The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Sam Shelton. Shelton was born in rural Kansas on 18 August 1917. He participated in the Civilian Pilot Training Program while attending Fort Hays College. Upon completing the program in 1939, he joined the Navy. After completing flight training at Pensacola, he was sent to the Corpus Christi (Texas) Naval Air Station as a flight instructor. In 1943 he was assigned to VF-7, a fighter squadron, stationed at San Diego, flying F4F and F6F fighters. In early 1944 the squadron was assigned the FM2 (fighter) and put aboard the USS Santee (CVE-29). He returned from a combat patrol and found the Santee had been stuck by a kamikaze and a bomb. Unable to land, he was directed to land aboard the USS Suwannee (CVE-27). After landing, his plane was refueled and the ammunition replenished. Smith proceeded with another combat patrol, after which he returned to the Santee after repairs. The ship returned to Pearl Harbor and Shelton was assigned to Air Group 6 based at Los Alamitos, California. Following the surrender of Japan, Shelton remained in the Navy. He recalls various assignments including being aboard the USS Valley …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Hagen. Hagen served as the gunnery officer aboard the USS Johnston (DD-557). The ship’s captain, Commander Ernest Evans, was well liked and highly respected by the crew. Hagen recalls the Johnston was with a group of seven destroyers and six escort carriers supporting the troop landing at Leyte Gulf. On 24 October 1944 they were alerted to the approach of a large Japanese force led by Admiral Kurita. Hagen describes in detail the actions involving the Johnston, which led to heavy damage and the eventual sinking of the ship. The actions initiated by Commander Evans led to him being awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously. As senior surviving officer of the Johnston, Hagen wrote the recommendation for the award.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Philip Lapaglia. As an only child, Lapaglia was exempt from the draft, but he enlisted with the Army Air Forces upon learning that they were looking for aviation cadets. After completing pre-flight training, he learned that they were looking for Romance language translators, so he went to Camp Richards for intelligence school as a speaker of French and Italian. The need for translators suddenly dropped following the surrender of Italy, so Lapaglia went into photo intelligence. He learned to use aerial photography to track changes in the terrain and to perform comparative coverage. In the Pacific, Lapaglia traveled extensively to many islands, including New Caledonia, Guadalcanal, Bougainville and the Philippines. While on New Caledonia, his outfit’s portable photo lab was stolen, so they improvised a new one out of an ambulance. Lapaglia traded photos for local supplies, because cameras were exotic in some locales. On Bougainville, he learned that the Japanese had a mortal fear of Fijian warriors, so intelligence was fed to native spies purporting that the allies were sending Fijians to battle. After the war ended, Lapaglia returned home and was discharged in December 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Paul Candelori. Candelori joined the Navy in June of 1943. He served as Radioman Third Class and had additional training in amphibious landings. He traveled to Hawaii in April of 1944, training and working on the island. In February of 1945 he was assigned to USS LST-646 and participated in the Battle of Iwo Jima, working as radio operator and delivering supplies to the troops on the island. Candelori returned to the US in December of 1945 and was discharged in April of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Marty Romano. Romano was born 11 June 1924 in Jersey City, New Jersey. He joined the Navy and went to boot camp at Newport, Rhode Island. Upon completing boot training he was sent to Quonset Point, Rhode Island for patrol boat training. After more training he was assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 22 on Corsica. He went aboard PT-306 as a motor machinist. He describes his duties and of the need for rotating motor men every two hours due to the noise in the engine room. Squadron 22 participated in Operation Brassard on 4 June 1944 dropping off French commandos during the invasion of Elba. Ramano also participated in Operation Dragoon when they delivered commandos of the 1st Special Service Force to beaches in Southern France. He describes the method used in landing the troops and recalls one boat hitting a mine. On 24 December 1944 he was relieved of duty and returned to the United States for a thirty-three day leave. In February 1945 he boarded a troopship for New Guinea. Upon arrival he was sent to Borneo and assigned to the USS Oyster Bay (AGP-6), …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Sam Shelton. Shelton was born in rural Kansas on 18 August 1917. He participated in the Civilian Pilot Training Program while attending Fort Hays College. Upon completing the program in 1939, he joined the Navy. After completing flight training at Pensacola, he was sent to the Corpus Christi (Texas) Naval Air Station as a flight instructor. In 1943 he was assigned to VF-7, a fighter squadron, stationed at San Diego, flying F4F and F6F fighters. In early 1944 the squadron was assigned the FM2 (fighter) and put aboard the USS Santee (CVE-29). He returned from a combat patrol and found the Santee had been stuck by a kamikaze and a bomb. Unable to land, he was directed to land aboard the USS Suwannee (CVE-27). After landing, his plane was refueled and the ammunition replenished. Smith proceeded with another combat patrol, after which he returned to the Santee after repairs. The ship returned to Pearl Harbor and Shelton was assigned to Air Group 6 based at Los Alamitos, California. Following the surrender of Japan, Shelton remained in the Navy. He recalls various assignments including being aboard the USS Valley …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Hagen. Hagen served as the gunnery officer aboard the USS Johnston (DD-557). The ship’s captain, Commander Ernest Evans, was well liked and highly respected by the crew. Hagen recalls the Johnston was with a group of seven destroyers and six escort carriers supporting the troop landing at Leyte Gulf. On 24 October 1944 they were alerted to the approach of a large Japanese force led by Admiral Kurita. Hagen describes in detail the actions involving the Johnston, which led to heavy damage and the eventual sinking of the ship. The actions initiated by Commander Evans led to him being awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously. As senior surviving officer of the Johnston, Hagen wrote the recommendation for the award.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Philip Lapaglia. As an only child, Lapaglia was exempt from the draft, but he enlisted with the Army Air Forces upon learning that they were looking for aviation cadets. After completing pre-flight training, he learned that they were looking for Romance language translators, so he went to Camp Richards for intelligence school as a speaker of French and Italian. The need for translators suddenly dropped following the surrender of Italy, so Lapaglia went into photo intelligence. He learned to use aerial photography to track changes in the terrain and to perform comparative coverage. In the Pacific, Lapaglia traveled extensively to many islands, including New Caledonia, Guadalcanal, Bougainville and the Philippines. While on New Caledonia, his outfit’s portable photo lab was stolen, so they improvised a new one out of an ambulance. Lapaglia traded photos for local supplies, because cameras were exotic in some locales. On Bougainville, he learned that the Japanese had a mortal fear of Fijian warriors, so intelligence was fed to native spies purporting that the allies were sending Fijians to battle. After the war ended, Lapaglia returned home and was discharged in December 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Paul Candelori. Candelori joined the Navy in June of 1943. He served as Radioman Third Class and had additional training in amphibious landings. He traveled to Hawaii in April of 1944, training and working on the island. In February of 1945 he was assigned to USS LST-646 and participated in the Battle of Iwo Jima, working as radio operator and delivering supplies to the troops on the island. Candelori returned to the US in December of 1945 and was discharged in April of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Marty Romano. Romano was born 11 June 1924 in Jersey City, New Jersey. He joined the Navy and went to boot camp at Newport, Rhode Island. Upon completing boot training he was sent to Quonset Point, Rhode Island for patrol boat training. After more training he was assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 22 on Corsica. He went aboard PT-306 as a motor machinist. He describes his duties and of the need for rotating motor men every two hours due to the noise in the engine room. Squadron 22 participated in Operation Brassard on 4 June 1944 dropping off French commandos during the invasion of Elba. Ramano also participated in Operation Dragoon when they delivered commandos of the 1st Special Service Force to beaches in Southern France. He describes the method used in landing the troops and recalls one boat hitting a mine. On 24 December 1944 he was relieved of duty and returned to the United States for a thirty-three day leave. In February 1945 he boarded a troopship for New Guinea. Upon arrival he was sent to Borneo and assigned to the USS Oyster Bay (AGP-6), …