Oral History Interview with Robert B. Mero, October 9, 2012 transcript

Oral History Interview with Robert B. Mero, October 9, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert B. Mero. Born in 1924, he was drafted into the Army in New York in June 1943 at the age of eighteen. He went to basic training in Mineral Wells, Texas and from there to Army Specialized Training at the University of Missouri where he studied basic engineering. He shares an anecdote of meeting General Kramer while studying French at Camp Rucker, Alabama. He would meet the General again in the European Theatre at a later time. In 1944 he was transferred to Lyme Regis in the south of England. He shares a story of his brothers who were also stationed in England at the time. His division, the 66th, was then assigned to France where it would go on to assist in the Battle of the Bulge. He describes how his regiment was in a static position along the right side of the line and of his role in capturing a German soldier during night maneuvers. This would be his only combat. He was assigned to an occupation force in Germany then Austria following the war. He was a draftsman for Genreal Clark. He was discharged …
Date: October 9, 2012
Creator: Mero, Robert B.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Robert B. Mero, October 9, 2012 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Robert B. Mero, October 9, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert B. Mero. Born in 1924, he was drafted into the Army in New York in June 1943 at the age of eighteen. He went to basic training in Mineral Wells, Texas and from there to Army Specialized Training at the University of Missouri where he studied basic engineering. He shares an anecdote of meeting General Kramer while studying French at Camp Rucker, Alabama. He would meet the General again in the European Theatre at a later time. In 1944 he was transferred to Lyme Regis in the south of England. He shares a story of his brothers who were also stationed in England at the time. His division, the 66th, was then assigned to France where it would go on to assist in the Battle of the Bulge. He describes how his regiment was in a static position along the right side of the line and of his role in capturing a German soldier during night maneuvers. This would be his only combat. He was assigned to an occupation force in Germany then Austria following the war. He was a draftsman for Genreal Clark. He was discharged …
Date: October 9, 2012
Creator: Mero, Robert B.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Harold Dietz, October 4, 2012 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Harold Dietz, October 4, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Harold Dietz. Dietz joined the Army Air Forces in 1943. He served as a gunner aboard a B-24 with the 785th Bombardment Squadron, 466th Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force in England. He completed 26 missions over Germany, Holland and France. He participated in the Battle of the Bulge, bombing bridges and railroad yards. Dietz returned to the US and received his discharge in November of 1945. In 2014, he received the French Medal of Honor for his assistance in driving the Germans out of France during World War II.
Date: October 4, 2012
Creator: Dietz, Harold
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Warren Vickers, October 5, 2012 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Warren Vickers, October 5, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Warren Vickers. Vickers was born in 1923. He joined the Army in 1942, and served as a rifleman and a scout with the 36th Infantry Division. The Division landed in North Africa on 13 April 1943. They participated in operations in Italy, the south of France and Germany. Vickers was discharged around late 1945.
Date: October 5, 2012
Creator: Vickers, Warren
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Harold Dietz, October 4, 2012 transcript

Oral History Interview with Harold Dietz, October 4, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Harold Dietz. Dietz joined the Army Air Forces in 1943. He served as a gunner aboard a B-24 with the 785th Bombardment Squadron, 466th Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force in England. He completed 26 missions over Germany, Holland and France. He participated in the Battle of the Bulge, bombing bridges and railroad yards. Dietz returned to the US and received his discharge in November of 1945. In 2014, he received the French Medal of Honor for his assistance in driving the Germans out of France during World War II.
Date: October 4, 2012
Creator: Dietz, Harold
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with George De Laughter, October 19, 2002 (open access)

Oral History Interview with George De Laughter, October 19, 2002

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with George De Laughter. De Laughter joined the Army in 1942. He was assigned to the 7th Infantry Division, 32nd Regiment. He worked as a supply officer. He participated in the battles of Attu, Kwajalein, Leyte and Okinawa. He was discharged in March of 1946.
Date: October 19, 2002
Creator: De Laughter, George
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with David Newton, October 12, 1996 (open access)

Oral History Interview with David Newton, October 12, 1996

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with David P. Newton. Newton was born in Birmingham, Alabama 2 December 1915. In 1937 he enrolled in the Birmingham School of Law, graduating and passing the bar examination in 1942. He was inducted into the US Army in 1943 and had basic training at Camp Wolters, Texas. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant and assigned to the 346th Harbor Craft Company. Traveling to Finschhafen, New Guinea he was assigned to a port battalion as a deck officer. He tells of the battalion commander assigning him as the defense counsel for a pending court martial trial. He outlines in detail the cause of the trial and of the favorable ruling rendered toward his client. Soon thereafter, he was sent to Hollandia, New Guinea and assigned to a small boat used for evacuation of wounded from shore. He recalls being part of the invasion force during the landing at Tacloban, Leyte and participating in the evacuation of the wounded. He recollects being ordered to report to the War Crimes Commission in Tokyo in October 1945. He was appointed as a special investigator/prosecutor into the operations of a number of prisoner …
Date: October 12, 1996
Creator: Newton, David P.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Charles Dunnam, October 17, 2014 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Charles Dunnam, October 17, 2014

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles Dunnam. Dunnam was drafted into the Army in July, 1944 and had basic training at Camp Wolters. Upon being sent overseas, Dunnam joined the 126th Infantry Regiment on Leyte. He traveled with them to Luzon in January just after the invasion got started. In May, he was wounded by rifle fire. He returned to his unit and recalls several hundred Japanese soldiers surrendering just after the war ended. He spent some time in Japan before returning to the US and being discharged in August, 1946.
Date: October 17, 2014
Creator: Dunnam, Charles A
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Richard R. McTaggart, October 17, 2004 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Richard R. McTaggart, October 17, 2004

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Richard R. McTaggart. McTaggart had finished two and a-half years at Texas A&M when he was drafted into the Army on 2 February 1943 and had basic training at Camp Wolters. He also attended the NCO academy and the basic parachute course. After that he attended the German language program at Berkeley, graduating in the spring of 1944. From there his group went to Camp Bowie, Texas where they joined the 13th Armored Division which had just finished its preparation for overseas. Most of the private soldiers suddenly got orders to go overseas as replacements (D-Day was approaching). He landed a La Havre which was just being developed. McTaggart served with B Company of the 59th Armored Infantry Battalion, attached to the French 2nd Armored Division. When the Germans began their offensive in Belgium, his unit was assigned to the 9th Armored Division to bolster the defenses. They went through Luxembourg and then Bastogne and ended up northeast of there. Interview includes discussion of the fighting in this area and his unit's moves. Crossed the Rhine at St. Goar. Assigned to the 513th Counter Intelligence Corps detachment and …
Date: October 17, 2004
Creator: McTaggart, Richard R.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Warren Vickers, October 5, 2012 transcript

Oral History Interview with Warren Vickers, October 5, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Warren Vickers. Vickers was born in 1923. He joined the Army in 1942, and served as a rifleman and a scout with the 36th Infantry Division. The Division landed in North Africa on 13 April 1943. They participated in operations in Italy, the south of France and Germany. Vickers was discharged around late 1945.
Date: October 5, 2012
Creator: Vickers, Warren
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with George De Laughter, October 19, 2002 transcript

Oral History Interview with George De Laughter, October 19, 2002

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with George De Laughter. De Laughter joined the Army in 1942. He was assigned to the 7th Infantry Division, 32nd Regiment. He worked as a supply officer. He participated in the battles of Attu, Kwajalein, Leyte and Okinawa. He was discharged in March of 1946.
Date: October 19, 2002
Creator: De Laughter, George
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History