Transcript of an oral interview with Anton Frank Satsky. Born in 1918, he was drafted into the Army in 1942 where he was assigned to the Second Infantry Division. He went to Armored Assistance Specialist School. He also received baking and ski training. He describes landing on Omaha Beach on D-Day plus 1 as well as advancing up Hill 192. He recounts a narrow escape while on guard duty in Notre Dame. He also describes the Battle of the Bulge in which he was wounded. When he was wounded a second time, he was sent to McCloskey General Hospital in Temple, Texas. He shares anecdotes about the obtaining food while in the field in Europe; a fellow soldier obtaining soft drinks despite German snipers; and his experience with the Red Cross. He discusses the clothing and rifles that were issued to soldiers.

Transcript of an oral interview with Marvin Russell. Russell, who graduated with a petroleum engineering degree from the University of Houston, describes his role in the testing of fuel used in the Pacific and in North Africa during the war. He discusses the homefront, including the politics of war, rationing, the Japanese American internment, the use of the atomic bomb, and the reaction to the end of the war. There is also a brief comparison of World War II and the Iraq War. After the war, Russell was employed in the automotive industry. Additionally, Russell identifies his parents and siblings and mentions his brothers’ role as civilians involved in troop transport.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Philip Fox. Fox was drafted into the Army in 1943 where he was assigned to the 34th Evacuation Hospital. He describes the living conditions in the area outside of Manchester, England where he participated in establishing the 3rd Army, 34th Evacuation Hospital. This evacuation hospital group landed at Normandy and followed the Army through France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany. He discusses German casualties and prisoners of war. He shares his impressions of Munich, Germany at the close of the war. He also shares anecdotes about playing poker aboard a hospital ship; encountering Allied tanks on a French road; General Patton; working in the ear and eye clinic; and learning about the birth of his son while in Europe. He was discharged in Texas.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Kelly Gibson. Gibson joined the Army Air Corps in September, 1941. He was trained as a radio repairman and serviced radios in airplanes at Turner Field, Georgia. He volunteered for overseas duty and was sent to England in 1943 and attached to the 61st Troop Carrier Group. He soon was the radio operator in a C-47 flight crew and participated in the Invasion of Normandy. As the war in Europe was winding down, Gibson was transferred to Natal, Brazil where he resumed repairing radios. When the war ended, Gibson was returned to the US where he elected to be discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Thomas Lyman. After completing one year at The Ohio State University, Lyman joined the Navy 1943. He trained at Great Lakes and was assigned to the USS Colorado (BB-45). He was assigned to the 40mm anti-aircraft guns aboard the Colorado and participated in the invasions of the Marshall Islands and the Mariana Islands. He describes the Colorado receiving fire from a Japanese shore battery at Tinian. Lyman then describes operations in the Philippines at Lingayen Gulf where the Colorado suffered from friendly fire. Lyman then speaks about the Okinawa invasion. At the end of the war, Lyman was aboard the Colorado when it was present in Tokyo Bay for the surrender ceremony where he spied the Missouri through binoculars as he was posted in his 40mm gunmount. Afterwards, Lyman describes having former POW on board and how they appeared after released from the Japanese. Lyman stayed on the Colorado through the fall while the ship transported Army soldiers home from the Pacific. He was discharged in 1946 and returned to Ohio State.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Orval W. Burgess. Burgess was born 3 October 1924 in Harrison Township, Indiana. He was drafted soon after graduating in 1943 and sent to Camp Croft, South Carolina for basic training. He contracted scarlet fever and was hospitalized. Upon finishing basic, he took various qualification tests at Fort Dix, New Jersey after which he was sent to Camp Shelby, Mississippi where he joined the 69th Infantry Division and took basic training again. Upon completing basic again he was sent to New York where he boarded the SS Ile de France for England and arrived 26 August 1944. After spending two months in a replacement depot he was assigned to I Company, 15th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division as a Browning automatic rifle assistant. He participated in the Rhineland Campaign and comments on the constant rain and snow they encountered. He did not take his shoes off for fifteen days and developed a severe case of trench foot. On 28 November 1944 he was sent to the 159th General Hospital in Saint Die France where he stayed until January 1945. He was then sent to Convalescent Center E-27 where he …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Cooper. Cooper was working for the Indianapolis Fire Department when he was drafted into the Army in 1943. From there, he volunteered for the paratroopers and trained at Camp Toccoa, Georgia. He was assigned to the 517th Parachute Combat Team. Cooper describes much of his training, equipment and uniform. In May, 1944, his unit landed in Italy. He jumped with his unit into Southern France in August, 1944 and served as a scout. Cooper also mentions some about the Battle of the Bulge. He returned home and was discharged in October, 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ben McDonald. McDonald entered the University of Texas Navy ROTC program in July, 1943 and graduated and was commissioned in January, 1945. He then joined USS Wichita (CA-45) as a gunnery officer in time for the Okinawa invasion. McDonald discusses kamikazes, suicide swimmers, and going ashore on Okinawa to serve as a fire control forward observer for his ship. When the war ended, the Wichita proceeded to Nagasaki Bay. McDonald observed the damage the atomic bomb did to the city. Wichita evacuated former Allied POWs from the Nagasaki and Sasebo areas before returning to the US in early 1946. McDonald was converted to the Inactive Reserves in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Scott West. West joined the Navy in 1935. He was assigned to the USS Lexington (CV-2) for four years. In September of 1942 he served aboard the USS Copahee (CVE-12). He describes the planes aboard and the process of getting all the aviation equipment aboard the carrier. They traveled to New Caledonia to deliver planes, as well as to Munda, in the Solomon Islands. He completed catapult and arresting gear school at the Naval Air Station in Philadelphia, and then served as an instructor. Later, he took crews out to supervise new installations and repair battle damage.

Transcript of an oral interview with Marvin Russell. Russell, who graduated with a petroleum engineering degree from the University of Houston, describes his role in the testing of fuel used in the Pacific and in North Africa during the war. He discusses the homefront, including the politics of war, rationing, the Japanese American internment, the use of the atomic bomb, and the reaction to the end of the war. There is also a brief comparison of World War II and the Iraq War. After the war, Russell was employed in the automotive industry. Additionally, Russell identifies his parents and siblings and mentions his brothers’ role as civilians involved in troop transport.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Wayne Hissong. Hissong joined the Army in March, 1941 and served in a horse cavalry outfit before moving into tanks. He joined the 712th Tank Battalion and went to Normandy in late June. Hissong shares a story of being captured and liberated within 72 hours while overseas. He also shares several anecdotes about supplying the tanks with fuel and ammo. He describes a few encounters with General Patton. Hissong was discharged in October, 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ivan Troutman. Troutman joined the Merchant Marines in 1942. He traveled aboard an oil tanker to Venezuela to get a load of oil for Standard Oil. He remained in the States throughout the war. He was sent to Seattle on a cable laying ship. He assisted in splicing telephone cables.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ben McDonald. McDonald entered the University of Texas Navy ROTC program in July, 1943 and graduated and was commissioned in January, 1945. He then joined USS Wichita (CA-45) as a gunnery officer in time for the Okinawa invasion. McDonald discusses kamikazes, suicide swimmers, and going ashore on Okinawa to serve as a fire control forward observer for his ship. When the war ended, the Wichita proceeded to Nagasaki Bay. McDonald observed the damage the atomic bomb did to the city. Wichita evacuated former Allied POWs from the Nagasaki and Sasebo areas before returning to the US in early 1946. McDonald was converted to the Inactive Reserves in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Philip Fox. Fox was drafted into the Army in 1943 where he was assigned to the 34th Evacuation Hospital. He describes the living conditions in the area outside of Manchester, England where he participated in establishing the 3rd Army, 34th Evacuation Hospital. This evacuation hospital group landed at Normandy and followed the Army through France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany. He discusses German casualties and prisoners of war. He shares his impressions of Munich, Germany at the close of the war. He also shares anecdotes about playing poker aboard a hospital ship; encountering Allied tanks on a French road; General Patton; working in the ear and eye clinic; and learning about the birth of his son while in Europe. He was discharged in Texas.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Kelly Gibson. Gibson joined the Army Air Corps in September, 1941. He was trained as a radio repairman and serviced radios in airplanes at Turner Field, Georgia. He volunteered for overseas duty and was sent to England in 1943 and attached to the 61st Troop Carrier Group. He soon was the radio operator in a C-47 flight crew and participated in the Invasion of Normandy. As the war in Europe was winding down, Gibson was transferred to Natal, Brazil where he resumed repairing radios. When the war ended, Gibson was returned to the US where he elected to be discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Thomas Lyman. After completing one year at The Ohio State University, Lyman joined the Navy 1943. He trained at Great Lakes and was assigned to the USS Colorado (BB-45). He was assigned to the 40mm anti-aircraft guns aboard the Colorado and participated in the invasions of the Marshall Islands and the Mariana Islands. He describes the Colorado receiving fire from a Japanese shore battery at Tinian. Lyman then describes operations in the Philippines at Lingayen Gulf where the Colorado suffered from friendly fire. Lyman then speaks about the Okinawa invasion. At the end of the war, Lyman was aboard the Colorado when it was present in Tokyo Bay for the surrender ceremony where he spied the Missouri through binoculars as he was posted in his 40mm gunmount. Afterwards, Lyman describes having former POW on board and how they appeared after released from the Japanese. Lyman stayed on the Colorado through the fall while the ship transported Army soldiers home from the Pacific. He was discharged in 1946 and returned to Ohio State.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Orval W. Burgess. Burgess was born 3 October 1924 in Harrison Township, Indiana. He was drafted soon after graduating in 1943 and sent to Camp Croft, South Carolina for basic training. He contracted scarlet fever and was hospitalized. Upon finishing basic, he took various qualification tests at Fort Dix, New Jersey after which he was sent to Camp Shelby, Mississippi where he joined the 69th Infantry Division and took basic training again. Upon completing basic again he was sent to New York where he boarded the SS Ile de France for England and arrived 26 August 1944. After spending two months in a replacement depot he was assigned to I Company, 15th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division as a Browning automatic rifle assistant. He participated in the Rhineland Campaign and comments on the constant rain and snow they encountered. He did not take his shoes off for fifteen days and developed a severe case of trench foot. On 28 November 1944 he was sent to the 159th General Hospital in Saint Die France where he stayed until January 1945. He was then sent to Convalescent Center E-27 where he …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Cooper. Cooper was working for the Indianapolis Fire Department when he was drafted into the Army in 1943. From there, he volunteered for the paratroopers and trained at Camp Toccoa, Georgia. He was assigned to the 517th Parachute Combat Team. Cooper describes much of his training, equipment and uniform. In May, 1944, his unit landed in Italy. He jumped with his unit into Southern France in August, 1944 and served as a scout. Cooper also mentions some about the Battle of the Bulge. He returned home and was discharged in October, 1945.

Transcript of an oral interview with Anton Frank Satsky. Born in 1918, he was drafted into the Army in 1942 where he was assigned to the Second Infantry Division. He went to Armored Assistance Specialist School. He also received baking and ski training. He describes landing on Omaha Beach on D-Day plus 1 as well as advancing up Hill 192. He recounts a narrow escape while on guard duty in Notre Dame. He also describes the Battle of the Bulge in which he was wounded. When he was wounded a second time, he was sent to McCloskey General Hospital in Temple, Texas. He shares anecdotes about the obtaining food while in the field in Europe; a fellow soldier obtaining soft drinks despite German snipers; and his experience with the Red Cross. He discusses the clothing and rifles that were issued to soldiers.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Violet Troutman where she discusses her childhood and the process of enlisting in the Women Accepted for Voluntry Emergency Service program, and her experiences in the Pacific Theatre During World War Two.