Resource Type

Oral History Interview with Gordon Schaefer, December 11, 2011 transcript

Oral History Interview with Gordon Schaefer, December 11, 2011

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Gordon Schaefer. Schaefer was born in Clinton, Indiana 5 December 1924. Upon graduating from high school in 1943, he was drafted into the US Army. He completed basic training at Camp Shelby, Missouri and he went to Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia for advanced training. He was then sent to Camp Kilmer, New Jersey where he boarded the SS Argentina for Scotland. From there he went to Normandy where he joined the 29th Infantry Division as a rifleman. He describes the hedgerow fighting and combat against the 2nd German Parachute Division. He tells of being involved in combat at Geilenkirchen, Germany where he was wounded by shell fragments. After the initial treatment, he was moved to a hospital in Liege, Belgium before being taken by C-47 to a hospital in Oxford, England. After his recovery, he rejoined his company in Germany and remained there until he returned to the United States in December 1945 at which time he was discharged.
Date: December 11, 2011
Creator: Schaefer, Gordon
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with George Kirk, December 29, 2011 transcript

Oral History Interview with George Kirk, December 29, 2011

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with George Kirk. Kirk was born in Moline, Illinois on 17 April 1921. After graduating from high school in 1939 he enrolled at the University of Iowa. While there he participated in the Civilian Pilot Training Program and received his pilot’s license. In June 1942, he joined the Navy and had four months of training at St Louis. He then entered flight training at Corpus Christi Naval Air Station, Texas and had advanced at Kingsville Naval Air Station, Texas. He was commissioned in May 1943. After gunnery, formation and night flying he went to Norfolk, Virginia and was assigned to VF-8 and began flying F6F fighter planes. The group began practicing carrier landing on the USS Charger (CVE-30). Upon being carrier qualified, VF-8 was assigned to the USS Intrepid (CV-11). Upon arrival in Hawaii, VF-8 was off loaded from the ship and moved to the Navy base on Maui. On 1 March 1944, Air Group 8 was assigned to the USS Bunker Hill (CV-17). In recalling various combat missions, Kirk depicts the coordinated attacks by dive bombers, torpedo planes and fighter planes against various targets. He took part in …
Date: December 29, 2011
Creator: Kirk, Goerge N.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Robert Johnsmiller, January 10, 2011 transcript

Oral History Interview with Robert Johnsmiller, January 10, 2011

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Johnsmiller. Johnsmiller joined the Marine Corps in April 1942. He was sent to the Solomon Islands and took part in the landing at Tanambogo as a member of the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines. Johnsmiller describes aiding a wounded corpsman and providing cover for a demolition man. He also discusses Japanese destroyers using search lights to seek out Marines at night, and an incident where he helped bury a large amount of crewmen from a badly damaged US cruiser. Johnsmiller also landed on Savo Island and then Guadalcanal where he describes losing a friend to enemy machine gun fire. He almost drowned in a training accident and was saved by another marine. Johnsmiller landed on Tarawa as an assistant squad leader and was wounded in the eye. He goes on to discuss attacking a key bunker in the Japanese defenses and losing many members of his squad. Johnsmiller describes being evacuated and the care that he received on a troop ship and then a hospital ship. His damaged eye was removed and he was assigned to help another marine who was completely blind. Johnsmiller discusses the personal impact …
Date: January 10, 2011
Creator: Johnsmiller, Robert
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Robert Hilburn, January 19, 2011 transcript

Oral History Interview with Robert Hilburn, January 19, 2011

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Hilburn. Hilburn joined the Marine Corps after he graduated from journalism school. He describes his time in boot camp at Paris Island. Hilburn received some assistance from a congressman who recommended he be placed in a correspondent role. He was sent to headquarters in Washington D.C. where he began writing stories about marines who had been awarded medals for home town newspapers. Hilburn was then sent to the 2nd Marine Division to become a Combat Correspondent. He describes some of his fellow correspondents and the equipment that they used. Hilburn landed on Okinawa towards the end of the battle and describes being with General Buckner when he was killed. He also traveled to Nagasaki after the surrender. Hilburn left the service after the war, but continued his career as a journalist. He was in a press vehicle that was part of the motorcade when John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Hilburn describes the events and aftermath.
Date: January 19, 2011
Creator: Hilburn, Robert
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Raymond A. Dembinski, January 5, 2011 transcript

Oral History Interview with Raymond A. Dembinski, January 5, 2011

Transcript of an oral interview with Raymond A. Dembinski. Dembinski begins by recalling some experiences from his childhood growing up during the Great Depression. He joined the Naval Reserve in 1935 and went on active duty in September, 1941 when he was assigned to the USS Sacramento (PG-19). He describes his role in the attack on Pearl Harbor, then mentions how he was transferred to the USS Bogue (CVE-9) and spent two years on convoy escort duty in the North Atlantic. In 1944, Dembinski was transferred to the USS Bataan (CVL-29) and was involved in the Marianas Turkey Shoot. Toward the end of the war, Dembinski was transferred to the USS Robert K. Huntington (DD-781), the ship he cruised home aboard after the war ended.
Date: January 5, 2011
Creator: Dembinski, Raymond A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Gilberto Hernandez, January 21, 2011 transcript

Oral History Interview with Gilberto Hernandez, January 21, 2011

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Gilberto Hernandez. Hernandez was born in Corpus Christi, Texas 13 September 1925. He worked on farms at a very young age with his formal schooling ending after the third grade. After his induction into the US Army in 1943 he was sent to Camp Wolters, Texas for basic training. He was temporarily assigned to the 42nd Infantry Division and then shipped to Camp Brackenridge, Kentucky where he joined the 75th Infantry Division. After receiving advanced training the division boarded a ship for Liverpool, England. The unit was then stationed in La Havre, France until called upon to participate in the Battle of the Bulge. On 17 January 1945, Hernandez was severely wounded. Hernandez was taken to a field hospital and then to a general hospital in Paris. There his leg was partially amputated. He was then sent to Bushnell General Military Hospital in Brigham City, Utah. He comments on the crude construction of the prosthesis of which he was originally fitted. He was discharged July 1945.
Date: January 21, 2011
Creator: Hernandez, Gilberto
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Jill Pitts Knappenberger, January 20, 2011 transcript

Oral History Interview with Jill Pitts Knappenberger, January 20, 2011

Transcript of an oral interview with Jill Pitts Knappenberger. She discusses growing up during the Depression, going to college before the war, then volunteering for the Red Cross in 1942, but delaying to stay home with her terminally ill sister before joining in 1943. She first worked in England before going to France. She was able to meet her twin brother, who was also in France just before he died in the Battle of the Bulge. She describes what it was like in the camps at the beginning of the Battle of the Bulge and driving the Red Cross Clubmobile away from the front lines, seeing the Ordruff [Ohrdruf] and the Buchenwald concentration camps and the salt mines at Merkers where the Germans stored a lot of looted money and artwork. She ancedotes about flying in B-17s, getting to drive a Sherman tank and how she felt during her first air raid in London and being in the Battle of the Bulge.
Date: January 20, 2011
Creator: Knappenberger, Jill Pitts
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Bernard J. Scher, January 3, 2011 transcript

Oral History Interview with Bernard J. Scher, January 3, 2011

Transcript of an oral interview with Bernard J. Scher. Scher joined the Army in early 1943 and trained as a combat engineer in the Army Corps of Engineers. After training, Scher's unit was sent to Iceland in August, 1943. From there, his unit went to St. Lo, France after D-Day and cleared away land mines and destrroyed German defensive pill boxes. Scher describes building bridges over the Ruhr River and reaching the Elbe River. Scher took R&R in Paris, where he was when Germany surrendered. He describes some of his activities after the surrender and before he shipped home in December, 1945. His unit was stationed in France, but he managed to travel to Duxford, England to visit his brother there. When Scher returned home, he opted to stay in the Reserves and was called up for the war in Korea. In 1950, he was recalled and trained in the Counter Intelligence Corps. When he went to Korea, he was attached to the 45th Infantry Division. The interview continues on 10 January, 2011. Scher describes trained and sent to Korea. While in Korea, Scher's job was to interrogate civilians at an internee camp. Most of his inmates were North Koreans.
Date: January 3, 2011
Creator: Scher, Bernard J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with William Todd, February 1, 2011 transcript

Oral History Interview with William Todd, February 1, 2011

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Todd. Todd joined the Marine Corps on 10 December 1941. He was sent to Bougainville as a member of a heavy weapons squad. Todd mentions a patrol narrowly escaping getting cut off by the Japanese. He then took part in the invasion of Guam and describes following the tanks through the jungle and forming a defensive line at night. Todd discusses the equipment including the .50 caliber heavy machine gun, 37mm anti-tank gun, and 1-ton trucks. His unit was held in reserve at Iwo Jima and landed after 4 days. Todd describes driving his truck off of a landing craft and immediately becoming stuck. He was wounded after four days in battle and evacuated to Guam for surgery. Todd was sent back to the US for duty and remained there until the war ended. He was discharged September 1945.
Date: February 1, 2011
Creator: Todd, William
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Norman E. Carroll, January 25, 2011 transcript

Oral History Interview with Norman E. Carroll, January 25, 2011

Transcript of an oral interview with Norman E. Carroll. When Carroll reached 18, he joined the Navy in December, 1942. After basic training at Great Lakes, Illinois, Carroll volunteered for submarines and went to submarine school in New London, Connecticut in June, 1943. When he finished submarine school, Carroll was assigned to the USS Guitarro (SS-363). Carroll was aboard the Guitarro for five war patrols in enemy waters. Carroll describes being attacked with depth charges, making repairs, a burial at sea of shipmate and being attacked by aircraft.
Date: January 25, 2011
Creator: Carroll, Norman E.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with James J. Joyce, January 27, 2011 transcript

Oral History Interview with James J. Joyce, January 27, 2011

Transcript of an oral interview with James "Jim" Joyce. When Joyce finished high school, he joined the Navy in January, 1943. Soon, he was training with a naval construction battalion (Seabees), and was assigned to Banika Island in the Russell Islands in the Solomons where he served in a bakery and as a stevedore. He was attached to the 11th Construction Battalion. Eventually, Joyce headed for Okinawa and was there on D-day (1 April 1945). He escorted Japanese prisoners of war to Saipan and headed back to Okinawa where he continued performing his bakery and stevedore duties. He stayed on Okinawa until November before returning home to the US.
Date: January 27, 2011
Creator: Joyce, James J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Dorwin Lamkin, January 26, 2011 transcript

Oral History Interview with Dorwin Lamkin, January 26, 2011

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dorwin F. Lamkin. Lamkin was born in Hudson, Wisconsin on 30 October 1922. He enlisted in the Navy on 30 October 1940, and attended boot camp at Great Lakes, Illinois. He spent sixteen weeks at Great Lakes. His first assignment was as a Fire Controlman on the USS Nevada (BB-36). He joined the ship at Bremerton Naval Shipyard. He was transferred to the hospital division and was aboard when the Japanese attacked. Lamkin recalls the ship ran aground adjacent to a sugar cane field across from Hospital Point. After the ship was refloated, he was transferred to Hospital Corpsman School in San Diego, followed by Laboratory Technician School in Bremerton. After completing the training he was transferred to the USS San Francisco (CA-38), which was being repaired at Mare Island. Following the repairs the San Francisco headed north and operated in the Aleutian Islands over the next several months, including supporting the Allied landings at Attu and Kiska Islands. Lamkin spent two years on the San Francisco, was accepted into the Navy’s V-12 Program and attended the University of Kansas. When the war ended he was assigned as …
Date: January 26, 2011
Creator: Lamkin, Dorwin F.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Leo McDonald, February 8, 2011 transcript

Oral History Interview with Leo McDonald, February 8, 2011

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Leo Mc Donald. McDonald was born in Plemons, Texas 10 September 1924 and graduated from high school in 1941. He attended a junior college for two years before entering the US Marine Corps in 1943. After completing boot training at San Diego, he went to armament school in San Francisco where he was trained to repair and maintain small arms and automatic weapons. After graduating he was sent to Midway Island where he reported to the defense battalion. One year later, he went to Quantico, Virginia where he entered Officer’s Candidate School. Upon receiving his commission in July 1945, he went to school in Atlanta, Georgia to learn to be a transportation officer. He then reported to a Texas Marine Corps air station as the transportation officer. When the base closed in 1946 he was sent to McAllister, Oklahoma where he received his discharge. After being discharged, he attended Southwestern Baptist College in Fort Worth. In 1952 he was recalled for duty during the Korean War. He was accepted into the Navy Chaplin Corps in 1953. After attending Navy Chaplin’s school in Newport, Rhode Island he was assigned …
Date: February 8, 2011
Creator: McDonald, Leo
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Greg Layman, January 20, 2011 transcript

Oral History Interview with Greg Layman, January 20, 2011

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Greg Layman. Layman worked in a shipyard in Vancouver, Washington on escort carriers until he turned 18. After his birthday he joined the Navy and served in the Seabees with CBMU 521 spending 20 months on Tulagi improving infrastructure. Three weeks after the Japanese surrender, his unit was sent to Okinawa to build a permanent naval base. Three months later he was sent to the United States and discharged on 24 December 1945.
Date: January 20, 2011
Creator: Layman, Greg
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Everett Fulton, January 25, 2011 transcript

Oral History Interview with Everett Fulton, January 25, 2011

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Everett Fulton. Fulton joined the Navy in 1936 serving as a machinist mate. He details the work and equipment used in the metal shop. Fulton was discharged in 1940 only to rejoin the Navy after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He describes training as a dive-bomber pilot and what it was like to fly a SB-2C Helldiver. Fulton joined VB-14 on the USS Wasp (CV-18) and flew missions over the Philippine Islands. Formosa, and Iwo Jima. He goes into detail describing his mission during the Marianas Turkey Shoot and expresses his frustration with the decisions that led to so many planes having to ditch afterwards. Fulton spent the end of the war as an instructor in Florida. He remained in the reserves and was called back for Korea where he also served as an instructor.
Date: January 25, 2011
Creator: Fulton, Everett
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Bob Sweatt, January 26, 2011 transcript

Oral History Interview with Bob Sweatt, January 26, 2011

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bob Sweatt. Sweatt was inducted to the Army Air Forces in September 1942. He describes his training as a gunner. Sweatt joined the 389th Bomb Group as a waist gunner in a B-24. He describes his experiences on several missions. Sweatt was the only surviving crewmember when his plane was shot down. He describes getting wounded, escaping the plane, and parachuting to the ground. Sweatt details the three months that he was hidden by the French and Dutch Underground. He eventually escaped to England and then returned to the United States. Sweatt served as a gunnery instructor for the remainder of the war.
Date: January 26, 2011
Creator: Sweatt, Bob
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with J. B. Young, February 7, 2011 transcript

Oral History Interview with J. B. Young, February 7, 2011

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Reverend J.B. Young. Young enlisted in the Army Air Corps in December 1936. He became a cook and then was trained as an airplane mechanic. Young was sent to Hickam Field in Hawaii to serve as a crew chief on a B-17. He describes the attack on 7 December and how he taxied his plane out of danger and the patrols that they flew in the immediate aftermath. Young was then sent to New Caledonia where his plane flew photo reconnaissance missions for three months. They traveled to Australia and flew missions against Rabaul and Japanese ships in the Coral Sea. Young describes some notable incidents from this time. He returned to the US after 66 missions and remained there until the end of the war. Young retired from the Air Force in 1959.
Date: February 7, 2011
Creator: Young, J. B.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Clemens Kathman, January 26, 2011 transcript

Oral History Interview with Clemens Kathman, January 26, 2011

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Clemens Kathman. Kathman was drafted into the Army in March 1941. He joined the 200th Coast Artillery and traveled to the Philippine Islands. He describes the Japanese bombing Clark Field and then being sent to Bataan. Kathman was captured and became a POW. He details the march to camp that followed and the difficulties that he endured. Kathman was assigned to the burial detail at Camp O’Donnell and describes the duties he performed. He was then sent to Cabanatuan and goes into detail on the diet of the prisoners. Kathman then traveled to Japan in the hold of a freighter. In Japan he suffered a ruptured appendix and was given an improvised treatment by American medics. He ended up in Nagoya and describes his liberation and treatment through his return to the United States.
Date: January 26, 2011
Creator: Kathman, Clemens
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Thomas Walton, February 15, 2011 transcript

Oral History Interview with Thomas Walton, February 15, 2011

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Thomas Walton. Walton joined the Navy in December 1942 and received basic training in San Diego. Upon completion in August 1943, he was then assigned to USS Neches (AO-47) as a seaman. At Okinawa he saw an ammunition ship explode after a kamikaze hit. On the way back to the States, the Neches hit a mine that blew a 15-by-22-foot hole in the side of the ship. After it was repaired, Walton returned to sea until the end of the war. The Neches was in Tokyo Bay during the signing of the armistice, and Walton was close enough to see the Japanese boarding USS Missouri (BB-63). He recalls being treated well by Japanese civilians after the surrender. Walton returned home and was discharged in January 1946. There he finally met for the first time the woman with whom he had been corresponding during the war, and they were soon married.
Date: February 15, 2011
Creator: Walton, Thomas
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with James H. Goemmer, February 15, 2011 transcript

Oral History Interview with James H. Goemmer, February 15, 2011

Transcript of an oral interview with James H. Goemmer. Goemmer begins by describing a three-month trip he took with his family in 1930 in which they traveled all over the US in a Chevrolet. After finishing high school in Yakima, Washington, Goemmer worked various odd jobs before joining the Navy in October, 1942 and going to Farragut, Idaho for basic training. Afterwards, he went to aviation radio school and aerial gunnery school. He qualified as an aircrew member at the naval air station in Daytona, Florida. Eventually, he became a member of a dive bomber unit, VB-3, and was assigned to the USS Yorktown (CV-10) in 1944. While attacking targets in the Philippines, his aircraft was damaged by anti-aircraft fire and was forced to land on the USS Ticonderoga (CV-14), which proceeded to Ulithi. Two weeks later, he and his pilot were back aboard the Yorktown. Before the war ended, Goemmer was stationed to the seaplane base at Kanehoe Bay where he was in charge of repairing radio equipment. He was there when the war ended. He earned enough points by November and returned home, got discharged and became an insurance claims adjuster in Washington state.
Date: February 15, 2011
Creator: Goemmer, James H.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with John W. Underwood, February 18, 2011 transcript

Oral History Interview with John W. Underwood, February 18, 2011

Transcript of an oral interview with John Underwood. Underwood joined the Navy in November 1942 and went to boot camp at Jacksonville Naval Air Station, Florida. Finishing in the top of his class, he had his choice of trade schools and went to aviation radio school in Jacksonville. From there Underwood went to aviation radar school and then to aerial gunnery school in Alameda, California. His gunnery officer was Robert Stack, the actor. After survival school and learning how to jump, he was assigned to a torpedo bomber. The pilots were coming in as well as planes and eventually he was assigned to a crew and Air Group 19 on August 15, 1943; he was 18 years old. After much training in their TBMs in and around California, the group reported to the USS Lexington at Alameda Naval Air Station which sailed solo to Hawaii. After docking in Pearl Harbor, the air group went to Maui where they trained to be a night air group but they never flew a night combat mission as it turned out. While on Maui, they trained firing rockets at night with radar. From there they went back to Pearl Harbor and were loaded aboard …
Date: February 18, 2011
Creator: Underwood, John W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Donald Bentley, February 22, 2011 transcript

Oral History Interview with Donald Bentley, February 22, 2011

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Donald Bentley. Bentley joined the Navy in 1942 and went through the V-12 program. He was assigned to the Seabees. Bentley was trained on ship loading and unloading and joined the 30th Special NCB stateside. He was transferred to the 4th Special NCB and traveled to Okinawa. Bentley describes the work that his unit performed and life on Okinawa at the end of the war. He left the service after four years in March 1946.
Date: February 22, 2011
Creator: Bentley, Donald
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Charles Slaten, February 24, 2011 transcript

Oral History Interview with Charles Slaten, February 24, 2011

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles Slaten. Slaten joined the Navy at the age of 16 in August 1942. He traveled to New Caledonia as a replacement and joined the crew of the USS Neches (AO-47) in the deck department. Slaten describes standing lookout in the crow’s nest in the Aleutian Islands and the ship running aground in Cold Harbor. He also goes into detail on refueling operations including an incident where a carrier broke away due to a submarine threat. Slaten discusses the Neches hitting a mine off of the coast of California. He also talks about events he witnessed such as the flag raising on Mount Suribachi and kamikazes off of Okinawa. Slaten was also in Tokyo Bay at the time of the surrender. He left the service soon after he returned to the US.
Date: February 24, 2011
Creator: Slaten, Charles
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Gordon Sage, February 22, 2011 transcript

Oral History Interview with Gordon Sage, February 22, 2011

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Gordon Sage. Sage joined the Marine Corps in mid-1941. He served aboard USS Maryland (BB-46) as an orderly for Rear Admiral Walter Stratton Anderson, commander of battleships in the Pacific Fleet. Sage was aboard the ship the morning of 7 December. They were moored along Ford Island, with USS Oklahoma (BB-37) on Battleship Row. Sage describes his experiences through the attack, including passing ammunition down a line to the anti-aircraft gun. They traveled to Bremerton, Washington for repairs, where he was detached from the ship. Sage later joined the 14th (Artillery) Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, in Hawaii. In 1945, they participated in the Battle of Iwo Jima. He returned to the US in late 1945, and went on to complete a 21-year military career in the US Air Force.
Date: February 22, 2011
Creator: Sage, Gordon
System: The Portal to Texas History