Interview with David Lee "Tex" Hill of San Antonio, Texas, a veteran from the United States Navy during World War II in the China-Burma-India Theater. The interview includes Hill's personal experiences while in the Navy, including memories of pre-war flight training in Florida, the Flying Tigers, and the Salween River Gorge attack.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles Findley. Findley joined the Army Air Forces in July of 1942. He received pilot training at Falcon Field in Mesa, Arizona from both the Royal Air Force and United States. Upon graduation, Findley was eligible to wear the wings of both countries. He also completed Special Weapons Training. He served in Strategic Air Command (SAC) at Omaha, Nebraska setting up a missile safety program. Findley’s military career began with a year in India flying the Hump, where he made 103 missions. He returned to the US and received his discharge in late 1946, though continued his military career retiring from the USAF in 1973.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Norman. Born in 1919, he joined the Army Air Force in September 1941. He began his pilot training in early 1942. He served as a flight instructor in the Army Air Training Command at Marfa Army Airfield, Texas for two years. In September 1944 he was transferred to the Air Transport Command. He relates a story about landing a C-46 on Ascension Island en route to delivering it to England. Because he had experience flying four-engine airplanes, he was sent to India to fly C-87 and C-109 transport planes. He flew missions transporting fuel from Jorhat and Kermatola, India over ?the Hump? to Chengtu and Kunming for use by bombers and other airplanes operating out of China. He talks about the transport mission hazards, such as adverse weather conditions, the combustible nature of the cargo, mechanical failure, primitive navigation techniques, and flying at high altitudes over mountainous. He describes his plan of action in the event his plane crashed in the Himalaya Mountains. He mustered out when the war ended in 1945. The interview also contains information about his parents and siblings.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jim Romer. In 1943 he was a civilian single-engine flight instructor at an Army Primary Flying School in Helena, Arkansas. He then joined the Ferry Command in Memphis, Tennessee where he received twin-engine training and worked as a civilian pilot ferrying airplanes. He shares an anecdote about leading a flight of six airplanes from Brazil to Ascension Island. After attending four-engine flight school, he went to Mitchel Field in Long Island, New York. He describes the conversion of B-24 bombers into C-109 fuel transports. The Army gave him an appointment as a flight officer and sent him to Shamshernagar, India. He flew missions transporting fuel over ?the Hump? to Chengtu and Kunming for use by bombers and other airplanes operating out of China. He flew C-87 transport planes, which were converted B-24 bombers. He talks about the hazards involved in the transport missions over the Himalaya Mountains, such as encountering Japanese planes, adverse weather conditions, and engine failure. He relates a story about drifting off course as well a one about losing three engines. He also mentions Japanese radio propaganda. Additionally, he comments on some of the activities …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Englert. Englert joined the Army in April of 1943. He traveled to Calcutta, India, and worked with the Military Police stationed there. He worked on patrol at the docks. He also joined the Z Force in Kunming, China, where he worked as a telephone operator, with the Red Cross, and as a librarian on the base. He returned to the US and was discharged in November of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James E. Holden. Holden joined the Army and trained at Camp Swift, Texas in 1943. He was assigned to a replacement battalion and eventually shipped to Burma where he joined Merrill's Marauders. He joined them before the Myitkyina campaign. He got injured by a fall and was eventually evacuated back to Lido. He returned to his unit in time for them to relocate to Kunming. He was detached to temporary duty at Kweiyang helping build a Red Cross station. He was there when the war ended and witnessed some fighting between the Chinese Nationalists and communists. Holden was discharged in December, 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with W. A. (Bill) Henderson. He discusses his time as a bombardier and navigator on a B-24 in the China-Burma-India Theater. His crew made bombing runs along the Burma Railway and hit the bridge over River Kwai (Mae Klong), and also flew runs to supply gasoline to various bases in China, India and Burma. He ancedotes about the food and living quarters on the bases and saving his co-pilot's life after a bullet tore through the plane's nose wheel into the man's leg, then helping the pilot land the crippled plane.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with David Lee ""Tex"" Hill. He discusses his time with the Flying Tigers and with Air Force Fighter Groups flying missions in China, particularly the Salween Gorge bombing to keep the Japanese from crossing into China there.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dr. James E.T. Hopkins. Hopkins was born in Howard County, Maryland on 19 January 1915. Following high school, he attended The Johns Hopkins University graduating from the Medical School in 1941. He volunteered to go overseas with the Johns Hopkins Hospital Unit and was transported to Fiji aboard the SS President Coolidge (1931). On Fiji, they built the barracks out of reeds and bamboo and the hospital was a prefabricated building. In 1943 he volunteered to go to Guadalcanal and was assigned to the148th Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion as a battle surgeon. On July 18 he was assigned to the 37th Infantry Division whose assignment was to capture Munda air field. He recalls the combat conditions encountered by the battalion and of the heroic actions of Private Roger Young, for which he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. He comments on the number of cases of war neurosis (shell shock) that were treated. Heeding a call by President Roosevelt for volunteers for a dangerous mission, James was sent to Bombay, India where he joined the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional). It was commanded by Frank D. Merrill and …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dr. Wesley Furste. Furste was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on 19 April 1915. Having attended Harvard Medical School, Dr. Furste joined the US Army Medical Corps in August 1942 and was sent to the Field Medical Service School at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. Upon graduation, he was sent to Kunming, China and assigned as a surgeon in the United States Army 22nd Field Hospital. He tells of training various Chinese people in medical procedures and of treating combat casualties of the Salween River battle and the battle for Tengchong. He describes the various preventative measures taken to combat malaria. Following the surrender of Japan, Furste returned to the United States and continued his medical internship and training going into private practice in 1951. He is of the opinion that his wartime experiences prepared him for being noted as a world authority on gas gangrene and tetanus.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with David Witts. Witts was born in Texas 13 December 1920. After graduating from high school, he attended the University of Texas until 1941. Leaving college during his senior year, he joined the FBI as a special agent in training and before completing the training he resigned and joined the US Army Air Corps in October 1941. After training at various installations he became a navigator in 1944. Witts received combat training in PBY5A aircraft at Kessler Field, Mississippi. He tells of picking up an aircraft at Hunter Field, Savannah, Georgia and flying to New Guinea where the plane and crew were assigned to the 13th Air Force. He describes the various types of missions flown and strong relationships the crew members formed. He tells of the living conditions encountered and the various types of landing strips from which they had to operate. Following the surrender of Japan he returned to the United States on a troop ship, received his discharge and reentered the University of Texas from which he graduated with a law degree.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Julius Casarez. Casarez was born in Austin, Texas on 9 May 1920. Upon joining the Army in December 1941, he had basic training in El Paso, Texas. Assigned to a machine gun anti-aircraft unit, he tells of sailing in convoy to Karachi, India. During July 1942, the unit moved to New Delhi. After six months they flew to Kunming, China. He describes traveling on the Burma Road to the Mekong River where they engaged in combat with the Japanese. In February 1945, Casarez returned to the United States.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Clifford E Rice. Rice dropped out of high school when calls for the draft began. Needing his parents’ permission to join the military, he joined the Navy after his father insisted that he eschew the Marine Corps. Rice was assigned to the destroyer USS Dunlap (DD-384). His first mission involved protecting President Roosevelt on a trip to Kiska, Aleutian Islands. As a mere seaman, Rice was initially stationed at a 40mm gun. In late 1943, he learned to clean the guns and was promoted to gunner’s mate. His executive officer treated him like a brother, and they passed time by sketching what they saw during the war. From Alaska, the Dunlap went to the Marshalls for shore bombardment. In the Bonin Islands, the Dunlap destroyed three Japanese ships and rescued prisoners from the water. At Iwo Jima, he snapped photos of the American victory. Despite once being knocked into the water by a typhoon, Rice returned home safely and was discharged at the end of the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John W. Bostian. Bostian joined the service in August 1941 through the V-7 program. He received orders to report to the Naval Academy one day before the attack on Pearl Harbor, as an apprentice seaman. In May 1942 he boarded the USS Arkansas (BB-33) as an ensign in the engineering department and made six round trips across the Atlantic. After a transfer in 1943, he became a plank owner of the USS Franklin (CV-13) as their B Division officer, in charge of the four fire rooms. In March 1945, near Eniwetok, when the Franklin was hit by bombs, resulting in nearly 800 deaths, Bostian became known as one of the 704 Guys, referring to the number of sailors who brought the ship to New York for repair. He notes that at no time during the ordeal did the skipper order men to abandon ship, which was a point of contention among the survivors. The war ended before Bostian could return to the Pacific, and his service ended shortly thereafter, in September 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Eunice Marie Valencia Cavajeh. Cavajeh was born 16 October 1927 in Oskosura on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. Her father was a Filipino doctor who was trained in the United States and her mother was an American nurse. They were married in the Philippines in 1919. Cavajeh recalls the Japanese invasion beginning 8 December 1941. She also recalls the confusion encountered upon leaving the city. She tells of the Japanese occupying the hospital her father managed. She joined a guerilla group and was assigned the duty of typing up reports that were sent to other guerilla units by runner. She mentions that a number of friends were executed for supporting the guerillas and of the Japanese burning houses as they retreated once the Allies invaded. She also recalls hearing of the surrender of Japan.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Martin DeVries. DeVries joined the Navy as a Seabee in 1942. Having experience in painting and hanging wallpaper, he was assigned as a painter to the 31st Naval Construction Battalion, attached to the 5th Marine Division at Port Hueneme. When DeVries deployed to Iwo Jima, he assisted the storekeeper with the cold storage of fruits and vegetables; his incentive in doing so was to stay cool and enjoy fresh food. DeVries watched the invasion of the island from afar, amazed by flamethrowers. When the flag was raised on Mount Suribachi, DeVries remembers hearing celebratory whistles and horns. Afterward he was sent ashore to help construct an airstrip and complete the nearly impossible task of building a road to the top of Mount Suribachi. Upon his discharge, DeVries returned to his work as a painter, eventually becoming president of the Painting and Decorating Contractors of America. For the benefit of his grandchildren, he wrote a book about his wartime experiences.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ken Jones. Jones joined the Navy in January of 1944. Beginning in May, he served as a 20mm gunner aboard the USS Colorado (BB-45). Jones participated in the pre-invasion shelling of Saipan, Guam and Tinian. Additionally, he participated in the Philippines Campaign and the Battle of Okinawa. After the war, they traveled to Tokyo Bay and witnessed the surrender of Japan. He returned to the US and was discharged around late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Victor Nanadiego. Nanadiego was born in the Philippines and was a private in the Philippine Army at the time of the Japanese invasion. He was captured and participated in the Bataan Death March. He describes insect infestations, rampant disease, and the lack of food and water. Nanadiego also discusses the duties POWs performed including burying the dead. He was released after four months and joined the guerillas when he had recovered from his captivity. Nanadiego describes how he was promoted to the rank of captain and how he worked with an American named Lieutenant Townsend to move weapons. He continued to serve in the Philippine Army after the war and eventually became a general. Nanadiego also discusses how Philippine veterans were not given the same benefits as their American counterparts.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Keith Wells. Wells was in the cavalry at Texas A&M when the war broke out. He joined the Marine Corps and attended officer’s school. There he learned parachuting, completing his final jumps with a broken leg, which he never sought medical care for. He received further training at Camp Pendleton and became the executive officer of his company. Landing on Iwo Jima in the third wave, he remained there for the duration of the campaign. While crossing the island, he received multiple shell fragment wounds to his leg and head. As a member of the 3rd Platoon, E Company, 28th Marine Regiment, he witnessed both the first and second flags atop Mount Suribachi. By the end of the war, he was on a first-name basis with a general, who was impressed by his grace under fire. Wells retired from the service as a major, earned a degree in geology and entered the oil industry.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Alden. Alden was born in San Diego, California on 23 October 1921. While attending Cornell University he entered the US Navy V-7 Program. Upon graduating from Cornell he was ordered to attend Midshipman School at Columbia University. While there he was hospitalized for an extended period of time. Later, Alden was ordered to Midshipman’s School at Notre Dame University. Upon graduating in September 1943, he was sent to Diesel school at Cornell University. When he completed the course, he was selected for the Submarine Service and reported to the Naval Submarine Base in Groton, Connecticut. Alden received training aboard the USS Pike (SS-173) and the USS Cachalot (SS-170) before being assigned as communications officer on the USS Lamprey (SS-372). During January 1945 the boat arrived in Saipan where they began patrol duties. He describes encounters with Chinese junks during these patrols. During their third patrol they were notified the Japanese surrendered and they returned to Subic Bay. The USS Lamprey was then ordered to return to the United States where it was placed into the mothball fleet. Alden concludes the interview by telling of his various assignments …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ray Christensen. Christensen was born in Henry, South Dakota in December 1917. He joined the Navy in September 1941 and went to Great lakes Naval Training Station, Chicago, Illinois for boot training. Upon completion he reported aboard the USS Colorado (BB-45) at Bremerton, Washington. He tells of the ship taking part in the bombardment of Tarawa. After returning to the United States for overhaul, the ship took part in the invasion of several islands including Tinian. While bombarding Tinian, the ship was hit by Japanese shore batteries resulting in numerous casualties. Christensen recalls that after being repaired in the United States the Colorado participated in the invasion of Leyte. During this time the ship was hit by two kamikaze aircraft, which resulted in numerous deaths and injuries. After repairs at Manus Island the ship participated in the bombardment of Lingayen Gulf. During this operation the ship was hit by accidental shelling by the USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) resulting in many casualties. The ship also participated in the invasion of Okinawa and Christensen saw people jumping off cliffs to avoid capture during this operation.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with David Frazier. Frazier was born in Franklin, Pennsylvania on 19 May 1927. Upon joining the Navy in 1945 he went to boot camp at Samson Naval Training Base in New York. Upon completing boot training, he was sent to Iwo Jima where he went aboard the USS Susanville (PC-1149). He developed an ingenious method to make ice cream on board the ship. He recalls that after providing shuttle services for several months the ship went to Guam where they began the decommissioning process. They returned to the United States in 1947 and Frazier was discharged having spent seventeen months in active service.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Maurice Rindskopf. Rindskopf graduated from the Naval Academy in 1938. He completed submarine school in 1940. Beginning November of 1941, Rindskopf served as Commanding Officer aboard the USS Drum (SS-228). He completed 11 war patrols around Japan, Truk, Tulagi, Marshall Islands and the Philippines. He continued his service after the war ended, retiring in 1972 as a rear admiral and the Director of Naval Intelligence.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Bob Kaufman. Kaufman joined the Navy in June of 1936. He graduated from the Naval Academy in June of 1940. Beginning in June, Kaufman served aboard the USS Wichita (CA-45), operating primarily in the North Atlantic. He worked in the Communications and Gunnery departments through December of 1942. Kaufman volunteered for submarine school, graduated in June of 1943 and served as Diving Officer and Executive Officer aboard the USS Gato (SS-212). He completed war patrols through Bougainville, Saipan and Midway. He was later assigned to the submarine training command at Pearl Harbor, where he remained through the end of the war. Kaufman continued his service after the war, retiring as a captain in June of 1970.