Oral History Interview with Al Kiracofe, March 6, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Al Kiracofe, March 6, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Al Kiracofe. Kiracofe joined the Navy in 1942 and received yeoman training at Great Lakes. Upon completion, he was assigned to CASU-22 at Quonset Point, helping to prepare squadrons for overseas deployment. He was then assigned to Carrier Air Group 41, which was just beginning to use radar for night flying. One of his duties as yeoman was to send letters of regret to the parents of soldiers who were killed in action. The experience upset him to the point that he remembered the date of each letter for the rest of his life. He was transferred to Carrier Air Group 10 aboard the USS Intrepid (CV-11) and helped to set up squadrons in Alameda from January 1943 to September 1944. At Okinawa, a kamikaze hit caused the deaths of eight men on the Intrepid. When the ship returned to Alameda for repairs, Kiracofe was so shaken up that he was ordered to a US Naval hospital for treatment and received a medical discharge in July 1945.
Date: March 6, 2006
Creator: Kiracofe, Al
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Al Kiracofe, March 6, 2006 transcript

Oral History Interview with Al Kiracofe, March 6, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Al Kiracofe. Kiracofe joined the Navy in 1942 and received yeoman training at Great Lakes. Upon completion, he was assigned to CASU-22 at Quonset Point, helping to prepare squadrons for overseas deployment. He was then assigned to Carrier Air Group 41, which was just beginning to use radar for night flying. One of his duties as yeoman was to send letters of regret to the parents of soldiers who were killed in action. The experience upset him to the point that he remembered the date of each letter for the rest of his life. He was transferred to Carrier Air Group 10 aboard the USS Intrepid (CV-11) and helped to set up squadrons in Alameda from January 1943 to September 1944. At Okinawa, a kamikaze hit caused the deaths of eight men on the Intrepid. When the ship returned to Alameda for repairs, Kiracofe was so shaken up that he was ordered to a US Naval hospital for treatment and received a medical discharge in July 1945.
Date: March 6, 2006
Creator: Kiracofe, Al
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Transcript of Letter from Lawrence Martel to Lt. Comdr. Robert W. Copeland - March 6, 1946] (open access)

[Transcript of Letter from Lawrence Martel to Lt. Comdr. Robert W. Copeland - March 6, 1946]

Handwritten letter from Lawrence Martel to LCDR Robert W. Copeland, dated March 6, 1946. Martel, who served under Copeland on the U.S.S. Samuel B. Roberts during the Battle off Samar, writes to inform Copeland that he was rated the Presidential Unit Citation, inquiries about getting the authorization letters sent to him, and mentions he is supposed to be discharged in 60 days. He also asks about the ribbons he is rated for and obtaining a shellback certificate.
Date: March 6, 1946
Creator: Martel, Lawrence
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from Lawrence Martel to Lt. Comdr. Robert W. Copeland - March 6, 1946] (open access)

[Letter from Lawrence Martel to Lt. Comdr. Robert W. Copeland - March 6, 1946]

Handwritten letter from Lawrence Martel to LCDR Robert W. Copeland, dated March 6, 1946. Martel, who served under Copeland on the U.S.S. Samuel B. Roberts during the Battle off Samar, writes to inform Copeland that he was rated the Presidential Unit Citation, inquiries about getting the authorization letters sent to him, and mentions he is supposed to be discharged in 60 days. He also asks about the ribbons he is rated for and obtaining a shellback certificate.
Date: March 6, 1946
Creator: Martel, Lawrence
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Jane Kendeigh with Injured Soldier on Flight]

Photograph of Jane Kendeigh sitting with an injured soldier on flight from Iwo Jima. The soldier is lying on the bottom of a bunk with their head wrapped in bandages. Another person is lying on the top bunk. Jane is kneeling by the bottom bunck and wearing a military uniform.
Date: March 6, 1945
Creator: United States. Navy
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History