Oral History Interview with Aaron Mendoza, September 7, 2012 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Aaron Mendoza, September 7, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Aaron Mendoza. Mendoza joined the Navy in 1943 and received basic training in San Diego. He attended torpedo school and was assigned to an aircraft torpedo lab at Kaneohe Naval Air Station. There he filled warheads with air so the torpedo could be retrieved after test fires. Torpedoes that passed quality control would then be filled with explosive warheads and loaded into underground silos. After 14 months, his unit was dispersed. Mendoza was in Great Lakes awaiting further orders when the war ended. He was discharged in December 1945 and worked as a civilian employee at Kelly Air Force Base, retiring with a GS-12 ranking. He then worked as a salesman for Control Data, selling supercomputers to the likes of NASA and Texaco. He emphasizes the importance of staying active in retirement, and at the age of 88 he ranked number one nationally in Wii bowling.
Date: September 7, 2012
Creator: Mendoza, Aaron
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Aaron Mendoza, September 7, 2012 transcript

Oral History Interview with Aaron Mendoza, September 7, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Aaron Mendoza. Mendoza joined the Navy in 1943 and received basic training in San Diego. He attended torpedo school and was assigned to an aircraft torpedo lab at Kaneohe Naval Air Station. There he filled warheads with air so the torpedo could be retrieved after test fires. Torpedoes that passed quality control would then be filled with explosive warheads and loaded into underground silos. After 14 months, his unit was dispersed. Mendoza was in Great Lakes awaiting further orders when the war ended. He was discharged in December 1945 and worked as a civilian employee at Kelly Air Force Base, retiring with a GS-12 ranking. He then worked as a salesman for Control Data, selling supercomputers to the likes of NASA and Texaco. He emphasizes the importance of staying active in retirement, and at the age of 88 he ranked number one nationally in Wii bowling.
Date: September 7, 2012
Creator: Mendoza, Aaron
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from Cecelia McKie to Mrs. P. L. Bleckinger - May 7, 1943] (open access)

[Letter from Cecelia McKie to Mrs. P. L. Bleckinger - May 7, 1943]

Copy of letter sent from Cecelia McKie to 'Mrs. P. L. Bleckinger' regarding Santo Tomas Internment Camp internee 'Lindsay Bleckinger (?)'. Letter contains transcribed message broadcast to mother from internee on Radio Tokyo. Handwritten in upper left: 'Returned 5-19'. Scrapbook page 18.
Date: May 7, 1943
Creator: McKie, Cecelia, 1903-1982
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from Mrs. Frank W. Scott to Cecelia McKie - June 7, 1943] (open access)

[Letter from Mrs. Frank W. Scott to Cecelia McKie - June 7, 1943]

Letter sent from Mrs. Frank D. Scott to Cecelia McKie thanking her for the message and stating she had given Frances (her daughter) and Luis Backleder (her son-in-law) up for dead. She mentions other family members, daughter Evelyn Cherry and son-in-law Ralph Cherry, in the Philippines. Her other son-in-law Ralph (Bob) Bouth is also a prisoner. She mentions she has not heard directly from Ralph (Bouth) or Evelyn. Envelope addressed to Mrs. William L. McKie, Sacramento, California from Venice, California. Envelope is postmarked Pasadena, California.
Date: June 7, 1943
Creator: Scott, Mrs. Frank W.
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from R. F. Begole to Cecelia McKie - May 7, 1943] (open access)

[Letter from R. F. Begole to Cecelia McKie - May 7, 1943]

Letter sent from R. F. Begole to Cecelia McKie thanking her for the message from his son and stating the message was the first time he had heard information about his son's wife and three-year old son (also internees). Envelope addressed to Mrs. W. L. McKie, Sacramento, California from R. F. Begole, Centralia, Missouri. Reverse side of envelope has been removed by creator.
Date: May 7, 1943
Creator: Begole, R. F.
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from Laurel E. Weiskind to Cecelia McKie - June 7, 1943] (open access)

[Letter from Laurel E. Weiskind to Cecelia McKie - June 7, 1943]

Letter sent from Mrs. Laurel E. Weiskind to Cecelia McKie thanking her for the message from her brother, D. B. Ledermann, and stating the last time she heard from her brother was at Christmas. Envelope addressed to Mrs. W. L. McKie, Sacramento, California from (Mrs. A. A.) Laurel E. Weiskind, Wichita, Kansas.
Date: June 7, 1943
Creator: Weiskind, Laurel E.
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Floyd Cox, February 7, 2022 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Floyd Cox, February 7, 2022

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Floyd Cox concerning his recollections about the Great Depression and his life as a child during World War II. He recalls the family raising a victory garden and his participation in scrap iron drives. He also tells of the patriotism that existed in the United States and of being subjected to various forms of propaganda.
Date: February 7, 2022
Creator: Cox, Floyd
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Elizabeth M. Moxley Diary] (open access)

[Elizabeth M. Moxley Diary]

A diary kept by Elizabeth Moxley during her time at the Manzanar War Relocation Camp. The diary includes logs from 7 October 1942 to 16 December 16, 1942, prayers, poems, songs, and a list of issued saving bonds.
Date: 1942-10-07/1942-12-16
Creator: Moxley, Elizabeth M.
Object Type: Book
System: The Portal to Texas History