The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Carl DeLeeuw. DeLeeuw joined the Army Air Forces in late 1941 and was shipped to Australia right as the war was beginning to assemble P-40s. From there, he went to India and was an airplane mechanic involved in maintaining the planes flying supplies over the Himalaya Mountains to China and bombing Burma. He was released from the service in September, 1945 and went to work for United Airlines.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Carrol Davidson. Davidson joined the Navy in November of 1944. He served in the Armed Guard as gun captain of the twin 3-inch .50 calibers aboard the SS Howell Lykes (1940). Beginning in February of 1945 they transported troops to New Guinea. They also traveled to Australia and picked up a group of Australian Rangers and delivered them to Borneo. He provides details of his travels over the Pacific, including firing at Japanese planes and working with the Merchant Marines. Their ship picked up some casualties in Manila around July of 1945 and delivered them back to the U.S. After the war, Davidson completed submarine school and served aboard the USS Boarfish (SS-327) beginning in late 1947. He provides details of his training and career in the Navy aboard submarines. He retired in May of 1964 as Chief Petty Officer.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Carrol Davidson. Davidson joined the Navy in November of 1944. He served in the Armed Guard as gun captain of the twin 3-inch .50 calibers aboard the SS Howell Lykes (1940). Beginning in February of 1945 they transported troops to New Guinea. They also traveled to Australia and picked up a group of Australian Rangers and delivered them to Borneo. He provides details of his travels over the Pacific, including firing at Japanese planes and working with the Merchant Marines. Their ship picked up some casualties in Manila around July of 1945 and delivered them back to the U.S. After the war, Davidson completed submarine school and served aboard the USS Boarfish (SS-327) beginning in late 1947. He provides details of his training and career in the Navy aboard submarines. He retired in May of 1964 as Chief Petty Officer.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Carroll Prescott. Prescott joined the Marine Corps in July 1941 and was at Salt Lake Camp (about a mile from Pearl Harbor) on December 7, 1941. He was assigned to the 4th Defense Battalion as a gunner on a 3-inch anti-aircraft gun. His whole battalion was on the aircraft tender USS Tangier on December 25 when the entire task force turned around; they were 2-3 hours from landing on Wake. He left Pearl Harbor on March 18, went to the New Hebrides and landed on Vela Lavella on August 14, 1943. They went to New Zealand and were retrained on the 3-inch guns. Prescott went over the hill in New Zealand. He was on Hilo, Hawaii (training for the invasion of Japan) when he heard the war was over. They went to Sasebo, Japan and he stood guard duty. There's a photocopy picture of Prescott in the folder.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Carroll Prescott. Prescott joined the Marine Corps in July 1941 and was at Salt Lake Camp (about a mile from Pearl Harbor) on December 7, 1941. He was assigned to the 4th Defense Battalion as a gunner on a 3-inch anti-aircraft gun. His whole battalion was on the aircraft tender USS Tangier on December 25 when the entire task force turned around; they were 2-3 hours from landing on Wake. He left Pearl Harbor on March 18, went to the New Hebrides and landed on Vela Lavella on August 14, 1943. They went to New Zealand and were retrained on the 3-inch guns. Prescott went over the hill in New Zealand. He was on Hilo, Hawaii (training for the invasion of Japan) when he heard the war was over. They went to Sasebo, Japan and he stood guard duty. There's a photocopy picture of Prescott in the folder.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Cecil Dykes. Dykes volunteered for the Navy in July of 1944. He was trained to become a LCVP crewman on the USS Bosque (APA-135). Dykes traveled to Okinawa and took part in landing troops and ferrying wounded back to the ship. He witnessed several kamikaze attacks. Dykes was aboard the Bosque at Tokyo Bay the day of the surrender and helped land troops from the 1st Cavalry Division for the occupation of Japan. He was discharged 8 June 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Cecil Dykes. Dykes volunteered for the Navy in July of 1944. He was trained to become a LCVP crewman on the USS Bosque (APA-135). Dykes traveled to Okinawa and took part in landing troops and ferrying wounded back to the ship. He witnessed several kamikaze attacks. Dykes was aboard the Bosque at Tokyo Bay the day of the surrender and helped land troops from the 1st Cavalry Division for the occupation of Japan. He was discharged 8 June 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles Boesch. After high school Boesch went to summer school at the University of Texas at Austin, joined the enlisted reserve corps and was eventually 'called up'. He had basic training in Cheyenne, Wyoming and learned to drive a truck. In what he calls 'casual status', he was shipped (like cargo) on a Liberty ship which landed in Canistel, North Africa. Conditions on board the ship were atrocious - little food, water, etc. They were drilled, exercised and run in North Africa; conditions were pretty deplorable there too. They were then put on a convoy ship which landed in Bombay, India. From there they took a train (last class) to Calbutta, then Passam and finally Ledo where he was assigned to the 195th Engineering Company. Interview contains good descriptions of his living conditions during this time - they lived off the land, had some air drops and some supp,ies trucked in. Boesch contracted malaria and jungle rot during this time. He was working on the Burma Road when the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles Boesch. After high school Boesch went to summer school at the University of Texas at Austin, joined the enlisted reserve corps and was eventually 'called up'. He had basic training in Cheyenne, Wyoming and learned to drive a truck. In what he calls 'casual status', he was shipped (like cargo) on a Liberty ship which landed in Canistel, North Africa. Conditions on board the ship were atrocious - little food, water, etc. They were drilled, exercised and run in North Africa; conditions were pretty deplorable there too. They were then put on a convoy ship which landed in Bombay, India. From there they took a train (last class) to Calbutta, then Passam and finally Ledo where he was assigned to the 195th Engineering Company. Interview contains good descriptions of his living conditions during this time - they lived off the land, had some air drops and some supp,ies trucked in. Boesch contracted malaria and jungle rot during this time. He was working on the Burma Road when the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific Ware presents an oral interview with Charles Butterworth. Butterworth was born in Anderson, South Carolina. After graduating from high school, he attended the University of Notre Dame. In May 1939, he quit college and joined the Army Air Corps. After attending flight engineering and gunnery schools, he was assigned as flight engineer on a B-17 piloted by Emmett “Rosie” O’Donnell. He arrived at Manila, Philippine Islands on 28 August 1941 where he was assigned to the 19th Airbase Squadron stationed at Nichols Field. Starting on 9 December 1941, Nichols Field was bombed daily by the Japanese throughout the rest of the month. Butterworth traveled to Mindanao where he and his companions were picked up by a Japanese patrol craft. He and others became prisoners of war and were taken by boat to Japan where he worked in a steel mill. He tells of the filth, starvation and physical abuse to which the prisoners were subjected. After Japan surrendered, Butterworth and other freed prisoners were taken to a hospital ship for a journey home.

The National Museum of the Pacific Ware presents an oral interview with Charles Butterworth. Butterworth was born in Anderson, South Carolina. After graduating from high school, he attended the University of Notre Dame. In May 1939, he quit college and joined the Army Air Corps. After attending flight engineering and gunnery schools, he was assigned as flight engineer on a B-17 piloted by Emmett “Rosie” O’Donnell. He arrived at Manila, Philippine Islands on 28 August 1941 where he was assigned to the 19th Airbase Squadron stationed at Nichols Field. Starting on 9 December 1941, Nichols Field was bombed daily by the Japanese throughout the rest of the month. Butterworth traveled to Mindanao where he and his companions were picked up by a Japanese patrol craft. He and others became prisoners of war and were taken by boat to Japan where he worked in a steel mill. He tells of the filth, starvation and physical abuse to which the prisoners were subjected. After Japan surrendered, Butterworth and other freed prisoners were taken to a hospital ship for a journey home.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles W. Carson. Carson was born in Ecorse, Michigan on 12 August 1925 and enlisted in the Navy in September 1943. Following basic training he attended aircraft mechanic school, graduating in June 1944. He shipped overseas on the USS Hugh L. Scott (AP-43). He provides several interesting anecdotes of the trip to the New Hebrides archipelago, including the ceremony for crossing the equator and international dateline. He arrived on the island of Espiritu Santo in October 1944 and was placed in an aviation engine overhaul unit. Carson describes several of his experiences while on the island. Five months later he went to Guadalcanal where his duties consisted of repairing damaged aircraft near Henderson Field. He stayed on Guadalcanal for a few months and then transferred to Guam. He recalls attending USO shows at each of his duty stations. Carson returned to the United States in December 1945 and was discharged on 6 January 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles W. Carson. Carson was born in Ecorse, Michigan on 12 August 1925 and enlisted in the Navy in September 1943. Following basic training he attended aircraft mechanic school, graduating in June 1944. He shipped overseas on the USS Hugh L. Scott (AP-43). He provides several interesting anecdotes of the trip to the New Hebrides archipelago, including the ceremony for crossing the equator and international dateline. He arrived on the island of Espiritu Santo in October 1944 and was placed in an aviation engine overhaul unit. Carson describes several of his experiences while on the island. Five months later he went to Guadalcanal where his duties consisted of repairing damaged aircraft near Henderson Field. He stayed on Guadalcanal for a few months and then transferred to Guam. He recalls attending USO shows at each of his duty stations. Carson returned to the United States in December 1945 and was discharged on 6 January 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles Cunningham. Cunningham joined the Army in the spring of 1943 while enrolled at Texas A&M and received basic training at Fort Riley. In the summer of 1944 he was pulled out of engineering training and selected as an infantryman, despite his educational background. He remembers that as a private he was reading and writing letters for his platoon sergeant, who was illiterate. He landed on Omaha Beach six weeks after the invasion and recalls a mess of mass graves. He was sent to Italy, where he joined the 135th Infantry Regiment, 34th Infantry Division, in Bologna. He spent the winter of 1944-1945 in the harsh conditions of the North Apennines. He sprained his ankle on the way to the front lines at Po Valley and was sent to an evacuation hospital. After recovering, he traveled through Torino in search of his unit. There he saw young and frightened German prisoners-of-war. He found his unit in Milan after the war had ended. Cunningham was transferred to a service company of the 5th Army and oversaw hotels and bars at GI rest areas in the Italian Riviera. He met …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles Cunningham. Cunningham joined the Army in the spring of 1943 while enrolled at Texas A&M and received basic training at Fort Riley. In the summer of 1944 he was pulled out of engineering training and selected as an infantryman, despite his educational background. He remembers that as a private he was reading and writing letters for his platoon sergeant, who was illiterate. He landed on Omaha Beach six weeks after the invasion and recalls a mess of mass graves. He was sent to Italy, where he joined the 135th Infantry Regiment, 34th Infantry Division, in Bologna. He spent the winter of 1944-1945 in the harsh conditions of the North Apennines. He sprained his ankle on the way to the front lines at Po Valley and was sent to an evacuation hospital. After recovering, he traveled through Torino in search of his unit. There he saw young and frightened German prisoners-of-war. He found his unit in Milan after the war had ended. Cunningham was transferred to a service company of the 5th Army and oversaw hotels and bars at GI rest areas in the Italian Riviera. He met …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles George. George was born in East Portsmouth, Ohio 12 August 1927. Entering the Navy in 1945, he was sent to San Diego, California for boot training. Upon completion he was sent to Navy signal school. After finishing signal school he attended submarine school at Newline, Connecticut for two months. He was assigned to the USS Boarfish (SS-327). During his time on the Boarfish one of the missions was to chart an ice passage across the North Pole. He describes how sonar was used to determine the thickness of the ice above and where the ocean bottom was. He tells of the gear worn while top-side in the sub-zero weather. Later, when the Boarfish was in the process of being prepared for sale to Turkey he asked to be assigned to another submarine and joined the USS Cusk (SS-348) as a helmsman. The Cusk was a World War II submarine that was converted to experiment with the launching of captured German V-2 rockets and George discusses the procedures and results of the testing. The Cusk’s mission was classified and George tells of the measures taken to insure that …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles George. George was born in East Portsmouth, Ohio 12 August 1927. Entering the Navy in 1945, he was sent to San Diego, California for boot training. Upon completion he was sent to Navy signal school. After finishing signal school he attended submarine school at Newline, Connecticut for two months. He was assigned to the USS Boarfish (SS-327). During his time on the Boarfish one of the missions was to chart an ice passage across the North Pole. He describes how sonar was used to determine the thickness of the ice above and where the ocean bottom was. He tells of the gear worn while top-side in the sub-zero weather. Later, when the Boarfish was in the process of being prepared for sale to Turkey he asked to be assigned to another submarine and joined the USS Cusk (SS-348) as a helmsman. The Cusk was a World War II submarine that was converted to experiment with the launching of captured German V-2 rockets and George discusses the procedures and results of the testing. The Cusk’s mission was classified and George tells of the measures taken to insure that …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles H. Tucker from Orange, California. He discusses volunteering for the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1943 and going to basic training in Miami Beach, Florida, then going to Aircraft Armament School in Buckley Field, Colorado, and finally air gunnery school in Fort Myers, Florida. In air gunnery school, Mr. Tucker learned to shoot in B-17 by shooting into the Gulf of Mexico. After gunnery school he was sent to the B-25 crew training at Columbia, South Carolina for 5 months. After Mr. Tucker completed his training, he was transferred to Dacca to a B-25 base and joined the 10th Air Force, the 12th Bomb Group. When he arrived his crew pilots were reassigned, and Mr. Tucker was not able to fly much until he was assigned to a regular crew again. Mr. Tucker was put in the 729th bomb squadron tasked with supporting the British 14th Army against the Japanese forces in Burma. The campaign he was involved in ended in May 1945 with the capture of Rangoon, the main city of Burma and Mr. tucker was in one of the squadron planes that flew over the …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles H. Tucker from Orange, California. He discusses volunteering for the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1943 and going to basic training in Miami Beach, Florida, then going to Aircraft Armament School in Buckley Field, Colorado, and finally air gunnery school in Fort Myers, Florida. In air gunnery school, Mr. Tucker learned to shoot in B-17 by shooting into the Gulf of Mexico. After gunnery school he was sent to the B-25 crew training at Columbia, South Carolina for 5 months. After Mr. Tucker completed his training, he was transferred to Dacca to a B-25 base and joined the 10th Air Force, the 12th Bomb Group. When he arrived his crew pilots were reassigned, and Mr. Tucker was not able to fly much until he was assigned to a regular crew again. Mr. Tucker was put in the 729th bomb squadron tasked with supporting the British 14th Army against the Japanese forces in Burma. The campaign he was involved in ended in May 1945 with the capture of Rangoon, the main city of Burma and Mr. tucker was in one of the squadron planes that flew over the …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles J. Schlag. Schlag was born in Wheeling, West Virginia in 1922. When he finished high school in 1941, he went to work for the local telephone company. In early 1943, Schalg entered the Navy as a cadet learning to fly. He recalls several anecdotes from his flight training at Maryland, Georgia and at Pensacola. After he was commissioned, he went to Great Lakes for carrier landing training. Eventually, he was assigned to Air Group 10 in New Jersey and learned to fly the Corsair. When he was assigned for overseas duty, his group reported aboard the USS intrepid (CV-11) at Alameda in February 1945. He was aboard the ship when it was hit by a kamikaze. When the war ended, Schlag returned to the US aboard the USS Barnes (CVE-20) and elected to go to celectial navigation school. He ended up staying in the reserves for 20 years.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles J. Schlag. Schlag was born in Wheeling, West Virginia in 1922. When he finished high school in 1941, he went to work for the local telephone company. In early 1943, Schalg entered the Navy as a cadet learning to fly. He recalls several anecdotes from his flight training at Maryland, Georgia and at Pensacola. After he was commissioned, he went to Great Lakes for carrier landing training. Eventually, he was assigned to Air Group 10 in New Jersey and learned to fly the Corsair. When he was assigned for overseas duty, his group reported aboard the USS intrepid (CV-11) at Alameda in February 1945. He was aboard the ship when it was hit by a kamikaze. When the war ended, Schlag returned to the US aboard the USS Barnes (CVE-20) and elected to go to celectial navigation school. He ended up staying in the reserves for 20 years.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles Linamen. Linamen joined the Army Air Corps. He completed Primary Flying School at Hicks Field in Fort Worth, Texas, and Basic Flying School at Perrin Field in Sherman, Texas learning to fly a single engine aircraft. He went to Ellington Field in Houston, Texas and learned to fly a twin engine, and received his wings and commission. Back in Fort Worth to Tarrant Army Air Force Base he went to Transition School and learned to fly a B-24, and became an aircraft commander. Linamen flew to Karachi, India in a B-24, then down to Pandaveswar. He was assigned to the 436th Bomb Squadron. He flew 52 bombing missions in Burma and Thailand. He hauled aviation gas to over the Himalaya Mountains. In December 1944 he went to Lijiang, Chia and flew out of there to Szechwan and Canchow. On one mission, Linamen bombed the steel bridge over the River Kwai and gives great detail of this event. He talks about the living conditions in detail. He went through three airplanes during his missions.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles Linamen. Linamen joined the Army Air Corps. He completed Primary Flying School at Hicks Field in Fort Worth, Texas, and Basic Flying School at Perrin Field in Sherman, Texas learning to fly a single engine aircraft. He went to Ellington Field in Houston, Texas and learned to fly a twin engine, and received his wings and commission. Back in Fort Worth to Tarrant Army Air Force Base he went to Transition School and learned to fly a B-24, and became an aircraft commander. Linamen flew to Karachi, India in a B-24, then down to Pandaveswar. He was assigned to the 436th Bomb Squadron. He flew 52 bombing missions in Burma and Thailand. He hauled aviation gas to over the Himalaya Mountains. In December 1944 he went to Lijiang, Chia and flew out of there to Szechwan and Canchow. On one mission, Linamen bombed the steel bridge over the River Kwai and gives great detail of this event. He talks about the living conditions in detail. He went through three airplanes during his missions.

Interview with Charles Pase, a marine during World War II. He discusses joining the Marines and training on New Zealand and other Pacific islands. He describes landing on Tarawa, the battle of Tarawa itself, and locating and burying the dead bodies after the battle. He also talks about going to Hawaii for more training before going to Saipan, various guns and artillery he used, encountering natives on Saipan and being in Nagasaki after the bomb was dropped. He relates ancedotes about having tonsillitis during the Tarawa attack, fights that some Marines got into with local Hawaiians while training there and prejudices against Japanese-Americans, mistaking a land crab that pinched the back of his neck for a bayonet, getting Dengue Fever, and faking a landing on April Fools' Day.