The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Thomas Despain. Despain joined the Navy and was training to be a gunner when the war ended. He was discharged a month later. When the war ended, Despain entered into a career in law enforcement.

United States. Navy; World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Philippines--Luzon.; World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Japan--Okinawa Island; World War, 1939-1945--South Pacific.; LST-747

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Kenneth Smith. Smith joined the Navy and was in boot training when the war ended. After training, he was assigned to USS Rutland (APA-192). He recalls a few anecdotes about being aboard ship, seeing part of Japan and hauling troops home after the war. Smith shares some of his Christian testimony and entered the seminary after returning to college after the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Harold Fleming. Fleming joined the Navy in 1943. He completed Radio School and served as a radio operator aboard the USS Drew (APA-162), beginning October of 1944. They transported troops to and from Saipan, Guam and Japan. He was discharged in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Valentin R. Ybarra. He discusses Peleliu, Okinawa, occupation duty in Japan and China; being assigned in Spain; the Cuban Missile Crisis; the revolt in the Dominican Republic; service in Vietnam.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Frances W. Lipe. Lipe recalls anecdotes and events from the life of her father, Colonel Worthington. Her father joined the Army in 1917 and trained as a veterinarian. Her father was on Bataan when the US forces surrendered there in 1942. Her father escaped and was captured by the Japanese and taken to Manila. From there, he went to Formosa and then on to Mukden, Manchuria.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jack Kleiss. Kleiss discusses training for carrier landings on USS Enterprise; the arrival of VMF-211 aboard Enterprise and their delivery to Wake Island; and the attack on Pealr Harbor on 7 December 1941. Kleiss was in a dive bomber and attacked Japanese carriers at the Battle of Midway, where he earned the Navy Cross.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Walt McKinney. McKinney joined the Navy around 1944. He worked at the Naval Ammunition Depot in Fallbrook, California, dismantling depth charges. He later served as Yeoman Third-Class on the island of Guam for 4 months, where McKinney processed enlisted men deployed to the Pacific and returning to the US. He then worked aboard the USS Lunga Point (CVE-94). He returned to the US and was discharged in August of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Burns. Burns joined the Navy in June of 1943. He completed the Navy V-12 Program. He was commissioned as ensign in May of 1945, and assigned to a destroyer escort. They conducted submarine patrol. He worked in numerous departments aboard the ship, and they remained along the coast of Florida. He was transferred to California for amphibious training. Burns continued his service in the Navy, receiving his discharge in 1958.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Elnora Geer. Geer finished high school in 1933 and went to work as a telephone operator in McKinney, Texas. When the war started, Geer was married and had one child with another on the way when her husband was drafted in early 1944. Before her husband shipped overseas, she moved out to California with her babies. He was en route to the Philippines when the war ended and she was on hand to greet him upon his return to New Orleans.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ralph Schultz. Schultz joined the Marine Corps in in late 1942. He completed radio/telephone school. He joined the 3rd Joint Assault Signal Company (JASCO), and was shipped to Guadalcanal and assigned to Headquarters 3rd Marine Division. In July of 1944, they participated in the Battle of Guam. As part of JASCO, Schultz helped coordinate and control naval gunfire and close air support of landings on the island. After receiving injury to his leg, he was shipped back to the US. He received his discharge in July of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Lynch. Lynch joined the Army in May of 1945. He completed basic training at Fort Hood, Texas in September. He learned how to drive Army trucks, and qualified as a marksman. In October, he was transferred to Fort Ord in California. Lynch shares details of his training, and his travels to and through California. He deployed to Nagasaki, Japan and served with the 32nd Infantry Division occupation forces. He returned to the US and received a discharge in October of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Earl McWilliams. McWilliams joined the Army in October of 1944. He served as a BAR rifleman with the 25th Infantry Division, 27th Regiment, 2nd Battalion, Company G. McWilliams participated in the Philippines Campaign beginning April of 1945 through the end of the war. He served with occupation forces in Japan. McWilliams returned to the US and received his discharge in February of 1946.

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 Charles Carpenter. Carpenter served aboard USS South Dakota (BB-57), going aboard in early 1942. He was assigned to a 20mm gun. He shares several anecdotes about his experiences aboard the ship. He discusses the Battle of Santa Crus Islands and night action of Guadalcanal.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Herman Krehmeier. Krehmeier joined the Marine Corps in May of 1943. He served as a machine gunner with the 2nd Marine Division. He deployed in January of 1944 to Pearl Harbor. Beginning July of 1944 through April of 1945, Krehmeier participated in the Battles of Tinian and Okinawa. He was discharged in January of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Don Sumner. Born in 1927, he was inducted into the Navy in June 1945. As an apprentice seaman, he was trained in the Aviation Midshipman Program. He was in training when the war ended. He received his wings in 1948 and was assigned to fly PB4Y airplanes in a Bat guided bomb squadron. With the outbreak of the Korean War, he was sent to North Africa. He retired from the Navy after twenty-five years of service.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Zayda Baron. Baron was born in 1933 in the Philippines. Her father, Leon Oreonez, was the captain of a guerrilla unit. When the Japanese came to her home looking for her father, she fled and was separated from her parents for some time. Eventually, her older brothers worked at resisting the Japanese. When the war ended, Baron returned to school. She comments on the conditions of the Filipino populace during the Japanese occupation.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Marguerite Loveless. Loveless was born in Centerville, Texas in 1921. After attending Houston Brown College she was employed by the Texas Department of Public Welfare. She married Cleatus “Chuck” E. Loveless in 1941. She tells of her husband joining the Army Air Corps soon after the declaration of war and of the numerous moves and living conditions they encountered and of the long lasting relationships that developed with many of the people she met. While her husband was serving in the Philippines she was employed at Harmon General Hospital in Longview, Texas, and tells of German prisoners of war working maintenance at the hospital.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Allen Barker. Barker was born 29 July 1922 in Sairlie, Texas. He joined the Army Air Corps in August 1942. Following completion of basic training in Greenville, Texas he was assigned to the signal corps. He was shuttled around to various bases in the United States and finally boarded a troop ship, USS General A.E. Anderson for a 30 day sea trip to Bombay, India. His unit built a base about 60 miles northwest of Imphal, India. After the Japanese surrender he was involved in closing various bases in India until being shipped back to the United States and receiving his discharged in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Jerome. Jerome joined the Navy in August of 1944. He was assigned to the engineering division, operating evaporators and other engine room machinery. He served aboard the USS Benevolence (AH-13). In July of 1945 they departed for the Pacific, providing hospital services, preventive medicine and casualty evacuation. They were with the Allied fleet in Tokyo Bay during the surrender of Japan. They processed liberated Allied prisoners of war through November 1945 and returned to the U.S. in December. Jerome was discharged upon returning to the U.S.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Earl Morrison. Morrison joined the Navy around 1944. He completed Radio Technician School and was assigned aboard the USS Auriga (AK-98). They traveled to Laguna in the Philippines. In April of 1945 they delivered troops, goods and equipment to Okinawa during the invasion. They also traveled to Kwajalein, Guam and Espiritu Santo where they learned of the Japanese surrendering. Morrison was discharged in 1946.

Transcript of an oral interview with James Jones. He discusses joining the Army, being shipped to France to join the 3rd Army in Germany in early 1945, being in charge of a machine gun section in the 387th infantry regiment of the 97th division, then returning to the States for leave when he heard of Japan's surrender. Then he was shipped to Japan to be part of the occupation force after the war. He ancedotes about having to search the woods in Czechoslovakia for werewolves, riding in boxcars, meeting Russians and German farmers, escorting German prisoners who surrendered to camps and trying to put out a barracks fire while in Japan.

The National museum of the Pacific War presents an ortal interview with Lester Wineland. Wineland joined the Navy in 1944 after finishing high school. After basic training, Wineland reported aboard USS Pringle (DD-477) in San Francisco. He served asa radarman aboard the ship and suffered from no end of seasickness. He recalls the kamikaze attack at Mindoro and was transferred from the ship just prior to it sailing for Okinawa. Wineland reported to officer training school in Pennsylvania. He was there when the war ended. Rahter than take a commission, he chose to be discharged.