The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Freeman. Freeman was born in Chapman, Kansas on 5 September 1922. Upon enlisting in the Army Air Corps in 1942, he was sent to Maxwell Air Force Base, Georgia for basic training. He tells the various training planes he flew prior to receiving his commission. Upon graduation he was sent to Ephrata Army Air Base, Washington where he began on the job training as the co-pilot of a B-17 bomber. Freeman recalls his various assignments until December 1943 when he reported to Cannon Army Air Base, Clovis, New Mexico for transitional training in the B-29 bomber. Upon completion of training he was assigned to the Air Transport Command and began flying planes to India. Following the Japanese surrender, he returned to the United States where he began flying weather mapping missions. This was followed by assignment in the Pacific where he flew geographical mapping missions. Freeman concludes the interview by telling of his life after being discharged in January 1948.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jack Schaefer. Schaefer was 11 years old when Pearl Harbor was attacked. While in high school, Schaefer worked part-time and contributed the entirety of his wages to the household. He accumulated war savings stamps, participated in bond drives, and collected scrap metal to support the war effort. His family supplemented their meat rations by raising rabbits. In 1950, he joined the Air Force, with a professional background in photography. He reported to the Wright-Patterson Motion Picture Department in Dayton, Ohio. In 1951, as part of a national effort to deploy combat camera teams worldwide, he was assigned to the newly formed Air Photographic and Charting Service and sent to Germany to conduct photographic surveillance of the occupation and rehabilitation of Europe. In 1957, he became a photographer for the DOD and the White House. During the course of his career, he filmed historic figures such as General de Gaulle and President Kennedy. In Vietnam, he couriered classified material into Saigon, receiving a Purple Heart after taking fragments from a grenade. Schaefer was then promoted to oversee all out-of-country photography and worked on the film, A Day in the …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Frederick Leiby. Leiby was born in Pennsylvania in 1923 and worked in a defense plant after finishing high school in 1941. in 1942, he passed the aviation cadet exam and was called up for active duty in January, 1943. He trained as a navigator at Selman Field, Louisiana for eight months before flying a new B-17 to North Africa. From there, Leiby went to Forge, Italy to join the 99th Bomb Group. He was shot down on his 39th mission and captured by the Germans in Italy in April 1944. In early 1945, Leiby was transfered to a POW camp near Nuremburg. From there, he was marched to Moosburg. During the march, he attempted escape, but was recaptured. After being liberated, Leiby returned to the US and attended an intelligence school. He also served in a military police unit in Massachusetts. He eventually attended Georgetown University and stayed in the inactive reserves. Leiby eventually made his way into the Foreign Service where he went to Vietnam.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Thomas McCrea. McCrea joined the Army in September of 1943. He completed an Army Specialized Training Program in Fort Benning, Georgia. He provides vivid details of his training. He served with the 3rd Army, C Company, 1st, Battalion, 376th Infantry Regiment, 94th Infantry Division. McCrea and his group qualified as an Expert Infantry Division. In August of 1944 they traveled to Scotland, then on to England. In September they landed on Utah Beach. They traveled to Brittany to relieve another unit. They endured much 88mm shelling from the Germans. From there they traveled toward Belgium and participated in the Battle of the Bulge, and traveled to the Siegfried Line. McCrea shares many details of his experiences in battle. In February 1945 he was sent to a hospital in England, suffering from frozen feet. He returned to the U.S. due to the condition of his feet and discharged in mid-1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Joe E. Hunter: He joined the Navy in May, 1944 with basic training at Camp Wallace, Texas. He spoke of being chosen for the CINPAC (Commander-in-Chief Pacific Command) Boat Crew by Commander Hal Lamar, Admiral Nimitz's Flag Officer, and becoming the stern hook on Admiral Nimitz's barge. He took Admiral Bull Halsey out fishing once and another time picked up an unnamed vice-admiral off of a submarine. He told about interacting with the Seabees. He reunited with his shipmates in the recent past and marvels at how well everyone turned out.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Calvin Patterson. Patterson joined the Navy in 1943. He completed Radar School and Fire Fighter School and was assigned to serve as an instructor aboard a radar training ship, USS Moosehead (IX-98). They traveled up and down the Mexican coast, taking recent radar school graduates for experiential learning aboard the ship. Patterson was later assigned to a Coast Guard radio station in California. In February of 1944, he was transferred to USS Hector (AR-7), a fleet repair ship, where he organized and oversaw the combat information center. They traveled to Hawaii, Eniwetok, the Philippines and Ulithi where their largest repair job took place on USS Houston (CL-81). They aided many other ships in preparation for battle and in preparation to return to the US. Patterson returned home and was discharged in March of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Louis Avant. Avant was 16 when the war began and joined the Navy a few years later. He was trained as an electrician, but ended up working as a machinist mate for the boat pool that served CINPAC at Hawaii and then Guam. Avant mentions boxing in several smoker events. He was a member of the boat crew that took Admiral Nimitz to the surrender ceremony.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Roberts. Roberts joined the Navy in June of 1943. Beginning in 1944, he served as Signalman Third-Class aboard the USS Drew (APA-162). They transported cargo and troops to and from combat areas traveling to Guam, Ulithi, Leyte and Okinawa.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ray Tirey. Tirey joined the Navy in July of 1943. He served as Third-Class Quartermaster during his ship travels. He deployed to Scotland, where he was assigned to a British Landing Craft, Tank. Tirey provided direct fire support during amphibious landings during the invasions of Normandy, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He was assigned to USS LCS(L)(3)-54 for the Pacific invasions. He was discharged around late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Joseph Russo. Russo joined the Army around 1942. He deployed to New Delhi, India, and worked for the supervisor of the Signal Corps, and in the radio room. He later joined the New Delhi Photography Society processing photographs and working with correspondents from LIFE Magazine. He returned to the US and was discharged in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Haskett. Haskett joined the Navy in 1938. He served as a gunner on PT-155 in the Solomon Islands. Haskett describes PT boat operations, armament, and combat in general. He also details how the early torpedo tubes were activated with a mallet.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Floy Hughes. Hughes joined the Navy in early 1941. From 1941 through early 1944, he served as a First Class Cook in the Officers Mess at Corpus Christi, Texas. Beginning April of 1944, Hughes did the same work at Camp Kearny in San Diego, California. He returned to Texas and was discharged in September of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Arthur McQuiddy. McQuiddy completed Civilian Pilot Training in 1940. He joined the Navy on 8 December 1941. McQuiddy served as a Naval Aviator beginning November of 1942, flying PBYs with Patrol Squadron 23, a Navy fixed-wing, anti-submarine and maritime patrol squadron. He completed patrol and rescue missions over the Solomon Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, Peleliu and Iwo Jima. He also completed a search mission for the downed aviator Eddie Rickenbacker. Their squadron later became a Black Cat Squadron, flying night missions. In August of 1945, McQuiddy was sent to Flying Instructor School in Atlanta, and he received his discharge in November.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with George Terrell. Terrell joined the Marine Corps in April of 1946. Beginning in June, he was assigned to occupation duty in Northern China. He comments on how some of the Japanese still occupying mountain regions in China were unaware that the war had ended. Terrell served with the 1st Marine Division, and their job was to guard the Kunming railroad. He was discharged in December of 1947. Terrell reenlisted in September of 1950, participating in the Korean War through September of 1953.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Sam Moody. Moody joined the Air Corps in 1940 to become an aircraft mechanic. He arrived in the Philippines in November, 1941 and when the war broke out, he went to the front at Bataan. After the surrender, he walked out of Bataan and spent 10 days on the Death March. He was moved from Camp O'Donnell to Cabanatuan. From there, he was sent to Manila to a camp near Clark Field. Moody stayed on a work detail in Manila for a while. In June, 1944, he was shipped to Japan to work in a factory. When the war ended, Moody returned to Boston only to be transported back to Japan to testify at the war crime trials.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Johnny F. Gavlick. He was born in Falls City, Texas on September 14, 1925. He enlisted into the Navy on August 3, 1943. He gives a detailed account of his six weeks at boot camp in San Diego. Upon graduating he was sent to Coronado, California to train in LCVPs (Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel) and LCMs (Landing Craft Mechanized) and qualified as coxswain. He hitch-hiked to Los Angeles upon graduation from Landing Craft School where he visited the Hollywood Canteen and was served coffee by Clark Gable and danced with Debra Paget. In November 1943 he boarded the USS Harry Lee (AP-10) and sailed to Pearl Harbor. He recalls sailing to Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands at the end of 1943. He describes his duty at Tarawa aboard a LCM, transporting supplies and personnel from the island to ships anchored outside the reef. After returning to Pearl Harbor, Gavlick volunteered for an assignment with the 33rd Army Division, training at Kauai for a landing in the Philippines. Upon completion of training, he sailed to Eniwetok in the Marshall Islands, where he participated as part of a boat crew …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Paul Jackson. He begins by discussing his time in boot camp at Camp Pendelton. The majority of the interview is about his time fighting at Iwo Jima.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Bernard Kuse. Kuse joined the Army Air Forces in August of 1942. He served as a radio operator with the B-17 bombers in the 601st Bomb Squadron, 398th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force. They were assigned to Nuthampstead, England. Kuse flew 36 combat missions over occupied Europe from August through December of 1944. They traveled to Bastogne, Germany and Czechoslovakia. During his missions, he sustained one minor flak wound, and was an eyewitness to his bomber formation receiving an attack by the latest German secret weapon, the ME-262 jet fighter. Kuse shares vivid details of his flight training and combat missions. He was honorably discharged in September of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Michael Kuryla. Kuryla was born in Chicago, Illinois on 10 September 1925 into a family of eight children. He describes his family’s living conditions during the Depression. Joining the US Navy in 1942, he underwent boot training at Great Lakes Naval Training Station, Illinois. Following boot camp, he was assigned to the USS Indianapolis (CA-35) as the fire director of a five-inch gun. He explains the job of the gun director. He describes the bombardment of Tarawa and tells of participating in battles at Kwajalein, Guam, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He shares a personal experience he had with Admiral Spruance. The Indianapolis was struck by a kamikaze and Kuryla describes the damage done and the lives lost as a result. Once the ship was repaired components for an atomic bomb were put on board for delivery to Tinian. After delivery the ship was bound for Guam when it was struck by Japanese torpedoes. Kuryla graphically describes his personal experience of abandoning the ship and what he witnessed during five nights and four days in the water. He recalls being taken aboard the USS Register (APD-92) and delivered to …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jim Briscoe. Briscoe joined the Navy and received basic training at Great Lakes. Upon completion, he was assigned as a motor machinist to an auxiliary minesweeper sent to the shores of France. A diver would first walk the bottom of the harbor, cutting loose all the mines, which were then towed out to sea and detonated with machine gun fire. The ship once had the dangerous task of drawing enemy fire to help locate a nearby German howitzer; they spent 45 minutes dodging mortars while pretending to sweep mines. The ship was later sent to Okinawa to bring soldiers to China; they encountered a great typhoon along the way. They also carried a small box to the northern part of Japan, its contents precious but unknown. Briscoe then returned home and was discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Heimsoth. Heimsoth joined the Navy in January of 1943. He participated in a choir group at the Great Lakes Naval Station. He completed amphibious training, and served as a Quartermaster aboard an USS LST-218. Heimsoth participated in the Gilbert Islands Campaign, the Marshall Islands operation, and the capture and occupation of Saipan. After the war, he served with the occupation forces in Japan. He returned to the US in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Clint Libby. Libby was born in New Zealand in September 1946. During the war, his father was stationed there as a United States Marine. His grandmother remembers the Marines as well-mannered and generous. Their presence was a welcome relief to the local population, who feared a Japanese invasion. In fact, in the early years of the war, his mother had an emergency plan in place which involved riding a bicycle to a truck which she would then use to transport neighbors to an escape boat. His father saw combat in Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan, and Tinian. At the landing on Tarawa, he narrowly avoided drowning by pushing off from the coral when he was submerged under water, bobbing along in this fashion until he reached the shore. Although two men from his mortar platoon were missing at that point, he managed to assemble his weapon and was the first on the beach to begin firing. In September 1944 he was sent to Camp Pendleton as an instructor, and in 1945 he returned to New Zealand and joined his wife.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with George Gray. Gray enlisted in the Marine Corps and went to boot camp in San Diego. After boot camp, he went to a little boat basin just out of Camp Pendleton by Oceanside, California where they formed the first amphib battalion, the Fourth Amphibian Tractor Battalion. His company was involved in the filming of 'Guadalcanal Diary' while they were in Oceanside. They broke the Fourth Battalion up and formed several more battalions; Gray ended up in the Tenth Amphibian Tractor Battalion. They left the States right after Christmas 1943 and went straight to Roi-Namur, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands. During this operation, Gray's platoon took a platoon of Marines on down about 35-40 miles, checking all the islands there for Japanese. He noted that the natives were real friendly. After Roi-Namur, they went to Maui, Hawaii where they were trained, reorganized and received new supplies. From there, they went to Saipan and he made four landings on June 15th. After Saipan, he was involved in the landings on Tinian. After Tinian, they went back to Maui where they received new tractors, supplies, reinforcements and additional training as well as …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Elmore Anglley. Anglley was drafted in the Navy in February of 1944. Beginning in June of 1944 he served as a machinist mate aboard USS LST-997. They completed several convoys to Italy. In August of 1944 they landed in Southern France. In July of 1945 they traveled to Guam, Saipan and Okinawa. They landed vehicles, equipment and soldiers for invasions. He provides some details of each of these invasions, their LST in general and their travels across the sea. Anglley was discharged in May of 1946.