The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Joe L. Ware, Sr. He was born in 1924 in Nederland, Texas. After working on B-24 bombers at the Consolidated Aircraft Company in San Diego, California, he returned to Texas and joined the Navy when he was nineteen-years-old. He went to Machinist School; was transported to the Pacific region on the USS Wharton (AP-7); and assigned to the USS Colorado (BB-45) in New Hebrides. He describes his typical duties as a machinist on the battleship. He talks about the bombardment and support for the invasion of Tarawa as well as Kwajalein. He mentions that the ship was hit twenty-two times by the shore battery at Tinian. He also speaks of kamikaze attacks at Leyte Gulf and Lingayen Gulf as well as shells hitting the bridge at Luzon. He mentions being under constant fire at Okinawa. He was on the bridge of the USS Colorado in Tokyo Bay when the peace treaty was signed. He remained on the ship while it transported troops home from the Pacific. He explains the meaning of a Homer Brown pennant. He was discharged in January 1946. The interview also contains information about his …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Joe L. Ware, Sr. He was born in 1924 in Nederland, Texas. After working on B-24 bombers at the Consolidated Aircraft Company in San Diego, California, he returned to Texas and joined the Navy when he was nineteen-years-old. He went to Machinist School; was transported to the Pacific region on the USS Wharton (AP-7); and assigned to the USS Colorado (BB-45) in New Hebrides. He describes his typical duties as a machinist on the battleship. He talks about the bombardment and support for the invasion of Tarawa as well as Kwajalein. He mentions that the ship was hit twenty-two times by the shore battery at Tinian. He also speaks of kamikaze attacks at Leyte Gulf and Lingayen Gulf as well as shells hitting the bridge at Luzon. He mentions being under constant fire at Okinawa. He was on the bridge of the USS Colorado in Tokyo Bay when the peace treaty was signed. He remained on the ship while it transported troops home from the Pacific. He explains the meaning of a Homer Brown pennant. He was discharged in January 1946. The interview also contains information about his …