Interview with Cleatus A. LeBow, a serviceman in the U. S. Navy during World War II. LeBow joined the navy in 1943 and went from Lubbock, Texas to San Diego for recruit training. He shipped out to Pearl Harbor aboard an LST from San Francisco. At Pearl Harbor, he was assigned to a work detail aboard the USS Oklahoma, which had just been righted. Shortly thereafter, he boarded the USS Indianapolis to serve as a range finder operator on one of the gun turrets. Upon leaving Hawaii, the Indianapolis went to Tarawa and then the Marshall Islands. LeBow witnessed Japanese civilian suicides on Saipan. He also witnessed the flag-raising on Iwo Jima from his range finder position aboard the ship. LeBow describes being hit by a kamikaze off Okinawa. He also discusses delivering atomic bomb components to Tinian and being torpedoed on the way to the Philippines. He describes abandoning the ship and spending five days in the water, including his faith in God, hallucinations, rescue, and his recovery.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with B L Pettit. Pettit joined the Navy in 1942, at the young age of thirteen. From April of 1943 through March of 1944, he served as First-Class Electrician’s Mate aboard USS Tallulah (AO-50), providing support through the Guadalcanal Campaign and invasion of the Gilbert Islands. From June of 1944 through October of 1945, Pettit served aboard the USS LCI(L)-750 participating in the Leyte operation. He was discharged in November of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Donald Feindt. Feindt joined the Navy in March of 1941. He completed aviation metalsmith schooling at a Naval armory in Detroit, Michigan. Beginning in September, Feindt worked as a motor machinist aboard USS President Adams (APA-19), participating in the Guadalcanal and Tulagi invasions and the New Georgia Campaign. In the spring of 1944, he was transferred to USS Sargent Bay (CVE-83), participating in the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. After the war ended, he participated in the Occupation of Japan. He was discharged in late 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with George William Ogden. Ogden joined the Navy in February of 1942. He completed Officer Candidate School, and trained with amphibious landing vehicles. Beginning in early 1943, he served as a Communications Officer aboard the USS LST-172. They traveled to Guantanamo Bay, Bora Bora, Samoa, New Hebrides, New Caledonia and Guadalcanal. They assisted the Marines in preparation for the Battle of Okinawa. He continued his service after the war ended, and was discharged in May of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jack Simpson. Simpson grew up in Georgia and when he finished high school, he enrolled in the Navy's V-7 Program at Northwestern University in June 1941. Ninety days later, he was commissioned an ensign and went to communication school. His first assignment was aboard USS Plunkett (DD-431) on convoy escort duty across the North Atlantic to Iceland, Scotland and Russia. After the invasion of North Africa, Simpson reported to damage control school in Philadelphia prior to assignment aboard USS Morrison (DD-560) at Seattle. He shares several anecdotes from aboard the Morrison including putting out fires aboard USS Princeton (CVL-23). He was also aboard when the Morrison sank of Okinawa from a kamikaze attack and shares stories of time in the water. When he returned to the US, he took an assignment as a damage control instructor. He was there when the war ended and elected to leave the Navy.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Thomas Nelson. Nelson joined the Navy in 1941 and served aboard the USS San Francisco (CA-38). He was on Ford Island in Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 and witnessed the Japanese attack. He provides details of this experience. He worked as a 1st Class Radio Operator aboard a TBF. On 26 October 1942 his plane was shot down during the Battle of Santa Cruz Island and he was captured by the Japanese. He shares stories of life in a Japanese POW camp, and sabotaging trains, barges and a metallurgy plant. In April of 1944 he was discovered alive by the Red Cross and released following the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Cleatus A. LeBow. LeBow joined the Navy in 1943 and went from Lubbock, Texas to San Diego for recruit training. He shipped out to Pearl Harbor aboard an LST from San Francisco. At Pearl Harbor, he was assigned to a work detail aboard the USS Oklahoma, which had just been righted. Shortly thereafter, he boarded the USS Indianapolis to serve as a range finder operator on one of the gun turrets. Upon leaving Hawaii, the Indianapolis went to Tarawa and then the Marshall Islands. LeBow witnessed Japanese civilian suicides on Saipan. He also witnessed the flag-raising on Iwo Jima from his range finder position aboard ship. LeBow describes being hit by a kamekazi off Okinawa. He also discusses delivering atomic bomb components to Tinian and being torpedoed on the way to the Philippines. He describes abandoning ship, spending five days in the water, his faith in God, hallucinations, and being rescued and his recovery.

Transcript of an oral interview with Dr. L. E. Ramey. Dr Ramey graduated from Baylor Medical School in Dallas June 1, 1942 and entered the Navy as an Intern on June 24, 1942. After going through an Internship at San Diego Naval Hospital, he was sent to submarine medical school in New London, Connecticut and deep sea diving school in Washington, D.C. He was then assigned to the Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet and transferred to the Submarine Base 1504 (Midway Island); this was 1944. At this time, Midway was the outpost of the Submarine Force. His primary duty was taking care of the base personnel but whenever a submarine would come in from a patrol he would exam all its personnel as well as the submarine itself. Dr Ramey provides numerous anecdotes about his time at the Naval Hospital in San Diego as well as on Midway during this interview. He was in the States on leave when the atomic bombs were dropped and was released from the Navy on June 24, 1947.

Transcript of an oral interview with James Norman Price. He was born November 6, 1918 on a farm south of Bishop, Texas. He joined the Army Air Corps on November 1, 1941. He recalls spending 25 weeks training in BT-13s and AT-9s at Ontario, California as an Aviation Cadet, receiving his wings and commission followed by training in the B-17 at Seabring, Florida. He and his crew flew to Guadalcanal and to Espirato Santo, where they were assigned to the 11th Air Group. He was then assigned to the 431st Bomber Squadron as co-pilot on a new B-17E to fly reconnaisance and bomber missions for the Navy. He recalls that a journalist, Richard Tregaskis, accompanied them on a flight over Guadalcanal, even firing one of the machine guns. He recalls several of his 36 total missions flying out of Guadalcanal, including one in which his bomber sunk a Japanese cruiser. He recounts several humorous incidents during R&R in Auckland, New Zealand. He recalls that at the end of his duty he embarked on the SS Marmahawk for 18 days transit back to the US. He recounts his next assignment in Alexandria, Virginia training B-17 crews. He recalls next being assigned …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jack Simpson. Simpson grew up in Georgia and when he finished high school, he enrolled in the Navy's V-7 Program at Northwestern University in June 1941. Ninety days later, he was commissioned an ensign and went to communication school. His first assignment was aboard USS Plunkett (DD-431) on convoy escort duty across the North Atlantic to Iceland, Scotland and Russia. After the invasion of North Africa, Simpson reported to damage control school in Philadelphia prior to assignment aboard USS Morrison (DD-560) at Seattle. He shares several anecdotes from aboard the Morrison including putting out fires aboard USS Princeton (CVL-23). He was also aboard when the Morrison sank of Okinawa from a kamikaze attack and shares stories of time in the water. When he returned to the US, he took an assignment as a damage control instructor. He was there when the war ended and elected to leave the Navy.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Michael Ryan. Ryan joined the Marine Corps in 1940. He went to Iceland and served as a platoon commander. Afterwards, he describes going ashore at Tarawa as a company commander. Once ashore, due to the disarray, Ryan assumed command, until he could confirm that an officer from battalion or regimental headquarters had arrived. Ryan also went to Saipan and Tinian. He later served in Korea as an assistant division commander and as the First Marine Division commander in Vietnam.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lewis Michelony. Michelony joined the Marine Corps right after finishing high school in 1938. After training and being joined to the 5th Marines, he went aboard the USS Arkansas (BB-33). Once the war started, Michelony went to first sergeant school. Once he got overseas, he was assigned to the 6th Marine Regiment and joined them in New Zealand. When the division arrived at Tarawa, Michelony's unit was in reserve and went ashore on the evening of D+1. After leaving Tarawa, the unit went to Hawaii for more training and a refit. Then, they assaulted Saipan. Michelony relates more combat experiences. He also fought on Tinian. Michelony participated in the mock landing at Okinawa on D-Day, but never went ashore. Instead, he returned to Saipan and then attended Officer Candidate School at Quantico. When the war ended, his OCS class was cancelled and Michelony reverted back to master sergeant and became a recruiter in Wisconsin. When the war in Korea started, Michelony volunteered to go. He landed with the 1st Marines at Inchon, liberated Seoul and was at the Chosin Reservoir. Michelony retired from the Marine Corps in 1958 …

Transcript of an oral interview with Dr. L. E. Ramey. Dr Ramey graduated from Baylor Medical School in Dallas June 1, 1942 and entered the Navy as an Intern on June 24, 1942. After going through an Internship at San Diego Naval Hospital, he was sent to submarine medical school in New London, Connecticut and deep sea diving school in Washington, D.C. He was then assigned to the Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet and transferred to the Submarine Base 1504 (Midway Island); this was 1944. At this time, Midway was the outpost of the Submarine Force. His primary duty was taking care of the base personnel but whenever a submarine would come in from a patrol he would exam all its personnel as well as the submarine itself. Dr Ramey provides numerous anecdotes about his time at the Naval Hospital in San Diego as well as on Midway during this interview. He was in the States on leave when the atomic bombs were dropped and was released from the Navy on June 24, 1947.

Transcript of an oral interview with James Norman Price. He was born November 6, 1918 on a farm south of Bishop, Texas. He joined the Army Air Corps on November 1, 1941. He recalls spending 25 weeks training in BT-13s and AT-9s at Ontario, California as an Aviation Cadet, receiving his wings and commission followed by training in the B-17 at Seabring, Florida. He and his crew flew to Guadalcanal and to Espirato Santo, where they were assigned to the 11th Air Group. He was then assigned to the 431st Bomber Squadron as co-pilot on a new B-17E to fly reconnaisance and bomber missions for the Navy. He recalls that a journalist, Richard Tregaskis, accompanied them on a flight over Guadalcanal, even firing one of the machine guns. He recalls several of his 36 total missions flying out of Guadalcanal, including one in which his bomber sunk a Japanese cruiser. He recounts several humorous incidents during R&R in Auckland, New Zealand. He recalls that at the end of his duty he embarked on the SS Marmahawk for 18 days transit back to the US. He recounts his next assignment in Alexandria, Virginia training B-17 crews. He recalls next being assigned …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Donald Feindt. Feindt joined the Navy in March of 1941. He completed aviation metalsmith schooling at a Naval armory in Detroit, Michigan. Beginning in September, Feindt worked as a motor machinist aboard USS President Adams (APA-19), participating in the Guadalcanal and Tulagi invasions and the New Georgia Campaign. In the spring of 1944, he was transferred to USS Sargent Bay (CVE-83), participating in the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. After the war ended, he participated in the Occupation of Japan. He was discharged in late 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Cleatus A. LeBow. LeBow joined the Navy in 1943 and went from Lubbock, Texas to San Diego for recruit training. He shipped out to Pearl Harbor aboard an LST from San Francisco. At Pearl Harbor, he was assigned to a work detail aboard the USS Oklahoma, which had just been righted. Shortly thereafter, he boarded the USS Indianapolis to serve as a range finder operator on one of the gun turrets. Upon leaving Hawaii, the Indianapolis went to Tarawa and then the Marshall Islands. LeBow witnessed Japanese civilian suicides on Saipan. He also witnessed the flag-raising on Iwo Jima from his range finder position aboard ship. LeBow describes being hit by a kamekazi off Okinawa. He also discusses delivering atomic bomb components to Tinian and being torpedoed on the way to the Philippines. He describes abandoning ship, spending five days in the water, his faith in God, hallucinations, and being rescued and his recovery.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with George William Ogden. Ogden joined the Navy in February of 1942. He completed Officer Candidate School, and trained with amphibious landing vehicles. Beginning in early 1943, he served as a Communications Officer aboard the USS LST-172. They traveled to Guantanamo Bay, Bora Bora, Samoa, New Hebrides, New Caledonia and Guadalcanal. They assisted the Marines in preparation for the Battle of Okinawa. He continued his service after the war ended, and was discharged in May of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Thomas Nelson. Nelson joined the Navy in 1941 and served aboard the USS San Francisco (CA-38). He was on Ford Island in Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 and witnessed the Japanese attack. He provides details of this experience. He worked as a 1st Class Radio Operator aboard a TBF. On 26 October 1942 his plane was shot down during the Battle of Santa Cruz Island and he was captured by the Japanese. He shares stories of life in a Japanese POW camp, and sabotaging trains, barges and a metallurgy plant. In April of 1944 he was discovered alive by the Red Cross and released following the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with B L Pettit. Pettit joined the Navy in 1942, at the young age of thirteen. From April of 1943 through March of 1944, he served as First-Class Electrician’s Mate aboard USS Tallulah (AO-50), providing support through the Guadalcanal Campaign and invasion of the Gilbert Islands. From June of 1944 through October of 1945, Pettit served aboard the USS LCI(L)-750 participating in the Leyte operation. He was discharged in November of 1945.