Transcript of an oral interview with Robert Lewis Kelly. Kelly joined the Naval Reserve in 1938 in Kansas City, Missouri. He was sent to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on an ATA (auxiliary ocean tug.) He initially served on a troop transport ship. He later served on minelayers and minesweepers in the Atlantic Theater. He describes being transported in Africa in a 40-and-8 box car. He also provides information about his parents and siblings. He served until the end of the war. Kelly served on a troop transport ship in both the Pacific and Atlantic Theaters. He went to Mine Warfare School and then served on minesweepers and minelayers. He provided minesweeping support for the Normandy Invasion. In addition to sharing information about minelaying and minesweeping, he describes being on liberty in Greece; serving as a brig warden; experiencing a tsunami and a typhoon while at sea; witnessing a German submarine attack near Bermuda; experiencing a London air raid; witnessing the USS Osprey and the USS Tide hitting mines and the USS Texas being hit by German shells; and living on the beach in Casablanca. He recounts a story about missing alcohol in the marine compass. He also describes the food situation …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Holt. Holt was drafted into the Army in May 1944 and had basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. After basic training, Holt was assigned as an infantryman in the 16th Armored infantry Battalion, 13th Armored Division. He describes his experiences in France and Germany being under sniper fire and moving forward to the Ruhr Valley. Holt returned to the US with his unit in June, 1945, as they were slated to invade Japan. He was discharged in February, 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Marie Speer. Speer was born 9 May 1921 in Tappan, New York. After graduating from high school in 1938 she worked at various jobs and attended classes at New York University. She tells of meeting her first husband Edward Hawley Jordan at the college and getting married in May 1942. Her husband was drafted in January 1944 and took his basic training at Fort McGraw, Alabama. In September 1944 he joined the 175th Regiment, 29th Infantry Division as a replacement and was sent to France. She sadly remembers receiving a letter written by him on November 25 1944 and receiving a telegram the same day notifying her he was killed in action on the day he wrote the letter. Within days of receiving the news she was informed that her husband’s cousin had been killed in action and that her brother had been captured by the Germans. She soon was involved in the establishment of The Gold Star Wives organization and explains the goals, the growth and the accomplishments of the organization. She proudly points out that Eleanor Roosevelt was a signee on the original charter and a …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Belt. Belt joined the Navy after earning a master's degree and went to midshipman' school. He earned a commission and reported aboard USS Tuscaloosa (CA-37)in May 1943. Belt was aboard when the Tuscaloosa participated in the invasion of France and was at Iwo Jima. He also recalls being off Okinawa. Belt went aboard HMS Duke of York and met Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser one day. He also attended the Japanese Language School and was there when the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Johnnie Singleton. Singleton entered the Navy at 16 in June 1941 and trained at Corpus Christi. Singleton is African American and served as a mess attendant in a segregated Navy. He went aboard the USS Maryland (BB-46) at Pearl Harbor in September 1941. On December 7, 1941, Singleton was in the officers' galley when the Japanese struck. He went to his battle station in an ammunition handling room below deck. Next, Singleton describes the invasion of Tarawa and seeing bodies floating in the water. After Tarawa, the Maryland went to the Marshall Islands, Eniwetok and Kwajalein. Then, they went to Truk and Saipan. The Maryland got hit in the bow one night by a torpedo while they were in the harbor at Saipan. The battle of Leyte Gulf was next for the Maryland and she was one of the battleships at Surigao Strait. A kamikaze crashed into her later during the battle and she had to go to Bremerton for repairs. After repairs, the Maryland rejoined the fleet and sailed for Okinawa. The Maryland took another kamikaze hit off Okinawa with Singleton was trapped below deck at his …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ben McDonald. McDonald entered the University of Texas Navy ROTC program in July, 1943 and graduated and was commissioned in January, 1945. He then joined USS Wichita (CA-45) as a gunnery officer in time for the Okinawa invasion. McDonald discusses kamikazes, suicide swimmers, and going ashore on Okinawa to serve as a fire control forward observer for his ship. When the war ended, the Wichita proceeded to Nagasaki Bay. McDonald observed the damage the atomic bomb did to the city. Wichita evacuated former Allied POWs from the Nagasaki and Sasebo areas before returning to the US in early 1946. McDonald was converted to the Inactive Reserves in 1946.

Transcript of an oral interview with Robert Lewis Kelly. Kelly joined the Naval Reserve in 1938 in Kansas City, Missouri. He was sent to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on an ATA (auxiliary ocean tug.) He initially served on a troop transport ship. He later served on minelayers and minesweepers in the Atlantic Theater. He describes being transported in Africa in a 40-and-8 box car. He also provides information about his parents and siblings. He served until the end of the war. Kelly served on a troop transport ship in both the Pacific and Atlantic Theaters. He went to Mine Warfare School and then served on minesweepers and minelayers. He provided minesweeping support for the Normandy Invasion. In addition to sharing information about minelaying and minesweeping, he describes being on liberty in Greece; serving as a brig warden; experiencing a tsunami and a typhoon while at sea; witnessing a German submarine attack near Bermuda; experiencing a London air raid; witnessing the USS Osprey and the USS Tide hitting mines and the USS Texas being hit by German shells; and living on the beach in Casablanca. He recounts a story about missing alcohol in the marine compass. He also describes the food situation …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Wayne VanDerWeele. VanDerWeele joined the Navy in June of 1944. He discusses briefly the relocation of the Japanese-Americans during wartime. He was assigned to HMS Battleaxe beginning August of 1944. They traveled to the New Hebrides Islands, working on a dry dock. From there they went to New Caledonia working on a receiving station, and at the Fleet Record Office forwarding mail. He served in the Fleet Office from October 1944 until March of 1945 and provides details of their work and living conditions. Their office was then moved to Guam, where he worked from April 1945 until February 1946. He was discharged in April of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Johnnie Singleton. Singleton entered the Navy at 16 in June 1941 and trained at Corpus Christi. Singleton is African American and served as a mess attendant in a segregated Navy. He went aboard the USS Maryland (BB-46) at Pearl Harbor in September 1941. On December 7, 1941, Singleton was in the officers' galley when the Japanese struck. He went to his battle station in an ammunition handling room below deck. Next, Singleton describes the invasion of Tarawa and seeing bodies floating in the water. After Tarawa, the Maryland went to the Marshall Islands, Eniwetok and Kwajalein. Then, they went to Truk and Saipan. The Maryland got hit in the bow one night by a torpedo while they were in the harbor at Saipan. The battle of Leyte Gulf was next for the Maryland and she was one of the battleships at Surigao Strait. A kamikaze crashed into her later during the battle and she had to go to Bremerton for repairs. After repairs, the Maryland rejoined the fleet and sailed for Okinawa. The Maryland took another kamikaze hit off Okinawa with Singleton was trapped below deck at his …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Holt. Holt was drafted into the Army in May 1944 and had basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. After basic training, Holt was assigned as an infantryman in the 16th Armored infantry Battalion, 13th Armored Division. He describes his experiences in France and Germany being under sniper fire and moving forward to the Ruhr Valley. Holt returned to the US with his unit in June, 1945, as they were slated to invade Japan. He was discharged in February, 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ben McDonald. McDonald entered the University of Texas Navy ROTC program in July, 1943 and graduated and was commissioned in January, 1945. He then joined USS Wichita (CA-45) as a gunnery officer in time for the Okinawa invasion. McDonald discusses kamikazes, suicide swimmers, and going ashore on Okinawa to serve as a fire control forward observer for his ship. When the war ended, the Wichita proceeded to Nagasaki Bay. McDonald observed the damage the atomic bomb did to the city. Wichita evacuated former Allied POWs from the Nagasaki and Sasebo areas before returning to the US in early 1946. McDonald was converted to the Inactive Reserves in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Marie Speer. Speer was born 9 May 1921 in Tappan, New York. After graduating from high school in 1938 she worked at various jobs and attended classes at New York University. She tells of meeting her first husband Edward Hawley Jordan at the college and getting married in May 1942. Her husband was drafted in January 1944 and took his basic training at Fort McGraw, Alabama. In September 1944 he joined the 175th Regiment, 29th Infantry Division as a replacement and was sent to France. She sadly remembers receiving a letter written by him on November 25 1944 and receiving a telegram the same day notifying her he was killed in action on the day he wrote the letter. Within days of receiving the news she was informed that her husband’s cousin had been killed in action and that her brother had been captured by the Germans. She soon was involved in the establishment of The Gold Star Wives organization and explains the goals, the growth and the accomplishments of the organization. She proudly points out that Eleanor Roosevelt was a signee on the original charter and a …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Belt. Belt joined the Navy after earning a master's degree and went to midshipman' school. He earned a commission and reported aboard USS Tuscaloosa (CA-37)in May 1943. Belt was aboard when the Tuscaloosa participated in the invasion of France and was at Iwo Jima. He also recalls being off Okinawa. Belt went aboard HMS Duke of York and met Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser one day. He also attended the Japanese Language School and was there when the war ended.