Oral History Interview with John Tucker, March 25, 2003 (open access)

Oral History Interview with John Tucker, March 25, 2003

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Tucker. Tucker joined the Navy in January of 1945. Beginning in the spring, he served as Storekeeper Third-Class aboard USS Remey (DD-688). They went through a typhoon close to Okinawa and provided shore bombardment in Alaska. They were docked on the coast of Japan when the Japanese surrendered. Tucker recalls Japanese officials from the city of Ōminatoa surrendering aboard the destroyer, and signing a peace treaty. They returned to the US in October of 1945, and Tucker was discharged in mid-1946.
Date: March 25, 2003
Creator: Tucker, John
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Lois Burns, May 12, 2003 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Lois Burns, May 12, 2003

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Lois Burns. Burns joined the Women’s Army Corps in January of 1945. She completed training in Fort Des Moines, Iowa, and provides details of her uniform and living and working conditions. She was later transferred to Los Alamos, New Mexico, where she remained through the spring of 1946. Burns worked at the National Laboratory and at a Western Union office, as a switchboard and teletype operator. She was discharged in July of 1946.
Date: May 12, 2003
Creator: Burns, Lois
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with CF Bednorz, May 24, 2007 (open access)

Oral History Interview with CF Bednorz, May 24, 2007

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with C F Bednorz. Bednorz worked for Douglas Aircraft in mid-1941 assembling C-47s. He joined the Aviation Cadet Program and provides some details of his flight training and the planes he flew, including the BT-13, B-17, B-24 and UC-78. He completed training in May of 1944. Bednorz was assigned to the 7th Air Force, 11th Bomb Group, 42nd Bomb Squadron and served as a B-24 pilot. In January of 1945 he traveled to Harmon Field in Guam, where he began his combat flying. In April they were transferred to Yontan Field in Okinawa. He provides details of his 33 missions, including witnessing the mushroom cloud over Nagasaki after the second atomic bomb was dropped, and effects of radiation from the blast. He was discharged in early 1946.
Date: May 24, 2007
Creator: Bednorz, C. F.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with B. L. Pettit, May 2, 2001 (open access)

Oral History Interview with B. L. Pettit, May 2, 2001

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with B L Pettit. Pettit joined the Navy in 1942, at the young age of thirteen. From April of 1943 through March of 1944, he served as First-Class Electrician’s Mate aboard USS Tallulah (AO-50), providing support through the Guadalcanal Campaign and invasion of the Gilbert Islands. From June of 1944 through October of 1945, Pettit served aboard the USS LCI(L)-750 participating in the Leyte operation. He was discharged in November of 1945.
Date: May 2, 2001
Creator: Pettit, B. L.
System: The Portal to Texas History