The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Annabel Ring. Ring was in college on 7 December 1941, completed one semester and then went to work in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She went into the Navy on 6 May 1943 as a WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) and took boot camp in the Bronx, New York for six weeks. The Navy took over a women’s college there and they stayed in apartments across the street. From there, Ring went to medical school at Great Lakes, Illinois. She had classes and then would work in the ward with the patients. Ring then went to Patuxent River, Maryland where she worked in a hospital on different wards. After two years there, she was sent to dentist school in Quantico, Virginia. Ring was there when the war ended and was discharged in October 1945 as a hospital second class petty officer.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Albert White. White finished high school in 1934 and shares several anecdotes about making a living during the Great Depression. During most of the war, White was working in an essential oil and gas industry job and was deferred from military service, until he was drafted into the Army in early 1945. He shipped out for occupation duty in Japan, arriving in November, 1945. WHite eventually received a hardship discharge because hi wife was going to have a surgery.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Buchanan. Buchanan entered the workforce as a child and was not treated well by employers, but he felt for African-Americans workers who seemed to have it even worse. After joining the Navy in 1939, he attended diesel engine school. Buchanan was then assigned to the USS Cachalot (SS-170), working his way up to chief motor machinist's mate. On 7 December 1941, his submarine was docked, with its engine removed for repairs. It took 21 days to reassemble it and embark on their first patrol. Off Truk, a hollow tank vital to their surfacing ability was struck by a bomb. Buchanan became an expert in fuel-management, sustaining a 73-day patrol. After supporting the Battle of Midway, their final patrol was in the Aleutians. On the way home, the engine seized and Buchanan carefully studied blueprints to find a solution. After the war, his sub was converted to a teaching ship. When it was discovered a few years later that he could no longer hear due to his exposure to engines, Buchanan was discharged into the reserves.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Rowe. Rowe was born in Meridean, Wisconsin in 1926. He describes his family life during the Depression years. He joined the US Navy upon graduation from high school in 1944 and was sent to boot camp at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station in Illinois. Upon graduation from boot camp, he was trained and graduated as a Watertender 3rd Class. He tells of his entire ship’s crew going to Portland, Oregon by train to board the newly constructed ship, USS Crockett (APA-14). He describes a number of missions in which the Crocket was engaged, including the invasion of Okinawa at which time the naval landing force was attacked by kamikazes. He tells of the elation felt by the crew members upon hearing of the atomic bomb followed by the news of the surrender of Japan. Upon his discharge in 1946, Rowe attended college under the provisions of the G.I. Bill followed by a career as an educator.

This is a monologue about a visit to Chitral district by Muhammad Suleman (a 36-year old male teacher). The speaker is telling that it was a surprise for him to travel by air for the first time and it was his first visit to Chitral. He was very excited about this trip.