Oral History Interview with Edgar Hessek, December 22, 2017 transcript

Oral History Interview with Edgar Hessek, December 22, 2017

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Edgar Hessek. Hessek joined the Navy in October of 1942. In February of 1943 he was assigned to the American Builder, a commercial ship, as a radio operator. They traveled to South Africa and England delivering war materials. In 1944 he was transferred to the USS Swenning (DE-394). From late 1944 into 1945 they traveled to Casablanca, the Pacific, Guam, Wake Island and Okinawa. He describes a torpedo attack by a submarine on their trip to Guam and witnessing a number of kamikaze attacks. He describes crossing the equator and the Shellback initiation. He was discharged in February of 1946.
Date: December 22, 2017
Creator: Hessek, Edgar
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Jack Alldridge, December 11, 2017 transcript

Oral History Interview with Jack Alldridge, December 11, 2017

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jack Alldridge. Alldridge joined the Navy in May of 1944. He completed amphibious landing craft training, and served as Coxswain aboard the USS Kenton (APA-122). Alldridge made landings in the Marshall Islands, the Philippines and during the Battle of Okinawa, transporting troops from ship to shore. He returned to the US and received his discharge in late 1945.
Date: December 11, 2017
Creator: Alldridge, Jack
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with James Leavelle, December 7, 2017 transcript

Oral History Interview with James Leavelle, December 7, 2017

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Leavelle. Leavelle joined the Navy in 1940 after he finished a stint in the Civilian Conservation Corps and high school. After training, Leavelle was assigned to USS Whitney (AD-4). He was aboard the Whitney during the attack on Pearl Harbor and was later injured by a rogue wave and elected to be medically discharged. He went on to be a detective in the Dallas Police Department and was escorting Lee Harvey Oswald when Jack Ruby shot him. Leavelle in the man in the light suit on the right in the famous image depicting the murder.
Date: December 7, 2017
Creator: Leavelle, James
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Garland Picou, December 19, 2017 transcript

Oral History Interview with Garland Picou, December 19, 2017

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Garland Picou. Picou was drafted into the United States Army in August of 1954. He was involved in the occupation of Germany and therefore was classified as a World War II veteran. He trained as a medic at Fort Hood, learning battlefield first aid. He was assigned to the 4th Infantry Division, 8th Regiment, Headquarters Company, and they were sent to Frankfurt, Germany. He was assigned to work as a communications operator, sending and receiving information from Division Headquarters with teletype and printed messages. His wife joined him while he was in Germany and they traveled during the two years he was stationed there. He describes some of his military and travel experiences while stationed there. He was discharged in 1956.
Date: December 19, 2017
Creator: Picou, Garland
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with James Leavelle, December 7, 2017 (open access)

Oral History Interview with James Leavelle, December 7, 2017

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Leavelle. Leavelle joined the Navy in 1940 after he finished a stint in the Civilian Conservation Corps and high school. After training, Leavelle was assigned to USS Whitney (AD-4). He was aboard the Whitney during the attack on Pearl Harbor and was later injured by a rogue wave and elected to be medically discharged. He went on to be a detective in the Dallas Police Department and was escorting Lee Harvey Oswald when Jack Ruby shot him. Leavelle in the man in the light suit on the right in the famous image depicting the murder.
Date: December 7, 2017
Creator: Leavelle, James
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Garland Picou, December 19, 2017 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Garland Picou, December 19, 2017

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Garland Picou. Picou was drafted into the United States Army in August of 1954. He was involved in the occupation of Germany and therefore was classified as a World War II veteran. He trained as a medic at Fort Hood, learning battlefield first aid. He was assigned to the 4th Infantry Division, 8th Regiment, Headquarters Company, and they were sent to Frankfurt, Germany. He was assigned to work as a communications operator, sending and receiving information from Division Headquarters with teletype and printed messages. His wife joined him while he was in Germany and they traveled during the two years he was stationed there. He describes some of his military and travel experiences while stationed there. He was discharged in 1956.
Date: December 19, 2017
Creator: Picou, Garland
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Edgar Hessek, December 22, 2017 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Edgar Hessek, December 22, 2017

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Edgar Hessek. Hessek joined the Navy in October of 1942. In February of 1943 he was assigned to the American Builder, a commercial ship, as a radio operator. They traveled to South Africa and England delivering war materials. In 1944 he was transferred to the USS Swenning (DE-394). From late 1944 into 1945 they traveled to Casablanca, the Pacific, Guam, Wake Island and Okinawa. He describes a torpedo attack by a submarine on their trip to Guam and witnessing a number of kamikaze attacks. He describes crossing the equator and the Shellback initiation. He was discharged in February of 1946.
Date: December 22, 2017
Creator: Hessek, Edgar
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Jack Alldridge, December 11, 2017 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Jack Alldridge, December 11, 2017

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jack Alldridge. Alldridge joined the Navy in May of 1944. He completed amphibious landing craft training, and served as Coxswain aboard the USS Kenton (APA-122). Alldridge made landings in the Marshall Islands, the Philippines and during the Battle of Okinawa, transporting troops from ship to shore. He returned to the US and received his discharge in late 1945.
Date: December 11, 2017
Creator: Alldridge, Jack
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History