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.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Benzinger. Benzinger joined the Navy in June of 1944. He completed Radio School. He was stationed as a Radio Technician at the Navy Pier in Chicago and worked with all Navy communications equipment. He graduated from Navy Pier just as the war ended and continued on with his service. He worked in a receiving station on Leyte Gulf in the Philippine from September of 1945 through May of 1946. He was discharged in June of 1946.

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.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Richard Harold Garty. Garty joined the Marine Corps in July 1941, receiving basic training in San Diego. He was assigned to the antiaircraft division of the 4th Defense Battalion, stationed at Pearl Harbor when it was attacked. He was peeling potatoes at the mess hall when the first air raid started. Throughout the war, Garty’s battle station was loading fuse pots, and he describes in detail the teamwork involved in firing a three-inch shell. His left ear was always beside the gun when it fired, causing him tinnitus later in life. He spent time on Efate and Espiritu Santo in June 1942, building airstrips on coconut plantations by hauling felled trees with a tractor. He learned to make spirits by adding raisins to coconuts and allowing them to ferment. In New Zealand he was on MP duty, and in Guadalcanal he became a telephone lineman. There he witnessed a successful diversion of Washing Machine Charlie, with lights strung in the ocean to imitate a landing strip. Garty contracted malaria. He was sent to Camp Pendleton, where he had his wisdom teeth removed. There he reunited with a friend …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Hotova. Hotova was born in November 1918. He describes conditions during the Great Depression. He left high school at 15 years of age and joined the National Guard in 1939. He was assigned to the 242nd Coast Artillery. Hotova applied for flight training in the Army Air Corps in 1942. He did not qualify for advanced flight training and was assigned to aircraft mechanics school at Keesler Field, Mississippi. After four months of training, he was sent to Laredo, Texas for gunnery training. He was assigned as a waist gunner on a B-24. While four members flew their plane to England, he and five other crewmen boarded RMS Queen Mary. Landing in Scotland they were assigned to the 8th Air Force, 389th Bomb Group, 567th Bomb Squadron based at Hethel, England. On his first bombing mission, in May 1944, he flew to Brussels and recounts the discomfort of being at a waist gun position at high altitudes. Having flown 29 combat missions during his tour, he describes several of the missions, during which German fighters and heavy flak were encountered. He also witnessed other aircraft being shot …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lorraine Mannering, nee Ungaretti. She discusses life prior to World War II and life on the homefront during the war. Her husband, drafted into the Army in 1941, served with the 18th Engineers constructing the Alcan Highway in Alaska. He also served on the Aleutian Islands of Attu, Adak, and Shemya. During the war, Lorraine continued her work in the insurance industry in San Francisco, California. She discusses rationing, shortages, blackouts, and victory gardens. She talks about war damage insurance policies and communicating with her husband via mail. She reflects on the treatment of Japanese Americans, the changing role of women, the use of atomic bombs, and race relations in San Francisco. When her husband was transferred to Fort Belvoir, Virginia, she worked for the Red Cross. Her husband was discharged in 1945. The interview includes information about her parents as well as her life after the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert E. Mills. Mills joined the Marine Corps in 1939 and trained at Parris Island, South Carolina. After training, Mills was assigned to 4th Defense Battalion and sent to Cuba in 1940. Late in 1941, Mills was transferred out to Pealr Harbor and describes the Japanese attack. He manned a machine gun until he ran out of ammunition, then went aboard a small vessel and rescued folks from out of the harbor. Shortly thereafter, Mills was sent to the Solomon Islands where he discusses building an airstrip at Vella Lavella. Mills then speaks about getting communications established at Nagasaki after the war ended. He also shares an anecdote about assisting a chaplain with the baptism of several men on Iwo Jima. He also describes the time he was wounded by a Japanese shell.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles E. Jones. With his father's consent, Jones joined the Marine Corps in Tennessee when he was 15 years old in 1940. When he finished training at Parris Island, South Carolina, he was assigned to the Fourth Defense Battalion at Guantanimo Bay, Cuba. In November, 1941, his unit was assigned to Wake Island. He was at Pearl Harbor en route to Wake Island when the Japanese struck Hawaii on 7 December 1941. Jones describes his activities during the battle. Shortly thereafter, Jones was sent to Efate, New Hebrides where his unit defended an airstrip from which the US was able to attack Guadalcanal. Jones retunred to the US and trained on 155mm artillery guns at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. While at Camp Lejeune, Jones was able to shake President Roosevelt's hand. Jones recalls a story about meeting his brother randomly on Guam. Jones was on Guam when the war ended. He mustered out of the Marines in November, 1945 and eventually reenlisted in the US Air Force. He served in the print shop at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Loyd Oakes. Oakes was born in Corpus Christi, Texas and enlisted in the Army Air Forces on 9 February 1943 and was sent to Kelly Field for training. He qualified as bombardier and went to Laredo, Texas for ten weeks of gunnery training followed by three weeks of bombardier training in Midland, Texas. He graduated as a second lieutenant on 4 December 1943. Following his B-24 training, he flew with his crew to Darwin, Australia. In Darwin he was assigned to the 528th Bomb Squadron of the 380th Bomb Group, operating as a unit of 5th Air Force and was flying under Australian control. He also trained of Royal Australian Air Force pilots in the B-24. He describes several missions bombing Japanese airfields in the East Indies and Philippines. He provides several anecdotes of his time in Australia, including the time that Tokyo Rose broadcast that the Japanese were sending planes to bomb Darwin, which did not occur. His group moved to Mindoro Island, Philippines in February 1945 from where he describes flying missions over China, New Guinea and the Philippines. He recalls embarking on a troopship in …

The National Museum of the pacific War presents an interview with Wilbur Trinen. Trinen was drafted into the Army in January 1943. After training, he was assigned to the 29th Engineer Topographic Battalion. He went overseas to the Philippines. Trinen and the interviewer review several photographs and comment thereon. They also examine and comment on maps.

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.

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.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Hotova. Hotova was born in November 1918. He describes conditions during the Great Depression. He left high school at 15 years of age and joined the National Guard in 1939. He was assigned to the 242nd Coast Artillery. Hotova applied for flight training in the Army Air Corps in 1942. He did not qualify for advanced flight training and was assigned to aircraft mechanics school at Keesler Field, Mississippi. After four months of training, he was sent to Laredo, Texas for gunnery training. He was assigned as a waist gunner on a B-24. While four members flew their plane to England, he and five other crewmen boarded RMS Queen Mary. Landing in Scotland they were assigned to the 8th Air Force, 389th Bomb Group, 567th Bomb Squadron based at Hethel, England. On his first bombing mission, in May 1944, he flew to Brussels and recounts the discomfort of being at a waist gun position at high altitudes. Having flown 29 combat missions during his tour, he describes several of the missions, during which German fighters and heavy flak were encountered. He also witnessed other aircraft being shot …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lorraine Mannering, nee Ungaretti. She discusses life prior to World War II and life on the homefront during the war. Her husband, drafted into the Army in 1941, served with the 18th Engineers constructing the Alcan Highway in Alaska. He also served on the Aleutian Islands of Attu, Adak, and Shemya. During the war, Lorraine continued her work in the insurance industry in San Francisco, California. She discusses rationing, shortages, blackouts, and victory gardens. She talks about war damage insurance policies and communicating with her husband via mail. She reflects on the treatment of Japanese Americans, the changing role of women, the use of atomic bombs, and race relations in San Francisco. When her husband was transferred to Fort Belvoir, Virginia, she worked for the Red Cross. Her husband was discharged in 1945. The interview includes information about her parents as well as her life after the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert E. Mills. Mills joined the Marine Corps in 1939 and trained at Parris Island, South Carolina. After training, Mills was assigned to 4th Defense Battalion and sent to Cuba in 1940. Late in 1941, Mills was transferred out to Pealr Harbor and describes the Japanese attack. He manned a machine gun until he ran out of ammunition, then went aboard a small vessel and rescued folks from out of the harbor. Shortly thereafter, Mills was sent to the Solomon Islands where he discusses building an airstrip at Vella Lavella. Mills then speaks about getting communications established at Nagasaki after the war ended. He also shares an anecdote about assisting a chaplain with the baptism of several men on Iwo Jima. He also describes the time he was wounded by a Japanese shell.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles E. Jones. With his father's consent, Jones joined the Marine Corps in Tennessee when he was 15 years old in 1940. When he finished training at Parris Island, South Carolina, he was assigned to the Fourth Defense Battalion at Guantanimo Bay, Cuba. In November, 1941, his unit was assigned to Wake Island. He was at Pearl Harbor en route to Wake Island when the Japanese struck Hawaii on 7 December 1941. Jones describes his activities during the battle. Shortly thereafter, Jones was sent to Efate, New Hebrides where his unit defended an airstrip from which the US was able to attack Guadalcanal. Jones retunred to the US and trained on 155mm artillery guns at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. While at Camp Lejeune, Jones was able to shake President Roosevelt's hand. Jones recalls a story about meeting his brother randomly on Guam. Jones was on Guam when the war ended. He mustered out of the Marines in November, 1945 and eventually reenlisted in the US Air Force. He served in the print shop at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Loyd Oakes. Oakes was born in Corpus Christi, Texas and enlisted in the Army Air Forces on 9 February 1943 and was sent to Kelly Field for training. He qualified as bombardier and went to Laredo, Texas for ten weeks of gunnery training followed by three weeks of bombardier training in Midland, Texas. He graduated as a second lieutenant on 4 December 1943. Following his B-24 training, he flew with his crew to Darwin, Australia. In Darwin he was assigned to the 528th Bomb Squadron of the 380th Bomb Group, operating as a unit of 5th Air Force and was flying under Australian control. He also trained of Royal Australian Air Force pilots in the B-24. He describes several missions bombing Japanese airfields in the East Indies and Philippines. He provides several anecdotes of his time in Australia, including the time that Tokyo Rose broadcast that the Japanese were sending planes to bomb Darwin, which did not occur. His group moved to Mindoro Island, Philippines in February 1945 from where he describes flying missions over China, New Guinea and the Philippines. He recalls embarking on a troopship in …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Benzinger. Benzinger joined the Navy in June of 1944. He completed Radio School. He was stationed as a Radio Technician at the Navy Pier in Chicago and worked with all Navy communications equipment. He graduated from Navy Pier just as the war ended and continued on with his service. He worked in a receiving station on Leyte Gulf in the Philippine from September of 1945 through May of 1946. He was discharged in June of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Richard Harold Garty. Garty joined the Marine Corps in July 1941, receiving basic training in San Diego. He was assigned to the antiaircraft division of the 4th Defense Battalion, stationed at Pearl Harbor when it was attacked. He was peeling potatoes at the mess hall when the first air raid started. Throughout the war, Garty’s battle station was loading fuse pots, and he describes in detail the teamwork involved in firing a three-inch shell. His left ear was always beside the gun when it fired, causing him tinnitus later in life. He spent time on Efate and Espiritu Santo in June 1942, building airstrips on coconut plantations by hauling felled trees with a tractor. He learned to make spirits by adding raisins to coconuts and allowing them to ferment. In New Zealand he was on MP duty, and in Guadalcanal he became a telephone lineman. There he witnessed a successful diversion of Washing Machine Charlie, with lights strung in the ocean to imitate a landing strip. Garty contracted malaria. He was sent to Camp Pendleton, where he had his wisdom teeth removed. There he reunited with a friend …