The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bern Ballard. Ballard joined the Army National Guard in November 1940 at Camp Mabry. He served as a truck driver in the Austin and San Antonio area and describes how he was injured during the Louisiana Maneuvers. Ballard describes driving a truck with the 36th Infantry Division in North Africa and Italy. He details having to pick up dead soldiers near the front and drive them back to cemeteries. Ballard describes taking part in the invasion of Southern France and his transfer to the 78th Division and reassignment as an infantryman. He discusses how he was wounded by mortar fire in the Hurtgen Forest and how he was treated. Ballard describes the combat conditions, in particular the cold and lack of food. He accepted the surrender of German soldiers at the end of the war. Ballard was discharged in July 1945.

Transcript of an oral interview with John J. Stavola. Born in 1921, he joined the Navy in 1942. He trained with the diesel group at the Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois. He was assigned to USS LST-37 as a Motor Mac. He remained with the ship for a month after it was transferred to the Greek Navy to assist with the transition. His next assignment was to the USS LST-43. He describes a Japanese air raid on Kwajalein. He also describes witnessing the disaster at West Loch in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and rescuing his Executive Officer. He was sent back to the U.S. to pick up LSMRs. He shares an anecdote about prize fighter Tony Zale at the Naval Amphibious Base in Little Creek, Virginia. He returned to the Pacific for the invasion of Okinawa. He describes the naval battle for the island of Kerama Retto. He also describes the landing on Okinawa. He talks about picket duty aboard LSMR-191 and other activities in the waters around the island. He also discusses attacks by kamikazes. He returned to the U.S. with LSMR-191 when it was retrofitted as an ammunition carrier. He was discharged in January, 1946. The interview also contains …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Carthon Phillips. Phillips was born in Vera, Texas on 17 April 1920 and grew up during the Depression. Soon after joining the Army Air Corps in 1941, he attended the Aviation School of Medicine in San Antonio. Upon completing the course, he qualified as a flight surgeon assistant assigned to the 7th Bomb Squadron and boarded USS Republic (AP-33) bound for Australia. He tells of being assigned to Cloncurry, Australia and graphically describes a combat mission he flew in a B-17 involving the use of Thermite bombs. Returning to the United States in 1942, he commenced flight training and he tells of the various aircraft he flew. Phillips also relates his experiences as a ground control approach instructor and his involvement in the Berlin Airlift. He retired after twenty-eight years of service.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Webster. Webster volunteered for the Army Air Forces in December 1943. He qualified for pilot training, but was trained in photography instead at Walker Field, Kansas. He was then sent to Tinian and assigned to the 6th Bomb Group, 22nd Photo Lab. He served as an aerial photographer and lab technician. Webster relates several anecdotes from his time in and out of the service.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Osteen. Osteen was drafted into the Army April 29, 1942. He was in Company D, 182nd Infantry Regiment of the 23rd Infantry (Americal) Division. He completed basic training in California. He worked some with machine guns, though primarily as a mechanic in D Company. His company shipped out of Fort Ord on a Norwegian freighter to Guadalcanal, and helped with clean up after the main battle was over. From there they spent a year in Bougainville, arriving in November 1943. They held the perimeter and participated in the Battle for Hill 260. From there they took an LST to Leyte, Philippines, carrying tanks and trucks to secure the island. And, then on to Yokohama, Japan continuing with clean up. He was discharged in Seattle Washington in 1945. He used his G.I. Bill to go to school, learning auto mechanics and welding, and took a job as a blacksmith.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Lozano. Lozano joined the Navy in January 1944 and trained at San Diego. From there he also attended radar school at Point Loma before reporting aboard the USS Washington (BB-56). He shares several anecdotes and provides much detail of his life aboard ship during WWII. He was discharged in May 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Scott. Scott joined the Marine Corps in October 1943 and trained at San Diego. In February 1944, he shipped to Hawaii and the 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division at Camp Tarawa. He was on a 75mm pack howitzer at Saipan and recalls details about the invasion. Scott share several anecdotes from his experiences on Saipan. He was at Okinawa, but his unit remained in reserve without going ashore. He also recalls details about the occupation of Japan, where he remained until the end of the year. Scott returned to the US and was discharged in January 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Scott. Scott joined the Marine Corps in October 1943 and trained at San Diego. In February 1944, he shipped to Hawaii and the 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division at Camp Tarawa. He was on a 75mm pack howitzer at Saipan and recalls details about the invasion. Scott share several anecdotes from his experiences on Saipan. He was at Okinawa, but his unit remained in reserve without going ashore. He also recalls details about the occupation of Japan, where he remained until the end of the year. Scott returned to the US and was discharged in January 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bern Ballard. Ballard joined the Army National Guard in November 1940 at Camp Mabry. He served as a truck driver in the Austin and San Antonio area and describes how he was injured during the Louisiana Maneuvers. Ballard describes driving a truck with the 36th Infantry Division in North Africa and Italy. He details having to pick up dead soldiers near the front and drive them back to cemeteries. Ballard describes taking part in the invasion of Southern France and his transfer to the 78th Division and reassignment as an infantryman. He discusses how he was wounded by mortar fire in the Hurtgen Forest and how he was treated. Ballard describes the combat conditions, in particular the cold and lack of food. He accepted the surrender of German soldiers at the end of the war. Ballard was discharged in July 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Osteen. Osteen was drafted into the Army April 29, 1942. He was in Company D, 182nd Infantry Regiment of the 23rd Infantry (Americal) Division. He completed basic training in California. He worked some with machine guns, though primarily as a mechanic in D Company. His company shipped out of Fort Ord on a Norwegian freighter to Guadalcanal, and helped with clean up after the main battle was over. From there they spent a year in Bougainville, arriving in November 1943. They held the perimeter and participated in the Battle for Hill 260. From there they took an LST to Leyte, Philippines, carrying tanks and trucks to secure the island. And, then on to Yokohama, Japan continuing with clean up. He was discharged in Seattle Washington in 1945. He used his G.I. Bill to go to school, learning auto mechanics and welding, and took a job as a blacksmith.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Lozano. Lozano joined the Navy in January 1944 and trained at San Diego. From there he also attended radar school at Point Loma before reporting aboard the USS Washington (BB-56). He shares several anecdotes and provides much detail of his life aboard ship during WWII. He was discharged in May 1946.

Transcript of an oral interview with John J. Stavola. Born in 1921, he joined the Navy in 1942. He trained with the diesel group at the Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois. He was assigned to USS LST-37 as a Motor Mac. He remained with the ship for a month after it was transferred to the Greek Navy to assist with the transition. His next assignment was to the USS LST-43. He describes a Japanese air raid on Kwajalein. He also describes witnessing the disaster at West Loch in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and rescuing his Executive Officer. He was sent back to the U.S. to pick up LSMRs. He shares an anecdote about prize fighter Tony Zale at the Naval Amphibious Base in Little Creek, Virginia. He returned to the Pacific for the invasion of Okinawa. He describes the naval battle for the island of Kerama Retto. He also describes the landing on Okinawa. He talks about picket duty aboard LSMR-191 and other activities in the waters around the island. He also discusses attacks by kamikazes. He returned to the U.S. with LSMR-191 when it was retrofitted as an ammunition carrier. He was discharged in January, 1946. The interview also contains …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Carthon Phillips. Phillips was born in Vera, Texas on 17 April 1920 and grew up during the Depression. Soon after joining the Army Air Corps in 1941, he attended the Aviation School of Medicine in San Antonio. Upon completing the course, he qualified as a flight surgeon assistant assigned to the 7th Bomb Squadron and boarded USS Republic (AP-33) bound for Australia. He tells of being assigned to Cloncurry, Australia and graphically describes a combat mission he flew in a B-17 involving the use of Thermite bombs. Returning to the United States in 1942, he commenced flight training and he tells of the various aircraft he flew. Phillips also relates his experiences as a ground control approach instructor and his involvement in the Berlin Airlift. He retired after twenty-eight years of service.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Webster. Webster volunteered for the Army Air Forces in December 1943. He qualified for pilot training, but was trained in photography instead at Walker Field, Kansas. He was then sent to Tinian and assigned to the 6th Bomb Group, 22nd Photo Lab. He served as an aerial photographer and lab technician. Webster relates several anecdotes from his time in and out of the service.