Oral History Interview with George W. Denby, February 2, 2008 transcript

Oral History Interview with George W. Denby, February 2, 2008

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with George W Denby. Denby joined the Navy and earned his wings in December 1943 at Corpus Christi. He was assigned to the USS Enterprise (CV-6), flying a Grumman F4F Wildcat. At the Battle of the Philippine Sea he was knocked unconscious after being struck by an 18-inch shell. When he regained consciousness, he fired on his target and returned to the Enterprise. The next day, he was wounded in a dogfight with seven Zeroes. He jumped from his plane at 30,000 feet and broke his back when deploying his parachute. Zeroes continued firing on him as he hit the water, and his life jacket was full of holes. He swam for eight hours, bleeding severely and unable to move one of his legs. He was attacked by a shark but was eventually rescued and returned to the Enterprise. He finished his tour of duty with a total of 57 combat missions. While at Ulithi on R&R, he rubbed elbows with well-known fighter aces. For some time after the war, Denby was skittish while flying. But he flew combat missions in the Korean War and retired as a commander …
Date: February 2, 2008
Creator: Denby, George W.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Arthur Bertanzetti, February 2, 2010 transcript

Oral History Interview with Arthur Bertanzetti, February 2, 2010

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Arthur Bertanzetti. Bertanzetti joined the Army in February of 1941. After 2 years he transferred to the Army Air Forces. He was commissioned in 1943. He flew B-24s and was assigned to the 489th Bomb Group, 846th Bomb Squadron. In 1944 Bertanzetti traveled to England and completed 31 combat missions. On the last mission his plane went down. He and the crew bailed out over Germany, were captured and taken as prisoners of war to Stalag Luft III. He was a POW for 10 months, then liberated by Patton???s 3rd Army. Serving later in the reserves, Bertanzetti was discharged from the service in October of 1967.
Date: February 2, 2010
Creator: Bertanzetti, Arthur
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Willard Frank, February 2, 2009 transcript

Oral History Interview with Willard Frank, February 2, 2009

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Willard Frank. Frank joined the Navy in July of 1943. He deployed to Waimanalo in Hawaii to an Amphibious Training base. Frank served as an engineer on an LCVP, ferrying supplies from shore to ships. In 1944, he served aboard USS Lindenwald (LSD-6), participating in the invasions of the Marshall Islands, Saipan, the Philippines and Okinawa. He returned to the US and was discharged in late 1945.
Date: February 2, 2009
Creator: Frank, Willard
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Paul Morabith, February 2, 2016 transcript

Oral History Interview with Paul Morabith, February 2, 2016

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Paul Morabith. Morabith was working as a machinist when he was drafted in July, 1942. He could have been deferred, but went into the Army Air Forces when he was called. He trained as a mechanic on B-26s. Eventually, he switched to aerial gunnery and went to England in April, 1944. He flew 32 combat missions, starting in France prior to D-Day. Morabith recalls returning to base on two engines and the crew contemplating whether to try for Sweden or home. He provides many details about his experiences flying combat missions as a tail gunner in a B-17 over Europe. He finished his tour in August, 1944 and returned to the US. After some rest, Morabith was scheduled to go to the Pacific and join a B-29 outfit, but the war ended. He was discharged early in September.
Date: February 2, 2016
Creator: Morabith, Paul
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with John Ream, February 2, 2002 transcript

Oral History Interview with John Ream, February 2, 2002

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Ream. Ream was born in the Philippines on 28 November 1943. His parents and three older sisters were originally from the United States, but his father had previously taught in agricultural schools in the Philippines and eventually returned and moved his family there, working near Baguio as a manager of a bus and taxi company, as well as a mining-equipment salesman. On Christmas Day in 1941, after the Japanese invaded the Philippines, Ream and his family were taken to various camps, including Camp Holmes, Old Bilibid Prison and Santo Tomas. They remained imprisoned from late 1941 through their liberation in February of 1945. After the war, their family traveled to San Francisco and established life in the United States.
Date: February 2, 2002
Creator: Ream, John
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Arthur Bertanzetti, February 2, 2010 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Arthur Bertanzetti, February 2, 2010

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Arthur Bertanzetti. Bertanzetti joined the Army in February of 1941. After 2 years he transferred to the Army Air Forces. He was commissioned in 1943. He flew B-24s and was assigned to the 489th Bomb Group, 846th Bomb Squadron. In 1944 Bertanzetti traveled to England and completed 31 combat missions. On the last mission his plane went down. He and the crew bailed out over Germany, were captured and taken as prisoners of war to Stalag Luft III. He was a POW for 10 months, then liberated by Patton???s 3rd Army. Serving later in the reserves, Bertanzetti was discharged from the service in October of 1967.
Date: February 2, 2010
Creator: Bertanzetti, Arthur
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Paul Morabith, February 2, 2016 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Paul Morabith, February 2, 2016

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Paul Morabith. Morabith was working as a machinist when he was drafted in July, 1942. He could have been deferred, but went into the Army Air Forces when he was called. He trained as a mechanic on B-26s. Eventually, he switched to aerial gunnery and went to England in April, 1944. He flew 32 combat missions, starting in France prior to D-Day. Morabith recalls returning to base on two engines and the crew contemplating whether to try for Sweden or home. He provides many details about his experiences flying combat missions as a tail gunner in a B-17 over Europe. He finished his tour in August, 1944 and returned to the US. After some rest, Morabith was scheduled to go to the Pacific and join a B-29 outfit, but the war ended. He was discharged early in September.
Date: February 2, 2016
Creator: Morabith, Paul
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with John Ream, February 2, 2002 (open access)

Oral History Interview with John Ream, February 2, 2002

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Ream. Ream was born in the Philippines on 28 November 1943. His parents and three older sisters were originally from the United States, but his father had previously taught in agricultural schools in the Philippines and eventually returned and moved his family there, working near Baguio as a manager of a bus and taxi company, as well as a mining-equipment salesman. On Christmas Day in 1941, after the Japanese invaded the Philippines, Ream and his family were taken to various camps, including Camp Holmes, Old Bilibid Prison and Santo Tomas. They remained imprisoned from late 1941 through their liberation in February of 1945. After the war, their family traveled to San Francisco and established life in the United States.
Date: February 2, 2002
Creator: Ream, John
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with George W. Denby, February 2, 2008 (open access)

Oral History Interview with George W. Denby, February 2, 2008

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with George W Denby. Denby joined the Navy and earned his wings in December 1943 at Corpus Christi. He was assigned to the USS Enterprise (CV-6), flying a Grumman F4F Wildcat. At the Battle of the Philippine Sea he was knocked unconscious after being struck by an 18-inch shell. When he regained consciousness, he fired on his target and returned to the Enterprise. The next day, he was wounded in a dogfight with seven Zeroes. He jumped from his plane at 30,000 feet and broke his back when deploying his parachute. Zeroes continued firing on him as he hit the water, and his life jacket was full of holes. He swam for eight hours, bleeding severely and unable to move one of his legs. He was attacked by a shark but was eventually rescued and returned to the Enterprise. He finished his tour of duty with a total of 57 combat missions. While at Ulithi on R&R, he rubbed elbows with well-known fighter aces. For some time after the war, Denby was skittish while flying. But he flew combat missions in the Korean War and retired as a commander …
Date: February 2, 2008
Creator: Denby, George W.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Willard Frank, February 2, 2009 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Willard Frank, February 2, 2009

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Willard Frank. Frank joined the Navy in July of 1943. He deployed to Waimanalo in Hawaii to an Amphibious Training base. Frank served as an engineer on an LCVP, ferrying supplies from shore to ships. In 1944, he served aboard USS Lindenwald (LSD-6), participating in the invasions of the Marshall Islands, Saipan, the Philippines and Okinawa. He returned to the US and was discharged in late 1945.
Date: February 2, 2009
Creator: Frank, Willard
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from Joe Davis to Catherine Davis - February 2, 1945] (open access)

[Letter from Joe Davis to Catherine Davis - February 2, 1945]

Letter from Joe to his wife Catherine discussing a visit from Kenny, the mail service, and his prediction that the war will soon be over.
Date: February 2, 1945
Creator: Davis, Joseph Emmett
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History