Oral History Interview with Frank Myers, July 2, 2012 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Frank Myers, July 2, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Frank Myers. Myers joined the Navy in 1941. He served aboard the USS Maryland (BB-46) as a gunner on five-inch 51s and five-inch 25s. He provides details of the guns aboard the ship and how they function. They traveled to Pearl Harbor in May of 1941. They were docked next to the USS Oklahoma (BB-37). Up until the attack, they mostly completed training missions from the base. He describes the December 7th attack, and his duties aboard the Maryland. He describes their efforts to get their ship to dry dock in Portland, Oregon for repairs. He discusses their crew traveling to Espiritu Santo to guard against the Japanese. They participated in the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. He was discharged in 1946, though remained in the reserves another five years.
Date: July 2, 2012
Creator: Myers, Frank
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Jack Phelps, April 2, 2012 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Jack Phelps, April 2, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jack Phelps. Phelps joined the Army Air Forces in 1942. He completed flight officer training and navigation school. Phelps served as a B-25 bombardier and navigator with the 12th Air Force, 340th Bomb Group, 489th Bomb Squadron. He completed 39 missions in the European Theater. He flew over Italy, including Brenner Pass and Sicily, targeting enemy airfields, railroads and bridges. Phelps was stationed around Mount Vesuvius when it began erupting in March of 1944. He continued his service in the reserves after the war ended.
Date: April 2, 2012
Creator: Phelps, Jack
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with EJ Robertson, July 2, 2012 (open access)

Oral History Interview with EJ Robertson, July 2, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with EJ Robertson. Robertson joined the Navy at the age of 17 and received basic training at Great Lakes. In the summer of 1942 he was assigned to the USS Brooklyn (CL-40) as an apprentice seaman. At Casablanca, a victory over the French fleet was aided by the Free French. After providing long-range artillery support to the 45th Army Division throughout North Africa, his ship hit a mine in Sicily, temporarily paralyzing Robertson. In Anzio, he contracted malaria and was treated only with aspirin, which gave him stomach ulcers. At Monte Cassino, bombardment was prohibited in order to preserve a monastery, so the ship armed Poles with guns and grenades so that they could attack German forces. He was transferred to the USS Everett F. Larson (DDR-830) and led the first shore party to Yokosuka Naval Base, where he was surprised to find a pile of surrendered arms in a cave. After transporting Korean POWs off a Japanese island, Robertson returned home and was discharged in December 1945. He suffered recurring bouts of malaria throughout his life.
Date: July 2, 2012
Creator: Robertson, EJ
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Philip Nelson, September 2, 2011 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Philip Nelson, September 2, 2011

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Philip Nelson. Nelson enlisted in the Navy in 1943 and attended midshipmen's school at Northwestern University. There he learned Morse code and semaphore signaling. Upon completion, he received landing craft training at Camp Pendleton. In the Pacific, most of his duty was on LSTs and LSDs. Equipped with rockets at Kwajalein, a mechanical mishap resulted in his ship's friendly rocket fire on a nearby vessel. At the invasion of Guam, Nelson was assigned the first of many temporary duties on other ships. At Leyte, he evacuated wounded aboard USS Doyen (APA-1). At Okinawa, he ferried ammunition under blackout conditions aboard USS Casa Grande (LSD-13). At the end of the war, Nelson returned home earned a Master's degree on the GI Bill.
Date: September 2, 2011
Creator: Nelson, Philip
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Thomas Knighten Starnes, April 2, 2012 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Thomas Knighten Starnes, April 2, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Thomas Knighten Starnes. Starnes graduated from business school in 1941 and joined the Navy that fall. He was a civilian pilot and assisted in gunnery training in Las Vegas. When preparing for deployment to the Pacific, Starnes was instructed that in the event of impending enemy capture he should kill as many Japanese as he could but also warned that the Japanese would not take prisoners, so he was to save one bullet for himself. In 1944 he was assigned to the 58th Fighter Group, 69th Fighter Squadron, as a P-47 pilot. He supported invasions by strafing and dropping napalm. Following an attack by Japanese holdouts, Starnes recruited native Filipinos to help him hunt them out of the underbrush. He captured 27, among them simple cooks and butchers, and had them burned and killed. Toward the end of the war, flying missions over Japan, Starnes witnessed the mushroom cloud form over Nagaski. Upon returning home, he was given the opportunity to fly jets, but he elected to be discharged instead.
Date: April 2, 2012
Creator: Starnes, Thomas Knighten
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Jack Simpson, May 2, 2013 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Jack Simpson, May 2, 2013

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jack Simpson. Simpson grew up in Georgia and when he finished high school, he enrolled in the Navy's V-7 Program at Northwestern University in June 1941. Ninety days later, he was commissioned an ensign and went to communication school. His first assignment was aboard USS Plunkett (DD-431) on convoy escort duty across the North Atlantic to Iceland, Scotland and Russia. After the invasion of North Africa, Simpson reported to damage control school in Philadelphia prior to assignment aboard USS Morrison (DD-560) at Seattle. He shares several anecdotes from aboard the Morrison including putting out fires aboard USS Princeton (CVL-23). He was also aboard when the Morrison sank of Okinawa from a kamikaze attack and shares stories of time in the water. When he returned to the US, he took an assignment as a damage control instructor. He was there when the war ended and elected to leave the Navy.
Date: May 2, 2013
Creator: Simpson, Jack
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Albert Brown, March 2, 2010 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Albert Brown, March 2, 2010

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Albert Brown. Brown joined the Navy and served as a Radarman with amphibious forces at Guadalcanal for one year. In 1942, Brown worked aboard submarines as a specialist in surface attacks using radar. Admiral Chester Nimitz appointed him the officer in charge to create the Pacific Fleet Radar School for Senior Officers, and to instruct them in radar techniques. Brown completed this work through late 1945. He continued his service after the war ended.
Date: March 2, 2010
Creator: Brown, Albert
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Edmund E. Zega, December 2, 2011 transcript

Oral History Interview with Edmund E. Zega, December 2, 2011

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Edmund E. Zega. Zega joined the Marine Corps Reserve in 1944 when he was 17 and went on active duty in February, 1945. Zega speaks at length about the various weapons he trained on while in training at Parris Island, Camp Lejeune and San Diego. En route to Okinawa aboard the USS Bogue (CVE-9), the war ended and the ship returned to Pearl Harbor. Zega was transferred to the USS New York (BB-34) to serve in the galley as a cook. Zega was discharged in 1946.
Date: December 2, 2011
Creator: Zega, Edmund E.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Placido Lozano, June 2, 2010 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Placido Lozano, June 2, 2010

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Placido Lozano. Lozano joined the Navy in October of 1943. He completed Radio School. He was assigned to a Landing Craft Infantry participating in the Battle of Saipan in June of 1944. He was later stationed aboard a carrier in the Pacific. Lozano was assigned as a radioman to a Douglas SBD Dauntless divebomber. The pilot taught Lozano how to fly and they flew cover for the carrier in the Philippine Sea. He also participated in the Battle of Leyte Gulf.
Date: June 2, 2010
Creator: Lozano, Placido
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Eberhardt Niemeyer, November 2, 2012 transcript

Oral History Interview with Eberhardt Niemeyer, November 2, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Eberhardt Niemeyer. Niemeyer finished at the University of Texas in 1941 and was at Midshipman’s school at Northwestern when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. When he was commissioned in early 1942, he reported aboard the submarine R-18 and trained the fleet on sounding equipment in the Atlantic Ocean. In early 1944, he put the USS Sea Cat (SS-399) into commission and made four war patrols on her. Niemeyer relates several anecdotes about being aboard submarines during World War II. Niemeyer was discharged in December 1945.
Date: November 2, 2012
Creator: Niemeyer, Eberhardt
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Frank Myers, July 2, 2012 transcript

Oral History Interview with Frank Myers, July 2, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Frank Myers. Myers joined the Navy in 1941. He served aboard the USS Maryland (BB-46) as a gunner on five-inch 51s and five-inch 25s. He provides details of the guns aboard the ship and how they function. They traveled to Pearl Harbor in May of 1941. They were docked next to the USS Oklahoma (BB-37). Up until the attack, they mostly completed training missions from the base. He describes the December 7th attack, and his duties aboard the Maryland. He describes their efforts to get their ship to dry dock in Portland, Oregon for repairs. He discusses their crew traveling to Espiritu Santo to guard against the Japanese. They participated in the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. He was discharged in 1946, though remained in the reserves another five years.
Date: July 2, 2012
Creator: Myers, Frank
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Jack Phelps, April 2, 2012 transcript

Oral History Interview with Jack Phelps, April 2, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jack Phelps. Phelps joined the Army Air Forces in 1942. He completed flight officer training and navigation school. Phelps served as a B-25 bombardier and navigator with the 12th Air Force, 340th Bomb Group, 489th Bomb Squadron. He completed 39 missions in the European Theater. He flew over Italy, including Brenner Pass and Sicily, targeting enemy airfields, railroads and bridges. Phelps was stationed around Mount Vesuvius when it began erupting in March of 1944. He continued his service in the reserves after the war ended.
Date: April 2, 2012
Creator: Phelps, Jack
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Robert Connelly, March 2, 2015 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Robert Connelly, March 2, 2015

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Connelly. Connelly joined the Navy in early 1942. He served as a Radioman aboard the USS DuPage (APA-41). From January of 1944 through early 1945, they landed troops for the assaults on Kwajalein, Guam, Peleliu and the Philippines. Connelly was wounded and returned to the US, receiving a discharge in May of 1945.
Date: March 2, 2015
Creator: Connelly, Robert
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Jack Simpson, May 2, 2013 transcript

Oral History Interview with Jack Simpson, May 2, 2013

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jack Simpson. Simpson grew up in Georgia and when he finished high school, he enrolled in the Navy's V-7 Program at Northwestern University in June 1941. Ninety days later, he was commissioned an ensign and went to communication school. His first assignment was aboard USS Plunkett (DD-431) on convoy escort duty across the North Atlantic to Iceland, Scotland and Russia. After the invasion of North Africa, Simpson reported to damage control school in Philadelphia prior to assignment aboard USS Morrison (DD-560) at Seattle. He shares several anecdotes from aboard the Morrison including putting out fires aboard USS Princeton (CVL-23). He was also aboard when the Morrison sank of Okinawa from a kamikaze attack and shares stories of time in the water. When he returned to the US, he took an assignment as a damage control instructor. He was there when the war ended and elected to leave the Navy.
Date: May 2, 2013
Creator: Simpson, Jack
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Thomas Knighten Starnes, April 2, 2012 transcript

Oral History Interview with Thomas Knighten Starnes, April 2, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Thomas Knighten Starnes. Starnes graduated from business school in 1941 and joined the Navy that fall. He was a civilian pilot and assisted in gunnery training in Las Vegas. When preparing for deployment to the Pacific, Starnes was instructed that in the event of impending enemy capture he should kill as many Japanese as he could but also warned that the Japanese would not take prisoners, so he was to save one bullet for himself. In 1944 he was assigned to the 58th Fighter Group, 69th Fighter Squadron, as a P-47 pilot. He supported invasions by strafing and dropping napalm. Following an attack by Japanese holdouts, Starnes recruited native Filipinos to help him hunt them out of the underbrush. He captured 27, among them simple cooks and butchers, and had them burned and killed. Toward the end of the war, flying missions over Japan, Starnes witnessed the mushroom cloud form over Nagaski. Upon returning home, he was given the opportunity to fly jets, but he elected to be discharged instead.
Date: April 2, 2012
Creator: Starnes, Thomas Knighten
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Philip Nelson, September 2, 2011 transcript

Oral History Interview with Philip Nelson, September 2, 2011

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Philip Nelson. Nelson enlisted in the Navy in 1943 and attended midshipmen's school at Northwestern University. There he learned Morse code and semaphore signaling. Upon completion, he received landing craft training at Camp Pendleton. In the Pacific, most of his duty was on LSTs and LSDs. Equipped with rockets at Kwajalein, a mechanical mishap resulted in his ship's friendly rocket fire on a nearby vessel. At the invasion of Guam, Nelson was assigned the first of many temporary duties on other ships. At Leyte, he evacuated wounded aboard USS Doyen (APA-1). At Okinawa, he ferried ammunition under blackout conditions aboard USS Casa Grande (LSD-13). At the end of the war, Nelson returned home earned a Master's degree on the GI Bill.
Date: September 2, 2011
Creator: Nelson, Philip
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with EJ Robertson, July 2, 2012 transcript

Oral History Interview with EJ Robertson, July 2, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with EJ Robertson. Robertson joined the Navy at the age of 17 and received basic training at Great Lakes. In the summer of 1942 he was assigned to the USS Brooklyn (CL-40) as an apprentice seaman. At Casablanca, a victory over the French fleet was aided by the Free French. After providing long-range artillery support to the 45th Army Division throughout North Africa, his ship hit a mine in Sicily, temporarily paralyzing Robertson. In Anzio, he contracted malaria and was treated only with aspirin, which gave him stomach ulcers. At Monte Cassino, bombardment was prohibited in order to preserve a monastery, so the ship armed Poles with guns and grenades so that they could attack German forces. He was transferred to the USS Everett F. Larson (DDR-830) and led the first shore party to Yokosuka Naval Base, where he was surprised to find a pile of surrendered arms in a cave. After transporting Korean POWs off a Japanese island, Robertson returned home and was discharged in December 1945. He suffered recurring bouts of malaria throughout his life.
Date: July 2, 2012
Creator: Robertson, EJ
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Placido Lozano, June 2, 2010 transcript

Oral History Interview with Placido Lozano, June 2, 2010

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Placido Lozano. Lozano joined the Navy in October of 1943. He completed Radio School. He was assigned to a Landing Craft Infantry participating in the Battle of Saipan in June of 1944. He was later stationed aboard a carrier in the Pacific. Lozano was assigned as a radioman to a Douglas SBD Dauntless divebomber. The pilot taught Lozano how to fly and they flew cover for the carrier in the Philippine Sea. He also participated in the Battle of Leyte Gulf.
Date: June 2, 2010
Creator: Lozano, Placido
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Albert Brown, March 2, 2010 transcript

Oral History Interview with Albert Brown, March 2, 2010

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Albert Brown. Brown joined the Navy and served as a Radarman with amphibious forces at Guadalcanal for one year. In 1942, Brown worked aboard submarines as a specialist in surface attacks using radar. Admiral Chester Nimitz appointed him the officer in charge to create the Pacific Fleet Radar School for Senior Officers, and to instruct them in radar techniques. Brown completed this work through late 1945. He continued his service after the war ended.
Date: March 2, 2010
Creator: Brown, Albert
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Robert Connelly, March 2, 2015 transcript

Oral History Interview with Robert Connelly, March 2, 2015

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Connelly. Connelly joined the Navy in early 1942. He served as a Radioman aboard the USS DuPage (APA-41). From January of 1944 through early 1945, they landed troops for the assaults on Kwajalein, Guam, Peleliu and the Philippines. Connelly was wounded and returned to the US, receiving a discharge in May of 1945.
Date: March 2, 2015
Creator: Connelly, Robert
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History