Oral History Interview with Alexander Vraciu, July 11, 2000 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Alexander Vraciu, July 11, 2000

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Alexander Vraciu. Vraciu learned to fly airplanes in college and went into the Navy to be a fighter pilot. He trained at Corpus Christi, Texas. He speaks of being assigned to a fighter squadron (VF-6) and heading overseas. Vraciu details aerial combat and dogfights with the Japanese over Wake Island, Tarawa and Kwajalein. He also speaks of flying missions as Edward ""Butch"" O'Hare's wingman. He mentions he was operating off the aircraft carrier USS Essex (CV-9). Vraciu discusses his role in the Battle of the Philippine Seas, also known as the Marianas Turkey Shoot, and becoming a fighter ace. He continues by discussing further missions in the Philippines campaign.
Date: July 11, 2000
Creator: Vraciu, Alexander
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Lawrence Barrett, November 11, 2005 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Lawrence Barrett, November 11, 2005

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Lawrence Barrett. Barrett joined the Marine Corps in December of 1943. He served as an aerial gunner, combat cameraman and ground and motion picture photographer. Barrett worked as a combat aircrewman with Marine Air Group 32 in the Pacific and the Philippines, completing 25 combat missions by 1945. After the war ended, he served with the occupation forces in Tsingtao, North China. He returned to the US and was discharged in May of 1946.
Date: November 11, 2005
Creator: Barrett, Lawrence
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Alexander Vraciu, July 11, 2000 transcript

Oral History Interview with Alexander Vraciu, July 11, 2000

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Alexander Vraciu. Vraciu learned to fly airplanes in college and went into the Navy to be a fighter pilot. He trained at Corpus Christi, Texas. He speaks of being assigned to a fighter squadron (VF-6) and heading overseas. Vraciu details aerial combat and dogfights with the Japanese over Wake Island, Tarawa and Kwajalein. He also speaks of flying missions as Edward ""Butch"" O'Hare's wingman. He mentions he was operating off the aircraft carrier USS Essex (CV-9). Vraciu discusses his role in the Battle of the Philippine Seas, also known as the Marianas Turkey Shoot, and becoming a fighter ace. He continues by discussing further missions in the Philippines campaign.
Date: July 11, 2000
Creator: Vraciu, Alexander
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Lawrence Barrett, November 11, 2005 transcript

Oral History Interview with Lawrence Barrett, November 11, 2005

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Lawrence Barrett. Barrett joined the Marine Corps in December of 1943. He served as an aerial gunner, combat cameraman and ground and motion picture photographer. Barrett worked as a combat aircrewman with Marine Air Group 32 in the Pacific and the Philippines, completing 25 combat missions by 1945. After the war ended, he served with the occupation forces in Tsingtao, North China. He returned to the US and was discharged in May of 1946.
Date: November 11, 2005
Creator: Barrett, Lawrence
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History