The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Paul Silber. Silber was born in 1925 and recalls life during the depression years. In June 1943, he was drafted into the Army and sent to Fort Hood, Texas for basic training. While there, he was accepted into air cadet training. The program was cancelled before he got started and he was sent to the 13th Armored Division at Camp Bowie, Texas. While there, he applied for Officer Candidate School and was accepted. After being commissioned, he was sent to Tacloban, where he was assigned as a platoon leader in G Company, 2nd Battalion, 34th Infantry. He recalls landing on Mindoro and describes some of the action that followed where he was severely wounded. Following a hospital stay in the Philippines he was put aboard USS Hope (AH-7) and then spent time in several Army hospitals, including Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James R. Williams. Williams was born in Des Moines, Iowa on 20 October 1923. In January 1943 he entered the Navy and reported to Naval Station Great Lakes. Following boot camp, Williams reported to the Naval Aviation Ordnance School at Millington, Tennessee. A physical problem prevented him from then going to learn aerial gunnery at Pensacola. Instead he was sent to the Navy Bomb Disposal School on the American University campus, Washington DC. After three months learning on Allied and Axis ordnance, his unit, Mine Explosive Investigation Unit 4, was sent to Hawaii. There they dismantled Japanese munitions and Williams, who had drafting skills, made drawings of them for dissemination to the fleet. They then were sent to Guam to find and dispose of unexploded ordnance and disarm a cache of Japanese ordnance captured on Eniwetok. While MEIW 4 was on Guam, the Japanese surrendered. The unit returned to Hawaii. Williams did drawings of a captured Japanese suicide torpedo, a Kaiten. Then he and five others flew to Okinawa to clear four ships that had sunk in a typhoon, blocking a harbor. While there, Williams’ discharge date approached. …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William N. Gottsman. Gottsman joined the Army Air Forces in February of 1942. He served as a military policeman at the Kelly Air Force Base aviation cadet center for the duration of his service. He received his discharge in January of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with George Young. Young was drafted into the Navy in 1944 and trained at Great Lakes. After training, he reported to Hawaii and was assigned aboard the USS Kaskaskia (AO-27). While aboard, he worked in the galley and helped operate the captain’s gig. When the war ended, Young elected to get out of the Navy and was discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Joseph Nicholas. Nicholas joined the Navy and trained as a hospital corpsman. With training complete, Nicholas reported to the dispensary at Parris Island. He joined the Fleet marine Force and was shipped to Guam and was in training when the war ended. He ended up going to Japan on occupation duty. He shares several anecdotes from his time on occupation duty. He returned in July 1946 and was discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jodie Lander. Lander was born in December of 1923. In 1943 he was drafted into the Army, and volunteered for parachute training. Lander was assigned to the 508th Parachute Infantry, and transported to Belfast, Ireland. He describes some of the action encountered after landing during Operation Overlord in June of 1944, and Operation Market Garden in September.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Norman Martin. Martin was born in Chicago in January 1924. While in college he applied for and was granted conscientious objector status, however, he volunteered for the Army in 1943. Arriving in England he was assigned to the 44th Field Artillery Battalion where he joined a forward observation team, which landed on Utah Beach. He tells of capturing a group of ten German soldiers single-handedly. He describes being severely wounded and returning to the front after his recovery. He closes the narration by telling of his experiences following his discharge, which included working on the Titan and Minuteman missiles.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Barnhouse. Barnhouse joined the Naval ROTC at the University of Texas in 1940. He graduated and received his commission in 1944 and went aboard the USS Kidd (DD-661) at Espiritu Santo in March. He remained on this destroyer until the war ended. On the ship he was in charge of the deck crew and maintenance. When in battle he served as a gunnery officer overseeing the 20 mm guns aft. He provides details of numerous attacks on their destroyer, fighting off the enemy with the anti-aircraft guns, and protecting the carriers. They were involved in the Borneo campaign, and the battles of Iwo Jima, Leyte Gulf, Guam, Tinian and Saipan. Barnhouse was discharged in February 1946. He earned his Master’s Degree at UT and worked for an airline and later a gas company.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles Meacham. Meacham was born in Roanoke County, California in 1925. At the age of 17, he dropped out of high school and joined the Marine Corps. Upon completion of boot camp, he volunteered for the Marine Raiders. In 1943, Meacham was assigned to Company K, 3rd Marine Raider Battalion. He tells of serving in combat on Bougainville, Guam and Okinawa and the use of Navajo Code Talkers and war dogs during various operations. He suffered a debilitating injury that led to a lengthy hospitalization and a medical discharge in November 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Paul Silber. Silber was born in 1925 and recalls life during the depression years. In June 1943, he was drafted into the Army and sent to Fort Hood, Texas for basic training. While there, he was accepted into air cadet training. The program was cancelled before he got started and he was sent to the 13th Armored Division at Camp Bowie, Texas. While there, he applied for Officer Candidate School and was accepted. After being commissioned, he was sent to Tacloban, where he was assigned as a platoon leader in G Company, 2nd Battalion, 34th Infantry. He recalls landing on Mindoro and describes some of the action that followed where he was severely wounded. Following a hospital stay in the Philippines he was put aboard USS Hope (AH-7) and then spent time in several Army hospitals, including Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James R. Williams. Williams was born in Des Moines, Iowa on 20 October 1923. In January 1943 he entered the Navy and reported to Naval Station Great Lakes. Following boot camp, Williams reported to the Naval Aviation Ordnance School at Millington, Tennessee. A physical problem prevented him from then going to learn aerial gunnery at Pensacola. Instead he was sent to the Navy Bomb Disposal School on the American University campus, Washington DC. After three months learning on Allied and Axis ordnance, his unit, Mine Explosive Investigation Unit 4, was sent to Hawaii. There they dismantled Japanese munitions and Williams, who had drafting skills, made drawings of them for dissemination to the fleet. They then were sent to Guam to find and dispose of unexploded ordnance and disarm a cache of Japanese ordnance captured on Eniwetok. While MEIW 4 was on Guam, the Japanese surrendered. The unit returned to Hawaii. Williams did drawings of a captured Japanese suicide torpedo, a Kaiten. Then he and five others flew to Okinawa to clear four ships that had sunk in a typhoon, blocking a harbor. While there, Williams’ discharge date approached. …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William N. Gottsman. Gottsman joined the Army Air Forces in February of 1942. He served as a military policeman at the Kelly Air Force Base aviation cadet center for the duration of his service. He received his discharge in January of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with George Young. Young was drafted into the Navy in 1944 and trained at Great Lakes. After training, he reported to Hawaii and was assigned aboard the USS Kaskaskia (AO-27). While aboard, he worked in the galley and helped operate the captain’s gig. When the war ended, Young elected to get out of the Navy and was discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Joseph Nicholas. Nicholas joined the Navy and trained as a hospital corpsman. With training complete, Nicholas reported to the dispensary at Parris Island. He joined the Fleet marine Force and was shipped to Guam and was in training when the war ended. He ended up going to Japan on occupation duty. He shares several anecdotes from his time on occupation duty. He returned in July 1946 and was discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jodie Lander. Lander was born in December of 1923. In 1943 he was drafted into the Army, and volunteered for parachute training. Lander was assigned to the 508th Parachute Infantry, and transported to Belfast, Ireland. He describes some of the action encountered after landing during Operation Overlord in June of 1944, and Operation Market Garden in September.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Norman Martin. Martin was born in Chicago in January 1924. While in college he applied for and was granted conscientious objector status, however, he volunteered for the Army in 1943. Arriving in England he was assigned to the 44th Field Artillery Battalion where he joined a forward observation team, which landed on Utah Beach. He tells of capturing a group of ten German soldiers single-handedly. He describes being severely wounded and returning to the front after his recovery. He closes the narration by telling of his experiences following his discharge, which included working on the Titan and Minuteman missiles.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Barnhouse. Barnhouse joined the Naval ROTC at the University of Texas in 1940. He graduated and received his commission in 1944 and went aboard the USS Kidd (DD-661) at Espiritu Santo in March. He remained on this destroyer until the war ended. On the ship he was in charge of the deck crew and maintenance. When in battle he served as a gunnery officer overseeing the 20 mm guns aft. He provides details of numerous attacks on their destroyer, fighting off the enemy with the anti-aircraft guns, and protecting the carriers. They were involved in the Borneo campaign, and the battles of Iwo Jima, Leyte Gulf, Guam, Tinian and Saipan. Barnhouse was discharged in February 1946. He earned his Master’s Degree at UT and worked for an airline and later a gas company.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles Meacham. Meacham was born in Roanoke County, California in 1925. At the age of 17, he dropped out of high school and joined the Marine Corps. Upon completion of boot camp, he volunteered for the Marine Raiders. In 1943, Meacham was assigned to Company K, 3rd Marine Raider Battalion. He tells of serving in combat on Bougainville, Guam and Okinawa and the use of Navajo Code Talkers and war dogs during various operations. He suffered a debilitating injury that led to a lengthy hospitalization and a medical discharge in November 1945.