The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John C. James. He joined the Army in 1943 and went to training at Camp Crowder, Missouri, where the Signal Corps trained. He then went to the east coast and intercepted German Army radio traffic for a while before heading to California to listen for coded Japanese radio messages. He eventually was transferred to New Delhi, India. After the war ended, he was shipped to Eritrea, Africa for a few months before going back to the US.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Lawler. Lawler was born in Mount Pleasant, Texas 4 October 1918. Graduating from high school in 1936, he attended business college for two years before being employed in the accounting office of the Fort Worth Poultry and Egg Company. He was employed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 1941 for several months prior to entering the US Army Air Corps cadet training program. Having received flight training at several bases, he completed his advanced training at Brooks Field, Texas and received his wings. His first assignment was as a pilot flying Curtis 0-52 observation planes for the Aerial Observation School at Brooks Field. His next assignment was communications officer and flight officer at Esler Field, Louisiana. He joined the 12th Bomb Group, 82nd Squadron in Sicily during which he flew eight combat missions. He describes the armament of a B-25G bomber and tells of the stress created on the aircraft when using the 77mm nose cannon. In early 1944 the unit was sent to India and attached to the British Tactical Air Command. He discusses various missions flown and tells of pioneering the use of napalm …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James Moore. Moore graduated from Hardin Simmons University in Abilene in January 1940. He was hired by the FBI after graduation and worked in Washington. In the fall of 1944 he joined the OSS and was commissioned an Ensign in the Navy although he didn't go to OCS. OSS training occurred on Catalina Island, CA. In Kunming, China he worked with Chang Kai Shek (Nationalist troops) developing informants and demolition experts. He was supposed to go in with General Li Wen Li to the Wei Shin interment camp but didn't until after the war was over. He was in Kunming when the war ended. Discharged in June 1946 at Shanghai. Worked for the CIA after the war.

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 interview with Charles Linamen. Linamen joined the Army Air Corps. He completed Primary Flying School at Hicks Field in Fort Worth, Texas, and Basic Flying School at Perrin Field in Sherman, Texas learning to fly a single engine aircraft. He went to Ellington Field in Houston, Texas and learned to fly a twin engine, and received his wings and commission. Back in Fort Worth to Tarrant Army Air Force Base he went to Transition School and learned to fly a B-24, and became an aircraft commander. Linamen flew to Karachi, India in a B-24, then down to Pandaveswar. He was assigned to the 436th Bomb Squadron. He flew 52 bombing missions in Burma and Thailand. He hauled aviation gas to over the Himalaya Mountains. In December 1944 he went to Lijiang, Chia and flew out of there to Szechwan and Canchow. On one mission, Linamen bombed the steel bridge over the River Kwai and gives great detail of this event. He talks about the living conditions in detail. He went through three airplanes during his missions.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lent Logar. Logar was born in Spring Valley, Illinois on 23 July 1920. After graduating from high school, he joined the Army Air Corps and had basic training at Fort Niagara, New York. He was then sent to Decatur, Alabama where he took primary flight training with Southern Aviation. He then went to Lamesa, Texas to a flight school dedicated to liaison flying where they trained in the L-5 Stinson. Upon graduating, he was assigned to the 115th Liaison Squadron and sent to Kunming, China. Upon his arrival in Kunming, he was transferred to the 19th Liaison Squadron. He tells of various experiences working with the Chinese Army and his involvement in the Salween Campaign to open the Burma Road. He relates his experience of transporting a Japanese commander to Taiwan for the signing of a surrender agreement of certain Japanese forces based in China. He also tells of delivering men of the OSS to sites within the jungles of Vietnam.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ken Marks. Marks joined the Army Air Forces in December 1941 and was sent to Aircraft Mechanics School at Sheppard Field in Wichita Falls, Texas. From there he trained at a Flight Engineer and Gunnery School in Harlingen, Texas, graduating in June 1942. From there he went to Boise, Idaho where he was Assistant Flight Engineer on a B-17. He trained on B-24s in Fort Worth, Texas. He left Christmas morning 1942 on his first flight overseas in a B-24, heading to the 7th Bomb Group in Pandaveswar, India. They were assigned to the 9th Bomb Squadron, 7th Bomb Group. He flew missions bombing Japanese targets in Burma. After the sixth mission they were transferred over to the 492nd, a newly formed squadron. He was there for less than two years and completed 59 combat missions, 479 combat hours. He flew missions over Burma, China, Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal and Bangkok. He discusses one of his toughest missions over Rangoon encountering Japanese Zeroes. Upon completing 59 missions he was sent to Tezpur, completing 16 round trips flying gasoline over the Hump to Kunming to the 14th …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Thomas Phillips. Phillips joined the Army and after training was sent to Burma where he joined Merrill's Marauders. He was also assigned to the 613th Field Artillery Battalion. Phillips relates several experiences dealing with the mules in the jungles while attached to this artillery unit. When the war ended, Phillips was in Kunming, China. He stayed on in China and helped with the negotiations between the communists and nationalist Chinese with General Marshall.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Edgar Wolf. World joined the Army Air Forces in January, 1942 and trained at Biloxi, Mississippi before heading for Lockheed in California to learn about P-38s. He went to Officer Candidate School and earned a commission before being assigned to the Air Transport Command in New York. With the ATC, Wolf learned loadmaster techniques and air traffic control procedures before heading for Chabua, India. At his base he was responsible for transient aircraft. He also served at Agra and at Karachi. Wolf was in India for 27 months and returned home in September, 1945 and received his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles Boesch. After high school Boesch went to summer school at the University of Texas at Austin, joined the enlisted reserve corps and was eventually 'called up'. He had basic training in Cheyenne, Wyoming and learned to drive a truck. In what he calls 'casual status', he was shipped (like cargo) on a Liberty ship which landed in Canistel, North Africa. Conditions on board the ship were atrocious - little food, water, etc. They were drilled, exercised and run in North Africa; conditions were pretty deplorable there too. They were then put on a convoy ship which landed in Bombay, India. From there they took a train (last class) to Calbutta, then Passam and finally Ledo where he was assigned to the 195th Engineering Company. Interview contains good descriptions of his living conditions during this time - they lived off the land, had some air drops and some supp,ies trucked in. Boesch contracted malaria and jungle rot during this time. He was working on the Burma Road when the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Joseph Hafter. Hafter went into the Air Force right after Pearl Harbor, attended radio school in Illinois and then was sent to Colorado Springs, CO Air Base. His unit (17th Photo Recon, flying P-38s) was shipped overseas via a Dutch freighter ending up on Guadalcanal on 6 Jan 1943. While on Guadalcanal, Hafter transferred to the 70th Fighter Squadron which was flying P-39s. Had malaria five times. His unit moved to Ondonga Island in the New Georgia Group about Aug 1943, then to Munda, and then Sanspore, New Guinea. At Munda, they switched over to P-38s. After Sanspore, his unit went to Morotai, Dutch East Indies, then to Lingayan Gulf and finally Mindoro in the Philippines when that island was taken. From there, his unit moved to Mindanao and Palawan, which is where he came home from. His first relief was after 21 months in the islands. Got back to the States right before Thanksgiving 1945 and mustered out shortly afterwards.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Richard Byram. Byram joined the Navy in 1936 and was at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked. He later went aboard USS Lexington (CV-2) in time for the Battle of the Coral Sea. Aboard the Lexington, Byram served as an aircraft engine mechanic the day she sank. After duty with a seaplane outfit, Byram transferred to USS Midway (CV-41) where he worked on corsairs. After the war, Bynum stayed in the Navy Reserves.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ralph S. Long. Long joined the Navy in June, 1944. After basic training, he was assigned to ACORN 29 and went overseas from Port Hueneme and arrived in time for the invasion of Okinawa. He landed with a Navy construction battalion and assisted in establishing a small airfield for close air support. Long was discharged from the Navy in 1946. He entered the Air Force in 1951 with a commission and served as a psychologist. He retired in 1971.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Gordon Kimball. Kimball joined the Navy in August of 1943. He completed submarine and quartermaster school. After graduation, he trained aboard R Boats in Key West, Florida. Beginning December of 1944, Kimball served aboard the USS Lizardfish (SS-373). They deployed to Pearl Harbor in the spring of 1945. They completed war patrols around Saipan, in the Java Sea, Lombok Strait, Australia, Sunda Strait and the Philippines. Kimball continued his service after the war ended, and was discharged in 1947.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles George. George was born in East Portsmouth, Ohio 12 August 1927. Entering the Navy in 1945, he was sent to San Diego, California for boot training. Upon completion he was sent to Navy signal school. After finishing signal school he attended submarine school at Newline, Connecticut for two months. He was assigned to the USS Boarfish (SS-327). During his time on the Boarfish one of the missions was to chart an ice passage across the North Pole. He describes how sonar was used to determine the thickness of the ice above and where the ocean bottom was. He tells of the gear worn while top-side in the sub-zero weather. Later, when the Boarfish was in the process of being prepared for sale to Turkey he asked to be assigned to another submarine and joined the USS Cusk (SS-348) as a helmsman. The Cusk was a World War II submarine that was converted to experiment with the launching of captured German V-2 rockets and George discusses the procedures and results of the testing. The Cusk’s mission was classified and George tells of the measures taken to insure that …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Paul Barbee. Barbee joined the Navy in February of 1944. He completed submarine school. Beginning January of 1945, Barbee served as Third-Class Electrician aboard USS Steelhead (SS-280). They completed war patrols at Pearl Harbor, Midway Island and Japan, and helped with rescue missions of downed pilots and crews. Barbee continued his service after the war ended, and received his discharge in May of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Callanan. Callanan begins with some anecdotes about his family. He was working for General Electric and eschewed his deferment and joined the Navy in March, 1943. Once in the Navy, he went to radio school. Without having gone to submarine school, Callanan was assigned to the USS Sailfish (SS-192) in July 1944. After some patrolling, he was transferred to the USS Proteus (AS-19). Then he went aboard the USS Batfish (SS-310) and did more patrolling. He shares a few anecdotes about being on patrol and attacking Japanese shipping, including other submarines. When the war ended, he took his discharge and returned to GE.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Thomas Young. Young joined the Army and served as a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne, and participated in the Normandy landings. In September, Young made the invasion in Holland.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Richard Grimm. Grimm joined the Navy in November 1941. He was sent to USS Maury (DD-401) and served as a signalman and anti-aircraft gunner. Grimm describes seeing Pearl Harbor soon after the attack and participating in the Battle of Coral Sea. He also mentions the signal that he was ordered to fly at the beginning of the Battle of Midway. Grimm describes seeing the USS Porter (DD-356) get hit at Santa Cruz and then taking part in the naval battles in the Solomon Islands where he helped recover casualties from the USS New Orleans (CA-32) and rescue crewman from the USS Helena (CL-50). He goes into detail on a close-call at the Battle of Kolombangara. At Vella Lavella, Grimm spotted the approaching Japanese fleet and describes how his ship launched torpedoes that sank three ships. He also discusses seeing the USS Liscome Bay (CVE-56) get hit by a torpedo that passed under the Maury. Grimm also took part in the landings at Leyte and Lingayen Gulf where the USS Liscome Bay (CVE-56) was damaged by a near miss from a kamikaze. He was in New York at the …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James W. Fisher. Fisher was born in Witt County, Virginia. On 7 February 1939 he joined the Navy and underwent boot camp at Norfolk, Virginia. He was then sent to San Diego where he was assigned to the USS Shaw (DD-373) as a deck hand. After a period of time he transferred to the USS Whitney (AD-4) for on the job training as a torpedo man. Upon completion of his training he was reassigned to the Shaw and sailed to Samoa. Upon the ship’s return to the United States in 1941, Fisher was placed in a hospital while the Shaw returned to Pearl Harbor. Fisher returned to Pearl Harbor aboard a tanker on 8 December and saw the destruction caused by the Japanese attack. On 14 December 1941 he was assigned to the USS Maury (DD-401) as a torpedo man. He was involved in the invasion of Guadalcanal, Tulagi and Iwo Jima as well as night surface action with Japanese ships. He recalls the ship being involved in rescuing survivors of the USS Honolulu after it was torpedoed. Fisher was discharged from the US Navy soon after World …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Olcott. Olcott joined the Navy in the spring of 1941. After training, he was assigned to USS Maury (DD-401) at Pearl Harbor. Olcott was at torpedo school at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked. When Maury returned to port, Olcott went back aboard and was on the ship when it bombarded Wake Island and went to the Solomon Islands. Olcott stayed on Maury through 1944 and went back to torpedo school. Then, he was sent to a post office in New Guinea for a few months before going to the submarine base at Subic Bay. He was there when the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Evans. Evans joined the Marine Corps in June of 1940. He was deployed to Pearl Harbor in September, and stationed at Naval Air Station Kaneohe. Evans helped put the station into commission in February of 1941. He was on watch at the station when the Japanese attacked. He shares memories of rescuers working to get to crewman aboard USS Oklahoma. Evans served with the 6th Marine Regiment. Beginning in January of 1943, he participated in the Battles of Guadalcanal, Tarawa and Saipan, where he was wounded. He returned to the US and was discharged in August of 1944.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bob Grove. He discusses joining the Marine Corp, shipping out to New Zealand before landing on Guadacanal a few days after the invasion started there, then going to Tarawa, getting malaria, returning to Hawaii for more training before going to fight on Saipan, getting hit by shrapnel and shot in the leg. He describes battle conditions, getting caught in storms abroad ships crossing the Pacific, returning to the states after being wounded and attending reunions and being involved in the 2nd Marine Division Association after the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Guinn Rasbury. He discusses joining the Marines, being part of the invasion force at Florida and Tulagi Islands, having multiple malaria attacks, being transferred to Maine to cure his malaria, other transfers around the States, ending up back in the Pacific. He ancedotes how being sick with malaria and getting bumped from a plane ride home saved his life, sounding Taps at a memorial service for President Roosevelt, being Chairman of the Second Marine Division Memorial Scholarship Fund Committee.