Oral History Interview with James Nolan, March 30, 2020 (open access)

Oral History Interview with James Nolan, March 30, 2020

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James C. Nolan. Nolan joined the Navy on October 19, 1943. He completed Landing Craft School, and served as Landing Craft Coxswain, Seaman First-Class aboard the USS Pierce (APA-50). They traveled to Kwajalein, Palaus, Guadalcanal, Leyte, New Guinea, Lingayen Gulf, Subic Bay and Okinawa. Nolan made eight total landings aboard landing craft boat number 13. He recalls his combat experiences landing on Leyte on October 20, 1944 in the third wave. After the war ended, the Pierce traveled to Seoul, Korea and Japan to pick up and transfer troops back to the U.S. He received his discharge on January 26, 1946.
Date: March 30, 2020
Creator: Nolan, James
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Richard Byler, April 30, 2021 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Richard Byler, April 30, 2021

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Richard E. Byler. Byler joined the Navy on March 12, 1943. He completed radio operator training at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, and became proficient in Morse Code. In 1943, he deployed to Hawaii. In February of 1944, he was transferred to Kwajalein and worked at Navy Base 824. He was on board a transport ship during the Battle of Kwajalein. Once the fighting ceased, he worked as a Radioman Second-Class on the island, translating Morse Code. He continued his service through the end of the war, and shares details of his work and life on the island. Byler returned to the U.S. and received his discharge in February of 1946.
Date: April 30, 2021
Creator: Byler, Richard
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Walter Gallagher, July 21, 2022 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Walter Gallagher, July 21, 2022

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Walter Gallagher. Gallagher joined the Navy after quitting high school and trained in aviation ordnance. In May, 1944 he was assigned to USS Franklin (CV-13) where he would arm dive bombers. Gallagher describes an injury he sustained while loading bombs as well as various enemy attacks on the Franklin, including a kamikaze. He was aboard when the Japanese bombed the Franklin in March, 1945. Gallagher recalls the attack and was ordered to transfer to USS Santa Fe (CL-60). From there, Gallagher spent six months at Hawaii before going back to the US.
Date: August 30, 2022
Creator: Gallagher, Walter
System: The Portal to Texas History