The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Billy Tune. Tune joined the Navy right after he finished high school in May 1943. He was assigned to USS President Polk (AP-103) and was aboard it when it was torpedoed. He somehow managed to get ashore at Tarawa and stayed with the Marines there for five days. Then he wound up at New Caledonia as a stevedore until he entered the hospital with asthma.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Matthew Constantino. Constantino joined the Marine Corps in June, 1941 and trained at Parris Island. He was assigned to the 7th Marines and went to Samoa before heading for Guadalcanal in September, 1942. Constantino served as a 60mm mortar man. He shares several anecdotes about combat patrols on Guadalcanal. He caught malaria and returned to the US where he was treated. He also served on Okinawa and went on to China. He received his discharge in 1947.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Cox. Cox was born in Detroit in 1923. After graduating from high school he attended the University of Michigan. In 1943 he entered the Army Air Forces. After taking basic training at Miami Beach, he went to Technology Western Reserve University for three months of study before going to Nashville, Tennessee for qualification testing. He was selected for pilot training and tells of the various bases at which he trained. Following his qualification with mutli-engine aircraft and being commissioned a second lieutenant he was sent to Naples, Italy to fly bombers. Reacting to a need for fighter pilots, he volunteered to fly P-38s and was assigned to the 82nd Fighter Group, 696th Fighter Squadron. Soon after his arrival he was selected for temporary assignment to the 154th Weather Squadron based at Bari, Italy to fly weather reconnaissance. He describes flying missions over Ploiesti, Romania and tells of seeing numerous American aircraft downed by flak. In 1944, he transferred into the Air Transport Command based at Cairo where he flew C-46 transport planes. Several months later he went to Lalmonirhat, India where he joined the 1326th Army Air …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Nicholas Erdely. Erdely was born in Tolick, West Virginia. He lived in a coal mining town where everything was controlled by the mining company. He joined the Army Air Corps in September 1940 and took basic training at Chanute field, Illinois. After completing radio operator school he boarded a ship bound for Bombay, India. Upon his arrival he went to Assam, where he was assigned to the 759t9h Signal Aircraft Warning Company. He walked three days to get to a signal aircraft warning site. The site was so remote, all supplies had to be dropped by airplanes. Erdely describes the living conditions they endured. The purpose of the eleven man team at the site was to observe and report by radio any aircraft in the vicinity. After seven months the team was relieved and went to Lahore, India. Then they traveled to a remote location in the mountains of northern Burma where they stayed another seven months. The team traveled to Calcutta where they boarded C-46 to fly to Fort Meade, Maryland. Soon after arriving, in the United States, Erderly was discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Leroy Fisher. Fisher enlisted in the Army Air Forces in 1941 after the attack on Pearl Harbor. In Long Beach, California he studied the workings of a C-47, then trained in towing gliders with the C-47, and then worked with paratroopers. He served as a flying crew chief and his job was to pre-flight the airplane every morning. In 1943 he flew over India and Burma dropping off supplies to the troops. He was a part of the 10th Army, and in the Air Forces 1st Combat Cargo Group, 3rd Squadron. His squadron supported the British 14th Army by dropping supplies. He also went into Kunming, China, transporting supplies to Foochow. He discusses how the British operated and how they utilized their troops. He shares some stories of working with Merrill’s Marauders, and dropping supplies to them. After the war he studied chemical engineering.

Transcript of an oral interview with Peter Lanchak. Lanchak joined the Army in 1939 and was sent to Panama to serve in a coastal artillery battery. He enjoyed riding in airplanes and volunteered for duty as a crewman or as a gunner on the various aircraft stationed where he was. Eventually, after the war started, he was shipped to India in 1942. Once he arrived in India, Lanchak began participating in missions over Rangoon and eventually flew over the Himalaya Mountains to China. After 47 missions, Lanchack was shipped back to the US in late 1943. When he returned, he served as an aerial gunnery trainer at Colorado Springs and in Idaho.

Transcript of an oral interview with Salvador Marcello. Marcello grew up in DeRidder, Louisiana and begins by recalling his experiences witnessing the Louisiana Maneuvers in 1941 around Camp Polk. Marcello joined the Army and was assigned to the Dental Corps and stationed at Cape Cod. In 1945, Marcello was sent to India with as a dental assistant. After the war, Marcello returned to go to pharmacy school at the University of Houston.

Transcript of an oral interview with Kenneth J. Ruff. Ruff joined the Army Air Forces while attending college in Missouri in 1942. He describes all the places he trained as a pilot, from Texas to Wisconsin and Oklahoma. He eventually was selected to be a flight instructor. He ferried one aircraft to Australia and when he returned, he went to Reno, Nevada for more flight training. Upon completion, Ruff ferried an airplane to India via Brazil and Africa. Once he arrived in India, his job then consisted of flying material in C-46 transport planes over "the Hump" to China. He flew 72 missions from India to China over the Himilaya Mountains. Ruff shares several experiences of his while flying in China and India. After the war, while Ruff was in the Reserves, he was recalled to fly supplies to German citizens in the Berlin Airlift (1948-1949). Ruff spent 20 years in the Air Force after WWII.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Hannibal Tadlock. Tadlock joined the Navy in 1940. He worked as an oil king aboard the USS Nevada (BB-36). Tadlock was aboard the Nevada while docked at Pearl Harbor during the attack on 7 December 1941. He was then stationed on the USS Lexington (CV-2) in the fire room during the Battle of the Coral Sea in May of 1942. He was then assigned to similar work aboard the USS Core (CVE-13) beginning December of 1943. They travelled across the Atlantic to England and Scotland, in search of German U-boats. They protected cargo and liberty ships and encountered German sailors from a bombed U-boat. In April of 1945 he was transferred to the USS Boxer (CV-21), working as a machinist’s mate. Tadlock was honorably discharged in April of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Raymond Cheney. Cheney enlisted in the Army Air Forces in September of 1942. He completed radio school and served in Australia, New Guinea and Los Negros Island. He provides some details of his work and travel experiences. He was honorably discharged in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Bill Merley. Merley joined the Merchant Marine in March of 1945. He enlisted as a cook and describes his training and his work. He describes his kitchen supplies of food. In May of 1945 they traveled aboard the USS Cape Johnson (AP-172) to the Mariana Islands. They traveled to Manila to unload supplies and then transported troops. He was discharged around December of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Michael Jewett. Jewett was inducted into the Army in August of 1943. He completed Officer Candidate School in January of 1944. He was sent to Fort Bragg, North Carolina to the replacement training center as an instructor for basic officer training. Then, off to Fort Benning to become an infantry officer, which he served as throughout his active duty. Jewett was sent to Leyte in the Philippines. He was assigned to the 40th Infantry Division, 160th Regiment. They traveled to Panay and Korea. In Korea he became part of the military government unit and was assigned as the agricultural officer. They distributed rice from the captured warehouses of the Japanese. Additionally, they processed the POWs, shipping them out. Later he became the colonel at the 428th Group Headquarters in South Bend, Indiana and the commandant at the 4169th US Army School at Kingsbury. He returned home in June of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Billy Tune. Tune joined the Navy right after he finished high school in May 1943. He was assigned to USS President Polk (AP-103) and was aboard it when it was torpedoed. He somehow managed to get ashore at Tarawa and stayed with the Marines there for five days. Then he wound up at New Caledonia as a stevedore until he entered the hospital with asthma.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Matthew Constantino. Constantino joined the Marine Corps in June, 1941 and trained at Parris Island. He was assigned to the 7th Marines and went to Samoa before heading for Guadalcanal in September, 1942. Constantino served as a 60mm mortar man. He shares several anecdotes about combat patrols on Guadalcanal. He caught malaria and returned to the US where he was treated. He also served on Okinawa and went on to China. He received his discharge in 1947.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Cox. Cox was born in Detroit in 1923. After graduating from high school he attended the University of Michigan. In 1943 he entered the Army Air Forces. After taking basic training at Miami Beach, he went to Technology Western Reserve University for three months of study before going to Nashville, Tennessee for qualification testing. He was selected for pilot training and tells of the various bases at which he trained. Following his qualification with mutli-engine aircraft and being commissioned a second lieutenant he was sent to Naples, Italy to fly bombers. Reacting to a need for fighter pilots, he volunteered to fly P-38s and was assigned to the 82nd Fighter Group, 696th Fighter Squadron. Soon after his arrival he was selected for temporary assignment to the 154th Weather Squadron based at Bari, Italy to fly weather reconnaissance. He describes flying missions over Ploiesti, Romania and tells of seeing numerous American aircraft downed by flak. In 1944, he transferred into the Air Transport Command based at Cairo where he flew C-46 transport planes. Several months later he went to Lalmonirhat, India where he joined the 1326th Army Air …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Nicholas Erdely. Erdely was born in Tolick, West Virginia. He lived in a coal mining town where everything was controlled by the mining company. He joined the Army Air Corps in September 1940 and took basic training at Chanute field, Illinois. After completing radio operator school he boarded a ship bound for Bombay, India. Upon his arrival he went to Assam, where he was assigned to the 759t9h Signal Aircraft Warning Company. He walked three days to get to a signal aircraft warning site. The site was so remote, all supplies had to be dropped by airplanes. Erdely describes the living conditions they endured. The purpose of the eleven man team at the site was to observe and report by radio any aircraft in the vicinity. After seven months the team was relieved and went to Lahore, India. Then they traveled to a remote location in the mountains of northern Burma where they stayed another seven months. The team traveled to Calcutta where they boarded C-46 to fly to Fort Meade, Maryland. Soon after arriving, in the United States, Erderly was discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Leroy Fisher. Fisher enlisted in the Army Air Forces in 1941 after the attack on Pearl Harbor. In Long Beach, California he studied the workings of a C-47, then trained in towing gliders with the C-47, and then worked with paratroopers. He served as a flying crew chief and his job was to pre-flight the airplane every morning. In 1943 he flew over India and Burma dropping off supplies to the troops. He was a part of the 10th Army, and in the Air Forces 1st Combat Cargo Group, 3rd Squadron. His squadron supported the British 14th Army by dropping supplies. He also went into Kunming, China, transporting supplies to Foochow. He discusses how the British operated and how they utilized their troops. He shares some stories of working with Merrill’s Marauders, and dropping supplies to them. After the war he studied chemical engineering.

Transcript of an oral interview with Peter Lanchak. Lanchak joined the Army in 1939 and was sent to Panama to serve in a coastal artillery battery. He enjoyed riding in airplanes and volunteered for duty as a crewman or as a gunner on the various aircraft stationed where he was. Eventually, after the war started, he was shipped to India in 1942. Once he arrived in India, Lanchak began participating in missions over Rangoon and eventually flew over the Himalaya Mountains to China. After 47 missions, Lanchack was shipped back to the US in late 1943. When he returned, he served as an aerial gunnery trainer at Colorado Springs and in Idaho.

Transcript of an oral interview with Salvador Marcello. Marcello grew up in DeRidder, Louisiana and begins by recalling his experiences witnessing the Louisiana Maneuvers in 1941 around Camp Polk. Marcello joined the Army and was assigned to the Dental Corps and stationed at Cape Cod. In 1945, Marcello was sent to India with as a dental assistant. After the war, Marcello returned to go to pharmacy school at the University of Houston.

Transcript of an oral interview with Kenneth J. Ruff. Ruff joined the Army Air Forces while attending college in Missouri in 1942. He describes all the places he trained as a pilot, from Texas to Wisconsin and Oklahoma. He eventually was selected to be a flight instructor. He ferried one aircraft to Australia and when he returned, he went to Reno, Nevada for more flight training. Upon completion, Ruff ferried an airplane to India via Brazil and Africa. Once he arrived in India, his job then consisted of flying material in C-46 transport planes over "the Hump" to China. He flew 72 missions from India to China over the Himilaya Mountains. Ruff shares several experiences of his while flying in China and India. After the war, while Ruff was in the Reserves, he was recalled to fly supplies to German citizens in the Berlin Airlift (1948-1949). Ruff spent 20 years in the Air Force after WWII.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Hannibal Tadlock. Tadlock joined the Navy in 1940. He worked as an oil king aboard the USS Nevada (BB-36). Tadlock was aboard the Nevada while docked at Pearl Harbor during the attack on 7 December 1941. He was then stationed on the USS Lexington (CV-2) in the fire room during the Battle of the Coral Sea in May of 1942. He was then assigned to similar work aboard the USS Core (CVE-13) beginning December of 1943. They travelled across the Atlantic to England and Scotland, in search of German U-boats. They protected cargo and liberty ships and encountered German sailors from a bombed U-boat. In April of 1945 he was transferred to the USS Boxer (CV-21), working as a machinist’s mate. Tadlock was honorably discharged in April of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Raymond Cheney. Cheney enlisted in the Army Air Forces in September of 1942. He completed radio school and served in Australia, New Guinea and Los Negros Island. He provides some details of his work and travel experiences. He was honorably discharged in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Violet Troutman where she discusses her childhood and the process of enlisting in the Women Accepted for Voluntry Emergency Service program, and her experiences in the Pacific Theatre During World War Two.