The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Anthony Geer. Geer was drafted into the Navy in 1943. He completed boot camp in San Diego, then served as a yeoman. He received additional training in aircraft recognition. He traveled to the Philippines aboard the USS Tazewell (APA-209), and worked on Samar Island until the atomic bombs were dropped, then transferred to Manila until the surrender of Japan. He traveled back to the U.S. aboard the USS Menard (APA-201). Geer was honorably discharged in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Hoyt Richardson. Richardson left pharmacy school to join the Navy in 1942. Upon completion of corpsman training, he treated soldiers with PTSD. One of his unofficial duties was helping Eleanor Roosevelt with her parrots. Upon transferring to Bethesda as a pharmacist's mate, Richardson had the occasion to chat with FDR, who was receiving physical therapy. He deployed to New Guinea, specializing in the prevention of tropical diseases. Richardson himself suffered various ailments while there but was able to protect others from malaria, dengue fever, and dysentery. In the Philippines, he worked beside native doctors before returning to the States. He worked aboard USS Colorado (BB-45) during demobilization before returning to school on the G.I. Bill and earning his pharmacy degree.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Mooney. Mooney received his Navy wings at Pensacola, Florida in October of 1943. He went aboard the USS Ranger (CV-4) and was sent to the South Pacific as a replacement pilot. He was then sent to Guadalcanal where he performed escort missions for C-47 Air Force planes up through the Solomon Islands and Admiralties. He was sent back to Pearl Harbor to become indoctrinated in the Hellcat at the Naval Air Station at Berbers Point. In September of 1944 he was assigned to the USS Essex (CV-9). His first combat was in the Philippines, in the Rescue Combat Air Patrol. He provides details of his flying missions to attack Japanese aircraft on airfields and Japanese destroyers in Manila Harbor. He participated in the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October of 1944. He provides details of the planes that he flew during his missions. He was discharged around the summer of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Maddux. Maddux joined the Navy in December 1942. He was sent to the USS Argonne (AS-10). Maddux describes his role as a deck seaman, coxswain, and boatswain’s mate. He also details the capabilities of the ship as well as the repair and supply work that it performed. Maddox describes the fatal explosion that occurred aboard the USS Mount Hood (AE-11) and how he was blown over the side of his own ship which was anchored 100 yards away. He mentions that 1,300 pounds of metal from the Mount Hood was recovered on the Argonne and finding a shell-shocked survivor clinging to a buoy two days later. Maddux describes how his ship converted PT boats from torpedo boats to gun boats and describes test driving one. He left the service in January 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Battifarano. Battifarano enlisted in the Navy during his senior year of high school in 1943. He served for 2 years as Signalman 3rd Class aboard the USS Guitarro (SS-363). They traveled to the Panama Canal operating with a destroyer and to the South Pacific. They made 4 successful war patrols, have 15 Japanese flags on their battle flag, laid 25 mines and recorded a 95-day war patrol. He discusses life aboard a submarine and their war patrol experiences. They traveled to Taiwan, Australia, the South China Sea, Philippines, Japan and Saipan. They participated in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. He was discharged in 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Albright. Albright was born 19 March 1928 and attended school in Cass County, Indiana until he quit and went to work. Upon joining the US Army in 1946, he was sent to Camp Lee, Virginia for basic training. He was then sent to Camp Stoneman, California. Soon after his arrival, he boarded a troopship bound for Manila, Philippine Islands. Upon his arrival he was assigned to the 738th Military Police Battalion. He comments on some of his experiences while stationed in Manila. During March 1948, he returned to Camp Stoneman where he was subsequently discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Anthony Arrington. Arrington joined the Navy in June 1942 and received basic training in Norfolk. He was assigned to the USS Texas (BB-35), serving as a waiter during trips to Casablanca and the British Isles. While he was onshore being treated for a shoulder injury, the Texas moved on to another port. Arrington was subsequently given landing craft training and reassigned to the USS Sims (APD-50). He was present for the entire Battle of Okinawa, operating a landing craft as a taxi for military personnel. A few weeks after the bombing of Hiroshima, he transported a group of scientists to the blast site, which was completely flattened, save for two partially damaged concrete structures. Arrington returned home and was discharged in January 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Eddleman. Eddleman joined the Navy in January of 1942. He completed Bugle Master School. He served aboard the USS Texas (BB-35), and participated in the invasions of North Africa, Normandy, Cherbourg, Italy, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Eddleman witnessed numerous battles atop the navigation bridge. He returned to the US in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Gordon W Jones. Jones joined the Navy in late 1943. Through 1944, he worked at the Norfolk Naval Base as an assistant to the Provost Marshal, and served on base security patrol. Beginning in October, Jones served aboard the USS Texas (BB-35) as Seaman First Class. He worked as a deckhand and with the fire crew. Jones participated in the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He continued his service after the war ended, serving in the Naval Reserve.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Orlan Scott. Scott joined the Navy in 1944. He completed amphibious force training. Scott served aboard USS Texas (BB-35) beginning in March of 1945, participating in the Battle of Okinawa. He returned to the US and received a discharge in May of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Eugene Hillyer. Hillyer joined the Marine Corps in 1942 and received basic training at Parris Island and further training at Camp Lejeune. Upon completion, he was sent to Kwajalein and Roi-Namur. During a rest period at Hickam Field, he was brought aboard the USS Texas (BB-35) along with a detachment of Marines. He manned an M1 rifle from the crow’s nest at Okinawa, shooting down kamikazes and detonating floating bombs disguised as ammunition cans. He watched as the flag was raised on Mount Suribachi, and recalls the beauty of all the ships lit against the night sky when the war ended and blackouts were lifted. Hillyer returned home and was discharged in September 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Donald Hanlon. Hanlon was born and raised in Bronx, New York, and joined the Navy at age seventeen. Following boot camp, he served aboard USS Texas (BB-35) from December 1941 through May 1947. The Texas served as a support ship during the invasion of Normandy and Hanlon describes the death and destruction he observed at Omaha Beach. He also recalls the ship being damaged by shore artillery during the landing at Cherbourg. The ship then traveled to the Pacific where it participated in the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He recollects the attacks on the fleet by kamikazes and the recovery of an injured kamikaze pilot. Hanlon was discharged in 1947.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles Ira. Ira joined the Navy in 1943 at the age of 17. He completed boot camp at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station in Chicago. Ira served as a deckhand and gunner aboard USS Texas (BB-35). He tells of the ship accompanying convoys through the North Atlantic. He recalls his admiration for General Eisenhower who visited the ship prior to the Normandy Invasion and of the actions of the Texas during the invasion. This action was followed by participation in the Battle of Cherbourg. He relates his experiences there and tells of the damage to the Texas by German shore batteries. After returning to the States, the ship proceeded through the Panama Canal into the Pacific. There, the ship participated in the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He returned to US in 1946 and received his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Howard Stoneley. Stoneley joined the Navy around mid-1943. From 1943 through mid-1945, he served with the deck force aboard the USS Texas (BB-35). Stoneley shares his experiences through the Normandy Invasion, the Battle of Cherbourg, Operation Dragoon, the Battle of Iwo Jima and the Battle of Okinawa. He returned home after the war, and received his discharge around January of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Joe Madrano. Madrano was born in 1922 of Native American parents, both of whom attended the Carlisle Indian School. He comments on the itinerate life the family led until settling in Oklahoma. At 16, Madrano joined the Oklahoma National Guard. In 1940, he was accepted into the Aviation Cadet Program and received flight training at Randolph Field. Sent to Avon Park, Florida, Madrano received training in the B-26 bomber. In 1943 he was assigned to the 439th Bomb Squadron in Italy. He tells of missions over Monte Cassino, and recalls concerns of the German 88mm cannon. Following the war’s end, Madrano became an instructor pilot for B-25s. Soon thereafter, he was discharged and went to college on the GI Bill. He then began teaching. Resigning his Air Force commission, he joined the Army National Guard. In 1950 he served in the Korean War. While in Japan, he applied for a position with the Medical Service Corps, which led to training as a helicopter pilot. As such he flew medical evacuation missions in Vietnam. He returned to the US and was discharged in 1972, having served over 49 years in …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Prevninger. Prevninger was drafted into the Army in June of 1944. He was trained as a tanker and eventually became a gunner on a Stuart tank and was later transferred to a Sherman tank. Prevninger describes crossing the Rhine and advancing across Germany. He discusses how they handled German prisoners at the end of the war. Prevninger served in the occupation and was eventually discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Urban J. Bellinghausen. Bellinghausen was born on 3 March 1926 in Munday, Texas. He joined the Marine Corps on 15 June 1944. He attended boot camp at San Diego. Following that he had 3 more months training at Camp Pendleton. Then he deployed to the Pacific, a 33 day crossing from San Diego to Saipan, arriving 10 November 1944. He was attached to the 2nd Marine Division, 3rd Battalion, 10th Marines. While Saipan was in Allied hands, there were still some Japanese troops left to deal with. His unit then sailed to Iwo Jima but returned to Saipan. There they trained for the Okinawa invasion. In Okinawa, they participated in a decoy landing on D-Day minus 1, pulling Japanese forces away from the beaches where the actual landings took place. Never actually hitting the beach, Bellinghausen stayed on board the landing ship, eventually returning to Saipan. After the atomic bombs were dropped and the armistice signed, he was sent to Nagasaki for 10 months. Then he caught a ship at Sasebo for the States, arriving in San Diego 17 July 1946. He was discharged 10 days later.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Huddleston Wright. Wright, an Army veteran (2nd Battalion, 131st Field Artillery, Texas National Guard) and a member of the Lost Battalion, concerning his experiences as a prisoner of war of the Japanese during World War II. Wright discusses the fall of Java and his capture, Bicycle Camp in Batavia (1942), Changi Prison Camp in Singapore (1942), building the Burma-Thailand Death Railway (1942-1944), Kanchanaburi, Thailand (1944-1945), Phet Buri, Thailand (1945), and his liberation. Wright served in the Army through 1956. See Appendix starting on page 138.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Gillespie. Gillespie joined the Navy in late 1944. Beginning around mid-1945, he served on Corregidor Island, Philippines as Radarman 2nd Class. He worked guard duty and serviced a radar atop a mountain on the island. He recalls his time living and working on Corregidor, and the removal of Japanese prisoners-of-war from the island. He continued his service after the war ended, returning to the US in the spring of 1946 to receive his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Erfurth. Erfurth joined the Army Air Forces in 1943. He completed Armament and Aerial Gunnery training. He served as a B-24 Armorer with the 8th Air Force, 392nd Bombardment Group. They deployed to England and Erfurth completed 27 bombing missions over Germany and France. He received his discharge in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Hanley. Hanley joined the Navy in January of 1941. He served as a Pharmacist’s Mate aboard the USS Houston (CA-30), providing general first aid and administering shots to the soldiers. In February of 1942 they participated in the Battle of Sunda Strait, where the Houston was sunk. Hanley describes his experiences through the sinking of their ship, getting captured by the Japanese, surviving in the POW camp and providing medical care for his fellow captives. In 1945 he was sent to a camp in Thailand working in a medical pool. He was liberated there and returned to the US and was discharged in February of 1947.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Bailey Salmon. Salmon joined the Marine Corps in March of 1943. He completed advanced training with landing craft vehicles, and was placed in the V-12 Navy College Training Program. He traveled to a transit center in Hawaii, and practiced for the invasion of Japan. He was transferred to Guam, and joined the 3rd Marine Division. Shortly thereafter, the bombs were dropped and the war ended. He was ranked as Acting 1st Sergeant and worked on patrol missions. His discharge date is not noted, though likely around late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Joseph Dubray. Dubray joined the Navy in June, 1943 and trained in San Diego. Afterwards, he was assigned to USS San Juan (CL-54) in December. He went with the ship to the Marshall Islands and describes his experience crossing he equator. He shares several anecdotes about life aboard the cruiser and some about the surrender and going ashore in Japan.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Wayne Hissong. Hissong joined the Army in March, 1941 and served in a horse cavalry outfit before moving into tanks. He joined the 712th Tank Battalion and went to Normandy in late June. Hissong shares a story of being captured and liberated within 72 hours while overseas. He also shares several anecdotes about supplying the tanks with fuel and ammo. He describes a few encounters with General Patton. Hissong was discharged in October, 1945.