The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jimmy Tiller. Tiller went to A & M right out of high school in May 1943 and when he was 18 they all went into the military (December 1944). He took basic infantry training at Camp Hood and then went to Fort Ord, California for more training, climbing out of ships and onto landing barges. They were put on Liberty ships in July 1945 that sailed out of Seattle, Washington for Pearl Harbor. His ship joined a convoy there and they ended up on Okinawa (August 1945) where they joined the 27th Infantry Division. After a short time on Okinawa, they flew to Japan (Adsuki Field) where they started their duty as occupation troops. Tiller was a member of an Intelligence and Reconnaissance platoon on Okinawa and in Japan. When the 27th Infantry was shipped home, Tiller was transferred to the 519th military police (MP) outfit in Yokohama. While in Japan, Tiller escorted the Emperor and was the Sergeant of the Guard of MP's that were guarding the war crime trials. Tiller was on occupation duty in Japan for one year and provides many interesting stories of his …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Walt McKinney. McKinney joined the Navy around 1944. He worked at the Naval Ammunition Depot in Fallbrook, California, dismantling depth charges. He later served as Yeoman Third-Class on the island of Guam for 4 months, where McKinney processed enlisted men deployed to the Pacific and returning to the US. He then worked aboard the USS Lunga Point (CVE-94). He returned to the US and was discharged in August of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Joe Snyder. Snyder was born in Kansas City, Missouri on 8 July 1918. He was working for the Kansas City Star newspaper when he was drafted in November 1941. After completing basic training at Fort Riley, Kansas, he applied for Officer Candidate School. He was accepted and sent to the Armor Center at Fort Knox, Kentucky for training. Upon graduating, he was commissioned a second lieutenant and ordered to report to the 14th Armored Division at Camp Chafee, Arkansas. After participating in maneuvers he was named Public Information Officer for the division. Soon thereafter, he went to New Caledonia with the 25th Infantry Division. While there, he wrote hometown stories about various servicemen and sent them to their hometown newspapers for publication. Leaving New Caledonia, he joined General MacArthur’s Headquarters at Hollandia, New Guinea. Snyder was present during the invasions of Morotai, Leyte and Corregidor and describes the combat he observed. He recalls landing at Atsugi Airfield, Japan and being aboard the USS Missouri (BB-63) when the Surrender Agreement was signed by members of the Japanese delegation. Following the ceremony, Snyder visited Nagasaki, Japan and vividly describes the …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Gilbert Vera. Vera was born in Benavides, Texas 5 March 1918. After graduating from high school in 1937, he worked various jobs until being drafted into the Army. After his induction, he was sent to Camp Wallace, Texas for three months of basic training. Vera was then sent to Hunter Field in Savannah, Georgia for six months training on communication equipment including the switchboard and telephone lines. Upon completion of the training he went to Fort Dix, New Jersey for debarkation. After a twelve day journey traveling in convoy, he landed at Casablanca, North Africa as part of the 15th Air Force. Soon after arrival, Vera was subjected to attack by German aircraft. He tells of the work he did in the communications center. After a year the unit moved to Manduria, Italy where they remained until Germany surrendered. Vera returned to the United States and was discharged September 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Harold Fleming. Fleming joined the Navy in 1943. He completed Radio School and served as a radio operator aboard the USS Drew (APA-162), beginning October of 1944. They transported troops to and from Saipan, Guam and Japan. He was discharged in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Fiske Hanley, II. Hanley was born in Brownwood, Texas in 1920. He graduated from Texas Tech University with a degree in aeronautical engineering in 1943, and joined the Army Air Forces. Completing an advance engineering course at Harvard University he was commissioned a second lieutenant and assigned to the 504th Bombardment Group as a B-29 flight engineer. Hanley and crew flew to Tinian and began bombing missions over Japan. During his seventh mission Hanley’s plane was shot down. He and the co-pilot were the only survivors. Interned as a special prisoner of the Kempeitai, he was to be to be tried and executed. He describes in detail his experience as a prisoner existing in overcrowded, filthy cells, lacking medical treatment and starved on meager rations.

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 oral interview with Sister Mary Aquinas Nimitz. She begins by relating information about her aunts and uncles on her mother's (Freeman) and her father's (Nimitz) sides of the family. She also sums up her school years by relating all the places she moved to during the period leading up to the war. Nimitz also relates several stories about her parents and her life in a religious community. She also speaks of her parents activities during the war while she lived with her mother in Berkeley, California. She mentions her siblings and their children.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Vernon Wild. He was born in Fall River, Massachusetts on 11 June 1925. Soon after graduation from high school in 1943, he was drafted into the Navy and attended boot camp at Camp Perry, Virginia. Upon graduating, he was assigned to the 106th Construction Battalion at Camp Endicott, Rhode Island. After six months of training, he was sent to Port Hueneme, California. In April 1945, the unit departed for Ie Shima where the unit constructed an airfield. Wild tells of his various duties while on the island. He remained on the island until 1946. Upon returning to the United States, he received his discharge. Wild concludes the interview by telling of his life following his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Sam Harris. Harris joined the Army in February of 1942. He was assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division. He traveled to Australia in July of 1943, participating in the line defense at Brisbane. In early 1944, as part of the reconnaissance force, Harris was shipped to Ora Bay in New Guinea and made landings on the Admiralty Islands. In October he invaded the Philippine Islands, and ultimately helped in liberating Santo Tomas Internment Camp prisoners. He was discharged in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jim Calvert. Calvert joined the Army Air Forces in May of 1943. He is one of two pilots in the US who carried the wings on his uniform of 3 Air Forces, including the US, the Royal Air Force of Great Britain and the Chinese Air Force. Calvert served as a C-47 pilot with the Air Transport Command and flew missions over China, India, and Burma, including flying over the Himalaya Mountains, the Hump. He returned to the US and was discharged in August of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Frances W. Lipe. Lipe recalls anecdotes and events from the life of her father, Colonel Worthington. Her father joined the Army in 1917 and trained as a veterinarian. Her father was on Bataan when the US forces surrendered there in 1942. Her father escaped and was captured by the Japanese and taken to Manila. From there, he went to Formosa and then on to Mukden, Manchuria.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ramon Nelson. Nelson joined the Army in 1942, and graduated from the Morgan Park Military Academy. He served as an infantry officer with the 7th Infantry Division and participated in the battles of Attu, Kwajalein, Leyte and Okinawa. Following the Japanese surrender, the division was stationed in Korea. He returned to the US and was discharged in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Swan. Swan was born in Corvallis, Oregon in 1927. Upon joining the Coast Guard in 1944, he was sent to boot camp at Alameda, California. Completing training, he was assigned to radio school in Atlantic City, New Jersey. His training lasted over five months and after graduation he applied for LORAN (Long range navigation) training. Being accepted, he was sent to Groton, Massachusetts for four weeks of training. Upon completion of the training, he was sent to Pearl Harbor where he began working with the public information office. He tells of some of his experiences while working with the office.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jimmy Tiller. Tiller went to A & M right out of high school in May 1943 and when he was 18 they all went into the military (December 1944). He took basic infantry training at Camp Hood and then went to Fort Ord, California for more training, climbing out of ships and onto landing barges. They were put on Liberty ships in July 1945 that sailed out of Seattle, Washington for Pearl Harbor. His ship joined a convoy there and they ended up on Okinawa (August 1945) where they joined the 27th Infantry Division. After a short time on Okinawa, they flew to Japan (Adsuki Field) where they started their duty as occupation troops. Tiller was a member of an Intelligence and Reconnaissance platoon on Okinawa and in Japan. When the 27th Infantry was shipped home, Tiller was transferred to the 519th military police (MP) outfit in Yokohama. While in Japan, Tiller escorted the Emperor and was the Sergeant of the Guard of MP's that were guarding the war crime trials. Tiller was on occupation duty in Japan for one year and provides many interesting stories of his …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Walt McKinney. McKinney joined the Navy around 1944. He worked at the Naval Ammunition Depot in Fallbrook, California, dismantling depth charges. He later served as Yeoman Third-Class on the island of Guam for 4 months, where McKinney processed enlisted men deployed to the Pacific and returning to the US. He then worked aboard the USS Lunga Point (CVE-94). He returned to the US and was discharged in August of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Sister Mary Aquinas Nimitz. She begins by relating information about her aunts and uncles on her mother's (Freeman) and her father's (Nimitz) sides of the family. She also sums up her school years by relating all the places she moved to during the period leading up to the war. Nimitz also relates several stories about her parents and her life in a religious community. She also speaks of her parents activities during the war while she lived with her mother in Berkeley, California. She mentions her siblings and their children.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Vernon Wild. He was born in Fall River, Massachusetts on 11 June 1925. Soon after graduation from high school in 1943, he was drafted into the Navy and attended boot camp at Camp Perry, Virginia. Upon graduating, he was assigned to the 106th Construction Battalion at Camp Endicott, Rhode Island. After six months of training, he was sent to Port Hueneme, California. In April 1945, the unit departed for Ie Shima where the unit constructed an airfield. Wild tells of his various duties while on the island. He remained on the island until 1946. Upon returning to the United States, he received his discharge. Wild concludes the interview by telling of his life following his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Sam Harris. Harris joined the Army in February of 1942. He was assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division. He traveled to Australia in July of 1943, participating in the line defense at Brisbane. In early 1944, as part of the reconnaissance force, Harris was shipped to Ora Bay in New Guinea and made landings on the Admiralty Islands. In October he invaded the Philippine Islands, and ultimately helped in liberating Santo Tomas Internment Camp prisoners. He was discharged in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jim Calvert. Calvert joined the Army Air Forces in May of 1943. He is one of two pilots in the US who carried the wings on his uniform of 3 Air Forces, including the US, the Royal Air Force of Great Britain and the Chinese Air Force. Calvert served as a C-47 pilot with the Air Transport Command and flew missions over China, India, and Burma, including flying over the Himalaya Mountains, the Hump. He returned to the US and was discharged in August of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Harold Fleming. Fleming joined the Navy in 1943. He completed Radio School and served as a radio operator aboard the USS Drew (APA-162), beginning October of 1944. They transported troops to and from Saipan, Guam and Japan. He was discharged in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Frances W. Lipe. Lipe recalls anecdotes and events from the life of her father, Colonel Worthington. Her father joined the Army in 1917 and trained as a veterinarian. Her father was on Bataan when the US forces surrendered there in 1942. Her father escaped and was captured by the Japanese and taken to Manila. From there, he went to Formosa and then on to Mukden, Manchuria.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ramon Nelson. Nelson joined the Army in 1942, and graduated from the Morgan Park Military Academy. He served as an infantry officer with the 7th Infantry Division and participated in the battles of Attu, Kwajalein, Leyte and Okinawa. Following the Japanese surrender, the division was stationed in Korea. He returned to the US and was discharged in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Swan. Swan was born in Corvallis, Oregon in 1927. Upon joining the Coast Guard in 1944, he was sent to boot camp at Alameda, California. Completing training, he was assigned to radio school in Atlantic City, New Jersey. His training lasted over five months and after graduation he applied for LORAN (Long range navigation) training. Being accepted, he was sent to Groton, Massachusetts for four weeks of training. Upon completion of the training, he was sent to Pearl Harbor where he began working with the public information office. He tells of some of his experiences while working with the office.