland to train in the Navy's Amphibious Forces. Upon completing training, Dotson joined the crew of a brand new Landing Craft, Infantry (USS LCI-471) and headed throught the Panama Canal for the Pacific. Initially, he served as a helmsman while his LCI carried underwater demolition teams (UDT) in support for the invasion of Guam. During the campaign for Guam, USS LCI-471 served as a Japanese prisoner-of-war clearing station. About 100 Japanese POWs came on and off USS LCI-471. After assembling at Ulithi, Dotson sailed with the invasion force to Iwo Jima. USS LCI-471 continued to operate supporting he UDTs prior to the invasion. The Japanese fired on and hit USS LCI-471, causing some damage and killing 11 crewmen. When the UDT completed their tasks prior to the invasion, USS LCI-471 continued on station as a support vessel ferrying supplies to shore, escorting members of the press, and making smoke screens for the fleet. After the battle, Dotson went …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jack Clayton. Clayton was drafted into the United States Navy. After training, he joined the Amphibious Forces and was assigned to USS Alpine (APA-92). His crew made assaults on Guam and the Philippines. He was a yeoman for 2 years. He was aboard the Alpine when it was commissioned and decommissioned. After the war, the Alpine pulled troops out of battle zones in Japan and China. He was discharged in New Orleans.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Takeo Fukuchi. Fukuchi lived in Tokyo as a child and recalls being moved to Chiba because Tokyo was under attack. He recalls the bombings and then hearing the Emperor's voice announcing the surrender and the end of the war. As an adult, Fukuchi joined the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force after World War II. Fukuchi's father served in the Japanese Navy as a secretary to Admiral Yonai and helped raise money in Japan to install the Garden of Peace at the Nimitz Museum.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Hannibal Tadlock. Tadlock joined the Navy in 1940. He worked as an oil king aboard the USS Nevada (BB-36). Tadlock was aboard the Nevada while docked at Pearl Harbor during the attack on 7 December 1941. He was then stationed on the USS Lexington (CV-2) in the fire room during the Battle of the Coral Sea in May of 1942. He was then assigned to similar work aboard the USS Core (CVE-13) beginning December of 1943. They travelled across the Atlantic to England and Scotland, in search of German U-boats. They protected cargo and liberty ships and encountered German sailors from a bombed U-boat. In April of 1945 he was transferred to the USS Boxer (CV-21), working as a machinist’s mate. Tadlock was honorably discharged in April of 1946.

Transcript of an oral interview with Kenneth J. Ruff. Ruff joined the Army Air Forces while attending college in Missouri in 1942. He describes all the places he trained as a pilot, from Texas to Wisconsin and Oklahoma. He eventually was selected to be a flight instructor. He ferried one aircraft to Australia and when he returned, he went to Reno, Nevada for more flight training. Upon completion, Ruff ferried an airplane to India via Brazil and Africa. Once he arrived in India, his job then consisted of flying material in C-46 transport planes over "the Hump" to China. He flew 72 missions from India to China over the Himilaya Mountains. Ruff shares several experiences of his while flying in China and India. After the war, while Ruff was in the Reserves, he was recalled to fly supplies to German citizens in the Berlin Airlift (1948-1949). Ruff spent 20 years in the Air Force after WWII.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents on oral interview with Billy Jackson. Jackson joined the Navy in August, 1944 and was assigned aboard USS Fergus (AP-82). Jackson recalls hauling troops to various destinations in the Pacific and returning to the US with a load of former prisoners of war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Joseph Hafter. Hafter went into the Air Force right after Pearl Harbor, attended radio school in Illinois and then was sent to Colorado Springs, CO Air Base. His unit (17th Photo Recon, flying P-38s) was shipped overseas via a Dutch freighter ending up on Guadalcanal on 6 Jan 1943. While on Guadalcanal, Hafter transferred to the 70th Fighter Squadron which was flying P-39s. Had malaria five times. His unit moved to Ondonga Island in the New Georgia Group about Aug 1943, then to Munda, and then Sanspore, New Guinea. At Munda, they switched over to P-38s. After Sanspore, his unit went to Morotai, Dutch East Indies, then to Lingayan Gulf and finally Mindoro in the Philippines when that island was taken. From there, his unit moved to Mindanao and Palawan, which is where he came home from. His first relief was after 21 months in the islands. Got back to the States right before Thanksgiving 1945 and mustered out shortly afterwards.

Transcript of a simultaneous oral interview with Clarence and Delia Wood. Delia reveals she worked for North American Aviation in Inglewood, Claifornia building P-51 fighter planes. She met Clarence Wood at a USO show. Mr. Wood served on a submarine chaser (SC-1012) and an APA during the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Thomas Lyman. After completing one year at The Ohio State University, Lyman joined the Navy 1943. He trained at Great Lakes and was assigned to the USS Colorado (BB-45). He was assigned to the 40mm anti-aircraft guns aboard the Colorado and participated in the invasions of the Marshall Islands and the Mariana Islands. He describes the Colorado receiving fire from a Japanese shore battery at Tinian. Lyman then describes operations in the Philippines at Lingayen Gulf where the Colorado suffered from friendly fire. Lyman then speaks about the Okinawa invasion. At the end of the war, Lyman was aboard the Colorado when it was present in Tokyo Bay for the surrender ceremony where he spied the Missouri through binoculars as he was posted in his 40mm gunmount. Afterwards, Lyman describes having former POW on board and how they appeared after released from the Japanese. Lyman stayed on the Colorado through the fall while the ship transported Army soldiers home from the Pacific. He was discharged in 1946 and returned to Ohio State.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Randy James. James was born in Waco, Texas in 1924. In November 1941, he quit high school and joined the US Marine Corps. He was in the mess hall when he received word of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. As he had done some radio work prior to his enlistment he was selected to be a member of a Marine radio show with the Mutual Blue Network. He tells of the type of work they did with the coast-to-coast network. He requested an assignment in a combat outfit and was assigned to the 2nd Marine Division in New Zealand. As a non-commissioned officer, James was selected to be in the 5th Marine Division and was sent back to the US. Recalling the invasion of Iwo Jima he tells of the shortage of food and water and describes the wounding of the officer who was his team leader. Later, he was wounded by shell fragments. He returned to Hawaii where his unit began retraining in preparation for the invasion of Japan. He heard about the atomic bomb being dropped and describes his reaction upon learning of the devastation …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Colonel Ken Miller. Miller was born in Toronto, Canada and raised in California. As a student, he became interested in radio communications and went into the California National Guard in 1939. In the Guard he was wth 102nd Signal Radio Intelligence Company. Miller was on his way to Hawaii and then the Philippines when the Japanese attacked. The ship he was on returned to San Francisco and he was sent to Officer Candidte School. Upon graduating, he was assigned to the 8th Army Air Force Radio Squadron Mobile at Camp Pinedale where he trained units headed for the field overseas. Eventually, he shipped out with the last unit he trained and was stationed at Guam prior to the invasion of Iwo Jima. Once the island was secure, Miller went in and established his radio station where he intercepted Japanese radio traffic. Miller continues with several anecdotes about being on Iwo Jima: recovering Japanese code books from aircraft crashes; surfing; being attacked by Japanese planes; witnessing airplane ditches and crashes; receiving mail; being attacked at night by Japanese holdouts; working with Japanese Americans on Iwo Jima; a typhoon; etc. …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Evan Aron Roberts. Roberts was born in November 1933, and joined the Marine Corps Reserve at the Naval Air Station in Dallas in 1951. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division, and was stationed at South Camp Fuji, near Gotemba, Japan. In early 1953, he was deployed to Iwo Jima to clean up unexploded ordinances and other hazards on the island around Mount Suribachi, and participate in training maneuvers. Roberts’ job was to review and log the remains of Japanese fortifications in caves and holes, including food items, ammunition, and cases of rifles, pistols and medical supplies. After review, the items were left, and the caves and holes were detonated and closed up. Roberts also worked in Okinawa and with Task Force 77 off the coast of China. He returned to the US and received his discharge as a corporal in 1955.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with J B Magers. Magers joined the Navy in 1943 and, after training, got assigned to USS Sanborn (APA-193). Once they arrived at Iwo Jima, they spent nine days unloading. Magers served on an LCVP and made several trips to the beach delivering supplies and removing wounded. When the war ended, the Sanborn transported soldiers and marines to various places all over the Pacific.

Transcript of an oral interview with John De Haven. Upon finishing college at Bowling Green University in 1940, deHaven was drafted into the Army. He applied for and was accepted into the Army Air Corps, whereupon he earned his commission in 1942. De Haven served as a flight instructor for a while and then volunteered for service in the Chinese American Composite Wing and went to India. He flew P-40 airplanes against various targets against the Japanese in China. De Haven was back in the US when the war ended and he elected to get out of the service.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Richard Rowe. Rowe was a gunnery officer aboard the USS Remey. His first combat experience was bombarding Vabelthaup in the Palau Group, then the ship assumed screening stations for landing troops on Angaur Island, before heading for Manus and the Admiralty Group where they met up with the 7th fleet to begin the Leyte Gulf assault. Rowe discusses making torpedo attacks on the Japanese in the Surigao Straits, setting smoke screens and picking up crews from downed planes. He ancedotes about watching a failed kamikaze attack on the Missouri, being able to see a Japanese pilot's grin with gold teeth as he passed close to Rowe's station, being in San Francisco for VJ Day, and a dog on his ship biting a Japanese pilot who came on board. He also talks about food on board ship and getting mail.