The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Morris Hibbs. Hibbs joined the Marine Corps in November 1943 and received basic training in San Diego. He received field artillery instrument training at Camp Pendleton. Upon completion, he was sent to Hawaii. There he was reassigned to an antiaircraft unit on Kauai, serving as a cook. He was later stationed at a field kitchen on Okinawa, where he remained until the end of the war. Hibbs returned home and was discharged in December 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Morris Hibbs. Hibbs joined the Marine Corps in November 1943 and received basic training in San Diego. He received field artillery instrument training at Camp Pendleton. Upon completion, he was sent to Hawaii. There he was reassigned to an antiaircraft unit on Kauai, serving as a cook. He was later stationed at a field kitchen on Okinawa, where he remained until the end of the war. Hibbs returned home and was discharged in December 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Forrest Biard. Biard graduated from the Naval Academy in 1934. From 1939 through September 1941, he completed full immersion in Japanese language and culture training in Tokyo. Biard was a cryptologic linguist, serving in all three Navy codebreaking units during World War II. In September, Biard was stationed at Pearl Harbor as a senior linguist for Station HYPO, the codebreaking unit at Pearl Harbor where he served as a language officer until August 1943. From February to May 1942, he was assigned to USS Yorktown (CV-5) as the radio intelligence officer under Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher. Biard’s translation and decryption work on JN-25 contributed to Allied efforts in the battles of the Coral Sea and Midway. From August to October 1943, he was sent to the codebreaking unit OP-20-G in Washington, also known as Station Negat. From November 1943 to April 1945, he was sent to the Station Cast codebreaking unit at Melbourne, Australia. While in Melbourne he deployed on several ships operating in the South Pacific. He worked in Melbourne to decrypt and translate captured Japanese Army code books for Douglas MacArthur, then used to accelerate the island-hopping …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Tom Schicher. Schicher joined the Marine Corps in March of 1944. He served as a rifleman and mortarman, and deployed to Hawaii as a replacement. They traveled to the Russell Islands and Guadalcanal practicing maneuvers. He participated in the Battle of Okinawa. After the war ended, he was assigned to occupation duty in China. Schicher returned to the US and was discharged around 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Georgia Payne. Payne was born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1929. Her father, who as an American citizen, was born in Manila, Philippines. In 1934 their family moved back to Manila to work and be close to her father’s mother. They were living there in 1941 when the Japanese invaded the Philippines. She and her family were taken to Santo Tomas Internment Camp, where they resided for 37 months. Around early 1945 Payne and her family were shipped back to the US. She provides vivid recollections of her time in the camp, their liberation and their acclimatization back in the States.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Tom Schicher. Schicher joined the Marine Corps in March of 1944. He served as a rifleman and mortarman, and deployed to Hawaii as a replacement. They traveled to the Russell Islands and Guadalcanal practicing maneuvers. He participated in the Battle of Okinawa. After the war ended, he was assigned to occupation duty in China. Schicher returned to the US and was discharged around 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles Dunnam. Dunnam was drafted into the Army in July, 1944 and had basic training at Camp Wolters. Upon being sent overseas, Dunnam joined the 126th Infantry Regiment on Leyte. He traveled with them to Luzon in January just after the invasion got started. In May, he was wounded by rifle fire. He returned to his unit and recalls several hundred Japanese soldiers surrendering just after the war ended. He spent some time in Japan before returning to the US and being discharged in August, 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Georgia Payne. Payne was born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1929. Her father, who as an American citizen, was born in Manila, Philippines. In 1934 their family moved back to Manila to work and be close to her father’s mother. They were living there in 1941 when the Japanese invaded the Philippines. She and her family were taken to Santo Tomas Internment Camp, where they resided for 37 months. Around early 1945 Payne and her family were shipped back to the US. She provides vivid recollections of her time in the camp, their liberation and their acclimatization back in the States.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert B. Mero. Born in 1924, he was drafted into the Army in New York in June 1943 at the age of eighteen. He went to basic training in Mineral Wells, Texas and from there to Army Specialized Training at the University of Missouri where he studied basic engineering. He shares an anecdote of meeting General Kramer while studying French at Camp Rucker, Alabama. He would meet the General again in the European Theatre at a later time. In 1944 he was transferred to Lyme Regis in the south of England. He shares a story of his brothers who were also stationed in England at the time. His division, the 66th, was then assigned to France where it would go on to assist in the Battle of the Bulge. He describes how his regiment was in a static position along the right side of the line and of his role in capturing a German soldier during night maneuvers. This would be his only combat. He was assigned to an occupation force in Germany then Austria following the war. He was a draftsman for Genreal Clark. He was discharged …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert B. Mero. Born in 1924, he was drafted into the Army in New York in June 1943 at the age of eighteen. He went to basic training in Mineral Wells, Texas and from there to Army Specialized Training at the University of Missouri where he studied basic engineering. He shares an anecdote of meeting General Kramer while studying French at Camp Rucker, Alabama. He would meet the General again in the European Theatre at a later time. In 1944 he was transferred to Lyme Regis in the south of England. He shares a story of his brothers who were also stationed in England at the time. His division, the 66th, was then assigned to France where it would go on to assist in the Battle of the Bulge. He describes how his regiment was in a static position along the right side of the line and of his role in capturing a German soldier during night maneuvers. This would be his only combat. He was assigned to an occupation force in Germany then Austria following the war. He was a draftsman for Genreal Clark. He was discharged …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Thompson. One of seven boys, he was born in Dewar, Oklahoma 29 November 1921. Six of the boys served in the military during World War II, with two of them being killed in combat. Thompson describes his family life during the depression telling a touching story of his mother. After graduating from high school in 1938, he attended college for 2 years before going to California to work in a Northrup Aircraft plant. In 1942, he returned home and joined the Army. After completing basic training, he entered Officer Candidate School and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Field Artillery in March 1943. After attending Ranger School, he went overseas. He tells of his experiences in North Africa and Italy where he was assigned to the 132nd Field Artillery as a forward observer. During August 1944, he went to Southern France, where he was captured by the Germans. He recalls the various POW camps he was moved to including one in Hammelburg, Germany. While there, a US tank column, under the leadership of General George Patton liberated the inmates. Thompson recalls being captured again and …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Thompson. One of seven boys, he was born in Dewar, Oklahoma 29 November 1921. Six of the boys served in the military during World War II, with two of them being killed in combat. Thompson describes his family life during the depression telling a touching story of his mother. After graduating from high school in 1938, he attended college for 2 years before going to California to work in a Northrup Aircraft plant. In 1942, he returned home and joined the Army. After completing basic training, he entered Officer Candidate School and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Field Artillery in March 1943. After attending Ranger School, he went overseas. He tells of his experiences in North Africa and Italy where he was assigned to the 132nd Field Artillery as a forward observer. During August 1944, he went to Southern France, where he was captured by the Germans. He recalls the various POW camps he was moved to including one in Hammelburg, Germany. While there, a US tank column, under the leadership of General George Patton liberated the inmates. Thompson recalls being captured again and …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William Starke. Starke joined the Army Air Forces in March of 1942. He completed flight training and graduated at Williams Field, Arizona, in July of 1943 as a P-38 pilot. He provides details of his flight training and the various planes he flew. In November he traveled to Guadalcanal and joined the 44th Fighter Squadron, 13th Air Force. Starke served as a P-38 Lightning pilot and completed 121 missions throughout the Pacific, including Sansapor, Bougainville and Rabaul in Papua New Guinea, Borneo, Luzon and the Philippines. His squadron flew combat missions and escorted B-24 bombers. Starke provides vivid details of several missions and describes how they acquired the name “Vampire Squadron.” He was discharged in July of 1945. He remained in the Reserves for 20 years and retired as a lieutenant colonel.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Millard Schwartz. Schwartz was drafted into the Army in December of 1942. He provides details of his weapons training and boot camp. He served with A Battery, 919th Field Artillery, 94th Infantry Division. They traveled to Scotland in August of 1944, and landed on Utah Beach on 7 September. Schwartz shares his experiences traveling overseas aboard the troop ship, the Queen Elizabeth and his time spent in London. His division relieved another in the St. Nazaire area serving to maintain security against the pockets of 50 to 60,000 Germans there. Going into December they traveled to Belgium and participated in the Battle of the Bulge, where they were attached to General Patton’s 3rd Army. They were assigned to an area around the Siegfried Line, near Eschweiler, Germany. He provides vivid details of his experiences through this battle. He was honorably discharged in December of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Henry Jennings. Jennings joined the Army Air Forces in September, 1942 and trained at Wichita Falls. He eventually became a flight engineer on B-26 bombers. Jennings recalls several anecdotes about his time in the service.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William Akers. Akers joined the Navy I n1944 and trained at San Diego. After training he went to an air station in California before being assigned to CASU 53 and going to Guam. From there, Akers went to a seaplane base on Saipan aboard the USS Kitkun Bay (CVE-71). On Saipan, he serviced aircraft by refueling and rearming, etc. Akers was discharged in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Norman Ward. Ward joined the Marine Corps around 1940. He was assigned to the 2nd Marine Division, and operated amphibious tractors. From November of 1943 through April of 1945, Ward participated in the first waves of the battles at Tarawa, Saipan, Tinian and Okinawa. He assisted with landing assault troops from his amphibious tractor. For the battle of Tarawa, Ward received the presidential unit citation, a Purple Heart, and was awarded the Silver Star by Admiral Nimitz. For the battle on Saipan, he received the Navy Commendation medal. Ward returned to the US in May of 1945, continued his service in the reserves, retiring in 1964 attaining the rank of major.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Lawrence Barrett. Barrett joined the Marine Corps in December of 1943. He served as an aerial gunner, combat cameraman and ground and motion picture photographer. Barrett worked as a combat aircrewman with Marine Air Group 32 in the Pacific and the Philippines, completing 25 combat missions by 1945. After the war ended, he served with the occupation forces in Tsingtao, North China. He returned to the US and was discharged in May of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Luke Campeau. Campeau joined the Army Air Corps in August of 1940. He served as Master Sergeant with the 15th Weather Squadron. They traveled to Australia. In December of 1942 he was commissioned to Milne Bay, New Guinea. He also served as a member of the American Guerrillas of Mindanao, Philippines. He shares vivid details of his work experience, life in general overseas and his specialized training in guerrilla warfare. He was discharged in late 1945.

Transcript of an oral interview with Lewane D. Herring. He discusses working at Corpus Christi and Kingsville Naval Air Stations in south Texas before being assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Shangri-La and the destroyer USS Barton during his naval career. He also discusses his time spent in the Air Force during the Korean War. Mr. Herring then read a letter about his brother's service during the Korean War.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Malford Heimer. Heimer joined the Army in December 1942. In early 1943, he began serving as rifleman with the 87th Infantry Regiment. They traveled to the Aleutian Islands as part of Task Force 9 moving material up to the area. In 1944, Heimer joined the 10th Mountain Division and deployed to Italy, fighting in the Apennine Mountains during the Italian Campaign. After receiving a shell fragment injury, surgery and recovery, Heimer was sent back to the US in early 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Paul Massier. Massier enrolled in the Army Specialized Training Program after two years of studying mechanical engineering. He was inducted in June 1943 and expected to finish school at Texas A&M. After basic training however, Massier was assigned to the 99th Infantry Division as a rifleman when the program was cut short. He was unhappy with this arrangement, as many of the officers were not well educated. After learning that he had osteoarthritis and torn ligaments, he was given a noncombat assignment at the Camp Swift medical depot. Sent to Okinawa in 1945, he sought refuge in the bottom of the ship when strafed by enemy planes. Unable to dig trenches on the hard beach, Massier slept on the ground and was frightened as anti-aircraft flak rained down around him. Although the northern part of islands were off limits to military personnel, Massier snuck through and discovered tombs as a well a tea plantation. After the war, Massier survived a major typhoon that destroyed the roof of their medical supply building. He returned home and was discharged in March 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Frank Albert. Albert joined the Navy in 1941. Growing up in poverty with 12 siblings, enlisting was a way to ensure three square meals a day and to finally have his own bed. Albert was assigned to the USS Enterprise (CV-6) as a shipfitter, involved in routine maintenance and damage control. As such, he was appreciated by many people and often repaid with alcohol, which he would share with others before stowing the remainder inside the ship’s walls, welding the makeshift cubby shut each time. At Pearl Harbor, he conducted shore patrol and once broke up an altercation involving his own brother. The two of them, along with about 15 other pairs of brothers, worked together on the Enterprise, in the early days. Albert encountered many dangerous events, particularly surviving a weeklong typhoon, and watching from the crow’s nest as a kamikaze approached and blew out the number two elevator. In the aftermath, part of his duties in damage control included administering morphine to the wounded. Albert was discharged shortly before the war ended, having spent four years in the service. For a time thereafter, he suffered from …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William Starke. Starke joined the Army Air Forces in March of 1942. He completed flight training and graduated at Williams Field, Arizona, in July of 1943 as a P-38 pilot. He provides details of his flight training and the various planes he flew. In November he traveled to Guadalcanal and joined the 44th Fighter Squadron, 13th Air Force. Starke served as a P-38 Lightning pilot and completed 121 missions throughout the Pacific, including Sansapor, Bougainville and Rabaul in Papua New Guinea, Borneo, Luzon and the Philippines. His squadron flew combat missions and escorted B-24 bombers. Starke provides vivid details of several missions and describes how they acquired the name “Vampire Squadron.” He was discharged in July of 1945. He remained in the Reserves for 20 years and retired as a lieutenant colonel.