The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with with William R. Sanchez. Born in Texas in 1918, Sanchez joined the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1938. He was drafted into the Army in 1940 and elected to serve in the Philippines. He was assigned to the 59th Regiment, Coast Artillery, Battery D and later Battery H at Fort Mills (Corregidor). He was then assigned to Army Intelligence in the Harbor Defense Headquarters. He recounts how the Army Intelligence at Corregidor provided advance notification of the Japanese force on its way to attack Pearl Harbor. He describes participating in the battle for Corregidor, being taken prisoner in the Malinta Tunnel, and his role in disposing of an American flag after the surrender to the Japanese. He discusses the treatment and living conditions he experienced as a prisoner of war. He was held captive at Bilibid Prison and Cabanatuan in the Philippines. He was transported aboard the Totorri Maru, a hell ship, to Formosa. He was then relocated to Camp Omori near Tokyo, Japan where he befriended Gregory “Pappy” Boyington and Louis Zamperini; was beaten by “the Wiley Bird” (Mutsuhiro Watanabe); and encountered Premier Tojo. He discusses his …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James Hood of Indianapolis, Indiana. He discusses entering the U.S. Navy in September of 1942 without basic training as he was a college graduate. After being sworn in at Wabash College he was sent to Harvard Business School for Supply Corps for 4 months before being assigned to a ship in Pearl Harbor despite having no sailing training. Mr. hood was assigned to the Cummings DE643, he was supposed to be on the Samuel B. Roberts but the naval officer over him changed his mind last minute and 37 days later the Roberts sunk. While in Tulagi, Mr. Hood was involved in shooting down a Kamikaze plane, even receiving a ribbon for it after the war. He was also involved in the Battle of Okinawa and even saved two shells and years later had them signed by U.S. pilot Paul Tibbets. Mr. Hood was discharged from the Navy on February 28th, 1946, at Santa Ana, California as a Full Lieutenant. He was recalled to the Navy for the Korean War on March 2nd, 1951, and discharged for the final time on March 30th, 1953, as a Lieutenant Commander.

The National Museum of the pacific War presents an interview with Bernard Hollander. Hollander was commissioned in the Naval Reserve in May 1942. His first assignment was aboard the USS SC-1065 before he switched ships to command the USS SC-1066 and headed for the Western Pacific. There, he was involved in the invasions of the Marshall Islands and the Mariana Islands before being assigned to the USS Medea (AKA-31) as navigator. He participated in the invasion of Okinawa and transported troops ashore at Tokyo Bay during the surrender. Hollander recalls several anecdotes about his experiences in the Navy aboard small vessels. He received his discharge in February, 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Raymond S. Pugh. He discusses his experiences serving on the aircraft carrier the USS Hornet and some of their more exciting missions and battles against the Japanese int he Pacific Theatre during World War Two.

Transcript of an oral interview with Russell Milliken. He discusses being in the 82nd Airborne, parachuting into Normandy just after D-Day, being treated for frozen feet during the Battle of the Bulge and meeting a doctor he knew from home, serving on General Eisenhower's honor guard in Frankfurt, and coming home through New York and having to stay there for a Victory Parade before being allowed to go back to Texas.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James Hood of Indianapolis, Indiana. He discusses entering the U.S. Navy in September of 1942 without basic training as he was a college graduate. After being sworn in at Wabash College he was sent to Harvard Business School for Supply Corps for 4 months before being assigned to a ship in Pearl Harbor despite having no sailing training. Mr. hood was assigned to the Cummings DE643, he was supposed to be on the Samuel B. Roberts but the naval officer over him changed his mind last minute and 37 days later the Roberts sunk. While in Tulagi, Mr. Hood was involved in shooting down a Kamikaze plane, even receiving a ribbon for it after the war. He was also involved in the Battle of Okinawa and even saved two shells and years later had them signed by U.S. pilot Paul Tibbets. Mr. Hood was discharged from the Navy on February 28th, 1946, at Santa Ana, California as a Full Lieutenant. He was recalled to the Navy for the Korean War on March 2nd, 1951, and discharged for the final time on March 30th, 1953, as a Lieutenant Commander.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bob Campaign. Campaign joined the Navy in March 1943 and attended the University of Iowa for pre-flight training. He describes a training device consisting of a mock cockpit that would be flipped over and lowered into a swimming pool, giving pilots a chance to practice releasing their harnesses while hanging upside down, submerged in water. He finished his training at Corpus Christi and Fort Lauderdale, transitioning into combat airplanes. He was then assigned to VT-15 aboard the USS Hornet (CV-12). After the shakedown cruise, Campaign was transferred to VF-79 as a night fighter pilot aboard the USS Independence (CVL-22).

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with C. Douglas Dillon where he discusses his childhood and education and what led him to join the Navy. He describes his career in the navy serving out of various ports across the US.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Frank H. Bigelow where he discusses his childhood, family, education and life during the great depression. He describes his recruitment into the Navy and his experiences in the Pacific Theatre during World War Two.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Elwyn Becker discussing his childhood and education and how he came to join the Navy. He describes the training process for becoming an Aviation Radioman and his experiences in the Pacific Theatre during World War Two.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Orlyn Master discussing his childhood and education and what led him jo joining the US Military. He describes his experiences flying planes over Europe and of being a Prisoner of War after getting captured by the Germans.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Wayne Nelson, where he discusses his childhood and what led him to joining the Navy. He describes his experiences in the Pacific Theatre during World War Two and the lasting impact it had on him.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Muriel Usselman. Usselman was a child living in Hawaii when Pearl Harbor was attacked. Her father worked as an electrician and the family lived on base. She recalls what she witnessed during the attack on 7 December as well as her experiences in the following days. She returned with her family to the Mainland in 1944.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jay Rutherford. Rutherford joined the Navy in early 1943. He served as a Boatswain's mate aboard USS Harris (APA-2). In April, they traveled to the Aleutians, participating in the Battle of Attu. In December, after the Battle of Tarawa, they went to Pearl Harbor. While there, Rutherford had unexpected blindness, was treated and remained in service aboard the Harris. They participated in the Battle of Kwajalein in January 1944. Then, Rutherford was transferred to Pearl Harbor, and served with a flotilla under Rear Admiral Eugene Coffin. Later, he was assigned to the USS USS LCI(R)-644, where he participated in the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. After the war, Rutherford continued his service with the occupation forces in Yokohama, Japan. He returned to the US in February of 1946 and received his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Russell J Judah. Judah joined the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, New York, in 1944. He graduated in August of 1945. He was immediately commissioned as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy, serving mostly in the Philippines and occupied Japan. He traveled aboard the SS Mission Loreto (1944), a type T2 tanker. Judah was discharged in March of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles Dahlstrom. Dahlstrom joined the Navy around June of 1943. He served with the deck crew aboard USS Mississippi (BB-41). In November of 1943, they bombarded Makin Island, providing fire support. He talks of the mass casualties amongst the crew members during combat. Dahlstrom shares his experiences through the Battle of Surigao Strait in October of 1944, the Battle of Lingayen Gulf in January of 1945 and the kamikaze attacks during the Battle of Okinawa in mid-1945. He was aboard the Mississippi in the Tokyo Bay, during the signing of the surrender documents. They returned to the US and Dahlstrom received his discharge in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Erfurth. Erfurth joined the Army Air Forces in 1943. He completed Armament and Aerial Gunnery training. He served as a B-24 Armorer with the 8th Air Force, 392nd Bombardment Group. They deployed to England and Erfurth completed 27 bombing missions over Germany and France. He received his discharge in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Vincent Wayne. Wayne joined the Army around late 1942. He served with the 98th Infantry Division. He was deployed to Hawaii. In 1944, they shipped out to Saipan and helped take over an airport with little resistance from the Japanese. After the war ended, they traveled to Honshu, Japan and were stationed at Osaka College. Wayne speaks about his time in Japan after the war and what he witnessed. Wayne and his squad were assigned to install telephone poles and phone lines for the Japanese people. He returned to the US and received his discharge in February 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles Kayhart. Kayhart joined the Army in December of 1942. He completed training in radar and radio engineering. He served with the 3116th Signal Service Battalion. Kayhart’s headquarters were in Hawaii. He set up an underground radio station, installing and fine tuning all radio transmitters. He completed the same work on Iwo Jima in order to have direct communication with the Pentagon in Washington, DC, with San Francisco and with all of the Orient. Kayhart and his crew completed the installation on the island during the battle, and shares details of his experiences. He returned to the US and received his discharge in March of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Howard Stearns. Stearns joined the Army in July of 1946. He served with the 1st Cavalry Division, 5th Cavalry Regiment. In December he traveled to Yokohama, Japan aboard the USS General W. M. Black (AP-135). Stearns was assigned to the 4th Replacement Depot in Japan, and worked as a non-commissioned officer, overseeing a supply room during the occupation of Japan. Stearns also transported war criminals by vehicle to the war crime trials, sat in on the trials, then escorted the criminals back to the Sugamo prison in Tokyo. He returned to the US and was discharged in November of 1947.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Hanley. Hanley joined the Navy in January of 1941. He served as a Pharmacist’s Mate aboard the USS Houston (CA-30), providing general first aid and administering shots to the soldiers. In February of 1942 they participated in the Battle of Sunda Strait, where the Houston was sunk. Hanley describes his experiences through the sinking of their ship, getting captured by the Japanese, surviving in the POW camp and providing medical care for his fellow captives. In 1945 he was sent to a camp in Thailand working in a medical pool. He was liberated there and returned to the US and was discharged in February of 1947.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James Reed. Reed was drafted into the Army in June 1945, while he was in ninth grade. He later received his diploma in 1949. He went to Sheppard Field, Texas, Ft. McClellan, Alabama and Ft. MacArthur, California for training. In California he was a medical technician, though received no formal training. He worked in a separation center, taking blood pressure. He was in the 9th Service Command and the 6th Army. He also worked as a longshoreman in San Pedro. From there he was shipped up to Camp Beall, California where he worked the remainder of his Army career as a medic, driving an ambulance and giving shots to inductees coming into the Army. He was discharged in December 1946 and he worked for the Pure Oil Station, and then later at the Veterans Hospital in Montgomery. He used his G.I. Bill to go to business school in Montgomery, Alabama while working at the Veterans Hospital.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Denzil Rogers. Rogers enlisted in the Army in November, 1944 and trained for the infantry in Arkansas. In April, 1945, he landed at Leyte where he joined the 132nd Infantry Regiment, Americal Division. He went to Japan with the Americal Division and was soon transferred to a military police outfit. Rogers remained in Japan until rotating to the US in October, 1946. He was then discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Harmon Moody. Moody quit high school and joined the Navy when he was 17 in early 1945. After recruit training, Moody was assigned to USS John W. Weeks (DD-701). Moody recalls a kamikaze attack. He also recalls going ashore at Nagasaki. When the war ended, Moody received his discharge and went into radio engineering.