The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Harold Buell and Warren Taylor. Buell discusses being aboard USS Enterprise (CV-6) during the Battle of Santa Cruz Islands. Buell served as a Dauntless dive bomber pilot. Ingram’s (interviewer) primary interest in the battleship USS South Dakota (BB-57). Ingram also interviews Warren Taylor. Taylor served as a gunnery officer aboard the South Dakota. Taylor discusses much about gunnery at sea: targeting, target spotting, plotting, etc. He also recalls an explosion aboard ship while replenishing ammunition. Taylor also recalls going ashore in Japan after the surrender.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Harold Buell and Warren Taylor. Buell discusses being aboard USS Enterprise (CV-6) during the Battle of Santa Cruz Islands. Buell served as a Dauntless dive bomber pilot. Ingram’s (interviewer) primary interest in the battleship USS South Dakota (BB-57). Ingram also interviews Warren Taylor. Taylor served as a gunnery officer aboard the South Dakota. Taylor discusses much about gunnery at sea: targeting, target spotting, plotting, etc. He also recalls an explosion aboard ship while replenishing ammunition. Taylor also recalls going ashore in Japan after the surrender.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with David P. Newton. Newton was born in Birmingham, Alabama 2 December 1915. In 1937 he enrolled in the Birmingham School of Law, graduating and passing the bar examination in 1942. He was inducted into the US Army in 1943 and had basic training at Camp Wolters, Texas. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant and assigned to the 346th Harbor Craft Company. Traveling to Finschhafen, New Guinea he was assigned to a port battalion as a deck officer. He tells of the battalion commander assigning him as the defense counsel for a pending court martial trial. He outlines in detail the cause of the trial and of the favorable ruling rendered toward his client. Soon thereafter, he was sent to Hollandia, New Guinea and assigned to a small boat used for evacuation of wounded from shore. He recalls being part of the invasion force during the landing at Tacloban, Leyte and participating in the evacuation of the wounded. He recollects being ordered to report to the War Crimes Commission in Tokyo in October 1945. He was appointed as a special investigator/prosecutor into the operations of a number of prisoner …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with David P. Newton. Newton was born in Birmingham, Alabama 2 December 1915. In 1937 he enrolled in the Birmingham School of Law, graduating and passing the bar examination in 1942. He was inducted into the US Army in 1943 and had basic training at Camp Wolters, Texas. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant and assigned to the 346th Harbor Craft Company. Traveling to Finschhafen, New Guinea he was assigned to a port battalion as a deck officer. He tells of the battalion commander assigning him as the defense counsel for a pending court martial trial. He outlines in detail the cause of the trial and of the favorable ruling rendered toward his client. Soon thereafter, he was sent to Hollandia, New Guinea and assigned to a small boat used for evacuation of wounded from shore. He recalls being part of the invasion force during the landing at Tacloban, Leyte and participating in the evacuation of the wounded. He recollects being ordered to report to the War Crimes Commission in Tokyo in October 1945. He was appointed as a special investigator/prosecutor into the operations of a number of prisoner …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ike Kampmann. Kampmann was born in San Antonio, Texas on 2 October 1918 and graduated from the University of Texas, Austin with a law degree. In the spring of 1945 when he was stationed at 6th Army Headquarters at Lingayen Gulf, Luzon Island, Philippines, he was attached to the Staff Officer for Personnel (G-1) as the Army was making its move toward Manila. The commanding general, Lieutenant General Walter Krueger, appointed him to a military commission defending four Japanese soldiers who had been caught behind Allied lines in civilian clothes. Kampmann was the least experienced of the six officers on the commission. The four were found guilty and hanged. Subsequently, he was appointed aide-de-camp to General Krueger. For the duration of the interview he expresses remorse over the trial’s outcome.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ike Kampmann. Kampmann was born in San Antonio, Texas on 2 October 1918 and graduated from the University of Texas, Austin with a law degree. In the spring of 1945 when he was stationed at 6th Army Headquarters at Lingayen Gulf, Luzon Island, Philippines, he was attached to the Staff Officer for Personnel (G-1) as the Army was making its move toward Manila. The commanding general, Lieutenant General Walter Krueger, appointed him to a military commission defending four Japanese soldiers who had been caught behind Allied lines in civilian clothes. Kampmann was the least experienced of the six officers on the commission. The four were found guilty and hanged. Subsequently, he was appointed aide-de-camp to General Krueger. For the duration of the interview he expresses remorse over the trial’s outcome.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jean Balch. Balch was born in Abilene, Texas and was attending Hardin-Simmons University in 1941. On 8 December, he volunteered for duty in the Navy, but was too young. He joined later that spring. He trained as a radioman and gunner before being assigned the USS Yorktown (CV-10) in the fall of 1944. Balch mentions striking targets in the Philippines and on Formosa in late 1944. On one bombing mission over Hong Kong, China, the plane Balch was in was hit, forcing him to bail out. He landed among some Chinese civilians. In a short time, Balch was captured by Japanese soldiers. After several days, he was transported to Ofuna. Balch recalls several anecdotes about life as a prisoner of war in Japan. He mentions other POWs and tells stories about various guards. When the war ended, Balch was placed aboard the hospital ship USS Benevolence (AH-13). After the war, Balch returned to Tokyo to testify at the war crime trials.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jean Balch. Balch was born in Abilene, Texas and was attending Hardin-Simmons University in 1941. On 8 December, he volunteered for duty in the Navy, but was too young. He joined later that spring. He trained as a radioman and gunner before being assigned the USS Yorktown (CV-10) in the fall of 1944. Balch mentions striking targets in the Philippines and on Formosa in late 1944. On one bombing mission over Hong Kong, China, the plane Balch was in was hit, forcing him to bail out. He landed among some Chinese civilians. In a short time, Balch was captured by Japanese soldiers. After several days, he was transported to Ofuna. Balch recalls several anecdotes about life as a prisoner of war in Japan. He mentions other POWs and tells stories about various guards. When the war ended, Balch was placed aboard the hospital ship USS Benevolence (AH-13). After the war, Balch returned to Tokyo to testify at the war crime trials.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Rich. Rich was born in Cape Elizabeth, Maine on 5 August 1917. He completed high school in 1935 and graduated from Bowdoin College in 1939. Following graduation, he worked as a newspaper reporter and interviewed survivors of the USS Reuben James (DD-245), which was sunk by a German U-boat in 1941. In early 1941, he attended the University of Colorado and spent a year studying the Japanese language. In 1942, he joined the Marine Corps. While at boot camp in Camp Pendleton, California he was selected to join the 4th Marine Division and was sent to Camp Savage, Minnesota where he attended the US Army language school. On 3 January 1944 the division sailed from San Diego and landed on Kwajalein. Rich tells of his first meeting with the enemy as an interpreter. He also relates his experiences during the invasions of Saipan, Tinian and Iwo Jima. Following the surrender of Japan, he was discharged and went to work as a reporter for International News Service. As such, he attended the War Crimes Trials of general s Masaharu Homma and Hideki Tojo. Rich also relates his experiences …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Rich. Rich was born in Cape Elizabeth, Maine on 5 August 1917. He completed high school in 1935 and graduated from Bowdoin College in 1939. Following graduation, he worked as a newspaper reporter and interviewed survivors of the USS Reuben James (DD-245), which was sunk by a German U-boat in 1941. In early 1941, he attended the University of Colorado and spent a year studying the Japanese language. In 1942, he joined the Marine Corps. While at boot camp in Camp Pendleton, California he was selected to join the 4th Marine Division and was sent to Camp Savage, Minnesota where he attended the US Army language school. On 3 January 1944 the division sailed from San Diego and landed on Kwajalein. Rich tells of his first meeting with the enemy as an interpreter. He also relates his experiences during the invasions of Saipan, Tinian and Iwo Jima. Following the surrender of Japan, he was discharged and went to work as a reporter for International News Service. As such, he attended the War Crimes Trials of general s Masaharu Homma and Hideki Tojo. Rich also relates his experiences …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Frederick Binder. Binder joined the Navy and went to Notre Dame for Midshipman School. Upon completion, he then went to PT boat school in Rhode Island. After training, he was assigned to Motor Torpedo Squadron 27. Before reaching the Pacific in late 1943, he had some duty in Panama. Binder served as the executive officer in his squadron and recalls operating against Japanese barges around Bougainville and Choiseul. He was also stationed at the Palau Islands for a while before going to the Philippines. He was then the commander of PT-375 and recalls fighting a Japanese PT boat off Luzon. He also helped paratroopers at Corregidor. When the war ended, Binder elected to be discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Alpha Bowser. Bowser earned a commission through the Naval Academy in 1932. He went to sea aboard the USS Texas (BB-35). Afterwards, he went to artillery school at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Bowser recalls a detail where he accompanied President Roosevelt to Georgia. When World War II started, Bowser was assigned to the 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division as an artillery officer. He describes the landing he made during the invasion of Guam. He also was in a quiet sector at Iwo Jima. When the war ended, Bowser worked to demobilize the Marine Corps. He also served in Korea planning the Inchon landing. He also worked with the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington, commanded at Camp Lejeune and commanded the Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic before retiring in 1967.

The National museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Allen Stafford. Stafford enlisted in the Army in January 1941. Once the war got started, Stafford found himself as an infantry instructor in Brownsville, Texas. He went overseas with the 124th Cavalry Regiment in 1943 to India for training before being deployed to Burma. He relates an anecdote about driving 500 mules from the docks at Bombay to the 124th encampment 18 miles inland. Stafford also reads excerpts from his personal journal and discusses the raid on the airport at Myitkyina. Later in the campaign, Stafford was wounded. After evacuation and stays in hospitals in India, he returned to New York in August, 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lester Meis. Meis joined the Navy in January 1943 and received basic training in San Diego. He then received hospital corpsman training and was transferred to the Medical Field Service School at Camp Pendleton. Upon completion, he was assigned to a field sanitation unit attached to the 4th Medical Battalion, 4th Marine Division. At their base in Maui he surveyed latrines, dental clinics, and food preparation areas. He participated in D-Day at Saipan, unsure of what role to perform in combat. In Garapan he was commandeered by the Marines to help open a vault at Yokohama Specie Bank; afterward, soldiers were lighting cigars with 100-yen notes. Meis was sent to Aiea Heights after developing bronchitis and was mistakenly diagnosed with asthma. He was given a medical discharge in December 1944, which extended his benefits under the GI Bill. Meis earned three college degrees before the misdiagnosis was caught.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lester Meis. Meis joined the Navy in January 1943 and received basic training in San Diego. He then received hospital corpsman training and was transferred to the Medical Field Service School at Camp Pendleton. Upon completion, he was assigned to a field sanitation unit attached to the 4th Medical Battalion, 4th Marine Division. At their base in Maui he surveyed latrines, dental clinics, and food preparation areas. He participated in D-Day at Saipan, unsure of what role to perform in combat. In Garapan he was commandeered by the Marines to help open a vault at Yokohama Specie Bank; afterward, soldiers were lighting cigars with 100-yen notes. Meis was sent to Aiea Heights after developing bronchitis and was mistakenly diagnosed with asthma. He was given a medical discharge in December 1944, which extended his benefits under the GI Bill. Meis earned three college degrees before the misdiagnosis was caught.

Interview with Charles Pase, a marine during World War II. He discusses joining the Marines and training on New Zealand and other Pacific islands. He describes landing on Tarawa, the battle of Tarawa itself, and locating and burying the dead bodies after the battle. He also talks about going to Hawaii for more training before going to Saipan, various guns and artillery he used, encountering natives on Saipan and being in Nagasaki after the bomb was dropped. He relates ancedotes about having tonsillitis during the Tarawa attack, fights that some Marines got into with local Hawaiians while training there and prejudices against Japanese-Americans, mistaking a land crab that pinched the back of his neck for a bayonet, getting Dengue Fever, and faking a landing on April Fools' Day.

Transcript of an oral interview with Charles Pase. He discusses joining the Marines, training on New Zealand and other Pacific islands before landing on Tarawa, the battle of Tarawa itself, locating and burying the dead bodies after the battle. He also talks about going to Hawaii for more training before going to Saipan, various guns and artillery he used, encountering natives on Saipan and being in Nagasaki after the bomb was dropped. He ancedotes about having tonsilitis during the Tarawa attack, fights some Marines got into with local Hawaiians while training there and prejudices against Japanese-Americans, mistaking a land crab that pinched the back of his neck for a bayonet, getting Dengue Fever and faking a landing on April Fools' Day.

Transcript of an oral interview with Charles Pase. He discusses joining the Marines, training on New Zealand and other Pacific islands before landing on Tarawa, the battle of Tarawa itself, locating and burying the dead bodies after the battle. He also talks about going to Hawaii for more training before going to Saipan, various guns and artillery he used, encountering natives on Saipan and being in Nagasaki after the bomb was dropped. He ancedotes about having tonsilitis during the Tarawa attack, fights some Marines got into with local Hawaiians while training there and prejudices against Japanese-Americans, mistaking a land crab that pinched the back of his neck for a bayonet, getting Dengue Fever and faking a landing on April Fools' Day.

Transcript of an oral interview with Bob Burrell. Eleven days after finishing high school in 1941, Burrell was sworn into the Navy and reported to Newport, Rhode Island for boot camp. After boot camp, he was sent down to the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, Florida and was here on December 7, 1941. He volunteered for submarine duty and was sent to submarine school in New London, Connecticut; finishing in May 1942. Burrell describes his experiences at the school including using the Momsen lung. After graduation, he was shipped to Pearl Harbor and assigned to Submarine Division 42. In September 1942, he went aboard the USS Nautilus as a Third Class Yeoman. He was a sonar and radar operator during combat. The Nautilus rescued 29 men, women and children on New Years Eve 1942 when they snuck into Teop Harbor which was off of Bougainville. In April 1943, the Nautilus went to Dutch Harbor to take on 104 7th Army scouts, training them like they had done with the Marine Raider Battalion earlier. They were training for the invasion of Attu Island and took them there. The Nautilus then headed to Mare Island Naval Yard for overhaul. After overhaul, the …

Transcript of an oral interview with Bob Burrell. Eleven days after finishing high school in 1941, Burrell was sworn into the Navy and reported to Newport, Rhode Island for boot camp. After boot camp, he was sent down to the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, Florida and was here on December 7, 1941. He volunteered for submarine duty and was sent to submarine school in New London, Connecticut; finishing in May 1942. Burrell describes his experiences at the school including using the Momsen lung. After graduation, he was shipped to Pearl Harbor and assigned to Submarine Division 42. In September 1942, he went aboard the USS Nautilus as a Third Class Yeoman. He was a sonar and radar operator during combat. The Nautilus rescued 29 men, women and children on New Years Eve 1942 when they snuck into Teop Harbor which was off of Bougainville. In April 1943, the Nautilus went to Dutch Harbor to take on 104 7th Army scouts, training them like they had done with the Marine Raider Battalion earlier. They were training for the invasion of Attu Island and took them there. The Nautilus then headed to Mare Island Naval Yard for overhaul. After overhaul, the …

Transcript of an oral interview with Arthur Bohus. Born in Philadelphia in 1917, he enlisted in the Navy (Communications Reserves) in 1939. He went through Recruit Training at Newport, Rhode Island followed by Radioman School and then was assigned to the Fourth Naval District, Philadelphia. His next assignment was at Cape May, New Jersey, where his duties involved recovering blimps which had been launched from Lakehurst, New Jersey. During this assignment he became proficient in Morse Code. His next assignment was at the Naval Gun Factory in Washington, DC, where the 16-inch guns were manufactured. He recounts several ancecdotes during his time in Washington, DC prior to receiving orders to Karachi, India under the Office of Naval Intelligence. He describes how repeated attempts at catching a flight from Anacostia Naval Station to San Francisco, where the troop ship was located, were aborted due to higher priority passengers. Eventually, he was provided with a train ticket to San Francisco. He describes some of the events during that rail ride to Chicago, enroute San Francisco. He describes the transit from San Francisco to Karachi where he received orders to Chungking, China. He recounts the landing in Chungking in late Spring 1942, where …

Transcript of an oral interview with Arthur Bohus. Born in Philadelphia in 1917, he enlisted in the Navy (Communications Reserves) in 1939. He went through Recruit Training at Newport, Rhode Island followed by Radioman School and then was assigned to the Fourth Naval District, Philadelphia. His next assignment was at Cape May, New Jersey, where his duties involved recovering blimps which had been launched from Lakehurst, New Jersey. During this assignment he became proficient in Morse Code. His next assignment was at the Naval Gun Factory in Washington, DC, where the 16-inch guns were manufactured. He recounts several ancecdotes during his time in Washington, DC prior to receiving orders to Karachi, India under the Office of Naval Intelligence. He describes how repeated attempts at catching a flight from Anacostia Naval Station to San Francisco, where the troop ship was located, were aborted due to higher priority passengers. Eventually, he was provided with a train ticket to San Francisco. He describes some of the events during that rail ride to Chicago, enroute San Francisco. He describes the transit from San Francisco to Karachi where he received orders to Chungking, China. He recounts the landing in Chungking in late Spring 1942, where …

Transcript of an oral interview with Carl Hecht. He was born in St Louis, Missouri in 1920 and joined the Navy Reserves in October, 1940. In early 1941 he was assigned as a Signalman aboard USS Tuscaloosa (CA-37). He recalls sailing to Argentia, New Foundland in August 1941 in company with USS Augusta (CA-31) (President Roosevelt embarked) and Henry Hopkins and the remainder of the President's staff embarked on Tuscaloosa. He recalls that the two American war ships met up in Argentia harbor with HMS Prince of Wales (Winston Churchill embarked) and that, on 11 and 12 August, Churchill and staff met with Roosevelt and aides on the Augusta for conferences and their first of several meetings in order to form the Atlantic Charter. Later he recalls three instances when Tuscaloosa was assigned convoy duty between the United Kingdom and Murmansk, Russia. Upon return to the US he was assigned as part of the commissioning crew aboard USS Monrovia (APA-31), which became the flagship of Admiral Hewitt, Eighth Fleet Commander, in charge of training for the invasion of Sicily. He recalls General Patton and his staff were aboard, in addition to army troops being prepared for the invasion and how …

Transcript of an oral interview with Carl Hecht. He was born in St Louis, Missouri in 1920 and joined the Navy Reserves in October, 1940. In early 1941 he was assigned as a Signalman aboard USS Tuscaloosa (CA-37). He recalls sailing to Argentia, New Foundland in August 1941 in company with USS Augusta (CA-31) (President Roosevelt embarked) and Henry Hopkins and the remainder of the President's staff embarked on Tuscaloosa. He recalls that the two American war ships met up in Argentia harbor with HMS Prince of Wales (Winston Churchill embarked) and that, on 11 and 12 August, Churchill and staff met with Roosevelt and aides on the Augusta for conferences and their first of several meetings in order to form the Atlantic Charter. Later he recalls three instances when Tuscaloosa was assigned convoy duty between the United Kingdom and Murmansk, Russia. Upon return to the US he was assigned as part of the commissioning crew aboard USS Monrovia (APA-31), which became the flagship of Admiral Hewitt, Eighth Fleet Commander, in charge of training for the invasion of Sicily. He recalls General Patton and his staff were aboard, in addition to army troops being prepared for the invasion and how …