The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Clifford Ashby. Ashby was born in Effingham, Illinois on 11 June 1925. He became interested in amateur radio while in high school and joined the Merchant Marines in 1943. After passing tests related to radio operations he was assigned to the liberty ship, SS James B. Francis (1942) as a radio operator. He tells of the ship loaded with ammunition sitting in the harbor at Guadalcanal with hoses pumping water on the deck to keep it cool. He also observed Japanese air raids over the island of Morotai. Ashby’s ship also participated in the invasion of Luzon. Later, he was assigned to the SS Benjamin Grierson commenting on the excellent food served aboard Liberty ships. He comments on the excellent wages paid to Merchant seaman and the fact that the pay was doubled when the ship was within a war zone. He tells of the SS Grierson setting at Ulithi with 40 other merchant ships for three months following the Japanese surrender. After leaving the Merchant Marine he attended various colleges and he comments on his career prior to retirement.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Clifford Ashby. Ashby was born in Effingham, Illinois on 11 June 1925. He became interested in amateur radio while in high school and joined the Merchant Marines in 1943. After passing tests related to radio operations he was assigned to the liberty ship, SS James B. Francis (1942) as a radio operator. He tells of the ship loaded with ammunition sitting in the harbor at Guadalcanal with hoses pumping water on the deck to keep it cool. He also observed Japanese air raids over the island of Morotai. Ashby’s ship also participated in the invasion of Luzon. Later, he was assigned to the SS Benjamin Grierson commenting on the excellent food served aboard Liberty ships. He comments on the excellent wages paid to Merchant seaman and the fact that the pay was doubled when the ship was within a war zone. He tells of the SS Grierson setting at Ulithi with 40 other merchant ships for three months following the Japanese surrender. After leaving the Merchant Marine he attended various colleges and he comments on his career prior to retirement.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Louis Giroil. Giroil recalls much about the Great Depression in the New Orleans area and the defense work available once the war started. He joined the Navy in January 1943 and trained as an aviation radioman. After training, he was assigned to Torpedo Squadron 80 (VT-80) and went aboard USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) in time for the invasion of the Philippines. He returned to the US and joined Torpedo Squadron 44 (VT-44), went aboard USS Langley (CVL-27) and hit targets at Okinawa, Iwo Jima and Formosa. Giroil was back in the US when the war ended.

Daily student newspaper from the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas that includes local, state and campus news along with advertising.

Daily newspaper from Altus, Oklahoma that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Louis Giroil. Giroil recalls much about the Great Depression in the New Orleans area and the defense work available once the war started. He joined the Navy in January 1943 and trained as an aviation radioman. After training, he was assigned to Torpedo Squadron 80 (VT-80) and went aboard USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) in time for the invasion of the Philippines. He returned to the US and joined Torpedo Squadron 44 (VT-44), went aboard USS Langley (CVL-27) and hit targets at Okinawa, Iwo Jima and Formosa. Giroil was back in the US when the war ended.

Weekly newspaper from Emory, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.