The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Phillip Grau. Grau entered the Army Air Forces in October, 1941 after having studied radio and telegraph operation. He did well enough to be an instructor before going overseas. In 1944, Grau went to Dacca, India. Once there, Grau served as a radio operator aboard cargo planes flying aviation gasoline over the Himalaya Mountains to airfields in China. He had over 1500 hours flight time and shares several anecdotes about flying the Hump. Shortly after the war ended, Grau headed home and was discharged in November 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bill Harper. In 1937, Harper joined the Civilian Conservation Corps and worked in his native Texas. In 1939, he joined the Army and was assigned to D Battery in the Fifth Field Artillery. He never received basic training. He went straight to work with a 155mm Howitzer crew at Fort Benning. The unit moved to New York after participating in the Louisiana Maneuvers. Harper made sergeant and worked in supply. He eventually was assigned to the 601st Tank Destroyer Battalion and shipped out aboard RMS Queen Mary with the 1st Infantry Division bound for Scotland in August 1942. He arrived in North Africa with his unit in December and drove a half-track. After leaving North Africa, Harper's unit was attached tot he 36th Infantry Division and landed with them at Salerno. Later, he landed at Anzio with the 3rd Infantry Division. After landing at Southern France, Harper received a 90 day furlough beginning in October, 1944. When he was home, he got married. When he returned to his unit, he drove with them into Germany before he was wounded at Nuremburg in April, 1945. He was discharged n …

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 interview with Wayne Landes. Landes was drafted into the Army in June, 1944. He was hurried overseas during the Battle of the Bulge and joined the 333rd Infantry Regiment, 84th Infantry Division in Belgium. Then, they proceeded to attack into Germany. Landes returned home after the war with several German souvenirs.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Lansford. Lansford joined the navy in January 1941. His first duty station was at Kaneohe Naval Air Station on Oahu. He was an electrician and kept crash boat batteries operating. Lansford recalls the Japanese attack on Kaneohe. He remained at Kaneohe for the rest of the war at the air station serving as an electrician.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James Leach. Leach joined the Navy in August, 1942 and after training attended diesel engine school in Missouri. After amphibious training at Little Creek, Virginia, Leach headed for Kentucky to join the crew of USS LST-78 in May 1943. In November, USS LST-78 was in on the invasion of Makin. Later, he made the landing at Kwajalein in early 1944. They spent a lot of time running supplies to Guam. In February, 1945, Leach returned to the US. When the war ended, Leach was in Farragut, Idaho having his teeth fixed.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Arthur Liberty. Born in Vermont, Liberty quit high school in 1942 to join the Marine Corps. He took boot training at Parris Island for nine weeks before going to Camp Lejeune where he was assigned to Company M, 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marines. After three more weeks of training, the company boarded a troop train to Camp Pendleton. Liberty boarded a ship bound for Rio-Namur during January 1944. He was in the third wave of the invasion and was wounded one hour after landing. He was taken to Aiea Naval Hospital in Pearl Harbor for treatment and recovery. Upon recovering, he returned to his division in time for the invasion of Saipan in June 1944. He landed with the first wave, endured heavy Japanese artillery and machine gun fire, which killed or wounded several members of his squad. Later, the battalion invaded Tinian where Liberty recalls being in a foxhole with three others when an artillery shell exploded close by wounding one and killing two others leaving him unharmed. Next, Liberty landed on Iwo Jima on 19 February. Of the 350 men in his company who landed on Iwo …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ralph S. Long. Long joined the Navy in June, 1944. After basic training, he was assigned to ACORN 29 and went overseas from Port Hueneme and arrived in time for the invasion of Okinawa. He landed with a Navy construction battalion and assisted in establishing a small airfield for close air support. Long was discharged from the Navy in 1946. He entered the Air Force in 1951 with a commission and served as a psychologist. He retired in 1971.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jack Gilbreath. Born in 1925, he was drafted into the Marine Corps in 1943. As a member of a mortar team in the 4th Division, he first saw military action on Roi-Namur. He describes a mortar and his role on a mortar team. He relates an incident in which LSTs, including his own USS LST-39, caught fire and exploded in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He describes action on Saipan, including landing; combat; friendly fire; Japanese Banzai attacks; and civilian suicides. He also recounts an incident on Saipan in which the Japanese soldiers used civilians to draw fire in order to locate U. S. military positions at night. He talks about living conditions on Saipan after the invasion and mentions radio broadcasts of Tokyo Rose. After the invasions of Saipan and Tinian, he went to Hawaii to prepare for the invasion of Iwo Jima. He talks about seasickness and refueling an LST while at sea en route to Iwo Jima. He describes landing and combat on Iwo Jima. He sustained a shrapnel wound, but was treated and sent back to his unit. He speaks about the living conditions in various …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Herbert Merritt. When Merritt finished high school I n1941, he went to work for GM making marine engines for PT boats. He volunteered for service in the Army and was assigned to the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment. After going overseas and having more training, Merritt landed with his unit at Leyte, where he was wounded. While serving as a scout for his company, Merritt was wounded by a Japanese grenade. He was evacuated and sent aboard USS Mercy (AH-8). He recovered on Guadalcanal until being shipped back to his unit in time for the liberation of Manila. When the war ended, Merritt went to Japan and describes some of his experiences there during the occupation.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Devon Moon. Moon joined the Army in April 1943 and trained as a combat engineer. He joined the 247th Combat Engineer Battalion and went to England in early 1944. He landed at Omaha Beach two days after the invasion and built bridges in the area. Moon was wounded in February but was able to return to his unit. His unit travelled From France to Belgium to Germany and was near the Elbe River when the war ended. Moon returned home and was discharged in November 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Harry Miller. Miller was born in Beaver Township, Indiana on 28 April 1922. Upon joining the Navy in November 1942, he went to Great Lakes Naval Training Station, Illinois for boot training. Upon his arrival he was selected for six months of training as a pharmacist’s mate. Upon completion of the course he was assigned to the Midshipman’s School at Notre Dame University. Among those from whom he drew blood, for medical purposes, was the movie actor Jackie Cooper. In 1943 he went to Treasure Island, California where he boarded the SS America bound for Brisbane, Australia. Upon his arrival he was assigned to the medical emergency room aboard the USS Blue Ridge (AGC-2). He describes his experiences while aboard the ship. Miller was then assigned to the patrol craft USS PC-1119. He recalls picking up USS Gambier Bay (CVE-73) survivors and describes their condition and the treatment he administered. He was later awarded the Bronze Star for his work in treating those sailors. Soon after returning to the United States, Miller was operated on for a medical condition. He was discharged soon after leaving the hospital in …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ross Murphy. Murphy lied about his age and joined the Navy in July, 1944. From basic training, Murphy went to Florida for amphibious training learning how to be a coxswain on an LCVP. He was then assigned to USS Daniel T. Griffin (APD-38) in December 1944. At Okinawa, Murphy used his LCVP to sweep for mines in close to the shore. He was discharged in June, 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents and oral interview with Uno Johnson. Johnson was born in Veinge, Sweden 26 May 1923. He emigrated to the United States with his parents at the age of six months. He entered the U.S. Army 4 February 1943 and took basic training at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. He was stationed in Florida and had a part-time job in a foundry cleaning the furnaces. He recalls being stationed in Berkeley, California as a truck driver and tells of taking troops to San Francisco to board ships bound for overseas. He experienced an earthquake while stationed there. In February 1945 he boarded the USS Matsonia (D1589) for Oahu, and upon his arrival he began living in a tent in the Ala Moana Crater. There he worked on the maintenance of military vehicles. In February 1946 Johnson returned to the United States aboard the USS Matsonia. He received his discharge 12 February 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lester D. Read. Read was born 14 September 1928 in Plymouth, Indiana and graduated from Plymouth High School in 1943. Drafted into the Marine Corps in 1943, he describes training in boot camp at San Diego. He then went to tank training school where he was assigned to reconnaissance and liaison in the 5th Marine Division, 28th Marine Regiment, 5th Tank Battalion. His primary job was to communicate by radio between the infantry and the tanks. Upon completing tank training he went aboard an LSM, loaded with three tanks, and sailed to Hilo, Hawaii. After a period of advanced training the division went aboard a troop ship destined for Iwo Jima. He describes his landing with the seventh wave on 19 February 1945 and tells of his partner getting wounded soon after getting on shore. He remembers 23 February 1945 when he volunteered for a mission to the top of Mount Suribachi and tells of being there when the first American flag was raised. After a period of time the division returned to Hawaii for replacements and training. Read was aboard a troop transport ready to participate in …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Margaret Ringenberg. Ringenberg possessed a private pilot’s license and became a ferry pilot with the Women Air Force Service Pilots (WASPs) in March, 1943. Once she joined, she went to training at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas. With training completed, Ringenberg was stationed in Delaware. From there, she would travel to factories and fly planes to various fields. She flew single and multi-engine planes during the war. When the WASPs were disbanded in late 1944, Ringenberg went back home. She continued to fly for the remainder of her life logging over 40,000 hours.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Joseph T. Smith. Smith was drafted and entered the Army in October, 1942. He was assigned to the 92nd Evacuation Hospital and trained with them as soon as he entered the service. He shipped overseas to Australia in June 1943. After treating casualties from the New Guinea campaign, Smith's unit relocated to Hollandia and then went to Biak. On Owi, his unit dealt with a scrub typhus epidemic. Later, they went to the Philippines and set up on Luzon. His hospital ward treated many of the Cabanatuan POW camp survivors after they were rescued. General MacArthur paid his ward a visit, too. When the war ended, Smith's unit went to Japan and set up their hospital in Nagoya. Smith returned tot he US and was discharged in January, 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 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 James Walker. Walker finished high school in 1942, then joined the Navy. He was trained as a pharmacist's mate and went to Guadalcanal in February 1943 and stayed until October. He was evacuated with a few illnesses. Once he recovered, he was assigned to USS Rixey (APH-3). He went to officer candidate school in Kansas in August, 1944. He finished the war there and elected to stay for the education to become an officer rather than return to the Fleet as a first class petty officer. When he finished school and received his commission, he was assigned to USS Ashtabula (AO-51) in 1948 and headed for Japan and other ports. Walker resigned his commission in 1951.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Claiborn Wamsley. Wamsley joined the Navy in November, 1943 and attended signal school after boot training. He was then assigned to USS LST-1040, picked it up in Pittsburgh and rode down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans. From there, they traveled to Pearl Harbor. From there, the 1040 went to Okinawa to unload supplies. He also recalls being caught in typhoons. After the war, Wamsley spent time in Japan and China delivering materials and people to various ports. He returned to the US and was discharged in June, 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Joseph Wallingford. Wallingford enlisted in the Navy in August, 1942. He received very little training before being assigned to USS LST-452 in Washington. They first went to Hawaii, then Australia before getting involved in the campaign for New Guinea. In the Philippines, at Leyte, Wallingford was aboard when the ship received 8 enemy shells while beached and unloading. Toward the end of the war, Wallingford was assigned to USS Kermit Roosevelt (ARG-16) and rode it to China after the war ended. Upon returning from China, Wallingford was discharged in January, 1946.

Transcript of an oral interview with Dr. Edward Drea. Drea joined the Air Force in 1965 after college and trained as an intelligence officer. He was eventually assigned to the Fifth Air Force in Fuchu, Japan in 1968 where he monitored communications between communist countries. After a tour with the Air Force in Vietnam, Drea returned to Japan in 1971 to attend university on the G.I. Bill and study for a masters degree in international relations. He returned to work on a Ph. D. at the University of Kansas and was able to return to Japan for some doctoral work where an interest in the Imperial Japanese Army grew and matured. Upon completion of the degree, he took a position at the Combat Studies Institute at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas as a civilian historian. The conversation drifts into breaking the Japanese code during World War II and using it to Allied advantage. From there, the conversation goes into Japan's decision to go to war against the United States. From there, it moves to the occupation of Japan after the war ended and the Imperial Japanese Army.

Transcript of an oral interview with Doug Aitken. When the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred, Aitken was nineteen and in college in California. He remained in college, earned his degree and was commissioned an ensign upon finishing school in 1944. He then went to radar school and trained for a position in the combat information center (CIC) of a destroyer. He soon reported aboard the USS Hugh W. Hadley (DD-774) in San Diego and headed for the Pacific. Soon, the Hadley was escorting other ships to Okinawa fo rthe invasion. Once there, the Hadley went on picket duty north of Okinawa on the lookout for kamikazes. Aitken describes a day in which the Hadley and other destroyers on picket station #15 off Okinawa were attacked by approximately 150 kamikazes in less than two hours. His battle station was inside the CIC. He also describes the Hadley being struck by three kamikazes and the crew abandoning ship. The Hadley was taken under tow to Kerama Retto for repairs, where she tied up alongside the USS Aaron Ward (DM-34), which had also been struck by numerous kamikazes. After repairs, the Hadley was towed to San Francisco. The war ended while she was …