The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with L C Eaton. Eaton joined the Navy in 1937 and received basic training in Norfolk, Virginia. He was sent to San Diego, California, for hospital corps training. Upon completion, he was assigned to the USS Savannah (CL-42) and transferred to the USS Boise (CL-47) to complete his first enlistment. He re-enlisted in the Navy to avoid the Army draft and was assigned to the USS Republic (AP-33). On 6 December 1941 the Republic moved from Pearl Harbor to the Aloha Dock in Honolulu. The Republic left immediately after the attack and wandered aimlessly until receiving orders in Fiji to unload in Australia. He was assigned to the Normandy invasion on the USS Burnett County (USS LST-512), which sank en route. Eaton was reassigned to the USS Emmons (DMS-22) and sent to Ulithi Atoll. He gives a detailed account of a five-plane kamikaze attack at Ie Shima in which he was severely wounded. He eventually had both legs amputated as a result of his injuries. Before being fitted with prosthetics at Mare Island, he describes the challenge of navigating public places in a wheelchair. He was discharged as a …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Scheumann. Scheumann was drafted into the Army in October 1942. After training he was assigned to the 323rd Field Artillery as part of the 83rd Infantry Division. He went overseas to England in April, 1944, then to Normandy on 12 June. He was wounded and evacuated to England in early July. When he returned to France he was assigned to drive a radio repair truck. He returned to the US in November 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Arlie Ray Horn. Horn was drafted into the Army in July 1943 and trained at Camp Wolters before being shipped overseas to England where he trained with the Special Forces and was attached to the 29th Infantry Division. He landed at Omaha Beach on 6 June 1944 (D-Day). Horn was wounded three different times. After the war ended, Horn returned to the US in October, 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Dwayne Kendall Jose. Jose joined the Army Air Forces in 1942. He received his wings in 1943, and served as a B-26 bomber pilot with the 17th Bomb Group, 12th Air Force. Beginning in mid-1944, he traveled to North Africa, and completed 50 missions over Italy and Germany. They participated in the Italian Campaign and the Battle of the Bulge, bombing air fields, refineries and bridges. He shares vivid details of combat. Jose returned to the U.S. and received his discharge in 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Thomas Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald joined the Army Air Forces and became a bombardier in 1943 and arrived in England later that year. He began flying combat missions over France and Germany. After one mission, Fitzgerald had a meeting with General LeMay about the results of a bomb run. Mostly, Fitzgerald's missions over Europe prior to D-Day were to soften up German defense and industrial capabilities. After completing about 30 combat missions, Fitzgerald rotated back to the US and elected to go to flight school. He was there when the war ended. He then decided to go to college using the G.I. Bill.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Samuel Cole. Cole joined the Army Air Forces in January of 1943. He completed schooling for navigation, and was commissioned in August of 1944. He was then sent to Florida for radar operator training. He flew in a B-29 with the 41st Bomb Squadron, 501st Bombardment Group, 315th Bomb Wing, 20th Air Force. In 1945 they flew 10 missions, bombing oil refineries in Japan. He returned to the US and was discharged in April of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with R.C. Hyde. Hyde joined the Marine Corps in Lubbock, Texas in June, 1944 and was trained in San Diego. He participated in the invasion of Iwo Jima. He landed with the fifth wave and was wounded in action on the 33rd day. He was transported by air to Guam to recover. Afterwards, he landed at Sasebo, Japan for occupation duty. He had enough points to return home in March, 1946. During the conversation, Hyde relates several experiences he had while fighting on Iwo Jima.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Lefteris Lavrakas. Lavrakas graduated from the US Naval Academy in Annapolis in May of 1942. From 1942 to 1949 Lavrakas served aboard four operational units on sea duty, including service in the Atlantic, Caribbean, North Africa, Mediterranean and Pacific during World War II and in post-war occupation duty. Lavrakas was Assistant Gunnery Officer and Officer of the Deck aboard the USS Eberle (DD-430), escorting convoys to England and participating in the invasions of North Africa and Anzio. He later served as Assistant Gunnery Officer aboard the USS Aaron Ward (DM-34), where they were hit with kamikaze planes while on picket duty at Okinawa. He continued his career with the Navy and retired in 1970 at the rank of captain. He was awarded 2 Bronze Stars.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ignacio Gonzales. Gonzales joined the Marine Corps. He landed at Guam as a replacement and learned a little about combat by patrolling for Japanese holdouts before going to Iwo Jima. He was wounded on Iwo Jima and evacuated to a hospital ship, on which he was transported back to Guam, then the US. Once he was recovered, he took his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Frank M. ""Tommy"" Thompson. Thompson was attending the University of Virginia in 1942 when he decided to enlist in the Marine Corps with some friends. Soon, he found himself training in Hawaii. He describes the lines of men waiting to get into the whorehouses in Honolulu. He landed on Saipan with the Second Marine Division where he describes a banzai attack by the Japanese infantry. Thompson witnessed the famous incident when Marine General Holland M. Smith fired Army General Ralph Smith on Saipan. Thompson continues with more anecdotes about combat on Saipan. He also went to Guam right before the island was declared secure. Thompson shares an anecdote about selling souvenirs to Army and Navy personnel on Guam. He then discusses landing and fighting on Iwo Jima. He finishes with an anecdote about guarding General H.M. Smith's quarters on Oahu toward the end of the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Buckner. Buckner volunteered for service in the Marines Corps in 1943. When he finished basic training, he attended field music school before being assigned to the Fifth Marine Division, 26th Marines. After extensive training, Buckner's unit landed at Iwo Jima in the afternoon of D-day. He was only one of 16 original members of his company to survive the battle. After the war, Buckner went on to occupy Japan.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John V. Wilson. He volunteered for service in the Marine Corps at Tyler, Texas in January, 1942. He went to San Diego for basic training, then earned his wings as a paratrooper by completing parachute school. At Bougainville, Wilson joined the 1st Parachute Battalion. He was there 30 days before being relieved by the Army. The 1st Parachute Battalion was soon disbanded and Wilson was then assigned to the newly formed Fifth Marine Division at Hawaii. He was assigned to a machine gun squad in the Third Platoon, H Company, Third Battalion, 26th Marines, Fifth Marine Division and sailed for Iwo Jima in December, 1944. He landed about four o'clock in the afternoon on D-Day at Iwo Jima, 19 February 1945. Wilson shares several anecdotes about the fighting on Iwo Jima and describes in some detail the gruesome nature of the combat there. Wilson ended up having his arm broken in a blast. He was evacuated to Guam, then Oahu and was in the hospital still when the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Scheumann. Scheumann was drafted into the Army in October 1942. After training he was assigned to the 323rd Field Artillery as part of the 83rd Infantry Division. He went overseas to England in April, 1944, then to Normandy on 12 June. He was wounded and evacuated to England in early July. When he returned to France he was assigned to drive a radio repair truck. He returned to the US in November 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Dwayne Kendall Jose. Jose joined the Army Air Forces in 1942. He received his wings in 1943, and served as a B-26 bomber pilot with the 17th Bomb Group, 12th Air Force. Beginning in mid-1944, he traveled to North Africa, and completed 50 missions over Italy and Germany. They participated in the Italian Campaign and the Battle of the Bulge, bombing air fields, refineries and bridges. He shares vivid details of combat. Jose returned to the U.S. and received his discharge in 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Samuel Cole. Cole joined the Army Air Forces in January of 1943. He completed schooling for navigation, and was commissioned in August of 1944. He was then sent to Florida for radar operator training. He flew in a B-29 with the 41st Bomb Squadron, 501st Bombardment Group, 315th Bomb Wing, 20th Air Force. In 1945 they flew 10 missions, bombing oil refineries in Japan. He returned to the US and was discharged in April of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Donald Good. Good was drafted into the Army around 1943. He completed basic training at Camp Shelby in Mississippi. He was sent to Camp Kilmer, New Jersey and Washington D.C. for Radio Intelligence Repair school. He traveled to Gouruck, Scotland and served with the 178th Repair Company, connected with the 3rd Army. Their barracks were at the Lord Morley Estate and he provides some detail of living conditions. He then traveled to Normandy aboard an LST, arriving 18 days after the D Day invasion. They traveled to Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge. He provides some details of these experiences. He was discharged in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Thomas Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald joined the Army Air Forces and became a bombardier in 1943 and arrived in England later that year. He began flying combat missions over France and Germany. After one mission, Fitzgerald had a meeting with General LeMay about the results of a bomb run. Mostly, Fitzgerald's missions over Europe prior to D-Day were to soften up German defense and industrial capabilities. After completing about 30 combat missions, Fitzgerald rotated back to the US and elected to go to flight school. He was there when the war ended. He then decided to go to college using the G.I. Bill.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Arlie Ray Horn. Horn was drafted into the Army in July 1943 and trained at Camp Wolters before being shipped overseas to England where he trained with the Special Forces and was attached to the 29th Infantry Division. He landed at Omaha Beach on 6 June 1944 (D-Day). Horn was wounded three different times. After the war ended, Horn returned to the US in October, 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ignacio Gonzales. Gonzales joined the Marine Corps. He landed at Guam as a replacement and learned a little about combat by patrolling for Japanese holdouts before going to Iwo Jima. He was wounded on Iwo Jima and evacuated to a hospital ship, on which he was transported back to Guam, then the US. Once he was recovered, he took his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Frank M. ""Tommy"" Thompson. Thompson was attending the University of Virginia in 1942 when he decided to enlist in the Marine Corps with some friends. Soon, he found himself training in Hawaii. He describes the lines of men waiting to get into the whorehouses in Honolulu. He landed on Saipan with the Second Marine Division where he describes a banzai attack by the Japanese infantry. Thompson witnessed the famous incident when Marine General Holland M. Smith fired Army General Ralph Smith on Saipan. Thompson continues with more anecdotes about combat on Saipan. He also went to Guam right before the island was declared secure. Thompson shares an anecdote about selling souvenirs to Army and Navy personnel on Guam. He then discusses landing and fighting on Iwo Jima. He finishes with an anecdote about guarding General H.M. Smith's quarters on Oahu toward the end of the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with R.C. Hyde. Hyde joined the Marine Corps in Lubbock, Texas in June, 1944 and was trained in San Diego. He participated in the invasion of Iwo Jima. He landed with the fifth wave and was wounded in action on the 33rd day. He was transported by air to Guam to recover. Afterwards, he landed at Sasebo, Japan for occupation duty. He had enough points to return home in March, 1946. During the conversation, Hyde relates several experiences he had while fighting on Iwo Jima.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Buckner. Buckner volunteered for service in the Marines Corps in 1943. When he finished basic training, he attended field music school before being assigned to the Fifth Marine Division, 26th Marines. After extensive training, Buckner's unit landed at Iwo Jima in the afternoon of D-day. He was only one of 16 original members of his company to survive the battle. After the war, Buckner went on to occupy Japan.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John V. Wilson. He volunteered for service in the Marine Corps at Tyler, Texas in January, 1942. He went to San Diego for basic training, then earned his wings as a paratrooper by completing parachute school. At Bougainville, Wilson joined the 1st Parachute Battalion. He was there 30 days before being relieved by the Army. The 1st Parachute Battalion was soon disbanded and Wilson was then assigned to the newly formed Fifth Marine Division at Hawaii. He was assigned to a machine gun squad in the Third Platoon, H Company, Third Battalion, 26th Marines, Fifth Marine Division and sailed for Iwo Jima in December, 1944. He landed about four o'clock in the afternoon on D-Day at Iwo Jima, 19 February 1945. Wilson shares several anecdotes about the fighting on Iwo Jima and describes in some detail the gruesome nature of the combat there. Wilson ended up having his arm broken in a blast. He was evacuated to Guam, then Oahu and was in the hospital still when the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Lefteris Lavrakas. Lavrakas graduated from the US Naval Academy in Annapolis in May of 1942. From 1942 to 1949 Lavrakas served aboard four operational units on sea duty, including service in the Atlantic, Caribbean, North Africa, Mediterranean and Pacific during World War II and in post-war occupation duty. Lavrakas was Assistant Gunnery Officer and Officer of the Deck aboard the USS Eberle (DD-430), escorting convoys to England and participating in the invasions of North Africa and Anzio. He later served as Assistant Gunnery Officer aboard the USS Aaron Ward (DM-34), where they were hit with kamikaze planes while on picket duty at Okinawa. He continued his career with the Navy and retired in 1970 at the rank of captain. He was awarded 2 Bronze Stars.