Interview with James (Jim) Phinney, an aircraft electrician for the U. S. Navy during Wold War II. He discusses joining the Navy, going through boot camp and becoming an aircraft electrician. He was assigned to the USS Lexington but abandoned ship after it was hit by a torpedo. He was rescued and was then sent to San Diego to be reassigned to the USS Enterprise. He mentions being at Guadalcanal and later aboard a sub-chaser. The crew crossed the Equator and consequently participated in an initiation ceremony, during which time Admiral Halsey was nearly shot by one of the ship's pilots who forgot to lock his gun. He also recalls some of the food he ate while at sea.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Henry Kopkey. Kopkey joined the Army Air Forces in January 1942. Later in September, he was shipped overseas to England where he served as an ordnanceman in the 366th Bomb Squadron.

Transcript of an oral interview with James (Jim) Phinney. He begins by discussing joining the Navy, going through boot camp and becoming an aircraft electrician. He was assigned to the USS Lexington and describes abandoning ship after it was hit by torpedos and the aftermath of getting rescued then going to San Diego to be reassigned to the USS Enterprise. He mentions being at Guadalcanal and later aboard a sub-chaser and ancedotes about the crossing the equator initiation ceremony, a time Admiral Halsey almost got shot by one of the ship's pilots who forgot to lock up his guns and some of the food he ate while at sea.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Frank Alexander. Alexander joined the Army Air Forces in 1942 and trained in Texas and Massachusetts as an airplane mechanic. He went overseas to England in December, 1944. He began flying combat missions on a B-17 as a flight engineer in February and was in a midair collision on his first mission. He bailed out and was rescued by Allied forces and returned to service to fly on 18 more combat missions. In April, he was shot down again, but captured by German soldiers and sent to Stalag VII A. Alexander was liberated after about a month of captivity. He returned to the US and was discharged in the fall of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Luther Burnette. Burnette joined the Army in July 1946 and trained in Alabama. He went to Korea in 1946 and was made a typist in his company's office while there. Burnette was in a segregated unit in the Sixth Infantry Division and comments on the racial conditions in the Army during the time. He also served in the quartermaster section while on duty in occupied Japan. He returned and was discharged in 1949, but stayed in the reserves and attended college. When he graduated, he accepted a commission in 1953 and retired a colonel.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Edward Havorka. Havorka was born 24 April 1923, graduated from high school in 1940, then joined the Marine Corps in 1943. He completed boot camp in San Diego. He completed Telephone School and learned how to work a switchboard. He served as an instructor in the school into 1944. He then completed Officer Candidate School at Oberlin College, Ohio. Havorka was then transferred to an infantry unit at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, where he remained until the end of the war and was discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dr. Donald C. Coldsmith. Coldsmith was born in Ottawa, Kansas in 1926, the son of a Methodist minister. He tells of hearing of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor while attending a state of Kansas YMCA convention. Being eligible for the selective-service act, he received his draft notice in 1944 and was inducted into the United States Army at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He was sent to Fort Sill, Oklahoma for basic training. He tells of the selection process and physical requirements needed for assignment into the mountain artillery pack mule training program and of training with pack mules. He comments on the mule’s intelligence. After washing out of Officer Candidate Sschool, he was assigned to the Pacific as a combat replacement. He was assigned to the 637th Tank Destroyer Battalion on Leyte. Soon afterward he was assigned as a medic and he tells of his training in the field. He recalls hearing of the dropping of the atomic bomb and soon thereafter being sent to Yokohoma, Japan where he was assigned to Omori Prison. Although only a Private First Class, he was medically responsible for the Japanese prisoners. …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Frank Alexander. Alexander joined the Army Air Forces in 1942 and trained in Texas and Massachusetts as an airplane mechanic. He went overseas to England in December, 1944. He began flying combat missions on a B-17 as a flight engineer in February and was in a midair collision on his first mission. He bailed out and was rescued by Allied forces and returned to service to fly on 18 more combat missions. In April, he was shot down again, but captured by German soldiers and sent to Stalag VII A. Alexander was liberated after about a month of captivity. He returned to the US and was discharged in the fall of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Luther Burnette. Burnette joined the Army in July 1946 and trained in Alabama. He went to Korea in 1946 and was made a typist in his company's office while there. Burnette was in a segregated unit in the Sixth Infantry Division and comments on the racial conditions in the Army during the time. He also served in the quartermaster section while on duty in occupied Japan. He returned and was discharged in 1949, but stayed in the reserves and attended college. When he graduated, he accepted a commission in 1953 and retired a colonel.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Edward Havorka. Havorka was born 24 April 1923, graduated from high school in 1940, then joined the Marine Corps in 1943. He completed boot camp in San Diego. He completed Telephone School and learned how to work a switchboard. He served as an instructor in the school into 1944. He then completed Officer Candidate School at Oberlin College, Ohio. Havorka was then transferred to an infantry unit at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, where he remained until the end of the war and was discharged.

Transcript of an oral interview with James (Jim) Phinney. He begins by discussing joining the Navy, going through boot camp and becoming an aircraft electrician. He was assigned to the USS Lexington and describes abandoning ship after it was hit by torpedos and the aftermath of getting rescued then going to San Diego to be reassigned to the USS Enterprise. He mentions being at Guadalcanal and later aboard a sub-chaser and ancedotes about the crossing the equator initiation ceremony, a time Admiral Halsey almost got shot by one of the ship's pilots who forgot to lock up his guns and some of the food he ate while at sea.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dr. Donald C. Coldsmith. Coldsmith was born in Ottawa, Kansas in 1926, the son of a Methodist minister. He tells of hearing of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor while attending a state of Kansas YMCA convention. Being eligible for the selective-service act, he received his draft notice in 1944 and was inducted into the United States Army at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He was sent to Fort Sill, Oklahoma for basic training. He tells of the selection process and physical requirements needed for assignment into the mountain artillery pack mule training program and of training with pack mules. He comments on the mule’s intelligence. After washing out of Officer Candidate Sschool, he was assigned to the Pacific as a combat replacement. He was assigned to the 637th Tank Destroyer Battalion on Leyte. Soon afterward he was assigned as a medic and he tells of his training in the field. He recalls hearing of the dropping of the atomic bomb and soon thereafter being sent to Yokohoma, Japan where he was assigned to Omori Prison. Although only a Private First Class, he was medically responsible for the Japanese prisoners. …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Henry Kopkey. Kopkey joined the Army Air Forces in January 1942. Later in September, he was shipped overseas to England where he served as an ordnanceman in the 366th Bomb Squadron.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Abel Ortega. Ortega was drafted into the Army in March, 1941 and was in the Philippines by November. Ortega was with a tank battalion on Luzon and recalls the retreat to and subsequent surrender on Bataan. Ortega also recalls how his Christian faith served him, and others around him, during captivity. He describes his experiences on the Bataan Death March. Ortega remained in the Philippines for over two years before being shipped to Japan to perform more slave labor. After the war, Ortega was repatriated and describes his return home to his parents.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Abel Ortega. Ortega was drafted into the Army in March, 1941 and was in the Philippines by November. Ortega was with a tank battalion on Luzon and recalls the retreat to and subsequent surrender on Bataan. Ortega also recalls how his Christian faith served him, and others around him, during captivity. He describes his experiences on the Bataan Death March. Ortega remained in the Philippines for over two years before being shipped to Japan to perform more slave labor. After the war, Ortega was repatriated and describes his return home to his parents.

Letter from Joe to his wife Catherine discussing taking a test on the last day of gunnery school, flying a gunnery mission, seeing the movie "The Sultan's Daughter," and asking if she received the money he sent her.

Letter from Catherine to her husband Joe discussing news from home, including that James Logan received the Congressional Medal of Honor, supper with Baker and Neel, and a potential trip to Gonzales.

Transcription of letter from Chester Nimitz to his grandfather in Fredericksburg. Nimitz tells of other young men in his prep school from Texas and that a few of them are Germans. He also observes that some of the people there did not take a competitive exam.

Handwritten letter from Chester Nimitz to his grandfather in Fredericksburg. Nimitz tells of other young men in his prep school from Texas and that a few of them are Germans. He also observes that some of the people there did not take a competitive exam. This letter is written on Robert Werntz Preparatory Academy stationery.