The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Francis J. Sitar. Sitar joined the Navy in early 1941. He completed training in Newport, Rhode Island. In mid-1941, he served aboard USS Mizar (AF-12), and traveled with Task Force 16 to Reykjavík, Iceland. For the next year the Mizar operated in the western Atlantic from a number of East Coast ports supplying bases and ships from Iceland to the Virgin Islands. In July of 1942 they transported a parachute battalion to New Zealand, then traveled to Australian ports to support Army forces engaged in the New Guinea campaign. Around 1943, Sitar transferred to USS Gold Star (AK-12) and served as Second Class Boatswain Mate and later as Chief Warrant Officer, and traveled to Perth and New Guinea. He later served as second in command aboard a tugboat. He received an honorable discharge around January of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Clyde Simpson. Simpson joined the Navy in June of 1940. He went to boot camp in San Diego, California. From there he went to Aviation Radio School to learn Morse Code. He also completed gunnery school. He was then transferred in early 1941 to the air group on the USS Saratoga (CV-3) and placed in Scouting Squadron 3 (VS-3). They traveled back and forth from San Diego to Hawaii for training cruises. Ten days after the attack on Pearl Harbor they traveled back to Hawaii. They were then sent out to look for the Japanese fleet, and ended up getting hit by a Japanese submarine. He talks about this experience. In July of 1942 he was back out to sea headed to the Solomon Islands, providing air support for the Marines at Guadalcanal. He provides details of the fighting at Guadalcanal. He was medically retired by the Navy in June of 1951.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dick Bulington. Bulington joined the Army in January 1946. He completed his training at Fort McClellan, Alabama. He had weapons training. After basic training he was sent to Germany in April 1946. They landed in Le Havre, France and went by train to Germany. He served in the 508th Military Police Battalion in Munich. He was then transferred to the 1st Infantry Division. He served partially as an MP with the division and as a guard during the Nuremberg War Crime Trials in Germany. He was discharged April 1949. He provides some description of civilian life in Germany. He continued helping on his family’s farm when he returned home.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles William Wiley. Wiley joined the Navy in 1944. He completed basic training in Samson, New York, and worked in Naval Intelligence at an airfield in Anacostia, near Washington DC. He helped make propaganda and training films, and worked security on the base. In early 1945, he was assigned to USS LST-950 in the Pacific and participated in the assault and occupation of Okinawa. From September through early November, they performed occupation duty in Japan. In mid-1946, they assisted in relocating natives off of Bikini Island to other islands, for the United States nuclear testing. Wiley returned to the US in late 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles William Wiley. Wiley joined the Navy in 1944. He completed basic training in Samson, New York, and worked in Naval Intelligence at an airfield in Anacostia, near Washington DC. He helped make propaganda and training films, and worked security on the base. In early 1945, he was assigned to USS LST-950 in the Pacific and participated in the assault and occupation of Okinawa. From September through early November, they performed occupation duty in Japan. In mid-1946, they assisted in relocating natives off of Bikini Island to other islands, for the United States nuclear testing. Wiley returned to the US in late 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dick Bulington. Bulington joined the Army in January 1946. He completed his training at Fort McClellan, Alabama. He had weapons training. After basic training he was sent to Germany in April 1946. They landed in Le Havre, France and went by train to Germany. He served in the 508th Military Police Battalion in Munich. He was then transferred to the 1st Infantry Division. He served partially as an MP with the division and as a guard during the Nuremberg War Crime Trials in Germany. He was discharged April 1949. He provides some description of civilian life in Germany. He continued helping on his family’s farm when he returned home.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Francis J. Sitar. Sitar joined the Navy in early 1941. He completed training in Newport, Rhode Island. In mid-1941, he served aboard USS Mizar (AF-12), and traveled with Task Force 16 to Reykjavík, Iceland. For the next year the Mizar operated in the western Atlantic from a number of East Coast ports supplying bases and ships from Iceland to the Virgin Islands. In July of 1942 they transported a parachute battalion to New Zealand, then traveled to Australian ports to support Army forces engaged in the New Guinea campaign. Around 1943, Sitar transferred to USS Gold Star (AK-12) and served as Second Class Boatswain Mate and later as Chief Warrant Officer, and traveled to Perth and New Guinea. He later served as second in command aboard a tugboat. He received an honorable discharge around January of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Clyde Simpson. Simpson joined the Navy in June of 1940. He went to boot camp in San Diego, California. From there he went to Aviation Radio School to learn Morse Code. He also completed gunnery school. He was then transferred in early 1941 to the air group on the USS Saratoga (CV-3) and placed in Scouting Squadron 3 (VS-3). They traveled back and forth from San Diego to Hawaii for training cruises. Ten days after the attack on Pearl Harbor they traveled back to Hawaii. They were then sent out to look for the Japanese fleet, and ended up getting hit by a Japanese submarine. He talks about this experience. In July of 1942 he was back out to sea headed to the Solomon Islands, providing air support for the Marines at Guadalcanal. He provides details of the fighting at Guadalcanal. He was medically retired by the Navy in June of 1951.