Oral History Interview with James Morris, January 16, 2018 (open access)

Oral History Interview with James Morris, January 16, 2018

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Morris. Morris joined the Navy in November of 1942. He describes his boot camp experiences, including his amphibious training on Coronado Island, California. He trained as a coxswain. In November of 1944 he boarded the USS Highlands (APA-119) to Hawaii. Beginning in January of 1945 he served aboard the USS LST-678. They traveled to Iwo Jima. Morris was in the fifth wave and landed on Yellow Beach and he vividly explains his experiences there. In April of 1946 he received a three-day pass to visit Japan and provides some detail of his travels. He was discharged in May of 1946.
Date: January 16, 2018
Creator: Morris, James
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Robert Bookbinder, January 16, 2014 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Robert Bookbinder, January 16, 2014

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Bookbinder. Bookbinder was in ROTC at the University of Kentucky when the war started and was called to active duty in the Army in April, 1943 and trained at Camp Wolters, Texas before getting his commission at Fort Benning on October, 1944. He was assigned to the 86th Infantry Division and went to Europe with them. After fighting in Europe, his division went to the Philippines for occupation duty.
Date: January 16, 2014
Creator: Bookbinder, Robert
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Manuel E. Quijas, January 16, 2012 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Manuel E. Quijas, January 16, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Manuel E. Quijas. Quijas grew up in the Rio Grande Valley and was drafted into the the Army in July, 1942. He describes training at Camp Wolters, Texas. At Fort Hood, Quijas was assigned to the 820th Tank Destroyer Battalion. Quijas trained as a driver for a half-track. Upon completion of training, Quijas and his unit were shipped to England where they immediately left for France in October, 1944. Eventually, his unit moved into Belgium and fought in the Battle of the Bulge. Quijas describes retreating and disabling his half-track and its weapons. QUijas speaks of retraining in medium tanks and taking them across the Rhine River into Germany. When the war ended in Europe, Quijas shipped back to the US and was discharged in November, 1945. Quijas used the GI Bill to finish high school.
Date: January 16, 2012
Creator: Quijas, Manuel E.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Fred Bishop, January 16, 2008 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Fred Bishop, January 16, 2008

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Fred Bishop. Bishop studied at Syracuse University beginning in 1935 but entered the labor force in 1937 due to financial hardship. In 1940 he joined the New York Army National Guard and was mobilized to Salinas, California, with the 27th Infantry Division, 108th Infantry Regiment. After becoming a staff sergeant, he decided to transfer to the Army Air Corps, where he attended school to become a second lieutenant and bombardier. In October 1942 he was assigned as an AT-11 instructor with the Army Air Forces in California, under strict orders to destroy his Sperry bombsight gyroscopes if needed, rather than surrender it to the enemy. In 1943, having trained 1,000 men, he began navigation school before joining a B-25 training outfit as a bombardier navigator and nose gunner. After the war, he was discharged into the reserves and was called to active duty in Korea with a B-29 crew before retiring as a captain.
Date: January 16, 2008
Creator: Bishop, Fred
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Paul Bragg, January 16, 2009 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Paul Bragg, January 16, 2009

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Paul Bragg. Bragg joined the Army Air Forces in 1942 and trained as a spotter pilot for the field artillery. He also completed radio mechanic school. He was sent to England and joined the 482nd Bomb Group. He served with a ground radar unit called Mickey and Minnie, directing planes to their targets for bombing. He provides some details of his work with the unit. In July of 1944 he traveled to Belgium and then Germany. He was discharged in October of 1945.
Date: January 16, 2009
Creator: Bragg, Paul
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Arles Cole, January 16, 2009 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Arles Cole, January 16, 2009

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Arles Cole. Cole joined the Navy in December of 1940. He provides details of his boot camp experiences. He completed communications school and became a signalman. In August of 1941 he served aboard the USS West Virginia (BB-48). Cole was on board during the attack on Pearl Harbor in December of 1941. Cole provides vivid details leading up to, during and after the battle. He then served aboard a tugboat, the USS Turkey (AT-13), beginning in March of 1942. It doubled as a minesweeper and a tugboat. They traveled to the South Pacific around the Samoan Islands and the trade routes, where he became proficient in handling a line towing the vanes for mine sweeping and towing a barge with food and supplies for the Marines. In January of 1944 he began serving aboard the USS Pritchett (DD-561). They traveled to the Marshall Islands, Saipan, Tinian, Guam, Okinawa and Iwo Jima. He provides great detail of his travels aboard the Pritchett and their participation in various battles. He was discharged in January of 1946.
Date: January 16, 2009
Creator: Cole, Arles
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Manuel E. Quijas, January 16, 2012 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Manuel E. Quijas, January 16, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Manuel E. Quijas. He discusses his childhood growing up during the Great Depression and how he was drafted into the US Army. He describes his experiences during bootcamp and fighting in Europe and in the Battle of the Bulge during World War Two.
Date: January 16, 2012
Creator: Quijas, Manuel E. & Misenhimer, Richard
System: The Portal to Texas History