The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lee Soucy. Soucy joined the Navy in December 1937. Soucy went to the Hospital Corps School in 1938 and became a medical laboratory technologist, and was with the Fleet Marines. He went to a medical field service school with an emphasis studying poison gas. He went to the naval hospital in San Diego. He was with the Marines for 8 months in San Diego, they conquered San Clemente Island with the 5th Regiment. Later he was on USS Utah (BB-31) in February 1941. He worked as medical service help on the Utah, and treated people from the smaller ships that did not have doctors or dentists. After Pearl Harbor was attacked he was reassigned to the hospital at Pearl Harbor, and in May 1945 he was assigned to Bethesda Naval Medical Center. He also served on the Matsonia in its sick bay and helped deliver burn victims back to the States. After the war he started his own commercial lab in Plainview, Texas.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Bill Merley. Merley joined the Merchant Marine in March of 1945. He enlisted as a cook and describes his training and his work. He describes his kitchen supplies of food. In May of 1945 they traveled aboard the USS Cape Johnson (AP-172) to the Mariana Islands. They traveled to Manila to unload supplies and then transported troops. He was discharged around December of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Frank Beardsley. Beardsley provides two interviews, one in 1990 and the other in 1998. Both focus on his career in the Navy. Beardsley joined the Navy in 1941 and earned a commission in January 1942. He served aboard the USS Big Horn (AO-45) for a while before commanding USS PC-1140 in 1944. After further anti-submarine warfare training, Beardsley commanded USS PCE(R)-858. He was on his way to the invasion of Japan when the war ended. He was discharged in 1946, but stayed in the reserves until 1964.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dale Everill. Everill joined the Army in November 1942 and enlisted in the aviation cadets program. He washed out of flight school due to slight vision impairment but was accepted to a liaison flying school soon after. With prior civilian flight experience, he was soon approved as a pilot and assigned briefly to the 47th Liaison Squadron before transferring to the 115th. He was sent to India and Burma as an L-5 pilot, offering assistance to the Mars Task Force, evacuating casualties, delivering supplies, and carrying out reconnaissance. He was next stationed in China, where he transported OSS personnel. After the war, Everill was in charge of 600 men aboard a troop train. When they arrived at their destination on New Year’s Eve, he went against a lieutenant’s orders and dismissed them all. Everill returned home and was discharged in January 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jesse Dwain Holmes. Holmes joined the Navy in 1944 and attended boot camp in San Diego. Upon completion of gunnery school, he boarded the SS John T. McMillan (1943) as an armed guard. After joining a convoy at Leyte, the crew was at general quarters every hour for air raids. Whenever the ship laid smoke screens, Holmes didn’t fire a single round, for fear of engaging in friendly fire. He returned home briefly after 10 months at sea and redeployed to Okinawa, where he fired a 3-inch gun at kamikazes. He then served on Guam as a postman to enjoy some shore duty. Holmes sailed to Wake Island after the war ended and went ashore for its surrender. After being discharged in December 1945, he was grateful to return home unscathed despite the Naval Armed Guard's heavy casualty rates.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Bob Bloomfield. Bloomfield joined the Navy in 1942 as a Naval Aviation Cadet. In June of 1943 he received his wings. Beginning around August, Bloomfield joined Fighter Squadron Six (VF-6), with Butch O’Hare. He served as tail-end Charlie of O’Hare’s division, flying the Grumman F6F-Hellcat. Bloomfield participated in the carrier raids around Marcus Island and Wake Island. He later served as a wing man to Harry Harrison. In late 1943, Pearl Harbor served as his base of operations. From there they completed missions, participated in raids and supported landings in the Solomons, Coral Sea, Rabaul, New Hebrides, Espiritu Santo, Tarawa, the Marshall Islands and the Gilbert Islands. He was discharged around late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Wilbur Moerbe. Moerbe joined the Navy in February of 1943. He provides some details of his boot camp experiences. He completed fireman school, learning about the engine rooms, water pumps, running the boiler and how to fight fires. He served in the boiler room aboard the USS Highlands (APA-119) beginning November of 1944. They first traveled to Hilo, Hawaii to pick up Marines. They traveled to Eniwetok and Saipan. On 19 February 1945 they landed elements of the Fifth Marine Division at Iwo Jima, where Moerbe also served as a loader on a 20mm aboard the Highlands. He describes their nine days there, including witnessing the American flag raising. They delivered wounded men to Saipan, then headed to the Philippines to pick up Army troops whom they landed at Okinawa in April of 1945. He describes their twelve days at Okinawa and witnessing the kamikaze attacks. They went to Japan and pulled in next to the USS Missouri (BB-63) to witness the signing of the Peace Treaty. He was discharged in March of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Gladys Kizziar. Kizziar was training as a nurse at the beginning of the war. She became a US Army nurse after she graduated from nursing school. Kizziar was sent to the Philippines to help prepare for the invasion of Japan. She was on board a hospital ship in Tokyo Bay during the surrender ceremony. Kizziar served with the 42nd General Hospital in Yokohama helping to process POWs as they were being liberated. She tells of General MacArthur visiting the former POWs. Kizziar stayed in the Army and was eventually sent to Germany where she met her husband.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Reverend J.B. Young. Young enlisted in the Army Air Corps in December 1936. He became a cook and then was trained as an airplane mechanic. Young was sent to Hickam Field in Hawaii to serve as a crew chief on a B-17. He describes the attack on 7 December and how he taxied his plane out of danger and the patrols that they flew in the immediate aftermath. Young was then sent to New Caledonia where his plane flew photo reconnaissance missions for three months. They traveled to Australia and flew missions against Rabaul and Japanese ships in the Coral Sea. Young describes some notable incidents from this time. He returned to the US after 66 missions and remained there until the end of the war. Young retired from the Air Force in 1959.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Martin Mark. Mark joined the Army in April 1943 and received basic training at Camp Joseph T. Robinson. Upon completion, he was reassigned to the Pacific and was shipped to New Caledonia for further training. At Suva, Fiji, he was trained by natives to perform jungle reconnaissance. As part of the Americal Division, he served for one year on the frontlines at Bougainville, where he built pillboxes and performed a dozen recon missions. During those missions, he engaged in hand-to-hand combat and destroyed Japanese military buildings while identifying targets and trails for his unit to follow. He then shipped to Leyte, where during recon missions he protected Filipino natives from Japanese atrocities. His service ended when he developed jungle rot from a day spent in the Torokina River. He was treated in Leyte with penicillin but never fully recovered. On his way back to the States, he suffered his first malaria attack and was taken to the Letterman General Hospital in San Francisco. Mark returned home to New York City.

Transcript of an oral interview with James B. Hinshaw. When Hinshaw finished high school, he was draftd into the Army in 1943. He went ot basic training at Camp Roberts in California. At Camp Gruber, Oklahoma, Hinshaw was attached to an anti-tank company in the 222nd Regiment of the 42nd Infantry Division, which shipped over to Marseille, France in December, 1944. Shortly thereafter, his unit moved into combat near Strasbourg. the 42nd eventually assaulted into Wurzburg, Germany where Hinshaw fired his 57mm anti-tank weapon at a German machine gun nest, neutralizing it. He remembers being strafed by a German jet fighter. When the war in Europe ended, Hinshaw's unit was headed for Austria, where the 42nd ID served occupation duty. He finally shipped home in Marchm 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Otto Schwarz. Schwarz joined the Navy in 1940 after spending some time in the Civilian Conservation Corps. After training at San Diego, he went to Pearl Harbor and was assigned to the USS Lark (AM-21). Once in the Philippines, he was transferred to the USS Houston (CA-30) in June 1941. He remained aboard the Houston until she was sunk in March, 1942 off the Java coast. His battle station was in the powder magazine in the first turret. Schwarz remembers leaving his battle station and abandoning the ship. Toward dawn, Schwarz was picked up by a barge and taken ashore where he gathered with other survivors. They stayed in a civilian jail on Java for five or six weeks before going to Bicycle Camp in Batavia (Jakarta today). In October, Schwarz left Java aboard the Dai Nichi Maru bound for the POW camp Changi, Singapore. From there, he shipped to Burma and went to work on the railway to Thailand starting at the 14 Kilo Camp. During the construction, he suffered from tropical ulcers, malaria, beriberi, dysentery and dengue fever. When the railroad was completed, Schwarz went to …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jack Nuckols. Nuckols was drafted into the Army in September, 1944 and trained at Camp Hood. After training and transit, Nuckols landed on Okinawa on 10 April, 1945 with the 7th Infantry Division, 184th Infantry Regiment. He recalls several anecdotes from his combat experiences. After occupation duty in Korea, Nuckols returned to the US and was discharged in November 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Enright. Enright joined the Navy in 1943. In 1944, he served as a yeoman at Pearl Harbor. He recalls observing the work being done on USS Oklahoma (BB-37) and USS Arizona (BB-39). He volunteered for sea duty, and served with the 24th Transport Division aboard USS Callaway (APA-35), an attack transport manned by the US Coast Guard. Enright recalls supporting the invasions on Saipan, Leyte, and at Lingayen Gulf. He recalls the ship being hit by a kamikaze in January of 1945. Around April, Enright was transferred to USS Olmsted (APA-188), transporting troops and supplies in support of amphibious operations, noting the close calls by kamikaze aircraft at Okinawa. He returned to the US in May of 1945 and received his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with George Head. Head volunteered to join the Navy in February, 1942. Since he already had his pilot’s license, he qualified for flight training. He earned his wings and a commission in October, 1942. He went to Kaneohe and was assigned to VP-13. He relates anecdotes about flying wounded Marines from Tarawa to hospital as well as General Holland Smith and his staff. He also bombed places like Wake Island and targets in the Marshalls. Later in 1944, they were stationed at Saipan and flew patrols. In April, 1945, VP-13 moved to Kerama Retto and flew patrols over the Sea of Japan. He returned to the US in August, 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with August Hodde. Hodde joined the Navy in July 1943. He completed gunnery school, and served as a 40mm gun instructor through early 1944. Around November, Hodde served as a gunner’s mate aboard USS Hugh W Hadley (DD-774). At battle stations, he was gun captain on the portside twin 40mm. Beginning February of 1945, the Hadley escorted HMS Ranee (D03). Hodde describes their role during the Battle of Okinawa in April, helping protect against submarines and aircraft as the Japanese made final attempts to stop the invasion. He provides details of their 11 May attack by the Japanese, receiving bomb hits and downing numerous kamikazes. Hodde remained aboard as the torn Hadley was towed back to the US. He continued his service after the war, receiving his discharge in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jack Nebelsick. Nebelsick joined the Navy in December 1942 and trained at Great Lakes. After basic training, he attended fire control school. Later in 1943, he was assigned to USS Wesson (DE-184). He was among the commissioning crew and was present for the shakedown cruise before heading for the Pacific. He discusses his role aboard ship as well as the ship's role in the fleet. Nebelsick recalls a few anecdotes from his time aboard. Nebelsick recalls the time a kamikaze struck his ship. Nebelsick was discharged in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Chris Hutchinson. Hutchinson joined the Navy Women's Reserve in 1944 and trained at Hunter College in the Bronx. Her first assignment was in communcations in Wahsington DC until the Navy realied she was not old enough to serve in the WAVES. She was discharged, but reenlisted in MArch 1945 when she was old enough and went to San Diego. She worked in the disbursing office. She also clerked in an office at Great Lakes training center.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jasper, Jay, Knoll. Knoll was born in Wisconsin in 1915. He served on the ROTC at the University of Nebraska, and joined the Army Air Forces in 1942. After a number of temporary assignments, he was assigned as Chief of Aircraft Maintenance with the 20th Air Force on Guam. Knoll tells of some of the problems he encountered with the Boeing B-29 and the efforts put forth to keep the maximum number of planes in the air. He also comments on problems caused by the rats on Guam. He was discharged following World War II and reentered the Air Force with a regular commission. He recalls being assigned to Royal Air Force at Lakenheath, England and his involvement in the handling of nuclear weapons during a critical time during the Cold War. A career officer in the US Air Force, Knoll attained the rank of lieutenant colonel by his retirement.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dag Larsen. Larsen volunteered to join the US Army Air Forces in October, 1942 and trained in New Jersey. He qualified to become a navigator and trained in Alabama, where he earned a commission. He flew 47 combat missions in B-24s against oil fields in Borneo, the Japanese naval base at Truk, the Philippines and other targets. Larsen returned from the Pacific in August, 1945. He stayed in the service after the war and served as a navigator for the Strategic Air Command and flew on B-29s, B-36s and B-52s.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Randolph Bonney. Bonney joined the Navy in August of 1941. He trained as a pilot, including qualifying for carrier landings on Lake Michigan. Bonney also completed advanced instrument training in Corpus Christi, Texas. He served as an advanced flight and instrument instructor through the end of the war. Bonney served 23 years in the Navy working as a pilot, and also served 43 years as a reserve.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles Ray. Ray was born 12 July 1923. He joined the Marine Corps in July of 1942. In late 1942, he traveled to Honolulu, Hawaii aboard USS Henderson (AP-1), and was assigned to the 6th Defense Battalion on Midway. He was in charge of a 90mm anti-aircraft gun on Sand Island. Ray was on the island through late 1944, and shares details of his time and life on the island. He was then transferred back to Parris Island, South Carolina, and served as a drill instructor until the end of the war. He was discharged in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Major Franklin Stewart. Stewart joined the Army Air Corps in August of 1941. He served as a pilot in the 408th Bomb Squadron, 22nd Bomb Group. In 1943, they attacked Japanese targets on Papua New Guinea and New Britain. In 1944, he was stationed at Nadzab Airfield, attacking targets on Borneo and participating in the Philippines Campaign. Stewart continued his service after the war, retiring from the Air Force in 1983.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Harry Johnson. Johnson worked with the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1941, in forest preservation in the areas of firefighting and fire prevention. He then joined the Marine Corps prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was stationed at Parris Island, South Carolina, and provides much detail of boot camp. In April of 1942 he went to American Samoa. He describes their uniform and equipment issued to them prior to their trip. He traveled to Guadalcanal in August of 1943 and served as a rifleman. He provides detail of life on Guadalcanal. He also describes the various diseases he witnessed on American Samoa and Guadalcanal. He discusses life in the infantry and his work as a Marine during the war. He was discharged in May of 1945.