The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Arthur Patcke. Patcke was born in born in Chicago, Illinois on 13 July 1927 and was drafted into the Marine Corps in September, 1945. He describes some of his experiences at boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina. He was sent overseas to Tsingtao, China in the middle of 1946, and describes a typhoon that his ship experienced during the transit. He was assigned to a communications company in the 15th Marine Regiment, which was part of the Sixth Marines at the time. He provides details of his experiences in Tsingtao and recalls that he was discharged in the fall of 1946 after 50 weeks active duty.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Art Goetz. Goetz joined the Marine Corps in 1945 and received basic training at Parris Island followed by engineer training at Camp Lejeune. Upon completion, he was assigned to the 1st Engineer Battalion, stationed in China, where he performed maintenance work at the American Legation in Peking. He arrived in January 1946 to a welcoming population who lined the streets waving American flags. While there he visited the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and the Whispering Wall at the Temple of Heaven. The exchange rate was so favorable to Americans that his acquaintance bought a Ming Dynasty urn for a few dollars, and Goetz purchased two cloisonné blouses for 25 cents each. In April 1947 Goetz was transferred to Guam with the 1st Marine Brigade. In 1948 he returned to China, this time stationed at Tsingtao. As the Chinese Civil War intensified, the engineers were the last to evacuate, loading their heavy equipment onto ships as shots were being fired all around the city. Goetz returned to the States in May 1949 and went on to serve in the Korean War. His last duty was as a special …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Arthur Patcke. Patcke was born in born in Chicago, Illinois on 13 July 1927 and was drafted into the Marine Corps in September, 1945. He describes some of his experiences at boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina. He was sent overseas to Tsingtao, China in the middle of 1946, and describes a typhoon that his ship experienced during the transit. He was assigned to a communications company in the 15th Marine Regiment, which was part of the Sixth Marines at the time. He provides details of his experiences in Tsingtao and recalls that he was discharged in the fall of 1946 after 50 weeks active duty.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Art Goetz. Goetz joined the Marine Corps in 1945 and received basic training at Parris Island followed by engineer training at Camp Lejeune. Upon completion, he was assigned to the 1st Engineer Battalion, stationed in China, where he performed maintenance work at the American Legation in Peking. He arrived in January 1946 to a welcoming population who lined the streets waving American flags. While there he visited the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and the Whispering Wall at the Temple of Heaven. The exchange rate was so favorable to Americans that his acquaintance bought a Ming Dynasty urn for a few dollars, and Goetz purchased two cloisonné blouses for 25 cents each. In April 1947 Goetz was transferred to Guam with the 1st Marine Brigade. In 1948 he returned to China, this time stationed at Tsingtao. As the Chinese Civil War intensified, the engineers were the last to evacuate, loading their heavy equipment onto ships as shots were being fired all around the city. Goetz returned to the States in May 1949 and went on to serve in the Korean War. His last duty was as a special …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Francis Blake. Blake was born in Idaho and finished high school in Portland, Oregon. He then went to California for some college and worked in the mining industry in Arizona before joining the Marine Corps in August 1938. He trained at San Diego, then went to Sea School. Afterward, he was assigned to the USS Idaho (BB-42). He eventually became the captain's orderly and then an admiral's orderly while aboard the Idaho. Blake also served on Admiral Ernest King's flag allowance while King was Commander in Chief, US Fleet. Admiral King recommended Blake for a commission in the Marine Corps in June, 1943. When he got overseas, he was attached to the 3rd Marine Regiment prior to the invasion of Bougainville in an administrative support role. He performed similar duties on Guam during that invasion. When the 3rd MARDIV invaded Iwo Jima, Blake was an assistant to the G-1. When the war ended, he was back on Guam. He soon returned to the US and went to work discharging Marines. Blake retained his commission and stayed in the Corps. He served as marine detachment commanding officer aboard the …