The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Dewey A. Holden. Holden joined the Navy Coast Guard on December 15, 1941. He was stationed in Mobile, Alabama and served aboard the HMS Larkspur (K82). In 1942, he was assigned to bosun mate training at Manhattan Beach, New York. Later, Holden was assigned to Picket Boat #3836 in New Orleans, LA. He transported bar pilots and ship supplies from the Gulf of Mexico up through the Mississippi River to stations located in Southwest Pass and South Pass. He speaks of the activity and threat of German submarines in this area during late 1942. He continued this service throughout the war, and was discharged on October 26, 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Dietrich Braun. Braun was born in Germany in 1932 and resided there during the war. He tells of housing and shortages during the war years. At age six, Braun was recruited into the Hitler Youth. At the conclusion of the war, his father, a German Rocket scientist, was selected to be a part of Operation Paperclip, a secret United States intelligence program that brought him to the United States. In November of 1946, Braun and his remaining family were smuggled into the US, aboard USNS Henry Gibbins (T-AP-183), to join his father at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base through 1951.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Kenneth Smith. Smith joined the Navy and was in boot training when the war ended. After training, he was assigned to USS Rutland (APA-192). He recalls a few anecdotes about being aboard ship, seeing part of Japan and hauling troops home after the war. Smith shares some of his Christian testimony and entered the seminary after returning to college after the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles Johnson. Johnson joined the Navy as soon as he finished high school in 1943. After training at Farragut, he was assigned to USS Colorado (BB-45). He boarded the Colorado in time for the Marshall Islands campaign and was still aboard for the Mariana Islands campaign. He was aboard when Colorado got hit by shore batteries off Tinian and kamikazes off Leyte. His duty station was in a bloier room or a powder room so he was well below decks at the time of these incidents. He was still aboard during the Okinawa campaign and the surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay. He also describes being in a typhoon. Johnson was dicharged in March, 1946 and went to work for the Rock Island Railroad. Johnson describes his experiences around his Honor Flight in May 2011.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Norris Jernigan. Jernigan enlisted in the Army Air Forces in June 1943. After basic training and being eliminated from flight training, Jernigan was assigned to the intelligence section of the 393rd Bomb Squadron in Nebraska before it was attached to the 509th Composite Group. He spent time in Wendover, Utah before going with the group to Tinian prior to the atomic bombs being dropped on Japan. Though he was in the intelligence section of the bomb group that dropped the atomic bomb, Jernigan had no idea about the atomic bomb until after it was dropped. He mentined those in his group referred to it as the gimmick or the gadget until they understood what it was. When the war ended, Jernigan returned to the US and was discharged in March 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Elaine Osborn. Osborn was born in 1932 in Freeman, South Dakota and had just turned 9 years old when World War II began. She shares memories of civilian life during the war, and living in a Mennonite Community during the Great Depression. She had 5 uncles and 2 cousins in the service. Osborn recalls community building between farmers to help feed and care for one another. Additionally, she notes that her Japanese American college roommate was encamped in California during the war. Osborn provides vivid descriptions of the sacrifices made by the civilians to support the men and women serving their country.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Julius Spelce. Spelce joined the Navy in May of 1944. On Manus Island, he was assigned to a floating dry dock, USS ABSD-2. Spelce served as Petty Officer Third Class with the deck force, conducting repair work and serving as a cook, where he remained through the end of the war. They provided service repairs to large and small ships. Spelce recalls their vessel being torpedoed in April of 1945. He received his discharge in July of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles Elias. Elias joined the Navy in 1943. He completed hospital corpsman school, trained in treating traumatic injuries. He transferred over to the Marine Corps and served as a medical corpsman. In the summer of 1944 he was sent to Guam to join the 21st Regiment of the 3rd Marine Division. He describes his experiences there, including patrolling the island and combat with the Japanese. In February of 1945 they traveled to Iwo Jima, where he describes their work on the island and getting shot. He was discharged in the winter of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Arnold Abbott. Abbott was born in 1924. He dropped out of college to join the US Army in 1942. While undergoing basic training at Camp Wheeler, Georgia, Abbott witnessed practiced segregation and consequently became involved in civil rights issues. He recalls that he did not finish basic training, and was sent to Newport News, Virginia where he was assigned to the 34th Infantry Division. He tells of being involved in action in North Africa, and Italy. Abbott returned to the US after the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Clarence Bohanan. Bohanan joined the Army in December, 1943 and trained in San Antonio. Once he was assigned to the 724th Railway Operating Battalion, his unit was rushed to France after the invasion of Normandy. He shares several anecdotes about his time in France. He also recalls operating during the Battle of the Bulge and after the war during the occupation. Bohanan was discharged in April 1946 and stayed in Germany working for a decade.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Morris. Morris joined the Navy in November of 1942. He describes his boot camp experiences, including his amphibious training on Coronado Island, California. He trained as a coxswain. In November of 1944 he boarded the USS Highlands (APA-119) to Hawaii. Beginning in January of 1945 he served aboard the USS LST-678. They traveled to Iwo Jima. Morris was in the fifth wave and landed on Yellow Beach and he vividly explains his experiences there. In April of 1946 he received a three-day pass to visit Japan and provides some detail of his travels. He was discharged in May of 1946.

The National Museum of the pacific War presents an interview with Hartzell Sherrill. Sherrill joined the Navy in December of 1941 and trained in San Diego before going to communications school. He was then sent aboard the SS Hadnot (1919) with the Navy Armed Guard personnel. Sherrill delivered fuel oil to North Africa, India, Australia and other points in the Pacific. He recalls hauling ammunition to Saipan, watching the invasion of Normandy and dodging typhoons at Okinawa. He also served aboard the SS Colgate Victory (1945). He was discharged in December, 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James Ernst. Ernst joined the Army and was assigned to an artillery unit in the 75th Infantry Division. He landed in France in October, 1944 and fought at the Battle of the Bulge attached to the 101st Airborne Division. He served briefly as a forward artillery observer. When the war ended, Ernst stayed in the Army and served in Korea and Vietnam.

The National Museum of the pacific War presents an oral interview with Rudolph Kraut. Kraut joined the Navy in 1943. He volunteered for submarine duty and attended torpedo school in San Diego and submarine school in New London. He was assigned aboard USS Lizardfish (SS-373) and shares several anecdotes about his service aboard that boat. Kraut was transferred to USS Blueback (SS-326) before electing to be discharged on points.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Walter Hartman. Hartman joined the Navy in February of 1943. He trained to be a pilot in Pensacola, Florida and received his wings in February of 1944. He was commissioned and sent to Banana River Naval Air Station, Florida to fly PBMs. He joined Patrol Bombing Squadron 26 (VPB-26). Hartman served as both pilot and navigator. He provides some details of the PBM. His crew was sent to Okinawa to deliver a new PBM-5. They went to Saipan and were assigned to the USS Norton Sound (AVM-1), and later assigned to the USS Cumberland Sound (AV-17). He gives his experiences of flying combat missions around Japan and the Yellow Sea. He served in the Navy for 27 years.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles Boswell. Boswell joined the Navy in January of 1941. He served aboard the USS Tennessee (BB-43) and the USS Waller (DD-466) as Water Tender 1st Class. Boswell provides a description of the ships and life aboard. He was aboard the Tennessee in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 and provides details of that day and their ship getting hit by the Japanese. He transferred to the USS Waller (DD-466) in September of 1942. They traveled to several islands in the Pacific, providing escort support. They traveled to New Hebrides, the Philippines, Guam, Saipan, Tinian, China and Luzon. He was discharged in January of 1947.

The National Museum of the pacific War presents an oral interview with Donald McWilliams. McWilliams finished high school in 1942 and joined the Marine Corps in March, 1943. He went overseas in October and joined the Fifth Marines. At Cape Gloucester, McWilliams served in a headquarters and supply company handling ammunition. He also went to Peleliu and recalls a friend he lost there. McWilliams also went to Okinawa with the First Marine Division. He shares anecdotes about time at Pavuvu and in combat. When the war ended, McWilliams received his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Richard, Rick, Smith. Smith was born in El Paso, Texas in October of 1939. His parents were Arden Smith and Winnie Mae Wilson Smith, formerly Hagee. Winnie is the older sister of Michael Hagee, President and CEO of the Admiral Nimitz Foundation. Arden died in 1945, and Rick’s grandparents came to live with he and his mother. Bob Hagee, Michaels’s father, had property north of Fredericksburg, Texas, close to Boot Ranch today. Rick, Winnie and his grandparents moved to this property around the early 1950s. Rick graduated from high school in 1957, at which time the Nimitz Hotel also served as a bus station. Rick shares numerous stories of Fredericksburg back in the 1950s through the date of this interview, and how the Nimitz Hotel and surrounding property has changed over the years. After retiring from the Navy as an Aviation Machinist Mate in 1977, Rick ran his own service station. In 1980, he was hired by Doug Hubbard as the Maintenance Chief for the Admiral Nimitz State Historical Park and Museum, and he recalls their grand opening on November 11, 1983 and meeting General Jimmy Doolittle, General Paul …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Max Crittenden. Crittenden joined the Navy in May of 1944. He served as a fire controlman. He completed boot camp in Farragut, Idaho. He went to Service School for Fire Control Operator in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, to learn how to use the fire control telescope. He went to Tacloban, Philippines in January 1945. He was assigned in New Guinea to the USS Flusser (DD-368), the flagship for DESRON 5. His job aboard was serving as one of the commodore’s orderlies. His ship and crew were part of the invasion on Balikpapan, Borneo in July 1945. He was discharged in June of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Walter Steffes. Steffes entered the Navy June 1946. He completed training in Great Lakes, Illinois. He moved on to Treasure Island, California for electronics school. In July 1947 he boarded the USS Newman K. Perry (DD-883). He served as an electronics technician aboard the destroyer. They arrived in Japan September 1947. They were with the Carrier Division 132. They were assigned to patrol escort, search and rescue, and hydrographic survey missions. They were on the coast of China from Tsingtao to Hong Kong. He was discharged March 1948. In December 1950 he was recalled for the Korean War and reported for duty in January 1951. He served aboard the USS Kula Gulf (CVE-108) working to get the radar and radios in working order. They trained pilots to land on the small flight deck, and as the pilots qualified they were sent on to Korea. He was discharged in April 1952. He owned and operated a gas station after his time in the service.

The National Museum of the pacific War presents an oral interview with William Batty. Batty was drafted into the Army Signal Corps in April, 1944 after he finished high school. After training, he joined the 58th Signal Repair Company in late 1944 and headed for England. His unit eventually moved to the continent and into Germany. Their job was to repair telephones, but they did not encounter too many. Batty shares several anecdotes of his time in Europe during and after the war. When the war ended in Europe, Batty recalls his unit packing its gear for transport to the Pacific. He was Marseilles when the Japanese surrendered. He returned instead to the US and was discharged in April, 1946. Batty went to college in Mississippi and then went to work for IBM.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Lee Reynolds. Reynolds was drafted into the Army in January of 1946. After basic training, he was deployed to Yokohama, Japan with occupation forces. He shares what the city looked like after the bombing and how the people treated him. He was transferred to Kobe, where his job was to process uniforms and anything that had to be salvaged or replaced. He shares his experiences living and working in Japan after the war. He returned to the US in 1948 and received his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Crawford. Crawford’s daughter Pam Dell assists with the interview. Crawford joined the Army in 1937. He completed basic training in California and Hawaii. In Hawaii he spent his first year at Schofield Barracks with the 35th Infantry Division. His first enlistment was up in 1940 and then he re-enlisted in Hawaii and went into the Coast Artillery in Honolulu at Fort DeRussy. After December 7, 1941 Crawford was a sergeant and went to Hickam Field to assess damage of the ships, airplanes and hangars. He and his daughter give a description of what he witnessed after the bombing. He later assisted with manning the telephones, intercepting radio messages from the Japanese. He then moved to the Field Artillery working in the motor pool. He was discharged in 1945 while in Hawaii, and remained there to open and operate a business. He went on to open a WWII Veteran’s Club in South Carolina for 40 years and after that he was the national commander of the American Veterans of WWII.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Thomas Despain. Despain joined the Navy and was training to be a gunner when the war ended. He was discharged a month later. When the war ended, Despain entered into a career in law enforcement.