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.

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 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 Thomas Ruttan. Ruttan joined the Marine Corps in November 1942. He was assigned to the First Marine Division. Ruttan briefly discusses his combat experiences during the battles of Cape Glouster, Peleliu, and Okinawa. He then traveled to China after the surrender. Ruttan describes his journey home by ship. He left the service soon after his return to the US.

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.

Transcript of an oral interview with Peter Lanchak. Lanchak joined the Army in 1939 and was sent to Panama to serve in a coastal artillery battery. He enjoyed riding in airplanes and volunteered for duty as a crewman or as a gunner on the various aircraft stationed where he was. Eventually, after the war started, he was shipped to India in 1942. Once he arrived in India, Lanchak began participating in missions over Rangoon and eventually flew over the Himalaya Mountains to China. After 47 missions, Lanchack was shipped back to the US in late 1943. When he returned, he served as an aerial gunnery trainer at Colorado Springs and in Idaho.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Q. Landis. Landis joined the Navy around April of 1944. He served as a quartermaster aboard USS Blue Ridge (AGC-2). They traveled to New Guinea, and he assisted the ship’s captain in undercover scouting work that other crew members completed aboard LSTs and LCTs. They also traveled to Leyte in the Philippine Islands. Around late 1944, early 1945, Landis transferred to USS Henry T. Allen (APA-15). They were located in Manila Bay when the war ended, then they traveled to Japan to assist with occupation duties. They returned to the US in December and Landis received his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Nicholas Erdely. Erdely was born in Tolick, West Virginia. He lived in a coal mining town where everything was controlled by the mining company. He joined the Army Air Corps in September 1940 and took basic training at Chanute field, Illinois. After completing radio operator school he boarded a ship bound for Bombay, India. Upon his arrival he went to Assam, where he was assigned to the 759t9h Signal Aircraft Warning Company. He walked three days to get to a signal aircraft warning site. The site was so remote, all supplies had to be dropped by airplanes. Erdely describes the living conditions they endured. The purpose of the eleven man team at the site was to observe and report by radio any aircraft in the vicinity. After seven months the team was relieved and went to Lahore, India. Then they traveled to a remote location in the mountains of northern Burma where they stayed another seven months. The team traveled to Calcutta where they boarded C-46 to fly to Fort Meade, Maryland. Soon after arriving, in the United States, Erderly was discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Leroy Fisher. Fisher enlisted in the Army Air Forces in 1941 after the attack on Pearl Harbor. In Long Beach, California he studied the workings of a C-47, then trained in towing gliders with the C-47, and then worked with paratroopers. He served as a flying crew chief and his job was to pre-flight the airplane every morning. In 1943 he flew over India and Burma dropping off supplies to the troops. He was a part of the 10th Army, and in the Air Forces 1st Combat Cargo Group, 3rd Squadron. His squadron supported the British 14th Army by dropping supplies. He also went into Kunming, China, transporting supplies to Foochow. He discusses how the British operated and how they utilized their troops. He shares some stories of working with Merrill’s Marauders, and dropping supplies to them. After the war he studied chemical engineering.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Thomas Ruttan. Ruttan joined the Marine Corps in November 1942. He was assigned to the First Marine Division. Ruttan briefly discusses his combat experiences during the battles of Cape Glouster, Peleliu, and Okinawa. He then traveled to China after the surrender. Ruttan describes his journey home by ship. He left the service soon after his return to the US.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Nicholas Erdely. Erdely was born in Tolick, West Virginia. He lived in a coal mining town where everything was controlled by the mining company. He joined the Army Air Corps in September 1940 and took basic training at Chanute field, Illinois. After completing radio operator school he boarded a ship bound for Bombay, India. Upon his arrival he went to Assam, where he was assigned to the 759t9h Signal Aircraft Warning Company. He walked three days to get to a signal aircraft warning site. The site was so remote, all supplies had to be dropped by airplanes. Erdely describes the living conditions they endured. The purpose of the eleven man team at the site was to observe and report by radio any aircraft in the vicinity. After seven months the team was relieved and went to Lahore, India. Then they traveled to a remote location in the mountains of northern Burma where they stayed another seven months. The team traveled to Calcutta where they boarded C-46 to fly to Fort Meade, Maryland. Soon after arriving, in the United States, Erderly was discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Q. Landis. Landis joined the Navy around April of 1944. He served as a quartermaster aboard USS Blue Ridge (AGC-2). They traveled to New Guinea, and he assisted the ship’s captain in undercover scouting work that other crew members completed aboard LSTs and LCTs. They also traveled to Leyte in the Philippine Islands. Around late 1944, early 1945, Landis transferred to USS Henry T. Allen (APA-15). They were located in Manila Bay when the war ended, then they traveled to Japan to assist with occupation duties. They returned to the US in December and Landis received his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with J. Kenneth Duncan. Duncan was born in Lowell, Indiana 12 February 1920. Upon completing high school in 1939 he attended Purdue University for two years. Drafted into the Army in 1942, he went to Camp Atterbury, Indiana for basic and medical training. He then went to Fort Benning and took charge of the base dispensary. Not caring for that job, he joined the 160th Combat Engineers. After finishing engineer training at Fort Meade, Maryland he went to Fort Ethan Allen for advanced training in bridge building. After maneuvers in Tennessee he went to Fort Rucker, Alabama for more reconnaissance and engineering training. In August 1944 the unit boarded HMS Queen Elizabeth bound for England. Upon arrival, they traveled to a temporary camp where they practiced building pontoon bridges, Bailey bridges and fixed bridges. On 1 August 1944 the unit was transported to Omaha Beach by LST. Duncan recalls completing their first bridge over the Seine River at Gironville, France. Duncan was wounded on five different occasions and he describes how each occurred. He had several personal encounters with General George Patton and met General Eisenhower in Le Havre …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Leroy Fisher. Fisher enlisted in the Army Air Forces in 1941 after the attack on Pearl Harbor. In Long Beach, California he studied the workings of a C-47, then trained in towing gliders with the C-47, and then worked with paratroopers. He served as a flying crew chief and his job was to pre-flight the airplane every morning. In 1943 he flew over India and Burma dropping off supplies to the troops. He was a part of the 10th Army, and in the Air Forces 1st Combat Cargo Group, 3rd Squadron. His squadron supported the British 14th Army by dropping supplies. He also went into Kunming, China, transporting supplies to Foochow. He discusses how the British operated and how they utilized their troops. He shares some stories of working with Merrill’s Marauders, and dropping supplies to them. After the war he studied chemical engineering.

Transcript of an oral interview with Peter Lanchak. Lanchak joined the Army in 1939 and was sent to Panama to serve in a coastal artillery battery. He enjoyed riding in airplanes and volunteered for duty as a crewman or as a gunner on the various aircraft stationed where he was. Eventually, after the war started, he was shipped to India in 1942. Once he arrived in India, Lanchak began participating in missions over Rangoon and eventually flew over the Himalaya Mountains to China. After 47 missions, Lanchack was shipped back to the US in late 1943. When he returned, he served as an aerial gunnery trainer at Colorado Springs and in Idaho.