Oral history interview with Timothy John Taylor. Topics covered include: his childhood in England, his introduction to the Cathedral of Hope (CoH), his service on the Cathedral of Hope Board from 1994 to 2009, the history of the Cathedral of Hope's location and buildings, the split between the Cathedral of Hope and the Metropolitan Community Church (CoH's original affiliation), and the history behind the arrivals and departures of Cathedral's clergy.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ed Martinez. Martinez joined the Army in 1928. He began his career, that same year, at Mare Island Naval Shipyard as an Apprentice Rigger. He joined the Naval Reserves in 1942. In 1943, Martinez was promoted to Master Rigger. Due to his work position, the Navy did not call him to active duty and he remained a civilian through the war. He retired from Mare Island as Service Group Superintendent in 1971.

Interview with Dora Geneva (Clement) Talkington (1886-1976) discussing how her family came to Texas and about growing up on her parents' farm, as well as other events including Theodore Roosevelt's visit to Waco when he was campaigning to be president.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Laura “Sally” Bussey. Bussey was born in Goree, Texas on 29 April 1916. She attended Mary Hardin Baylor College in Belton, Texas receiving a teaching degree. She married in 1939 and tells of Thomas J. Taylor, the father of Lady Bird Johnson, offering to build and furnish a new house for her and her husband if she would take a teaching job in Karnak, Texas. She accepted. Her husband entered the United States Army soon after the declaration of war and she describes the experience of having living essentials pre-packed and ready to go during multiple location changes and the living conditions encountered at these locations. She tells of war time rationing, planting victory gardens and doing volunteer work with the Red Cross. She describes keeping up with the progress of the war by listening to the radio news reports by Edward R. Morrow and fireside chats by President Roosevelt. She also describes a wonderful reunion with her husband upon his return from Europe at the conclusion of World War II and tells of their life until his retirement from the Army in 1967.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Tina Burnham. Burnham was born in Sulpher Springs, Texas and graduated from high school in 1940. She attended a trade school in Texarkana, Texas to become a riveter. She was then employed at Spartan Aircraft Industries in Tulsa, Oklahoma as a riveter. On this job she manufactured wings on Grumman Wildcat aircraft. In January 1944 she joined the Coast Guard Women’s Reserve (SPARS) and went to Palm Beach, Florida for six weeks of intensive training. She describes the clothing she was issued and the training she received. Upon completion of boot camp she went to Philadelphia working as a pharmacist’s mate in the St. Agnes Hospital. She was then selected to attend the College of Pharmacy at Columbia University. She graduated 31 December 1944. After spending a short time in the SPARS barracks sick bay in Norfolk, Virginia she was transferred to the Marine Hospital in Norfolk. While at the hospital she rotated through the various departments. She states that surgery was her favorite. She was then sent to the Elizabeth City, North Carolina, Coast Guard Air Station where she served until being discharged 20 May 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Max Crittenden. Crittenden joined the Navy in May of 1944. He served as a fire controlman. He completed boot camp in Farragut, Idaho. He went to Service School for Fire Control Operator in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, to learn how to use the fire control telescope. He went to Tacloban, Philippines in January 1945. He was assigned in New Guinea to the USS Flusser (DD-368), the flagship for DESRON 5. His job aboard was serving as one of the commodore’s orderlies. His ship and crew were part of the invasion on Balikpapan, Borneo in July 1945. He was discharged in June of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Richard Yarling. Yarling was at Indiana University when the war started. He joined the Navy while still in school and graduated in 1943. After further training and commissioing, he joined USS Chauncy (DD-667) and served as an assistance communications officer working closely with the radar and radio. Yarling shares anecdotes about life on board the destroyer and recalls going ashore at Tarawa. He also recalls experiences in two typhoons as well as carrier screening duty off the home islands of Japan. Yarling recalls witnessing other ships rescuing several crewmen from the stricken USS Franklin (CV-13). When the war ended, and after the ship returned from China, Yarling was discharged in January 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Edward Kicklighter. Kicklighter attended Armstrong Jr. College in Savannah, Georgia and secured a pilot’s license through the Civilian Pilot Training Program. He had an appointment to the US Naval Academy, but joined the US Marine Corps instead. Selected for flight training, he became one of six marines in the aviation class of 106 at Jacksonville Naval Air Station, Florida. Upon graduation he was assigned to multi-engine training and sent to Meacham Field, Texas for transition instruction. Upon graduation, as a reserve officer, he was assigned to fly for United Airlines. In 1942 he received orders to report to the 9th Aircraft Wing at Cherry Point, North Carolina. He recalls several experiences while in this assignment. In 1944, he became the personal pilot for General Roy Geiger. One experience Kicklighter recalls is hearing a conversation between Ernie Pyle and the general shortly before Pyle’s death. He also tells of escorting the body of General Buckner after his death on Okinawa. Kicklighter stayed in the Marine Corps after World War II and he tells of his career prior to retirement including flying 100 combat missions over Korea, instructing midshipmen at …

Interview with Mary Elaine Adamek Jones, who worked as a labor and delivery nurse, got her doctorate of philosophy in cultural anthropology from Southern Methodist University, and directed the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Program at the University of Texas at Arlington before retiring after 25 years. She also taught nursing for 13 years at the University of the Incarnate Word in Kerrville. The interview details her father's career as an accomplished saddle maker, her education, and career, and family memories. Mary Elaine and her husband, Thomas, have two children. Photos relating to the interview follow the transcript text.

Transcript of a presentation by Forrest Biard. Biard grew up in Texas and attended the Naval Academy, graduating in 1934. Biard learned Japanese in Japan from 1939 to 1941. The training was rigorous. He describes interactions with the local women. Biard also traveled in Japan. He describes how sentiment gradually changed in Japan after the Japanese Army invaded China. He also describes how more and more Germans started traveling to Japan. Biard relates that the U.S. was warned that Japan would attack Pearl Harbor by the Peruvian ambassador but ignored it. He also mentions meeting Richard Sorge. He also talks about being followed everywhere by two plainclothes police officers, who at one point even searched his bags. He arrived in Pearl Harbor shortly before it was bombed. Biard was immediately assigned to be a cryptologist to break Japanese code under Commander Joe Rochefort, without any instruction. He describes working on breaking JN-25. He also identifies the 3 code-breaking sites as Washington DC, Corregidor, and Pearl Harbor. He describes in detail how many warnings and mistakes happened prior to Pearl Harbor. He was also on the USS Yorktown and describes difficulties when trying to warn Admiral Fletcher about an attack. Next, …