The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Frank Perez. Perez joined the Army Air Forces in 1943. He served as a B-17 ball turret gunner with the 8th Air Force, 401st Bomb Group, 613th Squadron, completing 32 missions over Germany, France and Poland. He returned to the US and received his discharge in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Herrick. Herrick entered the Naval Academy in 1944 and was graduated in 1944. He first reported aboard the USS Mississippi (BB-41) in time to participate in the Battle of Surigao Strait and support the invasion of Luzon. He was still aboard for the invasion of Okinawa and witnessed the kamikaze attacks on the Mississippi. Herrick remained in the Navy after the war, retiring in 1964.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Frank Perez. Perez joined the Army Air Forces in 1943. He served as a B-17 ball turret gunner with the 8th Air Force, 401st Bomb Group, 613th Squadron, completing 32 missions over Germany, France and Poland. He returned to the US and received his discharge in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Joseph Garber. Garber joined the Army in December of 1942. He completed Radio Operator and Gunnery schools. He served with the 338th Bombardment Squadron, 96th Bombardment Group in England. Garber completed 13 missions over Germany, Normandy and France. During a mission over Germany, his plane was shot down, and he and the crew were captured by German soldiers. Garber endured torture by his captors at Stalag Luft I and IV prison camps. Upon his liberation in May of 1945, he was returned to the US and honorably discharged in October.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles E. Jones. With his father's consent, Jones joined the Marine Corps in Tennessee when he was 15 years old in 1940. When he finished training at Parris Island, South Carolina, he was assigned to the Fourth Defense Battalion at Guantanimo Bay, Cuba. In November, 1941, his unit was assigned to Wake Island. He was at Pearl Harbor en route to Wake Island when the Japanese struck Hawaii on 7 December 1941. Jones describes his activities during the battle. Shortly thereafter, Jones was sent to Efate, New Hebrides where his unit defended an airstrip from which the US was able to attack Guadalcanal. Jones retunred to the US and trained on 155mm artillery guns at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. While at Camp Lejeune, Jones was able to shake President Roosevelt's hand. Jones recalls a story about meeting his brother randomly on Guam. Jones was on Guam when the war ended. He mustered out of the Marines in November, 1945 and eventually reenlisted in the US Air Force. He served in the print shop at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Murray Codman. Codman joined the Army Air Forces in February of 1943. He served as an engineer and top turret gunner aboard a B-17 with the 447th Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force. He completed 35 bombing and supply missions over Europe, including Germany and France. Codman was discharged as a technical sergeant October of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Homer Piper. Piper joined the Army Air Forces with great difficulty because he lived in the Panama Canal Zone. During the war, the canal was so crowded with military transports that it was nearly impossible for civilians to travel. He finally managed to get to Las Vegas and into gunnery school. In 1945 he was sent to England with a replacement crew for the 493rd Bomb Group, 863rd Bomb Squadron. His crew was tasked with testing newly repaired B-17s, putting him in dangerous situations. He only flew one mission, which was to drop food in Holland. When the war ended, he was discharged in Sioux Falls, where he enjoyed a 40-year civilian career.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Hyatt. Hyatt joined the Army Air Forces in November of 1943. He served as a B-17 pilot with the 385th Bombardment Group, completing 35 bombing missions over Germany and France. Hyatt returned to the US in January of 1945. After the war ended, he transported troops from Okinawa back to the States.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Joseph Caruso. Caruso joined the Army Air Forces in 1942. He served as a radio operator and mechanic aboard a B-17 with the 385th Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force. He traveled to England, bombarding industrial areas, air bases, oil refineries over Germany, France and pre-bombing before the Invasion of Normandy, completing 30 missions. In 1945, Caruso joined the Air Transport Command. He was discharged shortly after the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William Toombs. Toombs was born in 1924. He enlisted in the Army Air Forces in October of 1942. He completed Airplane Mechanics’ School, which included work on B-24s, then onto Gunnery School. In late 1943, Toombs was assigned as Flight Engineer/Gunner aboard a B-24 with the 493rd Bomb Group. They traveled to England, and he completed 24 missions over Normandy, France and Germany in both the B-24 and B-17. He recalls a story of their plane being shot down over Brussels. In October of 1944, Toombs was summoned to Squadron HQ and returned to the US. He opted to remain grounded at Langley Field, Virginia, on aircraft maintenance. Toombs was discharged in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Merton Thurston. Thurston was born on 28 September 1924. He joined the Army Air Forces on 5 December 1942. In March of 1944, Thurston served as a B-17 radio operator and gunner with the 338th Bomb Squadron, 96th Bomb Group, 45th Combat Wing of the 3rd Air Division of the 8th Air Force, located in Snetterton Heath, England. Thurston and his crew flew 35 missions over Germany, Poland, France, Holland and Belgium. In early 1945, he was stationed at Casablanca, Morocco, serving with a ferry division in North Africa. He returned to the US and received his discharge on 3 November 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William Toombs. Toombs was born in 1924. He enlisted in the Army Air Forces in October of 1942. He completed Airplane Mechanics’ School, which included work on B-24s, then onto Gunnery School. In late 1943, Toombs was assigned as Flight Engineer/Gunner aboard a B-24 with the 493rd Bomb Group. They traveled to England, and he completed 24 missions over Normandy, France and Germany in both the B-24 and B-17. He recalls a story of their plane being shot down over Brussels. In October of 1944, Toombs was summoned to Squadron HQ and returned to the US. He opted to remain grounded at Langley Field, Virginia, on aircraft maintenance. Toombs was discharged in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Murray Codman. Codman joined the Army Air Forces in February of 1943. He served as an engineer and top turret gunner aboard a B-17 with the 447th Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force. He completed 35 bombing and supply missions over Europe, including Germany and France. Codman was discharged as a technical sergeant October of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Homer Piper. Piper joined the Army Air Forces with great difficulty because he lived in the Panama Canal Zone. During the war, the canal was so crowded with military transports that it was nearly impossible for civilians to travel. He finally managed to get to Las Vegas and into gunnery school. In 1945 he was sent to England with a replacement crew for the 493rd Bomb Group, 863rd Bomb Squadron. His crew was tasked with testing newly repaired B-17s, putting him in dangerous situations. He only flew one mission, which was to drop food in Holland. When the war ended, he was discharged in Sioux Falls, where he enjoyed a 40-year civilian career.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles E. Jones. With his father's consent, Jones joined the Marine Corps in Tennessee when he was 15 years old in 1940. When he finished training at Parris Island, South Carolina, he was assigned to the Fourth Defense Battalion at Guantanimo Bay, Cuba. In November, 1941, his unit was assigned to Wake Island. He was at Pearl Harbor en route to Wake Island when the Japanese struck Hawaii on 7 December 1941. Jones describes his activities during the battle. Shortly thereafter, Jones was sent to Efate, New Hebrides where his unit defended an airstrip from which the US was able to attack Guadalcanal. Jones retunred to the US and trained on 155mm artillery guns at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. While at Camp Lejeune, Jones was able to shake President Roosevelt's hand. Jones recalls a story about meeting his brother randomly on Guam. Jones was on Guam when the war ended. He mustered out of the Marines in November, 1945 and eventually reenlisted in the US Air Force. He served in the print shop at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Leonard Frame and William Houseworth. Both Frame and Houseworth were P-39 pilots in the Pacific during the war. Houseworth completed the Flying Cadet program in November of 1940, and received his wings and commission in the Army Air Corps in July of 1941. He remained in the US during the war as a tactical instructor for the training program. He was discharged in late 1945, and later participated in the Korean War, retiring in January of 1955. He continued in the Reserves. Leonard Frame joined the Army Air Corps in March of 1941, and graduated from flight school in October. He was assigned to the 35th Fighter Group, and served in Fiji and Guadalcanal for 22 months. After several assignments within the US and the Caribbean, Frame was discharged in 1945. He served in the Air Force Reserve and retired in 1976.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Hyatt. Hyatt joined the Army Air Forces in November of 1943. He served as a B-17 pilot with the 385th Bombardment Group, completing 35 bombing missions over Germany and France. Hyatt returned to the US in January of 1945. After the war ended, he transported troops from Okinawa back to the States.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ralph Lynn. Lynn joined the Army Air Forces in December of 1942. He completed flight training and multi-engine schooling by October of 1943. He served as a B-24 co-pilot with the 784th Bombardment Squadron, 466th Bombardment Group in England. From April of 1944 through July of 1944, they completed 32 missions over France, including Normandy during D-Day, Germany, and Belgium. In July, Lynn returned to the US, and assigned to serve as a B-24 flight instructor in Smyrna, Tennessee through the end of the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Joseph Garber. Garber joined the Army in December of 1942. He completed Radio Operator and Gunnery schools. He served with the 338th Bombardment Squadron, 96th Bombardment Group in England. Garber completed 13 missions over Germany, Normandy and France. During a mission over Germany, his plane was shot down, and he and the crew were captured by German soldiers. Garber endured torture by his captors at Stalag Luft I and IV prison camps. Upon his liberation in May of 1945, he was returned to the US and honorably discharged in October.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dale R. Walker. He joined the Marine Corps in 1944 and was trained in mortars at Camp Pendleton, California and then went on to Camp Tarawa at Hawaii for further training with the Fifth Marine Divison. Walker landed with the sixth wave on D-day at Iwo Jima. While working with mortars supporting the infantry, he was called on to be a stretcher bearer on occasion. Walker spent 36 days on Iwo Jima. After the Japanese surrendered, Walker served in the occupation of Japan.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Joseph Caruso. Caruso joined the Army Air Forces in 1942. He served as a radio operator and mechanic aboard a B-17 with the 385th Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force. He traveled to England, bombarding industrial areas, air bases, oil refineries over Germany, France and pre-bombing before the Invasion of Normandy, completing 30 missions. In 1945, Caruso joined the Air Transport Command. He was discharged shortly after the war ended.

Interview with Dale R. Walker, a U. S. Marine during World War II. He joined the Marine Corps in 1944 and was trained in mortars at Camp Pendleton, California. He then went to Camp Tarawa at Hawaii for further training with the Fifth Marine Division. Walker landed with the sixth wave on D-day at Iwo Jima. While working with mortars supporting the infantry, he was called on to be a stretcher-bearer on occasion. Walker spent 36 days on Iwo Jima. After the Japanese surrendered, Walker served in the occupation of Japan.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Merton Thurston. Thurston was born on 28 September 1924. He joined the Army Air Forces on 5 December 1942. In March of 1944, Thurston served as a B-17 radio operator and gunner with the 338th Bomb Squadron, 96th Bomb Group, 45th Combat Wing of the 3rd Air Division of the 8th Air Force, located in Snetterton Heath, England. Thurston and his crew flew 35 missions over Germany, Poland, France, Holland and Belgium. In early 1945, he was stationed at Casablanca, Morocco, serving with a ferry division in North Africa. He returned to the US and received his discharge on 3 November 1945.

Transcript of an oral interview with John A. Reulet. Reulet graduated from high school in 1940, went to a trade school studying to be a machinist, became a government inspector (ammunition plant), and went into the Navy in May 1943 after he was drafted. After boot camp in San Diego, he went to San Francisco where he was put on a troop ship which went to New Caledonia. At New Caledonia, he went to gunnery school part of the time and assigned to an LCI gun boat which had already seen action so they had a lot of maintenance to do. From there, four of the boats (23, 70, 68? and probably 67) went to Tulagi. According to Reulet, these LCI gunboats were designed to protect the UDT men. The gunboats supported the invasion of Treasury Island and Bougainville. After Bouganville, they took the 23 boat to Australia for repairs (dry dock) and then came back to Tulagi. They supported the invasion of Green Island next. Reulet had a hospital stay there after getting infected with coral. From there, they went to New Guniea, New Hollandia and then Morotai. Then they got ready for the big one - Leyte in …