Oral History Interview with William Waggoner, December 6, 2012 transcript

Oral History Interview with William Waggoner, December 6, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Waggoner. Waggoner participated in a Civilian Pilot Training program in Nogales, Arizona. He volunteered in the Air Force Reserves, and trained at various bases throughout the U.S. He provides details of his training experiences. He trained as a tow pilot for gliders in Lubbock, Texas. In the spring of 1945 Waggoner was shipped to England. He was assigned to the 440th Troop Carrier Group and 95th Squadron in Orleans, France. They participated in Operation Varsity in Germany and he provides details of that mission. He also provides detail of the glider pilot museum in Lubbock.
Date: December 6, 2012
Creator: Waggoner, William
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Butler Irving, December 6, 2012 transcript

Oral History Interview with Butler Irving, December 6, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Irving Butler. Butler joined the Navy in October of 1942. He completed Aviation Mechanic School in Memphis, Tennessee, and Gunnery School in Jacksonville, Florida. He was trained as an Air Crewman. In September of 1943 he went to Tarawa, Makin and Guam aboard the USS Enterprise (CV-6). He was made Second Class and placed in charge of 62 men going to the Admiralty Islands. He was later assigned to USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82) as a gunner in a torpedo plane. He was in Composite Squadron 787 (VC-78). Butler went through 14 battles. He remained in the reserves 2 years after the war ended.
Date: December 6, 2012
Creator: Irving, Butler
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Melvin Brandenburg, September 6, 2012 transcript

Oral History Interview with Melvin Brandenburg, September 6, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Melvin Brandenburg. Brandenburg joined the US Army in September 1942. He was assigned to the 78th Infantry Division, 310th Infantry Regiment. He provides details of his extensive infantry training. They arrived in England in late October 1944, then crossed to Le Havre, France in late November 1944. They participated in the Battle of the Bulge, where Brandenburg was wounded on 16 December. He provides details of their actions during this battle. They relieved the 82nd Airborne Division during occupation duty in Berlin. Brandenburg returned to the US and was discharged in January 1946.
Date: September 6, 2012
Creator: Brandenburg, Melvin
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Walter White, March 6, 2012 transcript

Oral History Interview with Walter White, March 6, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Walter White. White trained to be an aircraft electrician at Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. He was drafted into the Army Air Force and completed gunnery school in Arlington, Texas. He was assigned to the 492nd Bomb Group in Alamogordo, New Mexico. He served as tail gunner on B-24s. He provides description of the plane’s interior and location of tail gunner. In March of 1944 his crew traveled to a base in North Pickenham, England. Their plane was titled the Ruptured Duck. Overall, White flew 30 combat missions. He describes missions flown to Germany and between France and Switzerland. He returned to the States with 1,000 German prisoners aboard a troop ship. He was then assigned as an electrician to a B-17 outfit. He was discharged in October of 1945.
Date: March 6, 2012
Creator: White, Walter
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Ray Pinell, February 6, 2012 transcript

Oral History Interview with Ray Pinell, February 6, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ray Pinell. Pinell joined the Navy early in 1943 and received basic training in San Diego. He received training on firing and repairing torpedoes. Upon completion he was assigned to various torpedo squadrons in the Pacific. He worked primarily in field repair units but would occasionally fill in as a torpedoman aboard PT boats. In addition to carrying out night patrols, he would soften landings in the Philippines by firing torpedoes close to shore. Pinell was stationed in Borneo when the war ended. He was startled into his foxhole by many ships firing in celebration. Pinell returned home and was discharged in October 1946.
Date: February 6, 2012
Creator: Pinell, Ray
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Melvin Brandenburg, September 6, 2012 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Melvin Brandenburg, September 6, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Melvin Brandenburg. Brandenburg joined the US Army in September 1942. He was assigned to the 78th Infantry Division, 310th Infantry Regiment. He provides details of his extensive infantry training. They arrived in England in late October 1944, then crossed to Le Havre, France in late November 1944. They participated in the Battle of the Bulge, where Brandenburg was wounded on 16 December. He provides details of their actions during this battle. They relieved the 82nd Airborne Division during occupation duty in Berlin. Brandenburg returned to the US and was discharged in January 1946.
Date: September 6, 2012
Creator: Brandenburg, Melvin
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with William Waggoner, December 6, 2012 (open access)

Oral History Interview with William Waggoner, December 6, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Waggoner. Waggoner participated in a Civilian Pilot Training program in Nogales, Arizona. He volunteered in the Air Force Reserves, and trained at various bases throughout the U.S. He provides details of his training experiences. He trained as a tow pilot for gliders in Lubbock, Texas. In the spring of 1945 Waggoner was shipped to England. He was assigned to the 440th Troop Carrier Group and 95th Squadron in Orleans, France. They participated in Operation Varsity in Germany and he provides details of that mission. He also provides detail of the glider pilot museum in Lubbock.
Date: December 6, 2012
Creator: Waggoner, William
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Butler Irving, December 6, 2012 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Butler Irving, December 6, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Irving Butler. Butler joined the Navy in October of 1942. He completed Aviation Mechanic School in Memphis, Tennessee, and Gunnery School in Jacksonville, Florida. He was trained as an Air Crewman. In September of 1943 he went to Tarawa, Makin and Guam aboard the USS Enterprise (CV-6). He was made Second Class and placed in charge of 62 men going to the Admiralty Islands. He was later assigned to USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82) as a gunner in a torpedo plane. He was in Composite Squadron 787 (VC-78). Butler went through 14 battles. He remained in the reserves 2 years after the war ended.
Date: December 6, 2012
Creator: Irving, Butler
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Ray Pinell, February 6, 2012 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Ray Pinell, February 6, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ray Pinell. Pinell joined the Navy early in 1943 and received basic training in San Diego. He received training on firing and repairing torpedoes. Upon completion he was assigned to various torpedo squadrons in the Pacific. He worked primarily in field repair units but would occasionally fill in as a torpedoman aboard PT boats. In addition to carrying out night patrols, he would soften landings in the Philippines by firing torpedoes close to shore. Pinell was stationed in Borneo when the war ended. He was startled into his foxhole by many ships firing in celebration. Pinell returned home and was discharged in October 1946.
Date: February 6, 2012
Creator: Pinell, Ray
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Walter White, March 6, 2012 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Walter White, March 6, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Walter White. White trained to be an aircraft electrician at Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. He was drafted into the Army Air Force and completed gunnery school in Arlington, Texas. He was assigned to the 492nd Bomb Group in Alamogordo, New Mexico. He served as tail gunner on B-24s. He provides description of the plane’s interior and location of tail gunner. In March of 1944 his crew traveled to a base in North Pickenham, England. Their plane was titled the Ruptured Duck. Overall, White flew 30 combat missions. He describes missions flown to Germany and between France and Switzerland. He returned to the States with 1,000 German prisoners aboard a troop ship. He was then assigned as an electrician to a B-17 outfit. He was discharged in October of 1945.
Date: March 6, 2012
Creator: White, Walter
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History