The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Otto Keith Williams. He was born on 10 December 1918 in Tacoma, Washington and after completing two years of college, during which he earned a private pilot's license, he was drafted into the Navy in February 1941 and completed flight training in Corpus Christi, Texas in July 1942. He then transferred into the Marine Corps and was sent to Glenview, Illinois where he completed carrier qualifications in October 1942. He joined Marine Fighter Squadron VMF-214 in Hawaii where he flew Grumman F4F Wildcats. Following training in Hawaii, his squadron embarked on the USS Nassau (CVE-16) in February 1943 and sailed to Espiritu Santo. His squadron then flew to Henderson Field on Guadalcanal, where they provided fighter support for several months flying Wildcats and then F4U Corsairs. Following the Russell Island campaign Williams was transferred to VMF-215 where he participated in the invasion of Bougainville in November 1943. He spent three tours in Guadalcanal and the Solomon Islands and flew 100 missions, but had no encounters with airborne Japanese aircraft. In January 1945 he was transferred to the USS Cape Gloucester (CVE-109), which sailed for Okinawa. Following several weeks …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Frank Ryan. Ryan joined the Navy in June 1944 and received basic training in San Diego. Upon completion, he was assigned to the SS Santa Monica, a Merchant Marine ship, as part of the gunnery crew. His ship brought troops and supplies to the Caroline Islands, the Marshall Islands, Saipan, and Okinawa. Until a close encounter with kamikazes at Okinawa, Ryan’s service was uneventful. He recalls seeing beautiful tropical fish in the clear waters near Saipan. His ship often transported recovering soldiers and their medical attendants back to the Santa Monica’s home base on Treasure Island. At the end of the war, Ryan was sent to Guam, where he stood watch on an abandoned Marine base, on the lookout for any surviving Japanese soldiers. While there he saw large pieces of equipment such as bulldozers retired and dumped into the ocean. Ryan returned home and was discharged in February 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Martin Gonzales. Gonzales worked in an aircraft engine plant until he was drafted into the Army in 1943. He joined the 1st Cavalry Division in Australia and took part in the landings at the Admiralty Islands. Gonzales describes becoming a BAR man after the gunner was critically wounded. His unit was then sent to the Philippines and fought on Leyte and Luzon. Gonzales describes the living conditions and details fighting in Manila. He was in Tokyo Bay when the surrender ceremony took place and participated in the occupation for about a month. Gonzales returned to the US and was discharged soon afterwards. He joined a monastery a few years later and discusses his faith in detail.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Creed Coffee. Coffee was in the Army ROTC at Texas Technological College, now Texas Tech in Lubbock, in 1941 and 1942. He was in the Corps of Engineers. He was on active duty beginning June of 1943. He completed Officers Candidate School in June of 1944 and commissioned a second lieutenant. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1327th Engineer General Service Regiment. Coffee served as a platoon leader and worked on a 200-mile section of the Ledo Road, connecting Ledo to Myitkyina in Burma. He was discharged in May of 1946. In November of 1950 he was recalled for the Korean War and served as a captain in the 183rd Engineer Combat Battalion.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ralph Fette. Fette was born on 28 January 1921 in Germany and immigrated to the United States with his family in 1927. He attended high school in Brooklyn, New York until 1937 at which time he quit to work with his father. He was drafted into the Army Air Corps in 1941. After taking basic training in Georgia, he attended an airframe and engine school in Detroit, Michigan. Upon completion of the school, Fette left for overseas duty near Calcutta, India. After spending some time in India he joined the 9th Bomb Group at Myitkyina, Burma where his group repaired B-24s and P-40s. As a line chief he was responsible for fifteen planes. One of the B-24s assigned to his group was called Home Stretch. He returned to the United States and was discharged in 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Frank Lepinski. Lepinski joined the Army Air Forces in February of 1943. He completed pilot training and graduated in April of 1944. He continued training in a B-26, and traveled to Birmingham, Britain to serve with a replacement crew. They completed several bombing missions. In the summer of 1945 Lepinski was assigned to a B-26 stationed under the Eiffel Tower in Paris during an exposition, demonstrating how they won the war for France. He was discharged in January of 1947.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Martin Gonzales. Gonzales worked in an aircraft engine plant until he was drafted into the Army in 1943. He joined the 1st Cavalry Division in Australia and took part in the landings at the Admiralty Islands. Gonzales describes becoming a BAR man after the gunner was critically wounded. His unit was then sent to the Philippines and fought on Leyte and Luzon. Gonzales describes the living conditions and details fighting in Manila. He was in Tokyo Bay when the surrender ceremony took place and participated in the occupation for about a month. Gonzales returned to the US and was discharged soon afterwards. He joined a monastery a few years later and discusses his faith in detail.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Frank Lepinski. Lepinski joined the Army Air Forces in February of 1943. He completed pilot training and graduated in April of 1944. He continued training in a B-26, and traveled to Birmingham, Britain to serve with a replacement crew. They completed several bombing missions. In the summer of 1945 Lepinski was assigned to a B-26 stationed under the Eiffel Tower in Paris during an exposition, demonstrating how they won the war for France. He was discharged in January of 1947.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Creed Coffee. Coffee was in the Army ROTC at Texas Technological College, now Texas Tech in Lubbock, in 1941 and 1942. He was in the Corps of Engineers. He was on active duty beginning June of 1943. He completed Officers Candidate School in June of 1944 and commissioned a second lieutenant. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1327th Engineer General Service Regiment. Coffee served as a platoon leader and worked on a 200-mile section of the Ledo Road, connecting Ledo to Myitkyina in Burma. He was discharged in May of 1946. In November of 1950 he was recalled for the Korean War and served as a captain in the 183rd Engineer Combat Battalion.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ralph Fette. Fette was born on 28 January 1921 in Germany and immigrated to the United States with his family in 1927. He attended high school in Brooklyn, New York until 1937 at which time he quit to work with his father. He was drafted into the Army Air Corps in 1941. After taking basic training in Georgia, he attended an airframe and engine school in Detroit, Michigan. Upon completion of the school, Fette left for overseas duty near Calcutta, India. After spending some time in India he joined the 9th Bomb Group at Myitkyina, Burma where his group repaired B-24s and P-40s. As a line chief he was responsible for fifteen planes. One of the B-24s assigned to his group was called Home Stretch. He returned to the United States and was discharged in 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Frank Ryan. Ryan joined the Navy in June 1944 and received basic training in San Diego. Upon completion, he was assigned to the SS Santa Monica, a Merchant Marine ship, as part of the gunnery crew. His ship brought troops and supplies to the Caroline Islands, the Marshall Islands, Saipan, and Okinawa. Until a close encounter with kamikazes at Okinawa, Ryan’s service was uneventful. He recalls seeing beautiful tropical fish in the clear waters near Saipan. His ship often transported recovering soldiers and their medical attendants back to the Santa Monica’s home base on Treasure Island. At the end of the war, Ryan was sent to Guam, where he stood watch on an abandoned Marine base, on the lookout for any surviving Japanese soldiers. While there he saw large pieces of equipment such as bulldozers retired and dumped into the ocean. Ryan returned home and was discharged in February 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Otto Keith Williams. He was born on 10 December 1918 in Tacoma, Washington and after completing two years of college, during which he earned a private pilot's license, he was drafted into the Navy in February 1941 and completed flight training in Corpus Christi, Texas in July 1942. He then transferred into the Marine Corps and was sent to Glenview, Illinois where he completed carrier qualifications in October 1942. He joined Marine Fighter Squadron VMF-214 in Hawaii where he flew Grumman F4F Wildcats. Following training in Hawaii, his squadron embarked on the USS Nassau (CVE-16) in February 1943 and sailed to Espiritu Santo. His squadron then flew to Henderson Field on Guadalcanal, where they provided fighter support for several months flying Wildcats and then F4U Corsairs. Following the Russell Island campaign Williams was transferred to VMF-215 where he participated in the invasion of Bougainville in November 1943. He spent three tours in Guadalcanal and the Solomon Islands and flew 100 missions, but had no encounters with airborne Japanese aircraft. In January 1945 he was transferred to the USS Cape Gloucester (CVE-109), which sailed for Okinawa. Following several weeks …