Oral History Interview with Vicente Blaz, November 17, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Vicente Blaz, November 17, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Vicente Blaz. Blaz was a child during the Japanese occupation of his native Guam. He describes how he and his family lived under constant fear. Blaz discusses how he was forced to join a labor battalion as a young teenager. He talks about how he dug caves and cleared jungle for an airstrip. Blaz describes the hardships endured including lack of food and proper clothing. He discusses the return of the US military and the rapid changes to the island that followed. Blaz describes the profound appreciation that he felt when Guam was liberated. He goes on to describe his later life which included graduating from Notre Dame, becoming a Marine Corps general, and serving two terms as a congressman.
Date: November 17, 2006
Creator: Blaz, Vicente
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Rudy Rodriguez, November 17, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Rudy Rodriguez, November 17, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Rudy Rodriguez. Rodriguez left high school and joined the Marine Corps in 1943 and received basic training in San Diego. He then received advanced infantry training and was assigned to the 3rd Marine Division as a rifleman. After deploying to Guam with the 21st Marine Regiment, Rodriguez learned that he could get out of mess duty and guard duty if he completed flame-thrower training and advanced to PFC. Upon completion of special weapons training, he joined a three-man flamethrower patrol unit. More than once, he encountered Japanese holdouts who either attacked or committed suicide by way of grenade. In addition to capturing a half-dozen Japanese, Rodriguez discovered an American who had been hiding safely among the natives for years. Rodriguez enjoyed trading with the Chamorros, bringing mangoes and bananas back to camp to curry favor and avoid punishment for his unauthorized bartering. After a year and a half, Rodriguez was transferred to Hawaii. Before his discharge, he earned his high school diploma at the Aiea Military School of the Marine Corps.
Date: November 17, 2006
Creator: Rodriguez, Rudy
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Bernard Dillon, November 17, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Bernard Dillon, November 17, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Bernard Dillon. Dillon joined the Navy in February of 1943. Around December of 1944 he completed radio operator training and was assigned to ACORN-24 in the Admiralty Islands. They constructed an airfield for patrol planes on Los Negros Island. Dillon assisted with construction and with copying Morse Code. He returned to the US in May of 1945, reenlisted and served another 2 years, receiving his discharge in late 1947.
Date: November 17, 2006
Creator: Dillon, Bernard
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Vicente Blaz, November 17, 2006 transcript

Oral History Interview with Vicente Blaz, November 17, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Vicente Blaz. Blaz was a child during the Japanese occupation of his native Guam. He describes how he and his family lived under constant fear. Blaz discusses how he was forced to join a labor battalion as a young teenager. He talks about how he dug caves and cleared jungle for an airstrip. Blaz describes the hardships endured including lack of food and proper clothing. He discusses the return of the US military and the rapid changes to the island that followed. Blaz describes the profound appreciation that he felt when Guam was liberated. He goes on to describe his later life which included graduating from Notre Dame, becoming a Marine Corps general, and serving two terms as a congressman.
Date: November 17, 2006
Creator: Blaz, Vicente
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Rudy Rodriguez, November 17, 2006 transcript

Oral History Interview with Rudy Rodriguez, November 17, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Rudy Rodriguez. Rodriguez left high school and joined the Marine Corps in 1943 and received basic training in San Diego. He then received advanced infantry training and was assigned to the 3rd Marine Division as a rifleman. After deploying to Guam with the 21st Marine Regiment, Rodriguez learned that he could get out of mess duty and guard duty if he completed flame-thrower training and advanced to PFC. Upon completion of special weapons training, he joined a three-man flamethrower patrol unit. More than once, he encountered Japanese holdouts who either attacked or committed suicide by way of grenade. In addition to capturing a half-dozen Japanese, Rodriguez discovered an American who had been hiding safely among the natives for years. Rodriguez enjoyed trading with the Chamorros, bringing mangoes and bananas back to camp to curry favor and avoid punishment for his unauthorized bartering. After a year and a half, Rodriguez was transferred to Hawaii. Before his discharge, he earned his high school diploma at the Aiea Military School of the Marine Corps.
Date: November 17, 2006
Creator: Rodriguez, Rudy
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Bernard Dillon, November 17, 2006 transcript

Oral History Interview with Bernard Dillon, November 17, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Bernard Dillon. Dillon joined the Navy in February of 1943. Around December of 1944 he completed radio operator training and was assigned to ACORN-24 in the Admiralty Islands. They constructed an airfield for patrol planes on Los Negros Island. Dillon assisted with construction and with copying Morse Code. He returned to the US in May of 1945, reenlisted and served another 2 years, receiving his discharge in late 1947.
Date: November 17, 2006
Creator: Dillon, Bernard
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History