The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Arthur Owen. Owen enlisted in the Marine Corps in May 1941. After boot camp in San Diego, he was assigned to the Marine Detachment at San Clemente Island, California. After he was there for a year, they transferred him to Camp Elliott in San Diego where he became part of the 2nd Marine Division. In Oct 1942, they sailed for New Zealand and additional training. They made several practice landings and then invaded Tarawa on November 20, 1943. Owen was a corporal in what was called Shore Party Command Group - Headquarters, 2nd Battalion, 18th Marines. The job of this Group was to establish dumps on the beaches and unload the ships. Owen states that he was probably one of the few that made the landing in Tarawa twice and never did get ashore, because he spent 13 days on the pier. At the end of this time, they went aboard the President Monroe and sailed to Hawaii. Upon arriving in Hilo, they set up a camp on the volcano which was at the Parker Ranch in Kamuela (Camp Tarawa) and at an old Japanese POW camp. While …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jose King. King, of Korean descent, grew up under Japanese occupation in Songsong Village, Rota. Relations with the Japanese were mostly peaceful. He attended a strict but effective Japanese school. When Japanese supplies began to dwindle, soldiers stole food from villagers and threatened to kill them if they withheld it. The natives narrowly escaped mass execution and instead were put to work farming sweet potatoes. King’s family foraged in the mountains and jungles, hunting birds with a slingshot. His brother was recruited by the Japanese to hunt birds and was killed in an air raid. His uncle was wrongly accused of being a spy and sentenced to death. King and his family sought refuge in a cave during bombardments and were strafed while searching for food. Upon being discovered by American Marines, King feared that the food they provided might be poisoned. Although the military initially intended to send his family to Korea, they successfully pleaded to stay with their community. King’s family later moved to Saipan and then Tinian, embarking in prosperous trade with Allied occupation forces. He started a family of his own, and many of …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lanson B. Ditto. Ditto grew up in Kentucky. He went to college at Washington and Lee University and then joined the Navy in 1940. After training, Ditto chose to join the Asiatic Fleet. He went to Shanghai, China where he was assigned to the USS Langley (CV-1). The ship went to the Philippines. They were at Manila when the Japanese destroyed all B-17's at the airfield on December 8, 1941. The Langley left Manila Bay that night and headed south. On that trip, Ditto mentions that his ship fired at the planet Venus. They went to Balikpapan, refueled, and spent Christmas at Surabaya. Next, they went to Darwin, Australia, then Perth, Australia. Then, they went to Java. Before they arrived at the port, they were hit by Japanese airplanes dropping bombs. Ditto abandons ship and swims to the USS Edsall. They steam to the Christmas Island. He transferred to the Pecos. The Pecos was then bombed by the Japanese. Next the 220 survivors out of 666 men were picked up by the Whipple. He was injured and went back to the United States on the Mount Vernon. They …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Arthur Owen. Owen enlisted in the Marine Corps in May 1941. After boot camp in San Diego, he was assigned to the Marine Detachment at San Clemente Island, California. After he was there for a year, they transferred him to Camp Elliott in San Diego where he became part of the 2nd Marine Division. In Oct 1942, they sailed for New Zealand and additional training. They made several practice landings and then invaded Tarawa on November 20, 1943. Owen was a corporal in what was called Shore Party Command Group - Headquarters, 2nd Battalion, 18th Marines. The job of this Group was to establish dumps on the beaches and unload the ships. Owen states that he was probably one of the few that made the landing in Tarawa twice and never did get ashore, because he spent 13 days on the pier. At the end of this time, they went aboard the President Monroe and sailed to Hawaii. Upon arriving in Hilo, they set up a camp on the volcano which was at the Parker Ranch in Kamuela (Camp Tarawa) and at an old Japanese POW camp. While …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lanson B. Ditto. Ditto grew up in Kentucky. He went to college at Washington and Lee University and then joined the Navy in 1940. After training, Ditto chose to join the Asiatic Fleet. He went to Shanghai, China where he was assigned to the USS Langley (CV-1). The ship went to the Philippines. They were at Manila when the Japanese destroyed all B-17's at the airfield on December 8, 1941. The Langley left Manila Bay that night and headed south. On that trip, Ditto mentions that his ship fired at the planet Venus. They went to Balikpapan, refueled, and spent Christmas at Surabaya. Next, they went to Darwin, Australia, then Perth, Australia. Then, they went to Java. Before they arrived at the port, they were hit by Japanese airplanes dropping bombs. Ditto abandons ship and swims to the USS Edsall. They steam to the Christmas Island. He transferred to the Pecos. The Pecos was then bombed by the Japanese. Next the 220 survivors out of 666 men were picked up by the Whipple. He was injured and went back to the United States on the Mount Vernon. They …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jose King. King, of Korean descent, grew up under Japanese occupation in Songsong Village, Rota. Relations with the Japanese were mostly peaceful. He attended a strict but effective Japanese school. When Japanese supplies began to dwindle, soldiers stole food from villagers and threatened to kill them if they withheld it. The natives narrowly escaped mass execution and instead were put to work farming sweet potatoes. King’s family foraged in the mountains and jungles, hunting birds with a slingshot. His brother was recruited by the Japanese to hunt birds and was killed in an air raid. His uncle was wrongly accused of being a spy and sentenced to death. King and his family sought refuge in a cave during bombardments and were strafed while searching for food. Upon being discovered by American Marines, King feared that the food they provided might be poisoned. Although the military initially intended to send his family to Korea, they successfully pleaded to stay with their community. King’s family later moved to Saipan and then Tinian, embarking in prosperous trade with Allied occupation forces. He started a family of his own, and many of …

Video footage from a symposium sponsored by the National Museum of the Pacific War entitled But Not in Shame discussing men who were Prisoners of War in Japan during World War Two. This video features remarks given by Kyle Thompson, John Olson, Ken Towery, Bob Martindale and Fiske Hanley.

Video footage from a symposium sponsored by the National Museum of the Pacific War entitled But Not in Shame discussing men who were Prisoners of War in Japan during World War Two. This video contains remarks given by Admiral Grojean, Marty Marshall, Margaret Gillooly, Inez Jongenburger and Morris Shoss.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with C. Douglas Dillon where he discusses his childhood and education and what led him to join the Navy. He describes his career in the navy serving out of various ports across the US.