Language

Oral History Interview with Cleatus A. LeBow, May 2, 2006 transcript

Oral History Interview with Cleatus A. LeBow, May 2, 2006

Interview with Cleatus A. LeBow, a serviceman in the U. S. Navy during World War II. LeBow joined the navy in 1943 and went from Lubbock, Texas to San Diego for recruit training. He shipped out to Pearl Harbor aboard an LST from San Francisco. At Pearl Harbor, he was assigned to a work detail aboard the USS Oklahoma, which had just been righted. Shortly thereafter, he boarded the USS Indianapolis to serve as a range finder operator on one of the gun turrets. Upon leaving Hawaii, the Indianapolis went to Tarawa and then the Marshall Islands. LeBow witnessed Japanese civilian suicides on Saipan. He also witnessed the flag-raising on Iwo Jima from his range finder position aboard the ship. LeBow describes being hit by a kamikaze off Okinawa. He also discusses delivering atomic bomb components to Tinian and being torpedoed on the way to the Philippines. He describes abandoning the ship and spending five days in the water, including his faith in God, hallucinations, rescue, and his recovery.
Date: May 2, 2006
Creator: Misenhimer, Richard & Lebow, Cleatus A.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with J. Glen Cleckler, November 24, 2006 transcript

Oral History Interview with J. Glen Cleckler, November 24, 2006

Interview with J. Glen Cleckler, a U. S. Marine during World War II. He discusses his background, including the day he and seven of his friends skipped school to see a movie. In order to provide a believable excuse for their absence to their principal, they went to a recruiting office to get informational forms. The principal then gave them permission to graduate early to join the Marines. He discusses his experiences in boot camp and other training programs and the Battle of Iwo Jima, including hygiene during the battle and the famous flag-raising there. He shares some stories about one of the flag-raisers, Harlan Block, who had been part of the group that enlisted in the Marines with him. He also recalls returning to the United States on a ship full of Section-8 soldiers (PTSD victims), meeting German prisoners of war, and living with Jim Crow laws.
Date: November 24, 2006
Creator: Misenhimer, Richard & Cleckler, J. Glen
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Anita Borchers, September 26, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Anita Borchers, September 26, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Anita Borchers. Borchers speaks on behalf of her late husband, Eddie Borchers, in regards to his military involvement in World War II. Beginning in 1941, Eddie worked in Civil Service at Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio, as a Logistic Command Officer. He completed schooling in automatic pilot work, which he worked in during the war. Anita shares pictures of Eddie at Kelly Field in November of 1945, and describes the airplanes pictured with him, including the B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator. After the war ended, Eddie’s job was to disassemble the planes and remove secret items. He would also photograph the nose art on each plane, before disassembling them, which Anita has in her photo collection. Anita describes the German prisoners still held at the base after the war.
Date: September 26, 2006
Creator: Borchers, Anita
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Raymond Renfro, February 6, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Raymond Renfro, February 6, 2006

Transcript of an oral interview with Raymond Renfro. Born in 1923, he enlisted in the Marine Corps in November 1942. After training in Camp Pendleton, California, he was assigned to a machine gun squad in the 4th Marine Division. He describes landing on the Marshall Islands of Roi and Namur during the Battle of Kwajalein. He also relates his experiences in a rifle platoon under Captain Houston Stiff during the Battle of Saipan. He was wounded by an exploding shell and evacuated to a hospital ship. He was given a medical discharge in January 1945. The interview contains information about his early family life as well as information about his brother, Robert Renfro, who was captured by the Japanese while serving in the Army Air Corps in the Philippines.
Date: February 6, 2006
Creator: Renfro, Raymond
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Thomas Koltoniak, February 21, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Thomas Koltoniak, February 21, 2006

Transcript of an oral interview with Thomas Koltoniak. He joined the Navy despite being underage. He was assigned to the USS Texas (BB-35), first in the radio division, then in the aerial division. He shares an anecdote about visiting a munitions dump in Iceland on one of the ship's Atlantic crossings. He mentions the radio broadcast of General Dwight Eisenhower?s ?Voice of Freedom? message from the Texas while off the coast of North Africa. He participated in aerial photography missions along the French coast in preparation for the invasion of Normandy, France. He relates that the Texas was hit by two German shells, one of which failed to explode, during the Battle of Cherbourg. He describes the invasion of Iwo Jima. He also describes the processes of taking-off and landing on an aircraft carrier. He discusses attacks by kamikazes at Okinawa as well as the capture of a kamikaze pilot.
Date: February 21, 2006
Creator: Koltoniak, Thomas
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Cesar Forezan, Jr., March 12, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Cesar Forezan, Jr., March 12, 2006

Transcript of an oral interview with Cesar Fourzan, Jr. He enlisted in the Army in 1940 and was assigned to C Troop of the First Cavalry Division. He trained as a cavalry soldier at Fort Bliss, Texas. He was sent to Fort Riley, Kansas where he attended Officer Candidate School. He shares an anecdote about losing his accent in order to receive his commission. He was assigned to the 9th Cavalry and served as the squadron paymaster. He shares anecdotes about taking African American soldiers into Mexico for recreation and about taking aerial photos of Fort Clark, Texas. He participated in a horse march from Fort Ringgold, Texas to Alpine, Texas, when he was in the 112th Cavalry, Second Cavalry Division. He shares anecdotes about his trip to Australia aboard the USS Hermitage (AP-54); witnessing the landing of General McArthur on Leyte; adopting a puppy and interacting with children on Luzon; and his return trip to the United States. He also shares his recollection of eating ground grasshoppers. He spent twenty-nine years and seven months in the Army and attained the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Date: March 12, 2006
Creator: Fourzan, Cesar, Jr.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Edward Chandler, January 12, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Edward Chandler, January 12, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Edward Chandler. Chandler quit school and joined the Navy in 1942. After boot training, he went to diesel school before reporting to Little Creek, Virginia for amphibious training. His first assignment was aboard an LCT in North Africa. Chandler had duty ashore maintaining engines at a port facility. From there, he went to Palermo and then Naples in early 1944. At Naples, he continued to repair ship engines. He also worked at the Anzio beachhead. He returned to the US for some leave and then was assigned to USS LST-502, which took him to the Pacific in time for the invasion of Okinawa. Chandler was discharged in 1946.
Date: January 12, 2006
Creator: Chandler, Edward
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Farrell Kluttz, January 6, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Farrell Kluttz, January 6, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Farrell L. Kluttz. Kluttz joined the Navy in December 1937. His first assignment was aboard the USS Downes (DD-375). In 1939, he was transferred to the USS John D. Edwards (DD-216) on Asia Station. His enlistment ended the day before the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Kluttz was in San Francisco then. he elected to stay in the Navy and was assigned to the commissioning crew of the USS Electra (AKA-4) in Tampa, Florida. They delivered some Marines to New Zealand in mid 1942 and made the North Africa landing later in November. Kluttz was aboard when the Electra was torpedoed and returned to South Carolina with he in April 1943. When he returned, Kluttz attended fire control school and graduated as a Chief Firecontrolman. He served at Newport, Rhode Island getting several sailors qualified to go aboard the soon-to-be commissioned USS Franklin (CV-13). Kluttz was aboard the Franklin when is suffered the bomb hits in March, 1945. He abandoned ship off the fantail and was rescued out of the water by the USS Hunt (DD-674). Kluttz was located by the captain of the Franklin and went back aboard …
Date: January 6, 2006
Creator: Kluttz, Farrell
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Merle Hatch, March 11, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Merle Hatch, March 11, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Merle Hatch. Hatch grew up in El Paso, Texas, and was drafted into the Army in January, 1941. Hatch was eventually attached to the 77th Infantry Division after he had gone to Officer Candidate School and received his commission as an infantry officer. Hatch speaks briefly about invading Guam and comments on Japanese soldiers in general. Hatch was a platoon leader on Guam. He relates a story about using a flamethrower on Guam. Hatch also served on Ie Shima and Okinawa. After securing Okinawa, Hatch's unit went to Cebu, in the Philippines, where Hatch was wounded by a renegade Japanese soldier. He met his future wife, who was a nurse, in the hospital on Leyte. He also shares a story about arriving on Hokkaido for occupation duty.
Date: March 11, 2006
Creator: Hatch, Merle W.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Kathryn Ast Hatch, March 12, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Kathryn Ast Hatch, March 12, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Kathryn Ast Hatch. Hatch grew up in Wisconsin and went to nursing school in Madison. She joined the Army in 1943. Once she was inducted and trained, she was assigned to the 44th General Hospital. Then, she shipped out for Australia, where she worked in a 2,000 bed hospital in Townsville. Hatch was in charge of a ward and cared for wounded soldiers and pilots from the New Guinea campaign. Eventually, she moved with her unit to New Guinea and then the Philippines. Hatch describes some of the infections she witnessed, such as malaria.
Date: March 12, 2006
Creator: Hatch, Kathryn Ast
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with George Steiger, March 22, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with George Steiger, March 22, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with George Steiger. Born in 1924, Steiger joined the Marines in 1943. He received artillery training as well as DUKW (also referred to as a Duck (an amphibios vehicle)), radio, and telephone training. He was an assistant gunner with the Fifth Marine Division. He describes his role in invasion of Iwo Jima as well as seeing the first American flag raised on Mount Suribachi. At the end of the war, he was sent to Sasebo, Japan as part of the occupation force. He discusses disarming kamikaze boats. He was transferred to the Second Marine Division stationed in Nagasaki, Japan. He describes the area that was hit by the atomic bomb as well as interactions with the local citizens. He returned to the United States in 1946.
Date: March 22, 2006
Creator: Steiger, George
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Thomas Kenney, March 16, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Thomas Kenney, March 16, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Thomas Kenney. When Kenney finished high school in 1941 in Houston, Texas, he went to work for a railroad company before volunteering for service in the Navy. He trained in San Diego before going to signal school. After signal school, Kenney was assigned to the Armed Guard. He was assigned to an oil tanker that the Merchant Marines operated. He spent 18 months aboard the vessel hauling oil from points in teh Carribean to points in the Pacific for the fleet oilers stationed there. Kenney also recalls serving aboard a victory ship, the SS Paducah Victory (1945), and hauling ammunition aboard it to Okinawa. Kenney describes the methods and procedures of signalling between ships in a convoy. Kenney also describes life aboard a tanker as a signalman.
Date: March 16, 2006
Creator: Kenney, Thomas
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Al Stevens, March 27, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Al Stevens, March 27, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Al Stevens. He graduated from Michigan State University in 1943 as a metallurgical engineer. He enlisted in the Navy in 1944 in Detroit, Michigan. He attended the Navy Electronics School at Harvard University as well as a specialized radar training program organized by MIT at the Harbor Building in Boston, Massachusetts. He received further training in radar countermeasures at Ocracoke Island, North Carolina. He served on the USS Wasatch (ACG-9). When the ship was anchored, he was assigned to deliver orders and mail. He describes the Operation Olympic portion of the plan to invade Japan. He was part of the force that occupied Wakanoura and Nagoya, Japan. He shares an anecdote about obtaining a Japanese sword as a souvenir in Nagoya. In North China he participated in the repatriation of the Japanese, Chinese, and Koreans. He wrote a book, ?Up Close and Personal,? about his World War II experiences.
Date: March 27, 2006
Creator: Stevens, Al
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Andrew Bofinger, March 10, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Andrew Bofinger, March 10, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Andrew Bofinger. Bofinger joined the Naval Reserves in October of 1941, and was called to active duty on 15 December 1941. He served as Boatswain’s Mate Second Class, and worked on the offshore patrol in sailing vessels searching for Japanese subs. In June of 1943 he received a direct commission as ensign, and was assigned as Skipper aboard the minesweeper, YMS-93. In early 1944 they traveled to Hawaii, then the Marshall Islands conducting patrols, search and rescue missions and maintenance sweeping. In March of 1945 they swept mines on the east coast of Okinawa and rescued crewman from the USS England (DE-635). Bofinger was discharged in February of 1946.
Date: March 10, 2006
Creator: Bofinger, Andrew
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Thomas Burke, February 20, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Thomas Burke, February 20, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Thomas Burke. Burke was born in Kendall, Kentucky 26 March 1917. After graduating from Monroe High School in Rochester, New York in 1935 he attended Union College, Schenectady, New York majoring in electrical engineering. He graduated in 1939. On 1 December 1941 he entered the US Navy at New London, Connecticut. He entered Submarine Officer’s School at New London with three months training on the submarine USS O-6. Upon graduation he was assigned to the USS Flasher (SS-249) as the communications officer. Burke describes four of the six combat patrols the Flasher made while he was aboard and mentions the shipping tonnage sunk by the boat. He also tells an interesting story involving two Chinese seamen who were picked up after the Flasher sank their sampan. After returning to San Francisco for an overhaul, the submarine made a seventh and uneventful patrol from which they were recalled, as Japan had surrendered. The submarine was taken to the New Orleans Navy Depot and Burke was discharged soon thereafter.
Date: February 20, 2006
Creator: Burke, Thomas A.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with John Crooker, January 19, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with John Crooker, January 19, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Crooker. Crooker joined the Navy on 6 December 1941. He served as an officer (ensign to lieutenant commander), stationed in 1944 and 1945 in New Guinea, and as an intelligence briefer for Admiral T.C. Kinkaid, Commander, Seventh Fleet, on the USS Wasatch (AGC-9) and in the Philippine Islands. He participated in the Leyte and Lingayen Gulf operations from October of 1944 through August of 1945. He was discharged from active duty in October of 1945.
Date: January 19, 2006
Creator: Crooker, John
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Earle Falvey, January 20, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Earle Falvey, January 20, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Earle M. Falvey. Falvey was born 14 March 1923 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Quitting school in 1938, he worked various jobs until joining the Navy in December 1942. Upon completing boot camp at Newport, Rhode Island, he attended gunnery school. From there, he volunteered for submarine school at New London, Connecticut. He describes the training, including being aboard an S-boat, an O-boat and an E-boat. Upon graduating he was assigned to the USS Flasher (SS-249) in time for its first war patrol from Pearl Harbor in January 1944. He was injured during a surface battle with a Japanese ship and was sent to the Mare Island Naval Hospital where he spent six weeks after surgery. Falvey returned to Australia and he describes experience with Aborigines during his rail travel to Fremantle. Upon his arrival in March 1945, he was assigned to the crew of the USS-Besugo (SS-321). He recalls various actions in which the Besugo was involved including the sinking of the German submarine, U-183. They picked up one German survivor, who joined a Japanese prisoner they had picked up from a tanker they had sunk. Falvey discusses the …
Date: January 20, 2006
Creator: Falvey, Earle
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with James Harward, March 20, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with James Harward, March 20, 2006

The National Museum of the pacific War presents an interview with James Harward. Harward joined the Army in October, 1944. When he arrived in France, he was assigned to B Company, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division in time to participate in combat in Germany. He describes his combat experiences and shares anecdotes about his occupation duty as well. When Harward returned to the US, he was discharged after a 30 day furlough.
Date: March 20, 2006
Creator: Harward, James
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Cecil C. Harris, February 3, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Cecil C. Harris, February 3, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Cecil Harris. Harris was born 20 February 1925 in Raymond, Mississippi. In January 1943 he joined the Army Air Force Enlisted Reserves and entered basic training at Kessler Air Base, Mississippi. In May 1943 he was sent to the University of Tennessee in preparation for pre-flight training. He went to Nashville for classification and was selected for pilot training. He went to Montgomery, Alabama for primary training by a civilian instructor. After training in BT-13 aircraft at Courtland, Alabama, he flew AT-10 aircraft in advanced training at Freeman Field, Indiana and graduated 22 May 1944. He then went to Gulfport, Mississippi to begin B-17 crew training. Upon completing the training the crew was sent to New York City where in January 1945 they boarded the RMS Aquitania. Landing in Scotland they were transported to Glatton Air Base, England where they reported to the 457th Bomb Group, 748th Bomb Squadron. In reporting to the Deputy CO, Harris found the man had been his Boy Scout Master many years before. He flew thirty-two combat missions and describes a number of them. Of particular interest is his recollection of an encounter …
Date: February 3, 2006
Creator: Harris, Cecil C.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Thomas F. Jordan, February 9, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Thomas F. Jordan, February 9, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Thomas F. Jordan. Jordan joined the Navy on 8 December 1941. He was assigned to the USS Wichita (CA-45) and worked as a deck seaman. Jordan describes convoy duty, traveling in foggy conditions, and a collision between two British ships. He mentions an incident detailing how the ship was segregated. Jordan discusses taking part in the invasion of North Africa and trading fire with French ships at Casablanca. He then describes taking part in a battle off of Guadalcanal and then bombarding Attu and Kiska before the landings. Jordan transferred to the aviation division and then became a plane captain at Alameda Naval Air Station for the remainder of the war. He remained in the reserves and discusses his experiences during the Korean War.
Date: February 9, 2006
Creator: Jordan, Thomas F.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Arthur E. Kelly, January 26, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Arthur E. Kelly, January 26, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Arthur E. Kelly. Kelly was born 4 March 1920 in Duluth, Minnesota. Graduating from Duluth Denfield High School in May 1939 he attended Duluth Junior College for two years. To supplement his income, he joined the Minnesota National Guard. While in college he received his pilot certification through the Civilian Pilot Training Program. His National Guard unit was called to active duty and went to Camp Claiborne, Louisiana. While there, he was accepted as a flying cadet and sent to Kelly Field, Texas for pilot training. He received his wings and commission in October 1942. He was sent to Harlingen Air Base, Texas and flew various planes with men learning to fire machine guns from aircraft. He then went to Smyrna, Tennessee for training in B-24 bombers. Upon completion of his training he returned to Harlingen and flew with other aerial gunner trainees. After six months, he went to Alabama for pilot training in B-29 bombers. He completed the training in March 1945 and was assigned as an aircraft commander. After receiving a crew, they flew to Saipan and were assigned to the 498th Bomb Group, 873rd Bomb …
Date: January 26, 2006
Creator: Kelly, Arthur
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Pierre J. J. Kennedy, March 16, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Pierre J. J. Kennedy, March 16, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Pierre Kennedy. Kennedy was born in France 20 February 1923. He graduated from high school in Massachusetts in 1940. He was called into active service in January 1943 at Brigantine Field, New Jersey. Upon completing basic training he went to the University of Pittsburg as an aviation cadet. After washing out, he went to Tyndall Field, Florida to attend gunnery school. He then was assigned as the tail gunner on a B-24. In August 1944 the crew flew a new B-24 to Foggia, Italy. Upon arrival the crew was assigned to the 781st Bomb Squadron, 465th Bomb Group (H). On 13 October 1944, after flying eighteen combat missions, Kennedy replaced the tail gunner on another B-24. During a bomb run over an oil refinery, Kennedy’s plane was damaged by flak and he bailed out. He was captured by German soldiers and was taken to Dulag Luft, near Frankfort, for interrogation. He was then taken by train to Stalag Luft IV where he stayed until 6 February 1945. Before the advancing Russian Army, the prisoners began a forced march that lasted eighty-six days and covered 500 miles. Kennedy describes …
Date: March 16, 2006
Creator: Kennedy, Pierre J. J.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Warren Kerrigan, February 13, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Warren Kerrigan, February 13, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Warren Kerrigan. Kerrigan joined the Navy in January of 1943. He completed quartermaster and signalman school. He served as Seaman First Class and Quartermaster Striker aboard USS Frost (DE-144) in June of 1943. He also worked on the deck force aboard the ship. They made one convoy escort voyage to Casablanca between November and December. They participated in coastal escort operations with the USS Croatan (CVE-25) hunter-killer group. They operated with Escort Division 13 in the North Atlantic hunting enemy submarines. They completed patrols, and sank German submarines, from March of 1944 through April of 1945, also taking prisoners from sunken vessels. Additionally, they rescued survivors from the USS Warrington (DD-383) and escorted Franklin D. Roosevelt to Yalta. Kerrigan was discharged in January of 1946.
Date: February 13, 2006
Creator: Kerrigan, Warren
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Zane Puckett, February 10, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Zane Puckett, February 10, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Zane Puckett. Puckett joined the Navy in April, 1942. After boot training, he qualified for communications school. Upon graduation, Puckett was assigned aboard USS PC-602. After transiting the Panama Canal, Puckett joined USS YMS-93 as her signalman in August, 1943. At the Marshall Islands, they patrolled for submarines and accidentally damaged their wooden keel. After repairs at Pearl Harbor, YMS-93 headed for Okinawa in time for the invasion. Puckett explains how minesweepers operated. When the war ended, YMS-93 swept waters off the coast of Japan.
Date: February 10, 2006
Creator: Puckett, Zane K.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History