The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Willard LaCounte. LaCounte was drafted into the Army in September, 1943 and trained as an antiaircraft artilleryman at Camp Haan, California. In late 1943 he was assigned to the 118th Antiaircraft Automatic Weapons Battalion as a jeep driver in an industrial section of England and recalls defending it against German air raids. He landed at Normandy one day after the invasion. His unit eventually set up in Holland and shot down buzz bombs heading across the Channel. After the war LaCounte helped arrange R&R trips for soldiers.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles Baldwin. Baldwin was learning to fly through the Civilian Pilot Training program when he was called to active duty in January, 1943. After basic training, he went to flight training. He graduated and was commissioned in March, 1944. Baldwin was sent to France in November, 1944 and attached to the 36th Fighter Group, 23rd Fighter Squadron and began flying combat missions in a P-47. He flew 51 combat missions before the war ended and shares several anecdotes about his experiences. Baldwin was discharged in December 1945, but stayed in the Reserves until 1982.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles Harter. Harter was drafted in December of 1942 into the Army Ordnance Corps. He went to the Ordnance station in Aberdeen, Maryland. His outfit was the 534th Ordnance, Heavy Tank Company. From there they went to Indio, California, and practiced tank maneuvers in the desert. He went to Normandy, where his outfit’s job was to put devices on front of the tanks so they could go through hedgerows so the infantry could follow them. They travelled behind the direction of General Patton. Harter’s unit also served in Nancy, France. He provides great detail of his time in France and his unit’s responsibilities under Patton’s command during the Battle of the Bulge. He was discharged December of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Lazarich. Lazarich joined the Coast Guard in August 1942 and trained at New York. His first assignment was aboard a patrol boat in New York Harbor. He then went to gunnery school in Florida before shipping out to New Guinea to serve aboard an Amry tug boat. He also participated in the campaign to liberate the Philippines and recalls being in a minefield off Borneo. He also went to Okinawa and eventually Japan before returing to the US in December. Lazarich elected to be discharged in March, 1946 and then joined the New York City Fire Department.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Lazarich. Lazarich joined the Coast Guard in August 1942 and trained at New York. His first assignment was aboard a patrol boat in New York Harbor. He then went to gunnery school in Florida before shipping out to New Guinea to serve aboard an Amry tug boat. He also participated in the campaign to liberate the Philippines and recalls being in a minefield off Borneo. He also went to Okinawa and eventually Japan before returing to the US in December. Lazarich elected to be discharged in March, 1946 and then joined the New York City Fire Department.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles Harter. Harter was drafted in December of 1942 into the Army Ordnance Corps. He went to the Ordnance station in Aberdeen, Maryland. His outfit was the 534th Ordnance, Heavy Tank Company. From there they went to Indio, California, and practiced tank maneuvers in the desert. He went to Normandy, where his outfit’s job was to put devices on front of the tanks so they could go through hedgerows so the infantry could follow them. They travelled behind the direction of General Patton. Harter’s unit also served in Nancy, France. He provides great detail of his time in France and his unit’s responsibilities under Patton’s command during the Battle of the Bulge. He was discharged December of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Willard LaCounte. LaCounte was drafted into the Army in September, 1943 and trained as an antiaircraft artilleryman at Camp Haan, California. In late 1943 he was assigned to the 118th Antiaircraft Automatic Weapons Battalion as a jeep driver in an industrial section of England and recalls defending it against German air raids. He landed at Normandy one day after the invasion. His unit eventually set up in Holland and shot down buzz bombs heading across the Channel. After the war LaCounte helped arrange R&R trips for soldiers.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles Baldwin. Baldwin was learning to fly through the Civilian Pilot Training program when he was called to active duty in January, 1943. After basic training, he went to flight training. He graduated and was commissioned in March, 1944. Baldwin was sent to France in November, 1944 and attached to the 36th Fighter Group, 23rd Fighter Squadron and began flying combat missions in a P-47. He flew 51 combat missions before the war ended and shares several anecdotes about his experiences. Baldwin was discharged in December 1945, but stayed in the Reserves until 1982.