Oral History Interview with Don Pickard, September 17, 2020 transcript

Oral History Interview with Don Pickard, September 17, 2020

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Don Pickard. Pickard was in high school when the war started and recalls a few anecdotes from childhood before joining the Navy in mid-1944. Once in the Navy, Pickard was assigned to the Amphibious Force. He served as a signalman aboard USS Bergen (APA-150). On his first voyage, they delivered ammunition to Ulithi. Pickard also went to Okinawa and describes typhoons. After the war ended, his ship carried parts of the First Marine Division to China. Upon returning to the US, Pickard received his discharge in mid-1946.
Date: September 17, 2020
Creator: Pickard, Don
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Don Pickard, September 17, 2020 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Don Pickard, September 17, 2020

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Don Pickard. Pickard was in high school when the war started and recalls a few anecdotes from childhood before joining the Navy in mid-1944. Once in the Navy, Pickard was assigned to the Amphibious Force. He served as a signalman aboard USS Bergen (APA-150). On his first voyage, they delivered ammunition to Ulithi. Pickard also went to Okinawa and describes typhoons. After the war ended, his ship carried parts of the First Marine Division to China. Upon returning to the US, Pickard received his discharge in mid-1946.
Date: September 17, 2020
Creator: Pickard, Don
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with John East, May 17, 2021 (open access)

Oral History Interview with John East, May 17, 2021

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John L. East. East was born in central Texas in 1920. After graduation from high school in 1937 he worked in the rice fields. He entered the Army Air Forces in 1942, and, following training at various airfields, served as a B-17 co-pilot. In 1944, he was assigned to the 379th Bomb Group at Kimbolton, England. He tells of some of the tactics he used to thwart German fighter attacks as the pilot of a B-17 bomber. He completed missions over Germany and France. East flew thirty missions before returning to the United States. He retired from the Air Force in 1964.
Date: May 17, 2021
Creator: East, John
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with John East, May 17, 2021 transcript

Oral History Interview with John East, May 17, 2021

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John L. East. East was born in central Texas in 1920. After graduation from high school in 1937 he worked in the rice fields. He entered the Army Air Forces in 1942, and, following training at various airfields, served as a B-17 co-pilot. In 1944, he was assigned to the 379th Bomb Group at Kimbolton, England. He tells of some of the tactics he used to thwart German fighter attacks as the pilot of a B-17 bomber. He completed missions over Germany and France. East flew thirty missions before returning to the United States. He retired from the Air Force in 1964.
Date: May 17, 2021
Creator: East, John
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History