Oral History Interview with Norris Jernigan, January 15, 2020 transcript

Oral History Interview with Norris Jernigan, January 15, 2020

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Norris Jernigan. Jernigan enlisted in the Army Air Forces in June 1943. After basic training and being eliminated from flight training, Jernigan was assigned to the intelligence section of the 393rd Bomb Squadron in Nebraska before it was attached to the 509th Composite Group. He spent time in Wendover, Utah before going with the group to Tinian prior to the atomic bombs being dropped on Japan. Though he was in the intelligence section of the bomb group that dropped the atomic bomb, Jernigan had no idea about the atomic bomb until after it was dropped. He mentined those in his group referred to it as the gimmick or the gadget until they understood what it was. When the war ended, Jernigan returned to the US and was discharged in March 1946.
Date: January 15, 2020
Creator: Jernigan, Norris
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Charles Johnson, January 24, 2020 transcript

Oral History Interview with Charles Johnson, January 24, 2020

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles Johnson. Johnson joined the Navy as soon as he finished high school in 1943. After training at Farragut, he was assigned to USS Colorado (BB-45). He boarded the Colorado in time for the Marshall Islands campaign and was still aboard for the Mariana Islands campaign. He was aboard when Colorado got hit by shore batteries off Tinian and kamikazes off Leyte. His duty station was in a bloier room or a powder room so he was well below decks at the time of these incidents. He was still aboard during the Okinawa campaign and the surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay. He also describes being in a typhoon. Johnson was dicharged in March, 1946 and went to work for the Rock Island Railroad. Johnson describes his experiences around his Honor Flight in May 2011.
Date: January 24, 2020
Creator: Johnson, Charles
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Kenneth Smith, January 29, 2020 transcript

Oral History Interview with Kenneth Smith, January 29, 2020

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Kenneth Smith. Smith joined the Navy and was in boot training when the war ended. After training, he was assigned to USS Rutland (APA-192). He recalls a few anecdotes about being aboard ship, seeing part of Japan and hauling troops home after the war. Smith shares some of his Christian testimony and entered the seminary after returning to college after the war.
Date: January 29, 2020
Creator: Smith, Kenneth
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Dewey Holden, January 8, 2021 transcript

Oral History Interview with Dewey Holden, January 8, 2021

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Dewey A. Holden. Holden joined the Navy Coast Guard on December 15, 1941. He was stationed in Mobile, Alabama and served aboard the HMS Larkspur (K82). In 1942, he was assigned to bosun mate training at Manhattan Beach, New York. Later, Holden was assigned to Picket Boat #3836 in New Orleans, LA. He transported bar pilots and ship supplies from the Gulf of Mexico up through the Mississippi River to stations located in Southwest Pass and South Pass. He speaks of the activity and threat of German submarines in this area during late 1942. He continued this service throughout the war, and was discharged on October 26, 1945.
Date: January 8, 2021
Creator: Holden, Dewey
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Norris Jernigan, January 15, 2020 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Norris Jernigan, January 15, 2020

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Norris Jernigan. Jernigan enlisted in the Army Air Forces in June 1943. After basic training and being eliminated from flight training, Jernigan was assigned to the intelligence section of the 393rd Bomb Squadron in Nebraska before it was attached to the 509th Composite Group. He spent time in Wendover, Utah before going with the group to Tinian prior to the atomic bombs being dropped on Japan. Though he was in the intelligence section of the bomb group that dropped the atomic bomb, Jernigan had no idea about the atomic bomb until after it was dropped. He mentined those in his group referred to it as the gimmick or the gadget until they understood what it was. When the war ended, Jernigan returned to the US and was discharged in March 1946.
Date: January 15, 2020
Creator: Jernigan, Norris
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Charles Johnson, January 24, 2020 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Charles Johnson, January 24, 2020

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles Johnson. Johnson joined the Navy as soon as he finished high school in 1943. After training at Farragut, he was assigned to USS Colorado (BB-45). He boarded the Colorado in time for the Marshall Islands campaign and was still aboard for the Mariana Islands campaign. He was aboard when Colorado got hit by shore batteries off Tinian and kamikazes off Leyte. His duty station was in a bloier room or a powder room so he was well below decks at the time of these incidents. He was still aboard during the Okinawa campaign and the surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay. He also describes being in a typhoon. Johnson was dicharged in March, 1946 and went to work for the Rock Island Railroad. Johnson describes his experiences around his Honor Flight in May 2011.
Date: January 24, 2020
Creator: Johnson, Charles
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Kenneth Smith, January 29, 2020 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Kenneth Smith, January 29, 2020

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Kenneth Smith. Smith joined the Navy and was in boot training when the war ended. After training, he was assigned to USS Rutland (APA-192). He recalls a few anecdotes about being aboard ship, seeing part of Japan and hauling troops home after the war. Smith shares some of his Christian testimony and entered the seminary after returning to college after the war.
Date: January 29, 2020
Creator: Smith, Kenneth
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Dewey Holden, January 8, 2021 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Dewey Holden, January 8, 2021

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Dewey A. Holden. Holden joined the Navy Coast Guard on December 15, 1941. He was stationed in Mobile, Alabama and served aboard the HMS Larkspur (K82). In 1942, he was assigned to bosun mate training at Manhattan Beach, New York. Later, Holden was assigned to Picket Boat #3836 in New Orleans, LA. He transported bar pilots and ship supplies from the Gulf of Mexico up through the Mississippi River to stations located in Southwest Pass and South Pass. He speaks of the activity and threat of German submarines in this area during late 1942. He continued this service throughout the war, and was discharged on October 26, 1945.
Date: January 8, 2021
Creator: Holden, Dewey
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Dietrich Braun, January 1, 2021 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Dietrich Braun, January 1, 2021

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Dietrich Braun. Braun was born in Germany in 1932 and resided there during the war. He tells of housing and shortages during the war years. At age six, Braun was recruited into the Hitler Youth. At the conclusion of the war, his father, a German Rocket scientist, was selected to be a part of Operation Paperclip, a secret United States intelligence program that brought him to the United States. In November of 1946, Braun and his remaining family were smuggled into the US, aboard USNS Henry Gibbins (T-AP-183), to join his father at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base through 1951.
Date: January 1, 2021
Creator: Braun, Dietrich
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Dietrich Braun, January 1, 2021 transcript

Oral History Interview with Dietrich Braun, January 1, 2021

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Dietrich Braun. Braun was born in Germany in 1932 and resided there during the war. He tells of housing and shortages during the war years. At age six, Braun was recruited into the Hitler Youth. At the conclusion of the war, his father, a German Rocket scientist, was selected to be a part of Operation Paperclip, a secret United States intelligence program that brought him to the United States. In November of 1946, Braun and his remaining family were smuggled into the US, aboard USNS Henry Gibbins (T-AP-183), to join his father at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base through 1951.
Date: January 1, 2021
Creator: Braun, Dietrich
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History