The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ed Harrell. Harrell grew up in Kentucky and joined the Marine Corps in 1943. Once he finished training, he was assigned to the USS Indianapolis in 1944. His first encounter was in the Carolina Islands. He then went to Eniwetok Islands, Kwajalein Islands, Saipan, Tinian, and Guam. The next battle was the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot. Then the ship went on to Peleliu until the island was secured, and onto Iwo Jima and Okinawa. The ship protected other ships as well as invasion troops during the battles. At Okinawa, the ship was damaged by a kamikaze plane and went back to the United States for repairs. He discusses the kamikaze culture and his experience at a forty-millimeter gun when the kamikaze hit the USS Indianapolis. At the point, while in the United States, the ship was chosen to take the atomic bomb parts to Tinian. At San Francisco, he describes the acquiring of the atomic bomb materials without the knowledge of the Captain of the ship or the soldiers. Next, he describes the bombing of the USS Indianapolis and the aftermath. Harrell witnessed other soldiers drink salt water, …

Transcript of an oral interview with Elmer Freeman. Mr Freeman graduated from high school in 1938 and joined the Navy in 1939. He had three other brothers in the service during the war. After training at Great Lakes Naval Training Center, he was assigned to Aviation Machinist Mate School in San Diego. Upon completion of that, he was sent to VP-12, a PBY squadron in San Diego for a short while then sent to Patrol Wing 4 in Seattle. He was assigned to VP-41 first and then VP-42, both PBY squadrons; he was there when the war started. On December 8, 1941, they were ordered to Tongue Point, Oregon (in the mouth of the Columbia River) and began flying anti-submarine patrols from there, flying PBY-5s. In Feb 1942, his squadron was ordered to Alaska (Sitka, Kodiak and Dutch Harbor). He was a plane captain/crew chief, flight engineer and gunner. They flew pie-shaped sector searches for around ten hours. The squadron came back to Whidbey Island in Feb 1943 for about a month and then went back to Alaska but changed over to the PVs then (PV-1 Ventura). They operated from a variety of islands in the Aleutian chain. He was …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ed Harrell. Harrell grew up in Kentucky and joined the Marine Corps in 1943. Once he finished training, he was assigned to the USS Indianapolis in 1944. His first encounter was in the Carolina Islands. He then went to Eniwetok Islands, Kwajalein Islands, Saipan, Tinian, and Guam. The next battle was the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot. Then the ship went on to Peleliu until the island was secured, and onto Iwo Jima and Okinawa. The ship protected other ships as well as invasion troops during the battles. At Okinawa, the ship was damaged by a kamikaze plane and went back to the United States for repairs. He discusses the kamikaze culture and his experience at a forty-millimeter gun when the kamikaze hit the USS Indianapolis. At the point, while in the United States, the ship was chosen to take the atomic bomb parts to Tinian. At San Francisco, he describes the acquiring of the atomic bomb materials without the knowledge of the Captain of the ship or the soldiers. Next, he describes the bombing of the USS Indianapolis and the aftermath. Harrell witnessed other soldiers drink salt water, …

Transcript of an oral interview with Al Flocke. He discusses his flight training and being the radio operator on a B-24 bomber which did raids on Guam, Turk, Iwo Jima and other islands. He also ancedotes about food, rations and living conditions on the islands.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with David Braden from Dallas, Texas. He discusses his time in the Airforce during WW2. Mr. Braden start with his time training to be a navigator before his first mission in Tokyo, Japan. David Braen describes dropping messages over Japanese cities urging Japanese people to plead for their leaders to surrender and to evacuate before the U.S. burns the cities to the ground. After the Japanese government surrendered and the war was over, Mr. Braden was flown home and kissed the ground as soon as he landed.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Mary Medcalf. Medcalf grew up in Georgia and became a registered nurse in Virginia. Then, she went to Michigan to finish her degree. After graduating, she signed up to be an Army Nurse. She was a 2nd Lieutenant. She went to a hospital transformed from the Chicago Beach Hotel into the Gardiner General Army Hospital. Many of the soldiers needed orthopedics. Later, she transferred to Fort Bragg in North Carolina. She met her husband at an Officer's Dance.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Harold Buell. While attending college in Iowa, Buell took advantage of the Civilian Pilot Training program and earned a pilot's license in 1940. He volunteered for the Navy and went to flight school at Pensacola, Florida, where he earned his wings and a commission in November, 1941. He was assigned to go aboard the USS Yorktown (CV-5) as a member of Scouting Squadron 5 (VS-5) and arrived in time for the Battle of the Coral Sea. His squadron suffered enough damage to be removed from the Yorktown prior to the Battle of Midway. Buell was assigned to the USS Saratoga (CV-3) and flew search and rescue missions from her during the Battle of Midway. After that battle, Buell was transferred to yet another carrier, the USS Enterprise (CV-6), prior to the invasion of Guadalcanal. While flying off the Enterprise, Buell and ten other pilots had to land on Guadalcanal at Henderson Field. They and their dive bombers then became members of the Cactus Air Force. Buell describes the living conditions on Guadalcanal as opposed to those aboard an aircraft carrier. His group finally got off Guadalcanal and returned …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Paul F. Stevens. Stevens grew up in Missouri and participated in the college pilot training program. He joined the Navy in 1941. After training, he was assigned to the PBY-3. He was on a maneuver when a Morse code message came in that Oahu was being attacked. The next day he was part of a counter attack on the Japanese Fleet. Eventually he went to Perth, Australia and flew ""negative patrols."" In June 1943 he went up to Port Moresby. In November 1943, he returned to the U.S. and joined the Patrol Bomb Squadron 104 (VPB-104). He trained on the B-24 Liberator. He deployed to Morotai in November 1944. In December he moved to Tacloban, Leyte. He describes an attack on a Japanese force in Mindoro during December. In March 1945, Stevens is at Paul Field. He discusses two court martial proceedings related to his actions and shooting down Vice Admiral Yamagata. Later the admiral's granddaughter Myhoko Yamagata contacts Stevens.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ruth Bennett. Bennett grew up in Texas. She worked in Big Spring as a personnel secretary and married an officer in the Air Force.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Mary Medcalf. Medcalf grew up in Georgia and became a registered nurse in Virginia. Then, she went to Michigan to finish her degree. After graduating, she signed up to be an Army Nurse. She was a 2nd Lieutenant. She went to a hospital transformed from the Chicago Beach Hotel into the Gardiner General Army Hospital. Many of the soldiers needed orthopedics. Later, she transferred to Fort Bragg in North Carolina. She met her husband at an Officer's Dance.

Transcript of an oral interview with Elmer Freeman. Mr Freeman graduated from high school in 1938 and joined the Navy in 1939. He had three other brothers in the service during the war. After training at Great Lakes Naval Training Center, he was assigned to Aviation Machinist Mate School in San Diego. Upon completion of that, he was sent to VP-12, a PBY squadron in San Diego for a short while then sent to Patrol Wing 4 in Seattle. He was assigned to VP-41 first and then VP-42, both PBY squadrons; he was there when the war started. On December 8, 1941, they were ordered to Tongue Point, Oregon (in the mouth of the Columbia River) and began flying anti-submarine patrols from there, flying PBY-5s. In Feb 1942, his squadron was ordered to Alaska (Sitka, Kodiak and Dutch Harbor). He was a plane captain/crew chief, flight engineer and gunner. They flew pie-shaped sector searches for around ten hours. The squadron came back to Whidbey Island in Feb 1943 for about a month and then went back to Alaska but changed over to the PVs then (PV-1 Ventura). They operated from a variety of islands in the Aleutian chain. He was …

Transcript of an oral interview with Al Flocke. He discusses his flight training and being the radio operator on a B-24 bomber which did raids on Guam, Turk, Iwo Jima and other islands. He also ancedotes about food, rations and living conditions on the islands.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ralph Moreland. Moreland joined the Navy in March of 1944. He served aboard the USS Hope (AH-7), helping transport wounded servicemen to hospitals from the battles at Leyte and Iwo Jima. Moreland was in charge of the loading stations, hoisting a platform up and down helping to get men from shore to ship. He shares details of a kamikaze attack on their ship. Moreland also served aboard the USS Texas (BB-35) during the Battle of Okinawa.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ralph Moreland. Moreland joined the Navy in March of 1944. He served aboard the USS Hope (AH-7), helping transport wounded servicemen to hospitals from the battles at Leyte and Iwo Jima. Moreland was in charge of the loading stations, hoisting a platform up and down helping to get men from shore to ship. He shares details of a kamikaze attack on their ship. Moreland also served aboard the USS Texas (BB-35) during the Battle of Okinawa.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ned Smith. Smith grew up in California, went to college in Idaho and California, and joined Naval Air in 1941. After training on the N3N's and the Stentson's, he was assigned to be a flight instructor. In 1943, he went to navigation school training, and then joined the VR-2 Naval Air Transport Squadron. He was flying in the Coronado PB2Y2's from Alameda, California all over the Pacific Theater. During the six weeks he was with VR-11, he flew R5D's. He discusses landing at Kwajalein, Majuro, and Johnston Island. He took prisoners of war back to the United States.

Interview with Al Flocke, a radio operator during World War II. He discusses his flight training and being the radio operator on a B-24 bomber which did raids on Guam, Turk, Iwo Jima and other islands. He also relates anecdotes about food, rations, and living conditions on the islands.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Frederick Chevalier. Chevalier grew up in Texas and was drafted into the Army Air Force in 1941. Once he finished training, he became an instructor. He was told he had a foot condition and offered to stay as an instructor. He turned down the offer. He boarded a tanker at San Francisco in 1944 and took it to New Guinea. From there, he went up to Biak and then Mindoro where he fly 15 missions with the Jolly Rogers. He did radar counter measures. His missions were mostly mid-level with some high enough to use oxygen. From Mindoro Chevalier moved to Luzon. He was part of the 5th Air Force, VBC, 5th Bomber Command. He describes how the teams would verify that they were jamming the signals of the Japaneses. Finally, he moved up to Okinawa. He boarded the Hobo Queen, a B-32, for the Tokyo mission.

Interview with James "Herb" Macia of San Antonio, Texas, who is a veteran of the United States Armed Forces during World War Two. In the interview, Mr. Thomas recalls memories about growing up as well as his days as a mining engineer, the Doolittle Raid, North Africa, Normandy, and D-Day.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with David Braden from Dallas, Texas. He discusses his time in the Airforce during WW2. Mr. Braden start with his time training to be a navigator before his first mission in Tokyo, Japan. David Braen describes dropping messages over Japanese cities urging Japanese people to plead for their leaders to surrender and to evacuate before the U.S. burns the cities to the ground. After the Japanese government surrendered and the war was over, Mr. Braden was flown home and kissed the ground as soon as he landed.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James H. ""Herb"" Macia. He discusses being a navigator/bombardier on the 14th plane in the Doolittle Raid, including the training leading up to the raid, the trip on the USS Hornet, the raid itself, bailing out over China, the weeks spent there before making it out through India and Egypt and stories about other men in the Raiders. He also discusses meeting with Generalissimo and Madam Chiang Kai-Shek, seeing the Egyptian pyramids, crossing Africa then to Brazil before getting back to the US, landing in Miami, his later deployments in North Africa and Europe, his work after the war and reunions the Raiders have had since the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Gerold (Jerry) Haynes. Haynes grew up in Mississippi and went to Memphis, Tennessee to join the Navy in 1939. He was assigned to the USS California and went to Pearl Harbor. The California was bombed December 7, 1941 during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Haynes describes the recovery efforts. In March 1942 he was reassigned to the USS Sante Fe (CL-60). He was on a 5 in/38 gun. He discusses sinking a ship in the San Bernadino Strait. In 1945, he rescued two survivors from the USS Franklin and received a citation. He describes the experience of pulling survivors from the ocean. NOTE: Haynes identified the USS Tingey (DDS-539) but the action described (Attu, Tarawa, USS Franklin rescue) supports the USS Santa Fe (CL-60).

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Joyce E. Sarvey. She discusses working for Western Union in San Antonio during the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ruth Bennett. Bennett grew up in Texas. She worked in Big Spring as a personnel secretary and married an officer in the Air Force.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Edward Jacquet. He was born in Racine, Wisconsin August 29, 1918. He joined the Army Air Corps as a flying cadet in February 1940 and was assigned to the 19th Bombardment Group. He recalls arriving at Clark Field in early November 1941. After the Japanese invasion of the Philippines, Jacquet flew B-17s conducting various missions between Luzon and Mindanao until his plane was too damaged to fly. He describes how he was then placed in command of a Filipino Reservist machine gun platoon in the village of Cagayan. Jacquet lived several weeks with the natives until he contracted malaria and was evacuated to Java in January 1942. He describes his escape from Java to Melbourne, Australia, where he was hospitalized with dengue fever. Upon discharge from the hospital, he was assigned to demonstrate the B-17 to several high-ranking Australian officers. He also recounts several bombing missions to New Guinea in the spring of 1942, including sorties to the Japanese Naval Base at Rabaul. He returned to the United States in December 1942. During the following year and a half he trained B-29 crews and was sent to Wendover, …