The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Cecil Dykes. Dykes volunteered for the Navy in July of 1944. He was trained to become a LCVP crewman on the USS Bosque (APA-135). Dykes traveled to Okinawa and took part in landing troops and ferrying wounded back to the ship. He witnessed several kamikaze attacks. Dykes was aboard the Bosque at Tokyo Bay the day of the surrender and helped land troops from the 1st Cavalry Division for the occupation of Japan. He was discharged 8 June 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Stanley Parrin. Parrin entered service in late March of 1943 as a selective volunteer in the Naval Reserve. After bootcamp he was part of the commissioning crew of the USS Cebu (ARG-6). While on the ship, he was assigned to a twin 40 millimeter where his duties included repairs, cleaning and other maintenance. His ship was sent to the Admiralty Islands and spent four months there. During that time he witnessed the explosion of USS Mount Hood (AE-11). He was also part of the order of King Neptune and talks about the ceremony involved with becoming part of the order. After the surrender he was stationed in Okinawa until his discharge in February 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Alton Frost. Frost joined the Navy in September 1942 after finishing high school. He went to flight school and switched to the Marine Corps so he could fly single engine planes. He then was assigned to fly dive bombers in Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 241 (VMSB-241). Frost joined the squadron in the Solomon Islands in time to go to the Philippines. He shares a few anecdotes of his combat flight experiences. When the war ended, Frost elected to serve in the Reserves but was not recalled for the Jorean War. He left the Reserves and resigned his commission.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Louie Robert. Robert joined the Navy in December of 1943. He completed amphibious force training with landing craft, vehicle/personnel (LCVP). In late 1944, early 1945, Robert deployed to Normandy, aboard the USS Trousdale (AKA-79), to serve as amphibious replacement crew. In 1945, he drove a landing craft during the Battle of Okinawa, landing and picking up Marines and supplies on the beach. Robert returned to the US and received his discharge in January of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with George Pratt Shultz. Shultz left his economics studies at Princeton to join the Marine Corps. Upon completion of officer school and antiaircraft artillery training, he deployed to Tarawa. By the time they arrived, the Japanese had already left the island. Sighting an enemy bomber overhead, it was suggested they take cover in a nearby church. Shultz instead yelled for everyone to disperse, and the church was bombed. His next assignment was liaison to the Army’s 81st Infantry Division for the invasion of Palau. At Angaur, despite having no authority to do so, he directed fire upon certain caves from which enemy fire had been impeding the landing. It was on Angaur that he lost a good friend, an experience that influenced his philosophy when serving as Secretary of State under Ronald Reagan. Similarly, as Secretary of Labor to Richard Nixon, he recalled how naïve and vulnerable natives were when bargaining with Marines. Shultz’s expansive postwar career, beginning after his discharge and subsequent enrollment at MIT, included easing relations with both Japan and China in his capacity as Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Fred Mc Daniel. McDaniel was born in Houston, Texas on 5 September 1923 and graduated from high school in 1941. Upon entering the Marine Corps in 1942, he began flight training and received his wings in 1943. After receiving training as an instructor, he was sent to Hutchinson Naval Training Station in Kansas as a primary flight instructor. He was then sent to Jacksonville, Florida where he began flying the F4U Corsair fighter plane. After several months, he was sent to Danville, Illinois where he received training in carrier landings aboard the USS Wolverine (IX-64). He was in transit to Hawaii when the Japanese surrendered and upon his arrival he was assigned to the Joint Intelligence Corps Pacific Ocean Area and sent to Japan for three months. He remembers some of his experiences while there including meeting the actor Tyrone Power who also was a pilot. McDaniel concludes the interview by telling of his experiences flying helicopters during the Korean War.

The National Museum of the pacific War presents an oral interview with Bob Osborne. Osborne joined the Navy in 1943. He was assigned aboard USS Chester (CA-27). Osborne shares several anecdotes of his time aboard the ship. He also describes the collision between the Chester and another ship off Iwo Jima. When the war ended, Osborne elected to take his discharge.