Ensemble performance at the UNT College of Music Winspear Performance Hall.

Ensemble performance at the UNT College of Music Lyric Theatre.

Interview with Jessie Clark regarding her experiences during World War II. She discusses having to adjust to a lifestyle of rationing for food products and shoes as well as blackouts and scrap metal drives. Her husband worked for the Southern Pacific Railroad and was often absent while she stayed home to raise their children in Houston. She discusses the scarcity of toys during Christmas and hosiery.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Erwin Scott. Scott worked at a ship yard until Uncle Sam called him in June 1943. He was at Fort Sam Houston when he volunteered for paratroop training. He was sent to Toccoa, Georgia for some training, Camp McCall, North Carolina for more training, to Fort Bragg for jump school and then back to Camp McCall. He went overseas as part of the 517th Regimental Combat Team; they got to Naples, Italy in May/June 1944. His battalion commander was Dick Sietz, the youngest battalion commander in World War II according to Scott. After staying in camp for about a week or 10 days, they went into combat and got as far as Leghorn after 30 days; then went back to camp (about 10 miles out of Rome). The jumped into southern France on August 15, 1944 and met up with the troops that had landed in Normandy. Scott states that over one-third of his platoon is buried in Europe. They were trucked into the Battle of the Bulge; very cold. This is where Scott froze one foot. He was sent to a hospital in England on December 27, …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with L Z Gentry. Gentry joined the Navy right after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was attached to the 18th Construction Battalion assigned as a photographer. He traveled to Guadalcanal in December, 1942. After some time, Gentry trained as an aerial photographer. He eventually shot photos for invasion and assaults on New Guinea, Truk, and Okinawa. He also shot images at Tarawa and Iwo Jima. When the war ended, Gentry returned to the US and was discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jessie Clark. She begins by discussing life adjustments to the rationing of food products and shoes. She then speaks of black outs and scrap metal drives. Her husband worked for the Souther Pacific Railroad and was absent a lot while she stayed home and raised the children in Houston. She discusses the scarcity of toys during Christmas and hosiery.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Earl Archer. Archer was born in Medaryville, Indiana on 10 December 1916. Quitting school after the ninth grade, he worked at various jobs until being drafted into the Army in September 1942. After completing basic training at Fort Lewis, Washington, he was sent to Camp Clipper, California where he joined Company F, 123rd Infantry Regiment, 33rd Infantry Division. In 1943 the unit went to Hawaii where they had amphibious training. Boarding the SS Lurline, the division went to Finchhafen, New Guinea where they spent three months of dock duty. Then they went to Maffin Bay, New Guinea where they performed patrols. The regiment then went to Luzon, Philippine Islands where Archer was the leader of a light machine gun squad. He tells of various combat situations in which they were involved and tells of a night attack made by the Japanese forces. He was in a rest camp when Japan surrendered and his unit was sent to Takarazuka, Japan as part of the occupation forces. Archer describes some of the inter-action he had with Japanese civilians. He returned to the United States 21 December 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Carrie Milan. Milan’s husband Joe served with the Army Engineers during World War II from around 1940 to 1945. He served in both the European and Pacific theaters, and was stationed in England, North Africa, Sicily, Corsica, Italy, Okinawa and Iwo Jima during his service. Milan shares that Joe was a Staff Sergeant in charge of supplies. Milan shares a number of Joe’s experiences while on Iwo Jima, including his work with fellow servicemen, casualties and attacks made by the Japanese. She speaks on how their mail correspondence between the two of them was censored, how Joe actively participated in combat throughout his service and his work procuring and dispersing supplies. Joe passed away on 3 August 2000 and Milan provides information about their children and grandchildren.

Concert presented at Winspear Hall at the Murchison Performing Arts Center.