The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ivan Haselby. Haselby joined the Army in July of 1944. He completed Officer Candidate School and served as a first lieutenant in the First Cavalry Division, Eighth Cavalry Regiment. He worked at Camp Wolters in Mineral Wells, Texas through May of 1945. Beginning in July, he was deployed to Japan and served with the occupation forces. He was stationed in the Chiba Prefecture, occupying and investigating schools. Haselby returned to the US and was discharged in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Servando Lopez. Lopez was born in Lara, Texas on 8 April 1925 and attended school until the 8th grade. He was drafted into the Army and sent to Camp Wolters near Mineral Wells, Texas for 18 weeks of basic training. Completing training he was sent to New York City for debarkation. After arriving in South Hampton, England, he was assigned to the 29th Infantry Division, Company K, 175th Infantry. Lopez tells of the unit undergoing amphibious training daily for several weeks. He recounts being in the third wave attacking Omaha Beach on 6 June 1944. On 8 September, while leading a combat patrol, he was wounded and sent to England for recovery. He was awarded the Silver Star and a Purple Heart. He tells of returning to his platoon in December 1944 and soon after crossing the Ruhr River, he was wounded again and treated at an aid station. The unit advanced to the Rhine River and stopped. He relates that massive numbers of German soldiers were surrendering to the US troops to avoid being captured by the advancing Russian Army. In October 1945, Lopez returned to the …

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 …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Arlos L. Awalt. He was born in Brady, Texas, drafted into the Army, and inducted at Ft. Sam Houston, in San Antonio. After basic training at Camp Wolters in Mineral Wells, Texas, he took a troop train to New York Harbor and boarded the Louis S. Pasteur to Southhampton, England where he was assigned to the 106th Infantry Division, 424 Regiment, in the 81mm mortars in H Company, a heavy weapons company. They went right into the Battle of the Bulge where he suffered frost bite and pneumonia. Later assignments included the following: the occupation army in charge of prisoner of war camps interviewing POWs and displaced persons, serving at General Eisenhower's headquarters building in a little red schoolhouse in Rheims, France (where peace was later signed), in the Grand Hotel in Bad Nauheim, Germany where General Patton was officed, and in Renea Lanay, France. He served 22 months in the Army, 19 overseas - returning as a corporal. He received the Bronze Star, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, and two medals from the Belgian government.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lloyd Bailey. Bailey was born in Kansas City, Missouri on 16 February 1922 and graduated from high school in Waco, Texas in 1940. After attending Texas A&M for one year, he enlisted in the Army. He went to Camp Wolters in Mineral Wells, Texas for basic training. While there, he was recruited by Federal Bureau of Investigation agents to participate in an internal security program. Following basic entered the Corps of Engineers Officer Candidate School at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. On 2 February 1943 he was commissioned a second lieutenant and assigned to the 386th Engineer Battalion, an African American unit stationed at Camp Sutton, North Carolina. In 1943, the battalion boarded the SS Louis Pasteur and sailed to Casablanca where they cleaned up the dock area to facilitate unloading cargo. He tells of the unit traveling by rail to Iran. Soon after arriving in Iran the battalion sailed to Naples, Italy. His platoon was sent to Anzio and assigned the task of removing land mines. Three of his men were lost while doing this job. He was assigned to oversee the construction of the largest Butler Building ever …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ollie Thomas Music. Music was born 10 January 1927. He joined the Army in April of 1945. By the time he finished boot training and traveled to Fort Ord, California for assignment, the war had ended. He was then stationed at Yokohama, Japan. Music shares details of his travels and his participation during the occupation of Japan. He was assigned to Hakodate and Sapporo. He took an Army incentive to discharge in Japan and reenlist for 18 more months, with his remaining service in the US From December of 1945 through June of 1947, Music was assigned to a clerical job with Headquarters Company of the 32nd Medical Battalion at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with L.C. Finger. Finger was born in Garner, Texas. Drafted into the Army in 1943, he was sent to Camp Wolters, Texas for three weeks of basic training. He was then sent to Camp Mackall, North Carolina where he joined the 11th Airborne Division, volunteering for parachute training. He made five practice jumps before deploying overseas. Arriving at Leyte in June 1944 they made three practice jumps and conducted routine patrols. He recalls in December a Japanese force came out of the jungles and attacked an airfield and an engineering group killing many Americans. Elements of Finger’s division searched and were successful in finding and destroying the enemy force. That evening the Japanese dropped paratroopers to take the local airfield and he tells of seeing them come down, highlighted by white parachutes, enabling the Americans to kill many of them as they landed. The division retook the airfield the next day. While participating in the action, Finger was seriously wounded by a Japanese sniper. He was taken to an aid station and then to a field hospital where doctors removed his right leg. He was taken to Biak, New …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Thomas Alt. Alt joined the Aviation Cadet Corps in June of 1942 at the age of 17. By January of 1943, once he turned 18, he was called up for training. In mid-1943 he traveled to Pearl Harbor, and completed Fire Fighting School with the Navy while on the island. In mid-1944 Alt was assigned to the USS Sea Cat (SS-399). He worked as Military Police on night shifts and guard duty in the brig. They traveled to Saipan and the South China Sea where the Sea Cat operated in a wolf pack. He landed on Saipan 7 July 7, as the battle was coming to an end. He served with a firefighting crew on the beach for pilots making emergency or crash landings. Alt remained on Saipan through early 1945. He was stationed on Tinian in July, and recalls when the Enola Gay landed. He returned to the US and was discharged in March of 1945.

Transcript of an oral interview with Anton Frank Satsky. Born in 1918, he was drafted into the Army in 1942 where he was assigned to the Second Infantry Division. He went to Armored Assistance Specialist School. He also received baking and ski training. He describes landing on Omaha Beach on D-Day plus 1 as well as advancing up Hill 192. He recounts a narrow escape while on guard duty in Notre Dame. He also describes the Battle of the Bulge in which he was wounded. When he was wounded a second time, he was sent to McCloskey General Hospital in Temple, Texas. He shares anecdotes about the obtaining food while in the field in Europe; a fellow soldier obtaining soft drinks despite German snipers; and his experience with the Red Cross. He discusses the clothing and rifles that were issued to soldiers.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Bill McDonald. McDonald joined the Army in mid-1943. He served with the 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment. In late 1943, McDonald participated in the New Guinea Campaign. In February of 1945, he served in the Battle of Corregidor.

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.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with George Moore. Moore joined the Army and trained at Fort Riley, Kansas before being shipped to Burma and attached to the 475th Infantry Regiment. After some time as a rifleman, he was made a combat medic. He describes several battles with the Japanese in the jungles of Burma. Moore was wounded but stayed with the other surgeons and medics. After securing Burma, Moore was transferred to Kunming, China to teach Chinese Nationalists how to use small arms. After the war, Moore was on duty as a clerk in Shanghai. He received his discharge in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles Walton. Walton was drafted into the Army Air Forces. He was initially assigned to an administrative position and was then sent to the European Theater. Walton briefly describes his experiences on the frontlines including how hard it was to stay warm. He tells one particular story about being in a convoy on the autobahn at the end of the war. Walton left the service at the end of the war and eventually became a Methodist minister.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with David Greathouse. During the war, Greathouse spent summers in the scouts and junior ROTC program. After making regimental commander at age 15, he became an unofficial member of the Texas State Guard, even providing marksmanship instruction. At home, food was in short supply and Greathouse worked various jobs to help support his family. He recalls the war effort went so far as to include propaganda printed on chewing gum wrappers. With the draft looming, Greathouse joined the Navy in February 1946. Following in the footsteps of his father, who was commanding officer at a Navy rifle range, Greathouse was designated as company commander, overseeing 180 men at boot camp. He went on to earn a Master's Degree in electrical engineering at the Naval Academy and retired after 26 years of service.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ethel Reisberg Schectman. She begins by discussing her family background: her parents were Jews born in Poland and emigrated to the United States. Ethel's European aunts, uncles and grandparents all likely died in the Holocaust. As a first grade student, she taught her mother, a Polish immigrant, how to read and write English. She recalls, wartime rationing, Victory Gardens, scrap drives, and antisemitism among her school-aged classmates in Dallas, Texas, and the end of the war.

Interview with Ethel Reisberg Schectman regarding her experiences during World War II. She begins by discussing her family background: her parents were Jews born in Poland and emigrated to the United States. Ethel's European aunts, uncles and grandparents all likely died in the Holocaust. As a first grade student, she taught her mother, a Polish immigrant, how to read and write English. She recalls, wartime rationing, Victory Gardens, scrap drives, and antisemitism among her school-aged classmates in Dallas, Texas, and the end of the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Seay. Seay joined the Army in 1943 after beginning field artillery training through the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M. Upon completion, he was deployed to the China, Burma, India Theater to assist with opening the Burma Road. There he trained Chinese forces near Kunming on the use of pack artillery. He was then sent to radio school and coded communications so that he could teach this to the Chinese, as well. Although Chinese forces were often woefully underfunded and untrained due to warlords diverting their resources, Seay oversaw one particular guerilla group that was able to retain their funds and become properly trained. From Seay, they learned to harass Japanese troops traversing mountain passes. Seay was then recruited by headquarters to gather intelligence from local sources regarding the whereabouts of Japanese officers. Upon contracting hepatitis, he was sent to a field hospital in Kunming and was transferred to Calcutta as the war came to an end. Seay returned home and was discharged in December 1945, returning to Texas A&M and earning a degree in civil engineering.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Richmond Garrett. Garrett was inducted into the Army in November of 1943. He completed Officer Candidate School. He was selected to join Company A, 1252nd Combat Engineer Battalion. In November of 1944 they were sent to England. He describes his travels overseas and accommodations on the ship Tamaroa. While there they built bridges, removed mines and built a roadway. In December 1944 they traveled to La Havre, France, to serve in Patton???s Third Army. In February of 1945 they took part in breaching operations against Siegfried Line. They advanced into Germany. He provides vivid details of these experiences, including dropping TNT-filled tomato cans down chimneys. They traveled to Bastogne, Belgium, completing road work and removing mines. Garrett received a Purple Heart and Bronze Star. He was discharged in April of 1946.

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.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Joe Rackley. Rackley was born in Nueces County, Texas, 26 April 1926. Graduating from high school in 1943, he was drafted into the Army and sent to Camp Wolters, Texas for basic training. Upon completion of basic he was sent to Camp Stoneman, California and went aboard the USS General John Pope (AP-110) for a 31 day trip to New Guinea. He was assigned to the 37th Infantry Division, 145th Infantry Regiment as a combat radio operator in the headquarters section to serve as radioman for the company commander. He landed at Bougainville and describes the difficulties encountered in landing, the heavy rains that fell and the high number of casualties. During January 1945, the division landed on Luzon unopposed with orders to recapture General MacArthur’s former residence. Rackley remembers being ordered to take Bilibid Prison in Manila and he tells of the condition of some of the former prisoners. After spending two weeks retaking Clark Field they were ordered to conduct mop-up operations. Rackley recalls heavy fighting during the operation and mentions his captain being seriously wounded as he used the radio. He recalls receiving a radio …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Harold Gibbons. Gibbons joined the Army in January of 1943. He shares details of his training and working at a German Prison Camp in Atlanta, Nebraska through September of 1943. He then transferred to Camp Clayburn, Louisiana training as a heavy equipment repair mechanic. In May of 1945 he traveled to Okinawa, where he worked as an engineer, setting up camp and machine shops. He worked in Okinawa through the end of the war and reenlisted, serving as a military policeman at Fort Knox until February of 1947.

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.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Micki and Jim George. Micki George completed Cadet Nurse Corps training in 1948. She traveled with a USO Unit out of Dallas and worked with the Nurse Corps in California and with Special Services as a chauffeur, chaperone and pianist for performances. She was stationed in the US and did not travel overseas. Micki was discharged from military service in 1950. She and Jim met at the University of Texas at Austin, while completing their medical degrees. Jim joined the Army in December of 1945. He served in the Korean War as a combat medic in a field MASH Unit, and was discharged in 1950.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Bookbinder. Bookbinder was in ROTC at the University of Kentucky when the war started and was called to active duty in the Army in April, 1943 and trained at Camp Wolters, Texas before getting his commission at Fort Benning on October, 1944. He was assigned to the 86th Infantry Division and went to Europe with them. After fighting in Europe, his division went to the Philippines for occupation duty.