The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Horace Chester Gould. Gould joined the Marine Corps in July of 1940. He served as a military policeman at Quantico, Virginia. Gould additionally served with the 5th Amphibious Corps, and participated in the battles of Tinian, Saipan and Iwo Jima. He participated in the allied occupation of Japan after the war ended. He was discharged in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents and oral interview with Robert Hagen. Born in San Francisco in 1919, Hagen was appointed to the Naval Academy in 1938 but was terminated for physical reasons. He then entered the Naval Reserve program at the University of Texas, graduating in 1940 as an ensign. He was assigned to the Great Lakes Naval Training Station, Illinois as Assistant Service School Selection Officer. The job consisted of testing and placing recruits in the most applicable job or school. He recalls rejecting the request by the five Sullivan brothers to be assigned to the same ship. His decision was overridden by superiors and the five brothers were assigned to the USS Juneau (CL-52). Upon requesting assignment to a ship of the line, Hagen was assigned to the USS Arron Ward (DD-483) as the communications officer, supply officer and radar officer. Hagen tells of the erratic and unprofessional behavior of the ship’s captain. He recalls seeing the USS Wasp (CV-7) hit by Japanese torpedoes and destroyer escorts looking for the Japanese submarine. In November 1942, the Aaron Ward was protecting supply ships and transports unloading at Guadalcanal, Hagen recalls the sea battle in which his …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles Goessling. Goessling’s father was in the Army 13th Field Artillery and was transferred to Hawaii in January 1941. Fourteen-year-old Charles and the rest of the family went along. Goessling was sleeping at their home in Schofield Barracks when the Japanese attacked on 7 December. He fled to Koli Koli Pass with part of his family, where they were able to witness the destruction at Pearl Harbor. Goessling describes the family being evacuated to a school off-base and eventually back to the Mainland. He joined the Army Air Forces in 1944. The war ended while he was still in training. He was discharged soon afterwards.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Allen Havron. Havron joined the Army in January 1943. He was trained at Ft. Bliss as an anti-aircraft crewman in a unit that became the 487th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion. His unit was sent to New Guinea. He describes meeting the native people and the flora and fauna that he encountered. He was then detached to the 158th Regimental Combat Team for a landing on Noemfoor Island. Havron earned a Bronze Star for his actions on Noemfoor. The 487th was sent the Philippines, where Havron spent the remainder of the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Russell Pitzer. Pitzer was drafted into the Marine Corps in August 1944. In 1945 he traveled aboard USS Iowa (BB-61), fighting in the Battle of Okinawa and participating in the bombardment of Tokyo Bay and Japanese islands. Upon the Japanese surrender, Pitzer was assigned as a bodyguard to Admiral Chester Nimitz, and accompanied the admiral on a post-surrender tour of Japan that included Hiroshima. After the war, he returned home to West Virginia.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Ashbaugh. Ashbaugh joined the Navy in April of 1944. He completed Electrician School. He served as Fireman 1st Class aboard a landing craft tank, the LCT-60. He traveled to Bougainville and Manus. Ashbaugh continued his service after the war ended, and participated in the nuclear testing at Bikini Atoll, for which he provides vivid details. He served for a total of nine years in the Navy.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Luther Sagebiel. Sagebiel completed the Civilian Pilot Training Program at Texas Lutheran College in Seguin around 1941 and acquired his pilot license. He joined the Army Air Forces in January of 1942. He volunteered to take glider pilot training, which he provides vivid details of his experiences. He did not pass the test though and did not serve as a glider pilot. He worked in California as an air inspector, checking the mess halls, squadron barracks and officers??? quarters, identifying discrepancies and reporting them. He completed his service as Staff Sargant. Sagebiel was discharged in July of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Edgar E. Howard. Howard was born 26 April 1924 in Nashville, Indiana. After one year in ROTC at Indiana University, he was drafted into the Army in April 1943. He was assigned to the 69th Infantry Division at Camp Shelby, Mississippi as a tech sergeant. His duties during the year that he was stationed there involved training replacement personnel. His division shipped to Cheltenham, England in February 1944 where he was reassigned to a clerical position in the 29th Machine Records Unit and trained in the operation of IBM punch-card machines being used to keep track of replacement personnel in the European Theater of Operations. Following D-Day, in July or August 1944, he was transferred to Paris with his unit. Howard describes several anecdotes recalling his time in Paris, including meeting Jimmy Doolittle at Allied Headquarters and sightseeing in the city. He embarked on a ship in Marseilles, France in January 1946 for the return to the States and was discharged in February.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Mary Schandua. Florence Reeves also participates in the interview. After marrying, while her husband, John was in the service, she began working for the Boeing Company as a riveter in Seattle. She assembled wing sections on aircraft.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Burl Bonnell. Bonnell joined the Army Air Forces in April of 1941. He served as an aircraft mechanic with the 20th Carrier Group. They deployed to Africa in July of 1943, where Bonnell worked as a crew chief in a Ferrying Command. He was discharged in October of 1945.

Interview with Mary Schandua, a riveter for the Boeing Company during World War II. Florence Reeves also participates in the interview. She began working for the Boeing Company as a riveter in Seattle after she married her husband John, who was in the service. She assembled wing sections on aircraft.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Russell Pitzer. Pitzer was drafted into the Marine Corps in August 1944. In 1945 he traveled aboard USS Iowa (BB-61), fighting in the Battle of Okinawa and participating in the bombardment of Tokyo Bay and Japanese islands. Upon the Japanese surrender, Pitzer was assigned as a bodyguard to Admiral Chester Nimitz, and accompanied the admiral on a post-surrender tour of Japan that included Hiroshima. After the war, he returned home to West Virginia.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Ashbaugh. Ashbaugh joined the Navy in April of 1944. He completed Electrician School. He served as Fireman 1st Class aboard a landing craft tank, the LCT-60. He traveled to Bougainville and Manus. Ashbaugh continued his service after the war ended, and participated in the nuclear testing at Bikini Atoll, for which he provides vivid details. He served for a total of nine years in the Navy.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles Goessling. Goessling’s father was in the Army 13th Field Artillery and was transferred to Hawaii in January 1941. Fourteen-year-old Charles and the rest of the family went along. Goessling was sleeping at their home in Schofield Barracks when the Japanese attacked on 7 December. He fled to Koli Koli Pass with part of his family, where they were able to witness the destruction at Pearl Harbor. Goessling describes the family being evacuated to a school off-base and eventually back to the Mainland. He joined the Army Air Forces in 1944. The war ended while he was still in training. He was discharged soon afterwards.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Allen Havron. Havron joined the Army in January 1943. He was trained at Ft. Bliss as an anti-aircraft crewman in a unit that became the 487th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion. His unit was sent to New Guinea. He describes meeting the native people and the flora and fauna that he encountered. He was then detached to the 158th Regimental Combat Team for a landing on Noemfoor Island. Havron earned a Bronze Star for his actions on Noemfoor. The 487th was sent the Philippines, where Havron spent the remainder of the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents and oral interview with Robert Hagen. Born in San Francisco in 1919, Hagen was appointed to the Naval Academy in 1938 but was terminated for physical reasons. He then entered the Naval Reserve program at the University of Texas, graduating in 1940 as an ensign. He was assigned to the Great Lakes Naval Training Station, Illinois as Assistant Service School Selection Officer. The job consisted of testing and placing recruits in the most applicable job or school. He recalls rejecting the request by the five Sullivan brothers to be assigned to the same ship. His decision was overridden by superiors and the five brothers were assigned to the USS Juneau (CL-52). Upon requesting assignment to a ship of the line, Hagen was assigned to the USS Arron Ward (DD-483) as the communications officer, supply officer and radar officer. Hagen tells of the erratic and unprofessional behavior of the ship’s captain. He recalls seeing the USS Wasp (CV-7) hit by Japanese torpedoes and destroyer escorts looking for the Japanese submarine. In November 1942, the Aaron Ward was protecting supply ships and transports unloading at Guadalcanal, Hagen recalls the sea battle in which his …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Horace Chester Gould. Gould joined the Marine Corps in July of 1940. He served as a military policeman at Quantico, Virginia. Gould additionally served with the 5th Amphibious Corps, and participated in the battles of Tinian, Saipan and Iwo Jima. He participated in the allied occupation of Japan after the war ended. He was discharged in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Mary Schandua. Florence Reeves also participates in the interview. After marrying, while her husband, John was in the service, she began working for the Boeing Company as a riveter in Seattle. She assembled wing sections on aircraft.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jack Taylor. Taylor joined the Navy through the V-5 program and went straight to flight training in December, 1942. He earned his wings and a commission in December 1943 and was sent to the fleet. He landed aboard USS Essex (CV-) and was assigned to VF-15 in June, 1944 and participated in raids against targets in the Philippines, on Formosa and the Palaus. Taylor stayed in combat until November before his air group returned to the US. Taylor reigned his commission after the war and went on to found the Enterprise Rent-A-Car company after the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Luther Sagebiel. Sagebiel completed the Civilian Pilot Training Program at Texas Lutheran College in Seguin around 1941 and acquired his pilot license. He joined the Army Air Forces in January of 1942. He volunteered to take glider pilot training, which he provides vivid details of his experiences. He did not pass the test though and did not serve as a glider pilot. He worked in California as an air inspector, checking the mess halls, squadron barracks and officers??? quarters, identifying discrepancies and reporting them. He completed his service as Staff Sargant. Sagebiel was discharged in July of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Edgar E. Howard. Howard was born 26 April 1924 in Nashville, Indiana. After one year in ROTC at Indiana University, he was drafted into the Army in April 1943. He was assigned to the 69th Infantry Division at Camp Shelby, Mississippi as a tech sergeant. His duties during the year that he was stationed there involved training replacement personnel. His division shipped to Cheltenham, England in February 1944 where he was reassigned to a clerical position in the 29th Machine Records Unit and trained in the operation of IBM punch-card machines being used to keep track of replacement personnel in the European Theater of Operations. Following D-Day, in July or August 1944, he was transferred to Paris with his unit. Howard describes several anecdotes recalling his time in Paris, including meeting Jimmy Doolittle at Allied Headquarters and sightseeing in the city. He embarked on a ship in Marseilles, France in January 1946 for the return to the States and was discharged in February.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Burl Bonnell. Bonnell joined the Army Air Forces in April of 1941. He served as an aircraft mechanic with the 20th Carrier Group. They deployed to Africa in July of 1943, where Bonnell worked as a crew chief in a Ferrying Command. He was discharged in October of 1945.

Letter from Joe to his wife Catherine discussing having his shoes repaired, seeing John Mendoza's youngest son, buying stationery, and missing her.