Resource Type

Oral History Interview with John H. Camp, April 8, 2000 (open access)

Oral History Interview with John H. Camp, April 8, 2000

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John H. (Jack) Camp. Camp grew up in New Orleans and joined the Navy in August, 1943. Upon completion of training, Camp was selected for Hospital Corpsman school. In ealry 1945, Camp was ordered to go to Guam and work the in Fleet Hospital 103. He recalls receiving patients from the battle at Okinawa. In May, Camp was transferred to the USS South Dakota (BB-57). He was aboard when the task force the South Dakota was attached to attacked the Japanese home islands. Camp shares excerpts from a diary he kept while aboard the ship. At teh surrender ceremony, Camp was among a group of medical personnel that went ashore to a prisoner of war camp to bring former POWs back to the USS Benevolence (AH-13) treatment. Camp visited several POW camps before leaving Tokyo Bay. He returned aboard ship to the US in October, 1945.
Date: April 8, 2000
Creator: Camp, John H
System: The Portal to Texas History