Resource Type

Oral History Interview with C. A. Wilkinson, September 24, 1999 (open access)

Oral History Interview with C. A. Wilkinson, September 24, 1999

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with C A Wilkinson. Wilkinson joined the Naval Reserve in July of 1941. He served as a Storekeeper 3rd Class aboard the USS Tangier (AV-8) beginning September of 1941. He describes in detail life aboard the Tangier, the men he worked alongside, their trip to Pearl Harbor and events leading up to the attack on December 7. He describes some of the events that took place on the Tangier when Pearl Harbor was attacked. Wilkinson details some of Captain Clifton Sprague’s actions that day, as well as the USS Utah (BB-31) capsizing. He also provides details on their activities aboard the Tangier to prepare for their journey to Wake Island.
Date: September 24, 1999
Creator: Wilkinson, C. A.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Eleanor Brown, April 24, 2000 transcript

Oral History Interview with Eleanor Brown, April 24, 2000

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Eleanor Brown. From early 1942 through 1944, Brown served as a general mechanics helper at Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas, and had completed flight training. In April, she joined the Women’s Air Service Pilots (WASPs) in Sweetwater, Texas. Brown graduated, though WASP was disbanded in December of that same year. She returned to Kelly Field and continued to work as the first woman mechanic at the Air Force Base.
Date: April 24, 2000
Creator: Brown, Eleanor
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Eleanor Brown, April 24, 2000 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Eleanor Brown, April 24, 2000

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Eleanor Brown. From early 1942 through 1944, Brown served as a general mechanics helper at Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas, and had completed flight training. In April, she joined the Women’s Air Service Pilots (WASPs) in Sweetwater, Texas. Brown graduated, though WASP was disbanded in December of that same year. She returned to Kelly Field and continued to work as the first woman mechanic at the Air Force Base.
Date: April 24, 2000
Creator: Brown, Eleanor
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Ethel Blaine, April 24, 2000 transcript

Oral History Interview with Ethel Blaine, April 24, 2000

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ethel ""Sally"" Blaine Millett. Millett grew up in Missouri and went to nurses training in San Diego, California. She volunteered for the Philippines in 1941. She witnessed the bombing at Clark Field. She took care of the soldiers wounded by Japanese strafing. When the bombing got too bad, the nurses left Statsenberg for Manila. Because of continued Japanese bombing all over the Philippines, the nurses had to keep moving as the hospitals moved. She describes having malaria and then having to evacuate from Bataan to Corregidor. Then they went to Mindanao where they were formally captured by the Japanese. They were moved to Davao and then to Santo Tomas. She describes losing her possessions. She describes life in the internment camp: the food, the work required, the sanitary conditions, the self-government, the birthrate, and the entertainment. Millett has to have an operation while at Santo Tomas. She also describes executions. Finally, the American soldiers arrived, and she took a plane home in February 1945. Her brother met her in San Francisco.
Date: April 24, 2000
Creator: Millett, Ethel Blaine
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Ethel Blaine, April 24, 2000 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Ethel Blaine, April 24, 2000

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ethel ""Sally"" Blaine Millett. Millett grew up in Missouri and went to nurses training in San Diego, California. She volunteered for the Philippines in 1941. She witnessed the bombing at Clark Field. She took care of the soldiers wounded by Japanese strafing. When the bombing got too bad, the nurses left Statsenberg for Manila. Because of continued Japanese bombing all over the Philippines, the nurses had to keep moving as the hospitals moved. She describes having malaria and then having to evacuate from Bataan to Corregidor. Then they went to Mindanao where they were formally captured by the Japanese. They were moved to Davao and then to Santo Tomas. She describes losing her possessions. She describes life in the internment camp: the food, the work required, the sanitary conditions, the self-government, the birthrate, and the entertainment. Millett has to have an operation while at Santo Tomas. She also describes executions. Finally, the American soldiers arrived, and she took a plane home in February 1945. Her brother met her in San Francisco.
Date: April 24, 2000
Creator: Millett, Ethel Blaine
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with George Beeler, July 24, 2000 transcript

Oral History Interview with George Beeler, July 24, 2000

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with George Beeler. Beeler joined the Army in April of 1943. He was assigned to a Military Police battalion with the 45th Infantry Division. In December, he was transferred to Baltimore. He completed Officer Candidate School in the spring of 1944. In December, Beeler completed additional schooling as a marine repair officer. In June of 1945 he deployed to Hickman Field in Hawaii, serving as a shipment officer, in preparation for the invasion of Japan. He continued his service after the war ended, receiving his discharge around July of 1946.
Date: July 24, 2000
Creator: Beeler, George
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with George Beeler, July 24, 2000 (open access)

Oral History Interview with George Beeler, July 24, 2000

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with George Beeler. Beeler joined the Army in April of 1943. He was assigned to a Military Police battalion with the 45th Infantry Division. In December, he was transferred to Baltimore. He completed Officer Candidate School in the spring of 1944. In December, Beeler completed additional schooling as a marine repair officer. In June of 1945 he deployed to Hickman Field in Hawaii, serving as a shipment officer, in preparation for the invasion of Japan. He continued his service after the war ended, receiving his discharge around July of 1946.
Date: July 24, 2000
Creator: Beeler, George
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Charles Borchers, October 24, 2000 transcript

Oral History Interview with Charles Borchers, October 24, 2000

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles Borchers. Borchers joined the Army in September 1944 and received training at Camp Hood and Fort Ord. His first combat duty was in the Luzon campaign, where he was stationed in the mountains north of Manila. There he was assigned to the 112th Cavalry Regiment. His platoon devised an alarm system out of barbed wire and tin cans to alert them to Japanese infiltration. They fired 15,000 rounds when a water buffalo stumbled into it. After the battle, Borchers was stricken with hepatitis and never was in action again. He arrived in Tokyo Bay on 1 September 1945 and camped at the Tateyama Air Base with a view of the surrender. He was part of the occupation forces and describes what he saw on his travels through Japan, including the rubble of Chiba. He joined the 649th Ordnance Ammunition Company, dumping ammunition, vehicles, and aircraft into the water near Shoshi. Borchers returned home and was discharged in November 1946 as a first sergeant, whereupon he joined the Naval Reserves and entered medical school. He resigned his commission in 1953.
Date: October 24, 2000
Creator: Borchers, Charles
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Charles Borchers, October 24, 2000 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Charles Borchers, October 24, 2000

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles Borchers. Borchers joined the Army in September 1944 and received training at Camp Hood and Fort Ord. His first combat duty was in the Luzon campaign, where he was stationed in the mountains north of Manila. There he was assigned to the 112th Cavalry Regiment. His platoon devised an alarm system out of barbed wire and tin cans to alert them to Japanese infiltration. They fired 15,000 rounds when a water buffalo stumbled into it. After the battle, Borchers was stricken with hepatitis and never was in action again. He arrived in Tokyo Bay on 1 September 1945 and camped at the Tateyama Air Base with a view of the surrender. He was part of the occupation forces and describes what he saw on his travels through Japan, including the rubble of Chiba. He joined the 649th Ordnance Ammunition Company, dumping ammunition, vehicles, and aircraft into the water near Shoshi. Borchers returned home and was discharged in November 1946 as a first sergeant, whereupon he joined the Naval Reserves and entered medical school. He resigned his commission in 1953.
Date: October 24, 2000
Creator: Borchers, Charles
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Isidore Ozuna, October 24, 2000 transcript

Oral History Interview with Isidore Ozuna, October 24, 2000

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Isidore Ozuna. Ozuna joined the Navy in July of 1943. He served with the deck force aboard the USS Colorado (BB-45). His battle station was with the gun crews. He participated in the pre-invasion shelling and fire support of Tarawa, Kwajalein, Saipan, Guam, Tinian, Leyte, Lingayen Gulf and Okinawa. He returned to the US after the war ended and received his discharge in December of 1945.
Date: October 24, 2000
Creator: Ozuna, Isidore
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Isidore Ozuna, October 24, 2000 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Isidore Ozuna, October 24, 2000

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Isidore Ozuna. Ozuna joined the Navy in July of 1943. He served with the deck force aboard the USS Colorado (BB-45). His battle station was with the gun crews. He participated in the pre-invasion shelling and fire support of Tarawa, Kwajalein, Saipan, Guam, Tinian, Leyte, Lingayen Gulf and Okinawa. He returned to the US after the war ended and received his discharge in December of 1945.
Date: October 24, 2000
Creator: Ozuna, Isidore
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Abe Santos, February 24, 2001 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Abe Santos, February 24, 2001

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Abe Santos. Santos joined the Navy in November of 1939. He served as a Fireman aboard the USS Astoria (CA-34). They participated in the battles of the Coral Sea, Midway and Savo Island, where the ship was sunk. He traveled back to Pearl Harbor aboard the USS Wharton (AP-7). Santos was placed on tugboat duty for six months, then transferred to Johnston Island as a Second-Class Machinist’s Mate. He assisted with airstrip construction. He later transferred back to headquarters at Pearl Harbor, and worked on staff for Admiral Robert L. Ghormley. He continued his service after the war ended.
Date: February 24, 2001
Creator: Santos, Abe
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Abe Santos, February 24, 2001 transcript

Oral History Interview with Abe Santos, February 24, 2001

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Abe Santos. Santos joined the Navy in November of 1939. He served as a Fireman aboard the USS Astoria (CA-34). They participated in the battles of the Coral Sea, Midway and Savo Island, where the ship was sunk. He traveled back to Pearl Harbor aboard the USS Wharton (AP-7). Santos was placed on tugboat duty for six months, then transferred to Johnston Island as a Second-Class Machinist’s Mate. He assisted with airstrip construction. He later transferred back to headquarters at Pearl Harbor, and worked on staff for Admiral Robert L. Ghormley. He continued his service after the war ended.
Date: February 24, 2001
Creator: Santos, Abe
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Annie (Amy) May Webb, March 24, 2001 transcript

Oral History Interview with Annie (Amy) May Webb, March 24, 2001

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Annie May Webb. She discusses her husband's service and her experiences on the homefront. She describes delivering word of the birth of their daughter to her husband while he was aboard the USS Bennington serving with VMF-112
Date: March 24, 2001
Creator: Webb, Annie (Amy) May
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Annie (Amy) May Webb, March 24, 2001 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Annie (Amy) May Webb, March 24, 2001

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Annie May Webb. She discusses her husband's service and her experiences on the homefront. She describes delivering word of the birth of their daughter to her husband while he was aboard the USS Bennington serving with VMF-112
Date: March 24, 2001
Creator: Webb, Annie (Amy) May
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Annie May Web, March 24, 2001 transcript

Oral History Interview with Annie May Web, March 24, 2001

Interview with Annie (Amy) May Webb discussing her husband's service and her experiences on the homefront during World War II. She describes delivering word of the birth of their daughter to her husband while he was aboard the USS Bennington serving with VMF-112.
Date: March 24, 2001
Creator: Bloomfield, Vivian & Webb, Annie May
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Ethel Reisberg Schectman, March 24, 2001 transcript

Oral History Interview with Ethel Reisberg Schectman, March 24, 2001

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ethel Reisberg Schectman. She begins by discussing her family background: her parents were Jews born in Poland and emigrated to the United States. Ethel's European aunts, uncles and grandparents all likely died in the Holocaust. As a first grade student, she taught her mother, a Polish immigrant, how to read and write English. She recalls, wartime rationing, Victory Gardens, scrap drives, and antisemitism among her school-aged classmates in Dallas, Texas, and the end of the war.
Date: March 24, 2001
Creator: Schectman, Ethel
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Ethel Reisberg Schectman, March 24, 2001 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Ethel Reisberg Schectman, March 24, 2001

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ethel Reisberg Schectman. She begins by discussing her family background: her parents were Jews born in Poland and emigrated to the United States. Ethel's European aunts, uncles and grandparents all likely died in the Holocaust. As a first grade student, she taught her mother, a Polish immigrant, how to read and write English. She recalls, wartime rationing, Victory Gardens, scrap drives, and antisemitism among her school-aged classmates in Dallas, Texas, and the end of the war.
Date: March 24, 2001
Creator: Schectman, Ethel
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Ethel Reisberg Schectman, March 24, 2001 transcript

Oral History Interview with Ethel Reisberg Schectman, March 24, 2001

Interview with Ethel Reisberg Schectman regarding her experiences during World War II. She begins by discussing her family background: her parents were Jews born in Poland and emigrated to the United States. Ethel's European aunts, uncles and grandparents all likely died in the Holocaust. As a first grade student, she taught her mother, a Polish immigrant, how to read and write English. She recalls, wartime rationing, Victory Gardens, scrap drives, and antisemitism among her school-aged classmates in Dallas, Texas, and the end of the war.
Date: March 24, 2001
Creator: Cox, Floyd & Schectman, Ethel Reisberg
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Ethel Reisberg Schectman, March 24, 2001 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Ethel Reisberg Schectman, March 24, 2001

Interview with Ethel Reisburg Schectman of Fort Worth, Texas, who was born in New York City during the Great Depression to Jewish Polish immigrant parents. The interview includes Hill's personal experiences of World War II on the home front, including memories of D-Day, iron metal scrap drives, victory gardens, rationing, V-E and V-J Days, and what it was like being Jewish in Dallas during that time.
Date: March 24, 2001
Creator: Cox, Floyd & Schectman, Ethel Reisberg
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Joseph B. Brown, March 24, 2001 transcript

Oral History Interview with Joseph B. Brown, March 24, 2001

Interview with Joseph Brown, who was in the Marine Corps during World War II. He discusses going to Guadalcanal, various guns and artillery he used, the battle of Tarawa and getting malaria just before it, then going to Hawaii for more training before returning to the South Pacific and fighting on Saipan and Tinian. He also discusses being wounded on Saipan, having a bayonet run through his forearm and keeping the bayonet as a souvenir after the war, and he talks about some of his experiences and travels after the war.
Date: March 24, 2001
Creator: Cox, William G. & Brown, Joseph B.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Joseph B. Brown, March 24, 2001 transcript

Oral History Interview with Joseph B. Brown, March 24, 2001

Transcript of an oral interview with Joesph B. Brown. He discusses going to Guadalcanal, various guns and artillery he used, the battle of Tarawa and getting malaria just before it, then going to Hawaii for more training before returning to the South Pacific and fighting on Saipan and Tinian. He also discusses being wounded on Saipan, getting a bayonet run through his forearm and keeping the bayonet as a souvenior after the war and talks about some of his experiences and travels after the war.
Date: March 24, 2001
Creator: Brown, Joseph B.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Joseph B. Brown, March 24, 2001 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Joseph B. Brown, March 24, 2001

Transcript of an oral interview with Joesph B. Brown. He discusses going to Guadalcanal, various guns and artillery he used, the battle of Tarawa and getting malaria just before it, then going to Hawaii for more training before returning to the South Pacific and fighting on Saipan and Tinian. He also discusses being wounded on Saipan, getting a bayonet run through his forearm and keeping the bayonet as a souvenior after the war and talks about some of his experiences and travels after the war.
Date: March 24, 2001
Creator: Brown, Joseph B.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with William F. (Bill) Graham, March 24, 2001 transcript

Oral History Interview with William F. (Bill) Graham, March 24, 2001

Transcript of an oral interview with Bill Graham. He begins by discussing joining the Navy and becoming a corpsman, then being transferred to the 2nd Marine Division after the Pearl Harbor attack. He discusses being in the first wave on Guadalcanal and various things that happened during the six months there, contracting a severe strain of malaria, getting shipped back to the States and stationed near his home in Fort Worth, then to training in Virginia preparing for an invasion of Japan.
Date: March 24, 2001
Creator: Graham, William F. (Bill)
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History