The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Francis R. Ferry. Ferry grew up in Nebraska and taught for a year before joining the Navy in 1942. He had enrolled in the Civilian Pilot Training Program prior to enlisting. He trained on the N3N, the SNJ, the OS2U, the BT, the SBC3 and other types of aircraft. He was assigned to be a dive-bomber, flying the SB2C Helldiver. Ferry was initially assigned to VB-14 and left aboard the USS Wasp to the coast of Venezuela where he continued training. He was reassigned to VB-82 and left on the USS Bennington (CV-20) for Pearl Harbor. The ship joined Task Force 58.1 for Japan. He flew his first combat mission over Tokyo. He was involved with burning the beaches on Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He then was involved in the attack on the Japanese ship Yamato. His air group was the lead group in on the first strike, and Ferry himself dropped rockets and bombs that may have been hits. His wife Genevieve Ferry briefly discusses what her experiences were on the homefront.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ivan Troutman. Troutman joined the Merchant Marines in 1942. He traveled aboard an oil tanker to Venezuela to get a load of oil for Standard Oil. He remained in the States throughout the war. He was sent to Seattle on a cable laying ship. He assisted in splicing telephone cables.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with George Baugh. Baugh joined the Merchant Marine in 1944. He shares details of his training. He served as Messman in the Steward Department aboard a T2 tanker, the SS Mobile Bay. In early 1945, they deployed to England to deliver fuel. Baugh shares details of the ship and general life aboard. He later joined the union and worked aboard a merchant ship, delivering cargo to Panama, Venezuela and Columbia. After the war ended, Baugh continued his service in the union for an additional 23 years.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with George Baugh. Baugh joined the Merchant Marine in 1944. He shares details of his training. He served as Messman in the Steward Department aboard a T2 tanker, the SS Mobile Bay. In early 1945, they deployed to England to deliver fuel. Baugh shares details of the ship and general life aboard. He later joined the union and worked aboard a merchant ship, delivering cargo to Panama, Venezuela and Columbia. After the war ended, Baugh continued his service in the union for an additional 23 years.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Paul Davidson. Davidson was drafted into the Army in September of 1941. He was assigned to the 252nd Coast Artillery. He describes basic training, including food and clothing, and the ship he went aboard on his first assignment to Trinidad, the SS Evangeline (II). From February 1942 to March of 1944 they were stationed on the island of Trinidad off the coast of Venezuela. In March of 1944 he was transferred to the 530th Field Artillery Battalion in the 5th Army. They arrived in Italy in March of 1945. He was in charge of the advance detail, where he supervised the layout of the gun position, including moving the guns, leveling and digging out the ground and sandbagging. He describes their maneuvers through Italy, getting shelled heavily in some places, and details some of the people and places he witnessed. He was discharged in October of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Francis R. Ferry. Ferry grew up in Nebraska and taught for a year before joining the Navy in 1942. He had enrolled in the Civilian Pilot Training Program prior to enlisting. He trained on the N3N, the SNJ, the OS2U, the BT, the SBC3 and other types of aircraft. He was assigned to be a dive-bomber, flying the SB2C Helldiver. Ferry was initially assigned to VB-14 and left aboard the USS Wasp to the coast of Venezuela where he continued training. He was reassigned to VB-82 and left on the USS Bennington (CV-20) for Pearl Harbor. The ship joined Task Force 58.1 for Japan. He flew his first combat mission over Tokyo. He was involved with burning the beaches on Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He then was involved in the attack on the Japanese ship Yamato. His air group was the lead group in on the first strike, and Ferry himself dropped rockets and bombs that may have been hits. His wife Genevieve Ferry briefly discusses what her experiences were on the homefront.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Al D’Agostino. D’Agostino joined the Merchant Marine in 1945 and received training in Brooklyn. Upon completion, he was assigned to the SS Monterey where he worked as a butcher. His first trip to the Pacific was transporting European troops, who were unhappy about the looming invasion of Japan. The war ended while the Monterey was in transit, and the soldiers returning home were a much happier bunch. Even more joyful was the reunion of families when the Monterey picked up war brides and their babies from all over the Pacific and brought them back to the States. He transferred to a Liberty ship that brought German war criminals back to the States from South America, although he believes that the majority of the passengers were actually concentration camp survivors. D’Agostino was discharged but was drafted again during the Korean War and served as a radio relay operator atop a mountain in dangerous and harsh winter conditions. When he was discharged a second time, he applied his kitchen experience and attended Cornell’s hotel school. D’Agostino became the director of food service for Trans World Airlines. Before retiring, he moved …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Al D’Agostino. D’Agostino joined the Merchant Marine in 1945 and received training in Brooklyn. Upon completion, he was assigned to the SS Monterey where he worked as a butcher. His first trip to the Pacific was transporting European troops, who were unhappy about the looming invasion of Japan. The war ended while the Monterey was in transit, and the soldiers returning home were a much happier bunch. Even more joyful was the reunion of families when the Monterey picked up war brides and their babies from all over the Pacific and brought them back to the States. He transferred to a Liberty ship that brought German war criminals back to the States from South America, although he believes that the majority of the passengers were actually concentration camp survivors. D’Agostino was discharged but was drafted again during the Korean War and served as a radio relay operator atop a mountain in dangerous and harsh winter conditions. When he was discharged a second time, he applied his kitchen experience and attended Cornell’s hotel school. D’Agostino became the director of food service for Trans World Airlines. Before retiring, he moved …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Joseph Golson. Golson joined the Marine Corps in 1943 and trained at San Diego. Once overseas, he was assigned as a 60mm mortar man in the 4th Marine Regiment, 6th Marine Division. He was with them during the invasion of Guam. Golson describes some of the conditions of battle and his experiences in combat at Okinawa. He also shares anecdotes about occupation duty in Yokosuka before being discharged from the Marines in April, 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Joseph Golson. Golson joined the Marine Corps in 1943 and trained at San Diego. Once overseas, he was assigned as a 60mm mortar man in the 4th Marine Regiment, 6th Marine Division. He was with them during the invasion of Guam. Golson describes some of the conditions of battle and his experiences in combat at Okinawa. He also shares anecdotes about occupation duty in Yokosuka before being discharged from the Marines in April, 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with S M Sullivan. Sullivan joined the Navy Seabees in May of 1942. In the fall, he deployed to New Caledonia to help build a hospital, and later served on Guadalcanal building airfields. He contracted malaria while on Guadalcanal. In early 1945, he transferred to Saipan. He returned to the US and was discharged around late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dean Woodward. Woodward joined the Marine Corps in April 1942. He was trained as a radio operator and sent to the 2nd Marine Division. Woodward describes the landing at Tarawa and his role as a member of a shore party. He tells of a narrow miss by a sniper at the end of the battle. Woodward also discusses his involvement in the landing on Saipan as a radio operator. He rotated back to the US and was there when the war ended. Woodward was discharged in April 1946. He was commissioned as an officer in the Army a few years later and tells of his service from Korea through his retirement as a lieutenant colonel.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bob Tizzard. Tizzard was born in Rochester, New York on 30 June 1916. He enlisted in the Army in 1940 and completed several courses of training, including Officer Candidate School after which he received his commission. He was sent to Honolulu as a member of the 184th Regiment, 7th Army Division which was training for the invasion of Kwajalein, Marshall Islands. His duties included company officer in charge of automatic weapons. By the time his regiment reached Kwajalein, most of the fighting was over and his company received orders to Truk on 5 January 1945. While enroute to Truk the ship was redirected to Okinawa where they arrived on Easter Sunday, 1945. He recalls that his unit was involved in combat at Shuri Castle and Yonaharu. He describes being in Okinawa on V-J Day in September 1945, after which, his unit was sent to Seoul, Korea to accept the surrender of Japanese forces in Korea. While in Korea, he resigned from the Army, volunteered for the Internantional Red Cross, and was sent to Qingdao, China for five years, assisting in the relocation of White Russians. Following his time …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Hazael R. Olivares. Olivares dropped out of high school and decided to join the Navy right after hearing about the attack on Pearl Harbor. He took his 16 week basic training course at Great Lakes in Illinois where he learned how to fire various guns and recognize aircraft. After basic training, he was assigned to the Algiers, Louisiana where he learned how to weld. Aboard the USS Bordelon (DD-881), he served as a Ship Fitter in the damage control department. After WWII, he remained in the reserves and was called up for duty in Korea. He served aboard the USS Sitkoh Bay (CVE-86). After Korea, he worked as a civilian for he Army Corps of Engineers as an oiler on a dredge; then served in the Merchant Marines hauling refined petroleum products from South America to North America. He also speaks of going into French Indochina up the Saigon River in a merchant vessel.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Hugh Sheffield. Sheffield joined the Navy when he was 17 years old. He received basic training in Jacksonville and attended electrician’s mate school in Mississippi. Upon completion, was sent to the New Hebrides and then Guam, performing general duties such as digging ditches. At Subic Bay he was taught to engineer an LCVP, in preparation for the invasion of Japan. His crew was a mixture of inexperienced seamen, aviation radiomen, and soldiers fresh out of the brig; Sheffield suspects the motley crew was assigned an old Higgins boat as part of an expendable first wave of attack. After Japan surrendered, Sheffield was sent to Tokyo Bay and worked aboard several different ships. He was discharged and attended college on the GI Bill.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Gourley. Gourley joined the Navy in 1944. Once he finished boot camp, he was assigned to USS President Adams, (APA-19) bound for the invasion of the Philippines. When he arrived at Iwo Jima, Gourley went ashore for several days to help unload supplies. After the war, Gourley remained aboard and made several trips to Japan to haul troops back home. He took his discharge in 1946.

Video footage from a symposium sponsored by the National Museum of the Pacific War entitled "The Lessons Learned" discussing United States military preparedness from 1941 to 1988. This recording features the opening of the second day of the symposium and remarks given by Paul Stillwell, Tom Wilkerson, Frank Truemane, Patrick Corrigan, Bill Fisher and Merl Youngs.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bob Tizzard. Tizzard was born in Rochester, New York on 30 June 1916. He enlisted in the Army in 1940 and completed several courses of training, including Officer Candidate School after which he received his commission. He was sent to Honolulu as a member of the 184th Regiment, 7th Army Division which was training for the invasion of Kwajalein, Marshall Islands. His duties included company officer in charge of automatic weapons. By the time his regiment reached Kwajalein, most of the fighting was over and his company received orders to Truk on 5 January 1945. While enroute to Truk the ship was redirected to Okinawa where they arrived on Easter Sunday, 1945. He recalls that his unit was involved in combat at Shuri Castle and Yonaharu. He describes being in Okinawa on V-J Day in September 1945, after which, his unit was sent to Seoul, Korea to accept the surrender of Japanese forces in Korea. While in Korea, he resigned from the Army, volunteered for the Internantional Red Cross, and was sent to Qingdao, China for five years, assisting in the relocation of White Russians. Following his time …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jack Matthews. Matthews was born in Houston, Texas in 1925. Soon after graduating from high school, he joined the US Merchant Marine. In October 1943 he was sent to Pass Christian, Mississippi to begin three months of engineer training. After completing the course he was assigned to a US T2 tanker whose mission was to carry fuel oil for naval ships in the Pacific. His ship ran aground at New Guinea. Unable to be freed by other means, the ship was forced to transfer its cargo of fuel oil to another tanker thus allowing the ship to float free. Later his ship was sent to refuel the USS Boise CL-47). After being at sea for eight months, Matthews returned to the United States and attended the United States Merchant Marine Academy, graduating with a commission.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William A. Klenk. He enlisted in the Navy in May 1942. He was accepted into the Naval Air Cadet Program and received his commission in June 1943. He talks about his qualifying carrier landings at NAS Glenview. He was assigned to U.S. Carrier Air Group 80 Dive Bomber Squadron United States. Navy. Bombing Squadron 80 (VB-80) on the USS Ticonderoga (CV-14). They joined the Third Fleet in Ulithi. He recalls various bombing locations in the South Pacific. He describes when the ship was hit by two kamikaze airplanes near Formosa. His air group was subsequently assigned to the USS Hancock (CV-19). He talks about making air strikes on Iwo Jima, Tokyo, and Okinawa. He describes making the trip back to the U.S. aboard various ships. He got out of the Navy in September 1945. After graduating from Penn State, he joined the Naval Reserve from which he retired in 1965. Kathryn Klenk remembers blackouts and rationing. She shares an anecdote about being married in bedroom slippers due to the rationing of shoes. William Klenk shares an anecdote about getting married despite the national holiday declared upon President Roosevelt’s …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Hugh Sheffield. Sheffield joined the Navy when he was 17 years old. He received basic training in Jacksonville and attended electrician’s mate school in Mississippi. Upon completion, was sent to the New Hebrides and then Guam, performing general duties such as digging ditches. At Subic Bay he was taught to engineer an LCVP, in preparation for the invasion of Japan. His crew was a mixture of inexperienced seamen, aviation radiomen, and soldiers fresh out of the brig; Sheffield suspects the motley crew was assigned an old Higgins boat as part of an expendable first wave of attack. After Japan surrendered, Sheffield was sent to Tokyo Bay and worked aboard several different ships. He was discharged and attended college on the GI Bill.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Gourley. Gourley joined the Navy in 1944. Once he finished boot camp, he was assigned to USS President Adams, (APA-19) bound for the invasion of the Philippines. When he arrived at Iwo Jima, Gourley went ashore for several days to help unload supplies. After the war, Gourley remained aboard and made several trips to Japan to haul troops back home. He took his discharge in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Warren McLellan. McLellan learned to fly as a civilian before joining the Navy in July 1941. Once in the Navy, he qualified for pilot training and went to Pensacola. After training, he was assigned to Torpedo Squadron 16 (VT-16) in January 1943. They reported aboard USS Lexington (CV-16) later in June in time for her shakedown cruise. He describes attacking targets at Tarawa. He crash landed in the water at the Palau Islands and was rescued and returned to the Lexington. He also ended up in the water during the Marianas Turkey Shoot. He describes being in the water prior to rescue and has great admiration for Admiral Marc Mitscher. He returned to the US later in 1944 and had shore duty in Rhode Island.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with S M Sullivan. Sullivan joined the Navy Seabees in May of 1942. In the fall, he deployed to New Caledonia to help build a hospital, and later served on Guadalcanal building airfields. He contracted malaria while on Guadalcanal. In early 1945, he transferred to Saipan. He returned to the US and was discharged around late 1945.