The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Donald Hair. Hair was drafted into the Navy when he was 18 years old. During boot camp he learned Morse Code, and how to serve as a signal flagman, helmsman and loader on a 5-inch gun. He worked aboard the USS Aulick (DD-569), which joined Admiral Kinkaid???s 7th Fleet. He provides some details of his job aboard and the ship in general. They traveled to Guam, Guadalcanal, the Solomon Islands, Leyte Gulf and the Philippines. In November of 1944 at Leyte Gulf their destroyer was attacked by 6 Japanese planes, which Hair describes and received shrapnel in his back. He was transferred to a hospital ship and then to a hospital on New Caledonia. He provides some information on the US Fleet Hospital 105 in New York. Once healed he joined a Seabee construction unit. He traveled back to the States around May of 1945 aboard the USS Rixey (APH-3). He describes his experiences aboard, including going through a typhoon. He was later assigned to the USS Adirondack (AGC-15), where he oversaw 6 men stationed on the large bridge. He served a total of 5 years in the Navy.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Everett E Knebel. Knebel joined the Navy in January 1942 as an experienced carpenter. He received basic training at Great Lakes and was among the first Seabees to be deployed in the war. When his unit left the island, Knebel stayed behind to have an appendectomy. He returned to duty on the island, climbing 40 feet in the air to construct a parachute drying tower, and operating the backhoe to install a sewage system. His working hours were ordinary and regular, just as in civilian life, only he would pause to make way for Polynesian natives whenever they held a traditional burial ceremony. He describes their singing in the procession, carrying a body wrapped in yellow on their shoulders. After two years, Knebel returned to the States. He was stationed at Port Hueneme when the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Everett E Knebel. Knebel joined the Navy in January 1942 as an experienced carpenter. He received basic training at Great Lakes and was among the first Seabees to be deployed in the war. When his unit left the island, Knebel stayed behind to have an appendectomy. He returned to duty on the island, climbing 40 feet in the air to construct a parachute drying tower, and operating the backhoe to install a sewage system. His working hours were ordinary and regular, just as in civilian life, only he would pause to make way for Polynesian natives whenever they held a traditional burial ceremony. He describes their singing in the procession, carrying a body wrapped in yellow on their shoulders. After two years, Knebel returned to the States. He was stationed at Port Hueneme when the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with L.C. Finger. Finger was born in Garner, Texas. Drafted into the Army in 1943, he was sent to Camp Wolters, Texas for three weeks of basic training. He was then sent to Camp Mackall, North Carolina where he joined the 11th Airborne Division, volunteering for parachute training. He made five practice jumps before deploying overseas. Arriving at Leyte in June 1944 they made three practice jumps and conducted routine patrols. He recalls in December a Japanese force came out of the jungles and attacked an airfield and an engineering group killing many Americans. Elements of Finger’s division searched and were successful in finding and destroying the enemy force. That evening the Japanese dropped paratroopers to take the local airfield and he tells of seeing them come down, highlighted by white parachutes, enabling the Americans to kill many of them as they landed. The division retook the airfield the next day. While participating in the action, Finger was seriously wounded by a Japanese sniper. He was taken to an aid station and then to a field hospital where doctors removed his right leg. He was taken to Biak, New …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with L.C. Finger. Finger was born in Garner, Texas. Drafted into the Army in 1943, he was sent to Camp Wolters, Texas for three weeks of basic training. He was then sent to Camp Mackall, North Carolina where he joined the 11th Airborne Division, volunteering for parachute training. He made five practice jumps before deploying overseas. Arriving at Leyte in June 1944 they made three practice jumps and conducted routine patrols. He recalls in December a Japanese force came out of the jungles and attacked an airfield and an engineering group killing many Americans. Elements of Finger’s division searched and were successful in finding and destroying the enemy force. That evening the Japanese dropped paratroopers to take the local airfield and he tells of seeing them come down, highlighted by white parachutes, enabling the Americans to kill many of them as they landed. The division retook the airfield the next day. While participating in the action, Finger was seriously wounded by a Japanese sniper. He was taken to an aid station and then to a field hospital where doctors removed his right leg. He was taken to Biak, New …