Oral History Interview with John J. Keenan, November 30, 2012 transcript

Oral History Interview with John J. Keenan, November 30, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John J. Keenan. Keenan joined the Army in June 1941. He served as a bugler and runner and was quickly promoted due to circumstances and luck. Keenan became a master sergeant in less than 2 years. He served with the 7th Armored Division and landed in France in August 1944. Keenan describes some of the incidents he remembers as his unit advanced across Europe including meeting the Russians at the Elbe River. He was discharged in July 1945.
Date: November 30, 2012
Creator: Keenan, John J.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Harry I. Tannehill, March 30, 2012 transcript

Oral History Interview with Harry I. Tannehill, March 30, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Harry I. Tannehill. Tannehill was drafted into the Marine Corps in November, 1943. After basic training in San Diego, Tannehill moved to Hawaii and went through amphibious force training. Tannehill was attached to the 27th Marines, 5th Marine Division. Tannehill served as a crewmember aboard an LVT (Landing Vehicle, Tracked) and ferried Marines to the beaches at Iwo Jima. His LVT ran out of gas and sank on the first night. He was rescued from the water and resumed hauling supplies (food, water, ammunition) via LVT to the Marines on Iwo Jima the next day.
Date: March 30, 2012
Creator: Tannehill, Harry I.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with George W. Meyers, May 30, 2012 transcript

Oral History Interview with George W. Meyers, May 30, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with George W. Meyers. Meyers worked as a welder and on an oil rig prior to joining the Navy just after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Meyers was eventually assigned to a naval construction battalion and recalls assembling massive oil tanks, a hospital and a radar installation in the Solomon Islands. He also shares anecdotes about welding pontoons together at the Admiralty Islands. Meyers was discharged in November, 1945.
Date: May 30, 2012
Creator: Meyers, George W.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Edwin Jennings, July 30, 2012 transcript

Oral History Interview with Edwin Jennings, July 30, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Edwin Jennings. Jennings enlisted in the Army Air Forces around 1942. In November of 1943 he was commissioned second lieutenant. He served as a math instructor. He completed training in Fort Monmouth, New Jersey on how the weather affects the radar of the enemy. He traveled to New Guinea and then to Leyte in October of 1944. He was assigned to a radar station in Leyte and the Apo Reef in the Philippines, and he provides details of these experiences, and their radar equipment.
Date: July 30, 2012
Creator: Jennings, Edwin
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with William L. DeFrates, March 30, 2012 transcript

Oral History Interview with William L. DeFrates, March 30, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William DeFrates. DeFrates entered the Navy in May, 1943 with his parent's consent. He went to boot camp at Great Lakes, Illinois, as well as signal school. He was ultimately placed in the amphibious force after training at Norfolk, Virginia. DeFrates was assigned to the 7th Naval Beach Battalion. DeFrates describes training in LCVPs (Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel). DeFrates recalls several anecdotes from his training days and riding the troop ship to England, where he arrived in January, 1944. He also discusses training in England prior to the Normandy invasion. DeFrates describes going across the English Channel aboard an LST en route to the Normandy beachhead for the D-Day invasion. He discusses going over the side of an LST (Landing Ship, Tank) into an LCVP and heading for the beach. DeFrates was in the seventh or eight wave and landed close to noon on 6 June 1944 at Omaha Beach. His group immediately began setting up signal stations on the beach to communicate with incoming ships. DeFrates and crew signalled incoming ships until August at Normandy before being relieved and returned to England and then the US. He …
Date: March 30, 2012
Creator: DeFrates, William L.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with George W. Meyers, May 30, 2012 (open access)

Oral History Interview with George W. Meyers, May 30, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with George W. Meyers. Meyers worked as a welder and on an oil rig prior to joining the Navy just after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Meyers was eventually assigned to a naval construction battalion and recalls assembling massive oil tanks, a hospital and a radar installation in the Solomon Islands. He also shares anecdotes about welding pontoons together at the Admiralty Islands. Meyers was discharged in November, 1945.
Date: May 30, 2012
Creator: Meyers, George W.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Edwin Jennings, July 30, 2012 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Edwin Jennings, July 30, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Edwin Jennings. Jennings enlisted in the Army Air Forces around 1942. In November of 1943 he was commissioned second lieutenant. He served as a math instructor. He completed training in Fort Monmouth, New Jersey on how the weather affects the radar of the enemy. He traveled to New Guinea and then to Leyte in October of 1944. He was assigned to a radar station in Leyte and the Apo Reef in the Philippines, and he provides details of these experiences, and their radar equipment.
Date: July 30, 2012
Creator: Jennings, Edwin
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with William L. DeFrates, March 30, 2012 (open access)

Oral History Interview with William L. DeFrates, March 30, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William DeFrates. DeFrates entered the Navy in May, 1943 with his parent's consent. He went to boot camp at Great Lakes, Illinois, as well as signal school. He was ultimately placed in the amphibious force after training at Norfolk, Virginia. DeFrates was assigned to the 7th Naval Beach Battalion. DeFrates describes training in LCVPs (Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel). DeFrates recalls several anecdotes from his training days and riding the troop ship to England, where he arrived in January, 1944. He also discusses training in England prior to the Normandy invasion. DeFrates describes going across the English Channel aboard an LST en route to the Normandy beachhead for the D-Day invasion. He discusses going over the side of an LST (Landing Ship, Tank) into an LCVP and heading for the beach. DeFrates was in the seventh or eight wave and landed close to noon on 6 June 1944 at Omaha Beach. His group immediately began setting up signal stations on the beach to communicate with incoming ships. DeFrates and crew signalled incoming ships until August at Normandy before being relieved and returned to England and then the US. He …
Date: March 30, 2012
Creator: DeFrates, William L.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Harry I. Tannehill, March 30, 2012 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Harry I. Tannehill, March 30, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Harry I. Tannehill. Tannehill was drafted into the Marine Corps in November, 1943. After basic training in San Diego, Tannehill moved to Hawaii and went through amphibious force training. Tannehill was attached to the 27th Marines, 5th Marine Division. Tannehill served as a crewmember aboard an LVT (Landing Vehicle, Tracked) and ferried Marines to the beaches at Iwo Jima. His LVT ran out of gas and sank on the first night. He was rescued from the water and resumed hauling supplies (food, water, ammunition) via LVT to the Marines on Iwo Jima the next day.
Date: March 30, 2012
Creator: Tannehill, Harry I.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with John J. Keenan, November 30, 2012 (open access)

Oral History Interview with John J. Keenan, November 30, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John J. Keenan. Keenan joined the Army in June 1941. He served as a bugler and runner and was quickly promoted due to circumstances and luck. Keenan became a master sergeant in less than 2 years. He served with the 7th Armored Division and landed in France in August 1944. Keenan describes some of the incidents he remembers as his unit advanced across Europe including meeting the Russians at the Elbe River. He was discharged in July 1945.
Date: November 30, 2012
Creator: Keenan, John J.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History