The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Preston Holcomb. Holcomb joined the Navy in May of 1938. In 1939, Holcomb volunteered for the Asiatic Fleet and was assigned aboard USS Tulsa (PG-22), conducting patrols along the South China Sea. In 1941, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, they traveled to Manila, Philippines, completing mine patrol. In early 1942 their crew was asked to reinforce the Dutch Army in defending Java from the Japanese. Their ship provided escort and rescue missions in the Pacific. Holcomb traveled to Fremantle, Australia, where the ship was refitted and served as a convoy escort. In mid-1942, they joined the defense of New Guinea. In early 1944, Holcomb transferred to USS Tinsman (DE-589). They escorted a convoy to Leyte in late 1944 through early 1945. He returned to the US, though continued his service for 20 years.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Strehle. Strehle joined the Navy in November 1942. He was sent to school to become a torpedoman and then joined the commissioning crew of USS David W. Taylor (DD-551). Strehle describes depth charging and sinking a Japanese submarine. He describes how depth charges functioned and how they were deployed. Strehle discusses the ship hitting a mine and the damage control performed. He volunteered to go into the damaged area to remove ammunition and recover the bodies of four shipmates. Strehle took part in the occupation of Japan and was discharged in January 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Vincent J. Colan. Born in 1914, he joined the Naval Militia in New York in 1932 on his eighteenth birthday. In January 1941, he was transferred to a destroyer, the USS J. Fred Talbott (DD-156), which was part of the Banana Fleet that protected the Panama Canal. He shares an anecdote about learning of the attack on Pearl Harbor while on liberty in Panama. For eleven months, the destroyer escorted ships from Guantanamo to Panama without the benefit of radar or sonar. He shares the story of how he became an ensign. In 1944, he was transferred to the USS David W. Taylor (DD-551). He shares an anecdote about his cancelled liberty in New Orleans, Louisiana on New Year?s Eve, 1944. After the destroyer escorted a convoy to Panama, it was sent to Pearl Harbor to become part of the anti-submarine screen for oil tankers and, later, for the Pacific Fleet. He recounts his actions as Damage Control Officer when the ship struck a mine. He comments on the importance of the extensive emergency drilling. He describes the role he and his Damage Control party played in aiding …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Don Engleking. Engleking was born in San Antonio in 1923. Upon graduation from high school, he entered the Reserve Officers Training Corps at Texas A&M University in 1941. He was withdrawn from college and placed into Officers Candidate School, receiving his commission in 1942. After graduation he was sent to the Philippines. Upon his arrival on Luzon, he was assigned as company commander of a prisoner of war unit and named the camp commandant without receiving formal instructions regarding the supervision of such facilities. He remembers being surprised that so many of his Japanese inmates could speak English and comments on the intelligence and self-discipline of his charges and notes that all of them were enlisted men. After the camp was disbanded and the Japanese inmates sent to Japan, he returned to the United States and reentered Texas A&M.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Ward. Ward joined the Navy in June of 1940. He served aboard USS President Adams (APA-19) as a Higgins Boat Coxswain. They deployed to Guadalcanal, landing Marine forces ashore. He later served in a boat pool ashore in the vicinity of Henderson Field. In September of 1942, Ward served in the Gunnery Department aboard USS Saratoga (CV-3), working as a hot shell man. Ward was aboard the Saratoga during the Guadalcanal Campaign, the Battle of the Eastern Solomons, the New Georgia Campaign, the invasion of Bougainville, the Gilbert and Marshall Islands Campaign and the Battle of Iwo Jima. In May of 1945, Ward was transferred to a repair base in San Diego for shore duty. He was discharged in October of 1947.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Richard R. McTaggart. McTaggart had finished two and a-half years at Texas A&M when he was drafted into the Army on 2 February 1943 and had basic training at Camp Wolters. He also attended the NCO academy and the basic parachute course. After that he attended the German language program at Berkeley, graduating in the spring of 1944. From there his group went to Camp Bowie, Texas where they joined the 13th Armored Division which had just finished its preparation for overseas. Most of the private soldiers suddenly got orders to go overseas as replacements (D-Day was approaching). He landed a La Havre which was just being developed. McTaggart served with B Company of the 59th Armored Infantry Battalion, attached to the French 2nd Armored Division. When the Germans began their offensive in Belgium, his unit was assigned to the 9th Armored Division to bolster the defenses. They went through Luxembourg and then Bastogne and ended up northeast of there. Interview includes discussion of the fighting in this area and his unit's moves. Crossed the Rhine at St. Goar. Assigned to the 513th Counter Intelligence Corps detachment and …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Vincent J. Colan. Born in 1914, he joined the Naval Militia in New York in 1932 on his eighteenth birthday. In January 1941, he was transferred to a destroyer, the USS J. Fred Talbott (DD-156), which was part of the Banana Fleet that protected the Panama Canal. He shares an anecdote about learning of the attack on Pearl Harbor while on liberty in Panama. For eleven months, the destroyer escorted ships from Guantanamo to Panama without the benefit of radar or sonar. He shares the story of how he became an ensign. In 1944, he was transferred to the USS David W. Taylor (DD-551). He shares an anecdote about his cancelled liberty in New Orleans, Louisiana on New Year?s Eve, 1944. After the destroyer escorted a convoy to Panama, it was sent to Pearl Harbor to become part of the anti-submarine screen for oil tankers and, later, for the Pacific Fleet. He recounts his actions as Damage Control Officer when the ship struck a mine. He comments on the importance of the extensive emergency drilling. He describes the role he and his Damage Control party played in aiding …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Ward. Ward joined the Navy in June of 1940. He served aboard USS President Adams (APA-19) as a Higgins Boat Coxswain. They deployed to Guadalcanal, landing Marine forces ashore. He later served in a boat pool ashore in the vicinity of Henderson Field. In September of 1942, Ward served in the Gunnery Department aboard USS Saratoga (CV-3), working as a hot shell man. Ward was aboard the Saratoga during the Guadalcanal Campaign, the Battle of the Eastern Solomons, the New Georgia Campaign, the invasion of Bougainville, the Gilbert and Marshall Islands Campaign and the Battle of Iwo Jima. In May of 1945, Ward was transferred to a repair base in San Diego for shore duty. He was discharged in October of 1947.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Richard R. McTaggart. McTaggart had finished two and a-half years at Texas A&M when he was drafted into the Army on 2 February 1943 and had basic training at Camp Wolters. He also attended the NCO academy and the basic parachute course. After that he attended the German language program at Berkeley, graduating in the spring of 1944. From there his group went to Camp Bowie, Texas where they joined the 13th Armored Division which had just finished its preparation for overseas. Most of the private soldiers suddenly got orders to go overseas as replacements (D-Day was approaching). He landed a La Havre which was just being developed. McTaggart served with B Company of the 59th Armored Infantry Battalion, attached to the French 2nd Armored Division. When the Germans began their offensive in Belgium, his unit was assigned to the 9th Armored Division to bolster the defenses. They went through Luxembourg and then Bastogne and ended up northeast of there. Interview includes discussion of the fighting in this area and his unit's moves. Crossed the Rhine at St. Goar. Assigned to the 513th Counter Intelligence Corps detachment and …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Dillon. Dillon entered the Navy in April 1942 before finishing high school. After basic training in Rhode Island, he went to radio operator school in New York City. From there, Dillon volunteered for submarines and headed for training in Connecticut. He was then assigned to the USS Sailfish (SS-192) in January 1943. Dillon shares several anecdotes of his time aboard the Sailfish during various war patrols with a lot of detail about daily life aboard a submarine. Dillon served in the communications department, monitoring the radio, radar and sonar.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Preston Holcomb. Holcomb joined the Navy in May of 1938. In 1939, Holcomb volunteered for the Asiatic Fleet and was assigned aboard USS Tulsa (PG-22), conducting patrols along the South China Sea. In 1941, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, they traveled to Manila, Philippines, completing mine patrol. In early 1942 their crew was asked to reinforce the Dutch Army in defending Java from the Japanese. Their ship provided escort and rescue missions in the Pacific. Holcomb traveled to Fremantle, Australia, where the ship was refitted and served as a convoy escort. In mid-1942, they joined the defense of New Guinea. In early 1944, Holcomb transferred to USS Tinsman (DE-589). They escorted a convoy to Leyte in late 1944 through early 1945. He returned to the US, though continued his service for 20 years.