The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Urban J. Bellinghausen. Bellinghausen was born on 3 March 1926 in Munday, Texas. He joined the Marine Corps on 15 June 1944. He attended boot camp at San Diego. Following that he had 3 more months training at Camp Pendleton. Then he deployed to the Pacific, a 33 day crossing from San Diego to Saipan, arriving 10 November 1944. He was attached to the 2nd Marine Division, 3rd Battalion, 10th Marines. While Saipan was in Allied hands, there were still some Japanese troops left to deal with. His unit then sailed to Iwo Jima but returned to Saipan. There they trained for the Okinawa invasion. In Okinawa, they participated in a decoy landing on D-Day minus 1, pulling Japanese forces away from the beaches where the actual landings took place. Never actually hitting the beach, Bellinghausen stayed on board the landing ship, eventually returning to Saipan. After the atomic bombs were dropped and the armistice signed, he was sent to Nagasaki for 10 months. Then he caught a ship at Sasebo for the States, arriving in San Diego 17 July 1946. He was discharged 10 days later.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William G. Mehling. Mehling was born in Alexandria, Indiana on 1 October 1924. In April 1943, he was drafted into the Army. Following basic training at Camp Roberts, California, he was sent to the Army Specialized Training Program at Stanford University, then to Indiana University for a nine month course in engineering. In May 1944 he was sent to Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky for refresher basic training, then to Fort Campbell for combat engineer training. In November 1944 Mehling sailed for Marseilles, France as a member of the 1271st Combat Engineers, attached to the 7th Army, 75th Infantry Division. After a brief stay in Marseilles, the unit went to a small town in Alsace-Lorraine. By April 1945 they were near the front laying mine fields, clearing German mine fields, and building Bailey bridges. The 1271st followed the 75th south to Austria and almost to the Italian border. After the German surrender in May, they went to Antwerp, Belgium in preparation for transfer to the Pacific. Before that could happen, the war ended. Mehling returned to the US in December 1945 and was discharged on 3 January 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Scheumann. Scheumann was drafted into the Army in October 1942. After training he was assigned to the 323rd Field Artillery as part of the 83rd Infantry Division. He went overseas to England in April, 1944, then to Normandy on 12 June. He was wounded and evacuated to England in early July. When he returned to France he was assigned to drive a radio repair truck. He returned to the US in November 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Everett Scarr. Scarr joined the Navy in 1944. He served with the deck force aboard the USS Black (DD-666). He recalls his experiences through the battles of Leyte and Okinawa, and serving with occupation forces in Japan after the war. Scarr returned to the US and received his discharge in June of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jack Nebelsick. Nebelsick joined the Navy in December 1942 and trained at Great Lakes. After basic training, he attended fire control school. Later in 1943, he was assigned to USS Wesson (DE-184). He was among the commissioning crew and was present for the shakedown cruise before heading for the Pacific. He discusses his role aboard ship as well as the ship's role in the fleet. Nebelsick recalls a few anecdotes from his time aboard. Nebelsick recalls the time a kamikaze struck his ship. Nebelsick was discharged in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Chris Hutchinson. Hutchinson joined the Navy Women's Reserve in 1944 and trained at Hunter College in the Bronx. Her first assignment was in communcations in Wahsington DC until the Navy realied she was not old enough to serve in the WAVES. She was discharged, but reenlisted in MArch 1945 when she was old enough and went to San Diego. She worked in the disbursing office. She also clerked in an office at Great Lakes training center.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Nolan Donop. Donop joined the Army and eventually shipped out to Italy, where he volunteered to cook before being assigned to the 34th Infantry Divivsion and making his way to northern Italy to the Apennine Mountains. Donop recalls a few anecdotes from his combat experiences.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Douglas Hubbard, Jr. Hubbard was born on 1 April 1945. He joined the Naval Intelligence Command as a special agent of the Naval Investigative Service in March of 1968. He volunteered for service in Vietnam for 36 months. He later accepted an appointment as a training officer for the British South Africa police in Rhodesia. Additionally, Hubbard worked in security, mining and exploration industries. He has lived and worked extensively in Asia, Australia and Africa. His father, Doug Hubbard, was instrumental in establishing the National Museum of the Pacific War.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Frank C. Smith. Smith was born in Houston, Texas on 7 August 1921. Graduating from high school in 1939, he enrolled in Williams College. After three years he transferred to and graduated from Caltech in 1944. Smith joined the Navy in 1944 and trained in electronics at several universities and Navy bases before being trained in electronic countermeasures, including the IFF (identification friend or foe) set. Just prior to concluding training at San Clemente Island, the Japanese surrendered. Upon completion of the advanced training he was shipped to Guam and assigned to CASU F-12. He went aboard Navy aircraft carriers to service the electronic equipment on various fighter planes that were on board.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Clint Morse. Morse was born in Berkeley, California on 16 June 1920 and entered the Navy in 1942. He was assigned to the Navy Supply Corps School at Harvard University and upon graduation, was assigned to the USS Mugford (DD-389) as the supply officer. Morse recalls the crew of the Mugford picking up survivors of an Australian hospital ship that had been sunk. His ship was based at Milne Bay, New Guinea and participated in troop landings on various islands. He tells of the ship being under attack on several occasions and the experience of losing one of the crew members as the result of an attack. He returned to Mare Island Navy Yard in 1946 and was assigned the job of ship liaison officer until his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Raymond Schramm. Schramm joined the Navy in November of 1942. From early 1943 through mid-1945, he served as a leading Petty Officer aboard the USS Texas (BB-35) conducting watch in the crow’s nest and playing in the band. Schramm shares his experiences through the Normandy Invasion, the Battle of Cherbourg, Operation Dragoon, the Battle of Iwo Jima and the Battle of Okinawa. Schramm returned home after the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Fischman. Fischman was born in 1925 in Alexandria, Virginia. Dropping out of high school, he joined the Navy in 1942 and was sent to Newport, Rhode Island for boot camp. He was assigned to USS Texas (BB-35). He recalls the ship being involved in convoy duties prior to the invasion of North Africa. He also tells of being involved in Operation OVERLORD and his duties as a powder handler as well as being assigned to the captain’s gig. He describes evacuating the wounded from Point du Hoc at Normandy and the Texas being damaged by German shore batteries. He also recalls participation in the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He was discharged soon after the ship returned to the US in 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Albert Jackson. Jackson was born in 1924. At age 16, he joined the US Navy and underwent boot training at the Naval Training Center in Chicago. Upon graduation, he was assigned to USS Texas (BB-35) as a member of Gun Fire Control. Later, he was transferred to an LST.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Edward Fencik. Fencik was born in Port Vue, Pennsylvania in 1925. After dropping out of high school in 1942, he joined the Navy. Upon completing boot training, he was sent to St. Albans Naval Hospital, Long Island, to train as a Navy Corpsman. In 1943, he went aboard USS Texas (BB-35). He recalls the Texas participating in the Normandy invasion and of the ship being damaged by a German shore battery. Fenick also recalls participating in the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Donald Hanlon. Hanlon was born and raised in Bronx, New York, and joined the Navy at age seventeen. Following boot camp, he served aboard USS Texas (BB-35) from December 1941 through May 1947. The Texas served as a support ship during the invasion of Normandy and Hanlon describes the death and destruction he observed at Omaha Beach. He also recalls the ship being damaged by shore artillery during the landing at Cherbourg. The ship then traveled to the Pacific where it participated in the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He recollects the attacks on the fleet by kamikazes and the recovery of an injured kamikaze pilot. Hanlon was discharged in 1947.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles Ira. Ira joined the Navy in 1943 at the age of 17. He completed boot camp at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station in Chicago. Ira served as a deckhand and gunner aboard USS Texas (BB-35). He tells of the ship accompanying convoys through the North Atlantic. He recalls his admiration for General Eisenhower who visited the ship prior to the Normandy Invasion and of the actions of the Texas during the invasion. This action was followed by participation in the Battle of Cherbourg. He relates his experiences there and tells of the damage to the Texas by German shore batteries. After returning to the States, the ship proceeded through the Panama Canal into the Pacific. There, the ship participated in the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He returned to US in 1946 and received his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Howard Stoneley. Stoneley joined the Navy around mid-1943. From 1943 through mid-1945, he served with the deck force aboard the USS Texas (BB-35). Stoneley shares his experiences through the Normandy Invasion, the Battle of Cherbourg, Operation Dragoon, the Battle of Iwo Jima and the Battle of Okinawa. He returned home after the war, and received his discharge around January of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Phyllis Mullins. Mullins was born in Conneautville, Pennsylvania on 20 June 1921. She attended nursing school at the Episcopal Hospital in Philadelphia and graduated in 1942. In 1943, she joined the United States Army Air Forces Nursing unit as a first lieutenant and was sent to Langley Air Force Base, Virginia for basic training. Upon completion, she was sent to Orlando Army Air Base in Florida. She got married in 1943 and obtained her discharge in conjunction with her husband’s discharge from the Army Air Forces.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with George Silvestri. Silvestri joined the Navy in October of 1942. From 1943 through mid-1945, he served as Second Class Cook aboard the USS Texas (BB-35). Stoneley shares his experiences through the Normandy Invasion, the Battle of Iwo Jima and the Battle of Okinawa. He returned home after the war, and received his discharge in early 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Colin Furr. Furr was born in Hunt, Texas in 1925. He tells of living conditions and schooling during his early years. Upon graduating from high school in 1942, he joined the Army and received basic training at Camp Kohler, California. He trained as a truck driver and was sent to Hollandia and assigned to the 52nd Signal Battalion, Company C. He was later assigned as a truck driver working with a unit constructing rhombic radio stations. He also had duty with the 93rd Infantry Division. He also recalls performing guard duty Army General Headquarters on Hollandia and personally checking the IDs of General McArthur and Admiral Nimitz. He remembers being stationed on Mindanao and Palawan and he describes being infected with malaria and yellow jaundice.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Gilbert Esensee. Esensee was born in Fredericksburg, Texas, on 6 August 1925, into a family of eight children. In 1944, he joined the Army and took basic training at Camp Roberts, California. He was then sent to La Havre, France, where he joined the 29th Infantry Division, 175th Infantry Regiment. Esensee was involved in combat action along the Roer River, where he was wounded. He also tells of German soldiers swimming the Elbe River, to avoid capture by Russian troops.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Dean Earl Wilson. Wilson joined the Army Air Corps in May of 1941. He completed Communications School and Radio School, serving as a Maintenance Technician. Throughout 1942, he served at Henderson Field on Guadalcanal, overseeing aircraft and control tower radio maintenance. Wilson shares his experiences living and working on the island. In 1943, he continued his work on New Georgia. In 1944, Wilson completed additional schooling in cryptography. He returned to the US after the war ended and received his discharge around late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with W.W. Marsh. Marsh was born in Nebraska in 1923. Upon being drafted into the Army in 1943, he went to Camp Croft, South Carolina, for basic training. Soon after completing basic he was assigned to the 938th Heavy Automotive Maintenance Company. After receiving training in vehicle maintenance, the unit traveled by military convoy to Camp Kilmer, New Jersey. They arrived in La Have, France, after 14 days at sea. He recalls the difficulty encountered in preparation of the equipment for use. He was later assigned to Bruhl, Germany and tells of seeing thousands of German POWs and noted the devastated condition they were in. He recalls receiving a temporary duty assignment with the 359th Field Engineers at a rock quarry being worked by German POWs. He was later assigned to Etain, France where he was part of a small crew working a water purification unit. In August 1946, he returned by ship to Camp Kilmer. He was then sent to Sheridan, Illinois where he was discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ken Coonrod. Coonrod joined the Navy in the fall of 1944. He served as an Electrician’s Mate Third Class in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater. In late 1944, Coonrod was assigned to the Philippines. In mid-1945, he traveled to Okinawa, in preparation for the invasion of Japan. He was assigned to an LCVP just before the war ended. Coorod was transferred to Nagoya, Japan, and served with occupation forces aboard USS Littlehales (AGS-7). He returned to the US and received his discharge in 1946.