Oral History Interview with Crescencio Trevino, November 11, 2002 transcript

Oral History Interview with Crescencio Trevino, November 11, 2002

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Crescencio Trevino. Trevino joined the Army in April 1944 and received basic training at Fort Robinson. He deployed to Metz, France, as a rifleman with the 379th Infantry Regiment, 95th Infantry Division. Locals referred to them as The Iron Men of Metz. Trevino lost half of his platoon in Metz and survived combat on the Siegfried Line, moving on to clear out German holdouts in the Ruhr Pocket. Although he had only fired a bazooka once during training, he became the bazooka man for his unit. He describes in detail the technique of using hand grenades to clear pillboxes. Trevino turned down the Purple Heart for a minor injury to his finger, worrying that his family would be troubled by the news. After the ceasefire, Trevino was placed on occupation duty, under strict orders not to fraternize with German women, although everyone was friendly. He celebrated V-E Day with former Russian POWs who provided their own vodka. Trevino returned home in June 1945 and was discharged as a staff sergeant in April 1946. After reenlisting in 1948, he served in Corpus Christi as a recruiting sergeant until 1951.
Date: November 11, 2002
Creator: Trevino, Crescencio
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Clyde Harding, November 11, 2002 transcript

Oral History Interview with Clyde Harding, November 11, 2002

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Clyde Harding. Born in 1919, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1940. He describes his time in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). He was attached to the British Royal Air Force (RAF) as part of the Lend-Lease Program. He trained RAF pilots to fly B-25 Mitchell bombers. He recounts his capture and escape from German soldiers while serving in Egypt. He also trained Russian pilots to fly Bell P-39 Airacobras in Russia. In 1943 he was assigned to the 9th Tactical Air Command, 9th Air Force in England. In spring 1944, he flew aerial photography missions over the Normandy coastline. Additionally, he flew celebrities, such as Spike Jones and Joe Louis, to entertain the troops. Prior to the war?s end, he was employed as a civil servant.
Date: November 11, 2002
Creator: Harding, Clyde
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Roger Goff, May 11, 2002 transcript

Oral History Interview with Roger Goff, May 11, 2002

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Roger Goff. Goff joined the Navy on 19 December 1941. He served as Quartermaster aboard USS Enterprise (CV-6). Goff participated in every Enterprise naval battle from February of 1942 through the end of the war. He shares details of his experiences through the battles of Midway, Eastern Solomons and the Philippine Sea. He was honorably discharged in October of 1945.
Date: May 11, 2002
Creator: Goff, Roger
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Albert Schlemmer, August 11, 2002 transcript

Oral History Interview with Albert Schlemmer, August 11, 2002

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Albert Schlemmer. Schlemmer joined the Marine Corps in January of 1942. He was assigned to G Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines. In late 1942 he deployed to New Zealand and participated in the Battles of Guadalcanal and Cape Gloucester. He returned to the US in md-1944 to complete Officer Candidates School. He served as an instructor, teaching about jungle warfare. He then joined the 3rd Division, 9th Marines in preparation to invade Japan. Schlemmer was discharged in late 1945.
Date: August 11, 2002
Creator: Schlemmer, Albert
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Jack Whetsel, February 11, 2002 transcript

Oral History Interview with Jack Whetsel, February 11, 2002

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jack Whetsel. Whetsel graduated from Baylor in 1941, volunteered for the Navy and went into the V-7 Program. He trained at Northwestern University, received his commission after 90 days, and reported to Newport, Rhode Island Naval Operating Base. Their mission was to protect the ships coming out of New York on their way to Boston to from a convoy to England. After almost 18 months at Newport, he got orders to go to Amphibious Forces Pacific Fleet. From there he went to San Francisco, went aboard the USS Enterprise which sailed to Pearl Harbor at which time Whetsel reported to Commander Amphibious Forces Pacific Fleet, Adm Turner. Whetsel was on his staff from Tarawa through the end of the war. He talks about the smoke generators on the ship which they used to cover the fleet when the Japanese planes came over. Adm Turner's flagship was originally the USS Pennsylvania and then it switched to the USS Eldorado, an AGC. Whetsel also discusses the staff's move from Pearl Harbor to Guam. He was in Manila Bay when the atomic bombs were dropped. Whetsel talks very highly of Adm …
Date: February 11, 2002
Creator: Whetsel, Jack
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Jack Whetsel, February 11, 2002 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Jack Whetsel, February 11, 2002

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jack Whetsel. Whetsel graduated from Baylor in 1941, volunteered for the Navy and went into the V-7 Program. He trained at Northwestern University, received his commission after 90 days, and reported to Newport, Rhode Island Naval Operating Base. Their mission was to protect the ships coming out of New York on their way to Boston to from a convoy to England. After almost 18 months at Newport, he got orders to go to Amphibious Forces Pacific Fleet. From there he went to San Francisco, went aboard the USS Enterprise which sailed to Pearl Harbor at which time Whetsel reported to Commander Amphibious Forces Pacific Fleet, Adm Turner. Whetsel was on his staff from Tarawa through the end of the war. He talks about the smoke generators on the ship which they used to cover the fleet when the Japanese planes came over. Adm Turner's flagship was originally the USS Pennsylvania and then it switched to the USS Eldorado, an AGC. Whetsel also discusses the staff's move from Pearl Harbor to Guam. He was in Manila Bay when the atomic bombs were dropped. Whetsel talks very highly of Adm …
Date: February 11, 2002
Creator: Whetsel, Jack
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Crescencio Trevino, November 11, 2002 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Crescencio Trevino, November 11, 2002

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Crescencio Trevino. Trevino joined the Army in April 1944 and received basic training at Fort Robinson. He deployed to Metz, France, as a rifleman with the 379th Infantry Regiment, 95th Infantry Division. Locals referred to them as The Iron Men of Metz. Trevino lost half of his platoon in Metz and survived combat on the Siegfried Line, moving on to clear out German holdouts in the Ruhr Pocket. Although he had only fired a bazooka once during training, he became the bazooka man for his unit. He describes in detail the technique of using hand grenades to clear pillboxes. Trevino turned down the Purple Heart for a minor injury to his finger, worrying that his family would be troubled by the news. After the ceasefire, Trevino was placed on occupation duty, under strict orders not to fraternize with German women, although everyone was friendly. He celebrated V-E Day with former Russian POWs who provided their own vodka. Trevino returned home in June 1945 and was discharged as a staff sergeant in April 1946. After reenlisting in 1948, he served in Corpus Christi as a recruiting sergeant until 1951.
Date: November 11, 2002
Creator: Trevino, Crescencio
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Roger Goff, May 11, 2002 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Roger Goff, May 11, 2002

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Roger Goff. Goff joined the Navy on 19 December 1941. He served as Quartermaster aboard USS Enterprise (CV-6). Goff participated in every Enterprise naval battle from February of 1942 through the end of the war. He shares details of his experiences through the battles of Midway, Eastern Solomons and the Philippine Sea. He was honorably discharged in October of 1945.
Date: May 11, 2002
Creator: Goff, Roger
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Clyde Harding, November 11, 2002 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Clyde Harding, November 11, 2002

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Clyde Harding. Born in 1919, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1940. He describes his time in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). He was attached to the British Royal Air Force (RAF) as part of the Lend-Lease Program. He trained RAF pilots to fly B-25 Mitchell bombers. He recounts his capture and escape from German soldiers while serving in Egypt. He also trained Russian pilots to fly Bell P-39 Airacobras in Russia. In 1943 he was assigned to the 9th Tactical Air Command, 9th Air Force in England. In spring 1944, he flew aerial photography missions over the Normandy coastline. Additionally, he flew celebrities, such as Spike Jones and Joe Louis, to entertain the troops. Prior to the war?s end, he was employed as a civil servant.
Date: November 11, 2002
Creator: Harding, Clyde
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with John H. Brand, December 11, 2002 (open access)

Oral History Interview with John H. Brand, December 11, 2002

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John H. Brand. Brand was born in Vienna, Austria in 1923. He was attending New York University at the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor. He shares his memory of learning about the attack. He joined the Army in 1942 and became a U.S. citizen in 1943. He trained with tank destroyers at Camp Hood, Texas. Then he trained at Camp Howze, Texas and was assigned to Company E, 410th Regiment, 103rd Infantry Division. In late 1944 he was sent to Marseilles, France. He shares an anecdote about being arrested in Marseilles as well as hearing a broadcast by Axis Sally. He recounts his experiences of battle outside the town of St. Di?. He was wounded by shrapnel and developed trench foot. He discusses his experiences in both a field hospital and a general hospital. Because he was fluent in German, he finished his military career assigned to military government operations in Germany. He recounts the capture and arrest of an assistant to Ilsa Koch. He also shares an anecdote about the Hitler Youth. He was discharged in Berlin in December 1945. He took a position with …
Date: December 11, 2002
Creator: Brand, John H.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Albert Schlemmer, August 11, 2002 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Albert Schlemmer, August 11, 2002

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Albert Schlemmer. Schlemmer joined the Marine Corps in January of 1942. He was assigned to G Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines. In late 1942 he deployed to New Zealand and participated in the Battles of Guadalcanal and Cape Gloucester. He returned to the US in md-1944 to complete Officer Candidates School. He served as an instructor, teaching about jungle warfare. He then joined the 3rd Division, 9th Marines in preparation to invade Japan. Schlemmer was discharged in late 1945.
Date: August 11, 2002
Creator: Schlemmer, Albert
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History