Recording of Sher Ahmed reciting a personal account in the Hunza dialect of Burushaski.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Steven Dittrich. Dittrich was born 15 October 1952 in Oceanside, New York. He is first generation American and grew up in an extended family that spoke German in the household. In his narrative, he relates the experiences his father and grandmother had during World War II. His father, Erwin K. Dittrich, was born in Westheim, Germany 25 March 1923. His grandmother was Jewish while his grandfather was a Christian. In March 1943 his grandmother received a deportation order sending her and her son, Erwin, to a transit camp in Bielefeld, Germany. After two months the mother and son were put aboard a train and sent to Theresienstadt concentration camp where the mother died of starvation in 1944. Erwin was sent to a camp at Trebnitz, Germany. The commandant of the camp was Franz Stuschka who was tried and found guilty of war crimes committed during the war. Erwin’s job was to clean the SS barracks. As the Russian Army advanced the camp was evacuated in February 1945 and he was sent to Theresienstadt. In May 1945 the Nazis turned over control of the camp to the Red Cross …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Kenneth Germond. Germond joined the United States Civilian Pilot Training Program in 1940 while working as a geologist for a gas and oil company. In 1942, he joined the United States Naval Reserve, where he was trained and placed under the supervision of the United States Office of Naval Intelligence where he served as a photo geologist. Germond was stationed at Pearl Harbor for several years and spent time on Eniwetok, Guam and was sent back to the states to work in Washington, D.C. Germond and his unit were responsible for interpreting, analyzing, and evaluating films and photos of islands, map production and identifying what the Japanese had or might develop on the islands in the Central Pacific. During his time in Washington, D.C., Germond was a consultant for the U.S. Command helping to prepare war plans in the Pacific.

Recording of Farman Khan and group singing the traditional song "Gulchumuca Tum Nazur," in the Yasin dialect of Burushaski.

Recording of Abdullah Minapin reciting the story The Wazir of Shiri Badat in the Nagar dialect of Burushaski. In this story, Abdullah’s relative moves to the kingdom of a godlike Shiri Badat, who appoints Abdullah’s ancestor to the position of a minister (Wazir). Shiri Badat tastes a goat who was fed human milk, and grew enamored with the taste, and demanded from then on to be sacrificed young boys to eat. Abdullah’s ancestor, Demsing, was horrified, and begged the King’s daughter to tell the town’s people how to kill the tyrant, and she relented.

Recording of Badshai Khan reciting "Love Poem," in the Yasin dialect of Burushaski.

Recording of Imam Yar Baig reciting the story "Aqalin-e-Hagur," (An Intelligent Horse) in the Yasin dialect of Burushaski. In this popular story, a princes is married to a demonic being but is rescued by her intelligent horse.

Recording of Ali Murad Khan discussing the history of local music. In this recording, which is in the Yasin dialect of Burushaski, Khan talks about the life of musicians.

Recording of Bulbul-e-Yasin reciting a historical poem on Muduri in the Yasin dialect of Burushaski.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Leo. Leo joined the Navy in February 1941 after having already received training in the Naval Reserves. He was assigned to the NPG radio station in San Francisco as a radioman, third class. He was then sent to Japanese code school at Bainbridge Island. Upon completion, he was assigned to the Farallon Islands, where he intercepted and relayed Japanese radio transmissions. In that role he was often able to determine the bearings of Japanese ships. Leo received numerous messages during the Battle of Midway, the contents of which are unknown to him, since it was not his duty to decrypt messages before relaying them. At subsequent posts he relayed Japanese diplomatic messages to the State Department and sent radio intelligence to the Army. Under the V-12 program, Leo received a Bachelor’s Degree from Cal Tech and ultimately earned a Master’s from Stanford. After the war, he traveled the world extensively and became a prominent ham radio operator. Leo spent 20 years in the Naval Reserves and retired as a lieutenant commander.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Harold Leith. Leith joined the Army and learned Chinese at the University of Chicago. Upon completion, in May 1945 he was assigned to the OSS in Kunming, China. He parachuted near to the Mukden prisoner-of-war camp in Manchuria where General Wainwright was being held. A group of Japanese soldiers unaware of the surrender held Leith and his group hostage, despite a Nisei’s attempt to reason with them. Leith’s group was brought to the Kempeitai, who released them after learning of the surrender. They arrived at the POW camp in Hsian, now known as Shenyang, and found that even General Wainwright didn’t know the war was over. Wainwright, like the other POWs, was severely malnourished. He confided in Leith that he was sure Americans would find him cowardly for surrendering to the Japanese. Soviet forces then arrived at the camp and made arrangements for the POWs to be evacuated. After the POWs returned to the States, Leith remained in China to spy on Soviets, who grew annoyed with him and threatened to send him to Siberia. He then left for Beijing to study communist China. In 1945 Leith returned …

Recording of Bulbul Murad discussing Burushaski literature in the Yasin dialect of Burushaski.

Recording of Badshahi Khan, also known as "Tatako", discussing the contributions made by common people in the Yasin dialect of Burushaski.

Recording of Imam Yar Baig reciting a traditional cultural account on duck hunting in the Yasin dialect of Burushaski.

Recording of Farman Khan singing "Gulchumaca tum Nazer," a popular folk song in the Yasin dialect of Burushaski.

Recording of Durdana Khan reciting an account of the cultural traditions of Burusho weddings in the Yasin dialect of Burushaski.

Recording of Panjirash discussing some medicinal herbs in the Yasin dialect of Burushaski.

Recording of Gul Nadir Khan and Wazir Khan having a conversation in the Yasin dialect about words in the Yasin dialect of Burushaski.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Boone Kemp. Kemp joined the Navy in August 1942 and received training for electricians in ships’ engineering departments. He served aboard the USS Doherty (DE-14) at the Aleutian Islands, running the movies aboard ship. He wrote to Admiral Nimitz and asked to be transferred, and so began correspondence that would lead to Kemp naming his firstborn son Chester. Kemp was transferred to the USS Dyson (DD-572) and went to the Philippines, where he survived a typhoon. He recalls seeing a long canoe filled with native warriors near Mindanao. At Okinawa, he saw a kamikaze plane disintegrated by antiaircraft fire just before it would have crashed into the Dyson. During the occupation of Japan, his ship was stationed at sea to rescue troop planes that might crash. Kemp returned home and was discharged in March 1946. He joined the Reserves and was recalled to active duty during the Korean War. He claims to have witnessed Russian missiles being brought into Cuba while aboard the USS Saratoga (CVA-60). His service ended with his participation in the Vietnam War.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Harper Gruber. Gruber was an electrician's apprentice at the Charleston Navy Yard in South Carolina. He joined the Navy soon after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was sent to the Panama Canal Zone to join the 13th Headquarters. He was later transferred to YMS-339 where he served as an electrician's mate for the remainder of the war. He describes in detail minesweeping operations for the various types of mines. His minesweeper participated in 7 invasion operations in the Philippine Islands. Gruber was sent back to Charleston Navy Yard after the war ended, and remained there until eligible for discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Harry Dallison. Dallison joined the Navy in 1944 and attended radio school at the University of Wisconsin. Upon completion, he went to submarine school in New London. He received radar training in Groton and went to sound school in San Diego. During his studies, he came down with a fever. By the time he recovered, the war had ended, so Dallison never made a war patrol. He was assigned for three months to USS Pintado (SS-387) and was discharged in April 1946. In his retirement he was an active ham radio enthusiast.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Marshall Barrett. Barrett went to Duke University in 1941 and joined the Naval ROTC just before the attack on Pearl Harbor. He participated in the V-12 program, receiving an accelerated four-year degree and his commission by February of 1944. Around August, Barrett began serving as a training officer aboard the USS YMS-339. They traveled to Panama, New Hebrides, and the Admiralty Islands and joined the Seventh Fleet. They participated in the Borneo Campaign in the spring of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Allen Havron. Havron joined the Army in January 1943. He was trained at Ft. Bliss as an anti-aircraft crewman in a unit that became the 487th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion. His unit was sent to New Guinea. He describes meeting the native people and the flora and fauna that he encountered. He was then detached to the 158th Regimental Combat Team for a landing on Noemfoor Island. Havron earned a Bronze Star for his actions on Noemfoor. The 487th was sent the Philippines, where Havron spent the remainder of the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Hayes. Hayes joined the Navy in 1943. He was trained as a corpsman. Hayes spent time working at a Navy hospital in Oakland before he was sent to the Fleet Marine Force as a replacement. He joined the 1st Marine Division on Pavuvu after they returned from Cape Gloucester. Hayes mentions a USO show featuring Bob Hope that occurred during his time there. He landed on Peleliu with the fourth wave. Hayes was awarded the Bronze Star for removing wounded Marines from Bloody Nose Ridge. He was wounded and evacuated on the third day of battle. Hayes rejoined the division after he recovered and participated in the invasion of Okinawa. He describes taking Wana Ridge and the loss of two demolition men. Hayes traveled to China for occupation duty. One of his duties included manning a prophylactic station in a Chinese whorehouse frequented by servicemen. Hayes was also tasked with distributing penicillin on the voyage back to the States. He left the Navy soon after his return.