Transcript of an oral interview with Alvin Leos. Leos quit school in the seventh grade to work on a dairy farm to help the family earn money during the Great Depression. He entered the Army in 1940 and was stationed at Galveston, Texas in a coast artillery unit when war was declared in December, 1941. Before long, his unit was assigned to coastal defense on New Hebrides. In 1944, he was sent back to the US where he trained recruits at Tyler, Texas. He then volunteered for a combat assignment and was attached to the First Cavalry Division prior to the invasion of the Philippines. Leos then describes patrols and enemy encounters on Luzon. When the war ended, Leos had enough points to go home. He eventually got assigned to the Second Armored Division at Fort Hood, Texas. Then, Leos discusses the time spent occupying Germany in the early 1950s. Leos moves back to discussing event that occurred while he was serving in the Philippines during WWII. He finishes by discussing visiting the National World War II Memorial in Washington, DC.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Cecil Dykes. Dykes volunteered for the Navy in July of 1944. He was trained to become a LCVP crewman on the USS Bosque (APA-135). Dykes traveled to Okinawa and took part in landing troops and ferrying wounded back to the ship. He witnessed several kamikaze attacks. Dykes was aboard the Bosque at Tokyo Bay the day of the surrender and helped land troops from the 1st Cavalry Division for the occupation of Japan. He was discharged 8 June 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Wilbur Moerbe. Moerbe joined the Navy in February of 1943. He provides some details of his boot camp experiences. He completed fireman school, learning about the engine rooms, water pumps, running the boiler and how to fight fires. He served in the boiler room aboard the USS Highlands (APA-119) beginning November of 1944. They first traveled to Hilo, Hawaii to pick up Marines. They traveled to Eniwetok and Saipan. On 19 February 1945 they landed elements of the Fifth Marine Division at Iwo Jima, where Moerbe also served as a loader on a 20mm aboard the Highlands. He describes their nine days there, including witnessing the American flag raising. They delivered wounded men to Saipan, then headed to the Philippines to pick up Army troops whom they landed at Okinawa in April of 1945. He describes their twelve days at Okinawa and witnessing the kamikaze attacks. They went to Japan and pulled in next to the USS Missouri (BB-63) to witness the signing of the Peace Treaty. He was discharged in March of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Lyon. Lyon joined the Army Air Forces after Pearl Harbor was attacked. He spent over three years as an aviation engineer with the 7th Air Force. Lyon spent most of the war on Makin Island repairing and salvaging parts from B-24s as a member of the 2nd Air Support Squadron. He left the service at the end of the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Schell. Schell joined the Navy in March 1944. He was trained as an aviation ordinance man and was assigned to VC-84 as a gunner on a TBM-3. His squadron was assigned to the USS Makin Island (CVE-93) and participated in the battles of Leyte Gulf, Lingayen Bay, and Iwo Jima. Schell talks about how they bombed Iwo Jima for thirty-two days with little effect. He was discharged in February 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Kenneth Wavell. Wavell was born in Flandreau, South Dakota 30 October 1919. After graduating from high school in Pipestone, Minnesota in 1936 he attended the University of Minnesota. In 1941, he joined the Navy. After boot camp at Jacksonville, Florida he was selected for flight training. After graduating from flight school at Corpus Christi Naval Air Station, Texas, he became a flight instructor for two years. He describes a number of experiences including witnessing a mid-air collision. He 1943 he was ordered to join squadron VC-81 aboard the USS Natoma Bay (CVE-62) as a TBM pilot. He participated in bombing missions over Luzon, Mindoro and Iwo Jima. He also tells of participating in the Battle of Leyte Gulf at which time he had a direct bomb hit on the Japanese battleship Yamato. His plane was not damaged, although heavy anti-aircraft fire was encountered. After the squadron participated in the invasion of Iwo Jima they returned to San Diego. Japan surrendered soon after their return to the United States and Wavell was discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Cunningham. Cunningham joined the Army Air Forces in January of 1942. In June, he traveled to England. In November, he went to Algiers with a military police unit. He recalls a story about when he captured several German soldiers trying to sneak through the lines. He also went to Italy, arriving in Naples after the invasion and spent much time in Rome. He served in the 281st Military Police Battalion and shares several overseas anecdotes from Italy and Algeria. He had a motorcycle accident and was medically evacuated back to the US and was discharged in October, 1945.

Transcript of an oral interview with Sun-Ha Lim. Lim discusses growing up in Korea and living under Japanese Colonial Government, being conscripted into the Japanese army and being part of the mainland defense of Japan in 1945. He also discusses a friend deciding to "go crazy" during training to get out of service and having to fight the Americans, then Lim later pulling him out of a "mental deficiency patient curing place" which was actually a cave in a mountain to get him home to Korea after the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Arthur Knowles. Knowles was born in Stubenville, Ohio on 22 October 1923. After graduating from high school he attended Citadel College for two and a half years serving in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. His ROTC class was called to active duty and was taken to Fort McClellan, Alabama for basic training. In December 1943 he was ordered to Fort Benning, Georgia to attend Officer Candidate School. He was commissioned a second lieutenant on 2 May 1944 and reported to the 84th Infantry Division at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana. He was assigned to Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 334th Infantry Regiment with the responsibility of providing ammunition to the rifle companies. On 16 December 1944 he was assigned as a platoon leader to Company A of the regiment. He tells of his various experiences including involvement in the Battle of the Bulge, finding three of his men who had been on patrol bound and executed, thwarting a tank attack for which he was awarded a Bronze Star, and capturing a German command car. He was wounded by machinegun fire and spent four weeks in an Army hospital. In May 1945, …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jack First. First joined the Marine Corps in May of 1942. He completed Ordnance School. He served with the 2nd Anti-Tank Battalion. They were stationed on New Zealand for 8 months. In 1943 he was sent back to the US and assigned to the 5th Marine Division, 28th Regiment, Company E. He was responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the guns for the company. They traveled to Hawaii and completed additional training at Parker Ranch. They participated in the Battle of Iwo Jima beginning February of 1945. He was discharged in May of 1946.