The National Museum of the pacific War presents an oral interview with J. Lloyd Abbot. Abbot received a commission in the Navy in 1939 and served two months aboard the USS Enterprise (CV-6) before being tasked to bring an old destroyer, the USS Gilmer (DD-233), out of mothballs. He stayed on it for a while before going to flight school in Pensacola. He earned his wings in November, 1941. Due to some accidents and illnesses, Abbot was disallowed to fly from carriers. He was assigned to shore-based anti-submarine patrol squadron, VS-1D-14, in December 1942. In April 1943, the squadron was divided into two and Abbot was placed in command of VS-66 on Wallis Island. At the end of 1943, his squadron inherited some SBD dive bombers and they moved to a new base on Tarawa. In March 1944. Abbot was assigned to the staff of the Chief of Naval Air Training at Pensacola. He was there when the war ended. After the war, Abbot commanded VF-41 aboard the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CV-42). Throughout his career, he served as the operation officer aboard carriers, worked at the Pentagon, was commander of the Antarctic mission and commander of a carrier division …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert E. Galer. Galer was born in Seattle 23 October 1913. In 1935, he graduated from the University of Washington, having earned a commission through ROTC. During flight training at Pensacola, he accepted a regular commission in the Marine Corps. His classmate at Washington was Gregory “Pappy” Boyington, who also trained with him at Quantico. During the ensuing years, Galer became carrier qualified and flew sea planes in the Virgin Islands, had a tour of duty with a fighter squadron in San Diego, and had fighter training in Honolulu. He watched the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor from a friend’s house. Galer went to Guadalcanal in late August 1942, where he flew interdiction missions in the Grumman F4F Wildcat. In fighting for Henderson Field, Galer was shot down three times, was credited with shooting down 11 ½ Japanese planes, and received the Medal of Honor. After receiving the award, he went on speaking tours to sell war bonds. Afterwards, he attended the Army Command and Staff School at Fort Leavenworth. In early 1945, he was assigned as the co-leader of a 25-man team responsible for evaluating a new radar …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert E. Galer. Galer was born in Seattle 23 October 1913. In 1935, he graduated from the University of Washington, having earned a commission through ROTC. During flight training at Pensacola, he accepted a regular commission in the Marine Corps. His classmate at Washington was Gregory “Pappy” Boyington, who also trained with him at Quantico. During the ensuing years, Galer became carrier qualified and flew sea planes in the Virgin Islands, had a tour of duty with a fighter squadron in San Diego, and had fighter training in Honolulu. He watched the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor from a friend’s house. Galer went to Guadalcanal in late August 1942, where he flew interdiction missions in the Grumman F4F Wildcat. In fighting for Henderson Field, Galer was shot down three times, was credited with shooting down 11 ½ Japanese planes, and received the Medal of Honor. After receiving the award, he went on speaking tours to sell war bonds. Afterwards, he attended the Army Command and Staff School at Fort Leavenworth. In early 1945, he was assigned as the co-leader of a 25-man team responsible for evaluating a new radar …

The National Museum of the pacific War presents an oral interview with J. Lloyd Abbot. Abbot received a commission in the Navy in 1939 and served two months aboard the USS Enterprise (CV-6) before being tasked to bring an old destroyer, the USS Gilmer (DD-233), out of mothballs. He stayed on it for a while before going to flight school in Pensacola. He earned his wings in November, 1941. Due to some accidents and illnesses, Abbot was disallowed to fly from carriers. He was assigned to shore-based anti-submarine patrol squadron, VS-1D-14, in December 1942. In April 1943, the squadron was divided into two and Abbot was placed in command of VS-66 on Wallis Island. At the end of 1943, his squadron inherited some SBD dive bombers and they moved to a new base on Tarawa. In March 1944. Abbot was assigned to the staff of the Chief of Naval Air Training at Pensacola. He was there when the war ended. After the war, Abbot commanded VF-41 aboard the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CV-42). Throughout his career, he served as the operation officer aboard carriers, worked at the Pentagon, was commander of the Antarctic mission and commander of a carrier division …