Oral History Interview with Cleatus A. LeBow, May 2, 2006 transcript

Oral History Interview with Cleatus A. LeBow, May 2, 2006

Interview with Cleatus A. LeBow, a serviceman in the U. S. Navy during World War II. LeBow joined the navy in 1943 and went from Lubbock, Texas to San Diego for recruit training. He shipped out to Pearl Harbor aboard an LST from San Francisco. At Pearl Harbor, he was assigned to a work detail aboard the USS Oklahoma, which had just been righted. Shortly thereafter, he boarded the USS Indianapolis to serve as a range finder operator on one of the gun turrets. Upon leaving Hawaii, the Indianapolis went to Tarawa and then the Marshall Islands. LeBow witnessed Japanese civilian suicides on Saipan. He also witnessed the flag-raising on Iwo Jima from his range finder position aboard the ship. LeBow describes being hit by a kamikaze off Okinawa. He also discusses delivering atomic bomb components to Tinian and being torpedoed on the way to the Philippines. He describes abandoning the ship and spending five days in the water, including his faith in God, hallucinations, rescue, and his recovery.
Date: May 2, 2006
Creator: Misenhimer, Richard & Lebow, Cleatus A.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Stan Martin, October 2, 2006 transcript

Oral History Interview with Stan Martin, October 2, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Stan Martin. Martin was born in New Zealand, and joined the Territorial Army, the New Zealand Navy, around 1941. He worked as a Radarman, and served at radar posts around the Port of Auckland and Wellington. He was later assigned to the Royal Navy, and served aboard a British ship. He participated in the Battle of Okinawa. He became involved with the 2nd Marine Division Association and helped these veterans reconnect with those who helped make them welcome in New Zealand. He was made an honorary member of the association and attended many of their reunions both in New Zealand and the United States.
Date: October 2, 2006
Creator: Martin, Stan
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with George Franke, June 2, 2006 transcript

Oral History Interview with George Franke, June 2, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with George Franke. Franke joined the Navy in December of 1942. He completed radio, radar and gunnery school. He first trained in an ABX with hand-crank antennas. He later traveled to Florida to train in the Grumman TBF Avengers. In February of 1944 he volunteered for night flying in Quonset Point, Rhode Island. His unit practiced night flying to and from the USS Independence (CVL-22). They also completed anti-submarine patrol missions. In 1944 they participated in the Palau and Philippine operations, supporting landings at Angaur Island, Mindanao and Luzon. Franke shares his experiences over Formosa of a battle between the night fighters and some Japanese bombers. They also covered landings at Lingayen and Leyte gulfs. After their outfit was broken up, he started a training group in Vero Beach, Florida.
Date: June 2, 2006
Creator: Franke, George
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Cleatus A. LeBow, May 2, 2006 transcript

Oral History Interview with Cleatus A. LeBow, May 2, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Cleatus A. LeBow. LeBow joined the Navy in 1943 and went from Lubbock, Texas to San Diego for recruit training. He shipped out to Pearl Harbor aboard an LST from San Francisco. At Pearl Harbor, he was assigned to a work detail aboard the USS Oklahoma, which had just been righted. Shortly thereafter, he boarded the USS Indianapolis to serve as a range finder operator on one of the gun turrets. Upon leaving Hawaii, the Indianapolis went to Tarawa and then the Marshall Islands. LeBow witnessed Japanese civilian suicides on Saipan. He also witnessed the flag-raising on Iwo Jima from his range finder position aboard ship. LeBow describes being hit by a kamekazi off Okinawa. He also discusses delivering atomic bomb components to Tinian and being torpedoed on the way to the Philippines. He describes abandoning ship, spending five days in the water, his faith in God, hallucinations, and being rescued and his recovery.
Date: May 2, 2006
Creator: LeBow, Cleatus A.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Harold Iverson, October 2, 2006 transcript

Oral History Interview with Harold Iverson, October 2, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Harold Iverson. Iverson joined the Navy in July of 1943. He completed radio school, and served with the Hospital Corps. Beginning in the spring of 1945 Iverson worked as Pharmacist Mate 2nd Class aboard the USS Tranquility (AH-14). In August, they picked up surviving crew from the USS Indianapolis (CA-35) in the Palau Islands and transported them to Guam. He was honorably discharged in 1946.
Date: October 2, 2006
Creator: Iverson, Harold
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Bob Campaign, June 2, 2006 transcript

Oral History Interview with Bob Campaign, June 2, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bob Campaign. Campaign joined the Navy in March 1943 and attended the University of Iowa for pre-flight training. He describes a training device consisting of a mock cockpit that would be flipped over and lowered into a swimming pool, giving pilots a chance to practice releasing their harnesses while hanging upside down, submerged in water. He finished his training at Corpus Christi and Fort Lauderdale, transitioning into combat airplanes. He was then assigned to VT-15 aboard the USS Hornet (CV-12). After the shakedown cruise, Campaign was transferred to VF-79 as a night fighter pilot aboard the USS Independence (CVL-22).
Date: June 2, 2006
Creator: Campaign, Bob
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Rubin Peterson, June 2, 2006 transcript

Oral History Interview with Rubin Peterson, June 2, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Rubin Peterson. Peterson joined the Navy in June 1942 and received training at Iowa State College and the University of Georgia. He received training in instrument flying at Whiting Field and formation flying at Barron Field. Upon completion of dive bomber training in DeLand, he was assigned to a night fighter squadron aboard the USS Independence (CVL-22). On his first mission, he shot down a Betty bomber at Palau. He then bombed freighters near Leyte amidst antiaircraft fire. On his night missions, he used the 40-mile range of his radar to close in on planes until he had a visual on them. At the end of his tour, he witnessed a destroyer sunk by a typhoon. Peterson returned to the States in February 1945 and instructed pilots on using radar until he was discharged at the end of the war.
Date: June 2, 2006
Creator: Peterson, Rubin
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Jim Scanlon, June 2, 2006 transcript

Oral History Interview with Jim Scanlon, June 2, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jim Scanlon. Scanlon joined the Navy in November of 1942. He served as an aviation radio technician with the VF-41 Night Fighter Squadron. Scanlon provides vivid details of his training, and how he was involved with his missions. Scanlon was one of eleven radio technicians. They oversaw 25 airplanes in their squadron. He then served aboard the USS Hancock (CV-19) beginning November of 1944. Upon returning to the United States in October of 1945, he was assigned to the Naval Air Station in Klamath Falls, Oregon. His discharge date is not noted.
Date: June 2, 2006
Creator: Scanlon, Jim
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Bob Campaign, June 2, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Bob Campaign, June 2, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bob Campaign. Campaign joined the Navy in March 1943 and attended the University of Iowa for pre-flight training. He describes a training device consisting of a mock cockpit that would be flipped over and lowered into a swimming pool, giving pilots a chance to practice releasing their harnesses while hanging upside down, submerged in water. He finished his training at Corpus Christi and Fort Lauderdale, transitioning into combat airplanes. He was then assigned to VT-15 aboard the USS Hornet (CV-12). After the shakedown cruise, Campaign was transferred to VF-79 as a night fighter pilot aboard the USS Independence (CVL-22).
Date: June 2, 2006
Creator: Campaign, Bob
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Cleatus A. LeBow, May 2, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Cleatus A. LeBow, May 2, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Cleatus A. LeBow. LeBow joined the Navy in 1943 and went from Lubbock, Texas to San Diego for recruit training. He shipped out to Pearl Harbor aboard an LST from San Francisco. At Pearl Harbor, he was assigned to a work detail aboard the USS Oklahoma, which had just been righted. Shortly thereafter, he boarded the USS Indianapolis to serve as a range finder operator on one of the gun turrets. Upon leaving Hawaii, the Indianapolis went to Tarawa and then the Marshall Islands. LeBow witnessed Japanese civilian suicides on Saipan. He also witnessed the flag-raising on Iwo Jima from his range finder position aboard ship. LeBow describes being hit by a kamekazi off Okinawa. He also discusses delivering atomic bomb components to Tinian and being torpedoed on the way to the Philippines. He describes abandoning ship, spending five days in the water, his faith in God, hallucinations, and being rescued and his recovery.
Date: May 2, 2006
Creator: LeBow, Cleatus A.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Stan Martin, October 2, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Stan Martin, October 2, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Stan Martin. Martin was born in New Zealand, and joined the Territorial Army, the New Zealand Navy, around 1941. He worked as a Radarman, and served at radar posts around the Port of Auckland and Wellington. He was later assigned to the Royal Navy, and served aboard a British ship. He participated in the Battle of Okinawa. He became involved with the 2nd Marine Division Association and helped these veterans reconnect with those who helped make them welcome in New Zealand. He was made an honorary member of the association and attended many of their reunions both in New Zealand and the United States.
Date: October 2, 2006
Creator: Martin, Stan
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with George Franke, June 2, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with George Franke, June 2, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with George Franke. Franke joined the Navy in December of 1942. He completed radio, radar and gunnery school. He first trained in an ABX with hand-crank antennas. He later traveled to Florida to train in the Grumman TBF Avengers. In February of 1944 he volunteered for night flying in Quonset Point, Rhode Island. His unit practiced night flying to and from the USS Independence (CVL-22). They also completed anti-submarine patrol missions. In 1944 they participated in the Palau and Philippine operations, supporting landings at Angaur Island, Mindanao and Luzon. Franke shares his experiences over Formosa of a battle between the night fighters and some Japanese bombers. They also covered landings at Lingayen and Leyte gulfs. After their outfit was broken up, he started a training group in Vero Beach, Florida.
Date: June 2, 2006
Creator: Franke, George
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Rubin Peterson, June 2, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Rubin Peterson, June 2, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Rubin Peterson. Peterson joined the Navy in June 1942 and received training at Iowa State College and the University of Georgia. He received training in instrument flying at Whiting Field and formation flying at Barron Field. Upon completion of dive bomber training in DeLand, he was assigned to a night fighter squadron aboard the USS Independence (CVL-22). On his first mission, he shot down a Betty bomber at Palau. He then bombed freighters near Leyte amidst antiaircraft fire. On his night missions, he used the 40-mile range of his radar to close in on planes until he had a visual on them. At the end of his tour, he witnessed a destroyer sunk by a typhoon. Peterson returned to the States in February 1945 and instructed pilots on using radar until he was discharged at the end of the war.
Date: June 2, 2006
Creator: Peterson, Rubin
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Jim Scanlon, June 2, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Jim Scanlon, June 2, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jim Scanlon. Scanlon joined the Navy in November of 1942. He served as an aviation radio technician with the VF-41 Night Fighter Squadron. Scanlon provides vivid details of his training, and how he was involved with his missions. Scanlon was one of eleven radio technicians. They oversaw 25 airplanes in their squadron. He then served aboard the USS Hancock (CV-19) beginning November of 1944. Upon returning to the United States in October of 1945, he was assigned to the Naval Air Station in Klamath Falls, Oregon. His discharge date is not noted.
Date: June 2, 2006
Creator: Scanlon, Jim
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Harold Iverson, October 2, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Harold Iverson, October 2, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Harold Iverson. Iverson joined the Navy in July of 1943. He completed radio school, and served with the Hospital Corps. Beginning in the spring of 1945 Iverson worked as Pharmacist Mate 2nd Class aboard the USS Tranquility (AH-14). In August, they picked up surviving crew from the USS Indianapolis (CA-35) in the Palau Islands and transported them to Guam. He was honorably discharged in 1946.
Date: October 2, 2006
Creator: Iverson, Harold
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History