The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Walter Gallagher. Gallagher joined the Navy after quitting high school and trained in aviation ordnance. In May, 1944 he was assigned to USS Franklin (CV-13) where he would arm dive bombers. Gallagher describes an injury he sustained while loading bombs as well as various enemy attacks on the Franklin, including a kamikaze. He was aboard when the Japanese bombed the Franklin in March, 1945. Gallagher recalls the attack and was ordered to transfer to USS Santa Fe (CL-60). From there, Gallagher spent six months at Hawaii before going back to the US.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jack Hensel. Hensel was drafted into the Navy in June 1943. He trained as an aerial gunner and was eventually assigned to a crew aboard an Avenger. In early 1945, he went aboard USS Franklin (CV-13). In March, when the Franklin was attacked, Hensel was blown overboard and eventually made it onto a raft before being rescued by USS Hickox (DD-673). He went to a hospital at Ulithi to recover from burns before heading back to the US. He was undergoing more training when the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Tom Gillespie. Gillespie joined the Navy and went right to radio school because he was already a radio technician ion civilian life. He was assigned to Special Task Air Group 1 and trained with them to conduct drone strikes on Japanese targets. When he went overseas, he was based at Banika Island, near Pavuvu in the Russell Islands. They attempted a few strikes, but nothing ever came of the project, so the unit went back to the US before the war ended. Gillespie was discharged in November, 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Vernon Oates. He discusses his childhood, education and growing up during the great depression. He talks about joining the US Army Air Corps, now called the Air Force, and the experiences he had at various different training camps around the country.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James Hood of Indianapolis, Indiana. He discusses entering the U.S. Navy in September of 1942 without basic training as he was a college graduate. After being sworn in at Wabash College he was sent to Harvard Business School for Supply Corps for 4 months before being assigned to a ship in Pearl Harbor despite having no sailing training. Mr. hood was assigned to the Cummings DE643, he was supposed to be on the Samuel B. Roberts but the naval officer over him changed his mind last minute and 37 days later the Roberts sunk. While in Tulagi, Mr. Hood was involved in shooting down a Kamikaze plane, even receiving a ribbon for it after the war. He was also involved in the Battle of Okinawa and even saved two shells and years later had them signed by U.S. pilot Paul Tibbets. Mr. Hood was discharged from the Navy on February 28th, 1946, at Santa Ana, California as a Full Lieutenant. He was recalled to the Navy for the Korean War on March 2nd, 1951, and discharged for the final time on March 30th, 1953, as a Lieutenant Commander.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Vernon Oates. He discusses his childhood, education and growing up during the great depression. He talks about joining the US Army Air Corps, now called the Air Force, and the experiences he had at various different training camps around the country.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with J.L. Summers. While attending college, Summers entered the Army in November, 1940 when his unit, the headquarters battery in the 131st Field Artillery, was mobilized. Prior to that, Summers had been in the National Guard. En route to the Philippines, Summers' unit was redirected to Australia after the Japanese attack. From there, they went to Java. In March, 1942, Summers became a prisoner of war and wound up at Bicycle Camp in Batavia (Jakarta today). Summers describes life as a POW at Bicycle Camp. He was shipped out to the POW camp at Changi, Singapore in September, 1942 aboard the Dai Nichi Maru. In January a train trip and another hell ship ride occurred to Burma. Once there, Japanese trucks took Summers and the other POWs to 18 Kilo Camp where they were to build the railroad to Thailand. From there, he went to the 40 Kilo Camp in March, the 80 Kilo Camp in June, and the 100 Kilo Camp in late August. Throughout this time, Summers suffered from tropical ulcers on his legs, malaria, wet beriberi, dysentery and dengue fever. When the railroad was completed, Summers …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Owen Fluckey. He discusses his childhood and family and what led him to join the US navy. He describes his experiences in bootcamp at the Great Lakes Training Station in Indiana and his time in the Pacific Theatre during World War Two.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James Hood of Indianapolis, Indiana. He discusses entering the U.S. Navy in September of 1942 without basic training as he was a college graduate. After being sworn in at Wabash College he was sent to Harvard Business School for Supply Corps for 4 months before being assigned to a ship in Pearl Harbor despite having no sailing training. Mr. hood was assigned to the Cummings DE643, he was supposed to be on the Samuel B. Roberts but the naval officer over him changed his mind last minute and 37 days later the Roberts sunk. While in Tulagi, Mr. Hood was involved in shooting down a Kamikaze plane, even receiving a ribbon for it after the war. He was also involved in the Battle of Okinawa and even saved two shells and years later had them signed by U.S. pilot Paul Tibbets. Mr. Hood was discharged from the Navy on February 28th, 1946, at Santa Ana, California as a Full Lieutenant. He was recalled to the Navy for the Korean War on March 2nd, 1951, and discharged for the final time on March 30th, 1953, as a Lieutenant Commander.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John L. bates, Jr. where he discusses his childhood and education and what led him to join the Army. He describes his experiences working for the Counterintelligence Corps in China during World War two.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jack Hensel. Hensel was drafted into the Navy in June 1943. He trained as an aerial gunner and was eventually assigned to a crew aboard an Avenger. In early 1945, he went aboard USS Franklin (CV-13). In March, when the Franklin was attacked, Hensel was blown overboard and eventually made it onto a raft before being rescued by USS Hickox (DD-673). He went to a hospital at Ulithi to recover from burns before heading back to the US. He was undergoing more training when the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Walter Gallagher. Gallagher joined the Navy after quitting high school and trained in aviation ordnance. In May, 1944 he was assigned to USS Franklin (CV-13) where he would arm dive bombers. Gallagher describes an injury he sustained while loading bombs as well as various enemy attacks on the Franklin, including a kamikaze. He was aboard when the Japanese bombed the Franklin in March, 1945. Gallagher recalls the attack and was ordered to transfer to USS Santa Fe (CL-60). From there, Gallagher spent six months at Hawaii before going back to the US.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Houston Lowe. Lowe finished high school and joined the Civilian Conservation Corps and worked in Texas and California before joing the Army Air Corps. He had basic training in the Philippines prior to the Japanese invasion. Lowe was captured on Corregidor and made a prisoner of war. He soon went to Cabanatuan. Lowe recalls several instances of his POW experience in the Philippines. He rode a hell ship to Japan, the Noto Maru, and was close to Hiroshima when the atomic bomb was dropped. When the war ended, Lowe returned to San Francisco.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dorothy Martens. Martens graduated from Valparaiso University in Indiana with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing in 1944. She entered the Army Nurse Corps in December. She completed basic training at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin. From there she moved to Fort Jackson, South Carolina for orientation, where she taught the other nurses about the workings of a B-29. She was in the 309th General Hospital Unit. In May of 1945 their unit traveled to Washington State and boarded the USAT Matsonia heading to Tinian and the Marianas. They were assigned to set up a general hospital to receive patients from battlefields in the Pacific. She provides some detail of the types of wounds she helped with and her living conditions on Tinian. She left Tinian in October of 1945 and went to Fukuoka, Japan. Her unit set up a hospital there to help U.S. enlisted men, and she provides details of the city and her surroundings. She left Japan and was separated from the service in April of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Fred Heyer. Heyer joined the Navy in March 1945. He went to Great Lakes in Chicago for boot camp. He provides detail of his boot camp experience. From there he went to the U.S. Navy Receiving Station in Seattle where he received and dispatched Army personnel. He then served aboard the USS Clamour (AM-160) beginning October 1945. They were working to put the ship out of commission. His work aboard the ship was clerical, office work, and bringing the crews’ personnel records up-to-date and other duties to de-commission the ship. He was discharged in July 1946. He later re-enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve program December 1946, and was recalled to active duty in January 1947. He was assigned as a station keeper at the U.S. Naval Air Station in Millington, Tennessee. He worked in a school for veterans assisting with automotive repair, clerical work and helping veterans organize their service activities. He was released from active duty in August 1948, and released from the Naval Reserve in July 1950.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John E Montgomery. Montgomery joined the Army in February 1943. He studied navigation and mathematics at Clarion State Teachers College, Pennsylvania, then graduated from flying school in Douglas, Georgia in May of 1944. He transferred to Sarasota, Florida in September and completed P-51 gunnery school. In early 1945, Montgomery was deployed to Hawaii to join the 20th Air Force. Beginning in April, he traveled to Iwo Jima, Guam, Tokyo and Saipan, completing 10 bombing missions over Japan and Chichi-Jima. He describes living on Iwo Jima and Saipan. He remained in Saipan from December through April of 1946, then returned home and received his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Stuart MacDonald. MacDonald joined the Marine Corps and was called to active duty right after the attack on Pearl Harbor. After basic training, he was assigned to the headquarters battery in the 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division. He went to Guadalcanal with the First MARDIV and served in the fire direction center before catching malaria. After recovering, MacDonald was assigned to the Third MARDIV as a forward observer at Bougainville and later at Guam. MacDonald was rotated back to the US in January, 1945. He was discharged in February, 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Louis Wolfort. Wolfort was drafted into the Army in January of 1941. He completed Officer Candidate School at Fort Knox, Kentucky in July of 1942. He was then sent to Camp Funston, Kansas to start the 9th Armored Division. He was a light tank instructor at Camp Funston, then went back to Fort Knox, and provides detail of the equipment he used in training. From there he was sent to the West Coast and shipped out as a replacement officer. He served overseas as a company commander at Headquarters, Southern Islands Area Command under General Robert L. Eichelberger, and provides some detail of that experience. He was discharged in March of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Louis Janosek. Janosek joined the Army Air Forces in March of 1943. He completed training in radio navigation and served as an Air Transport Command C-46 Flight Officer. They traveled to Liberia, West Africa, Ascension Island and China, Tunisia, Egypt, Bagdad, transporting supplies, food and equipment. He shares his experience flying over the Hump, the Himalaya Mountains. He received his discharge in 1946. In 1947, he renewed his service with the Air Force, retiring in 1964.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Judson Martin. Martin joined the Army in February of 1943. He completed language school as part of the Army Specialized Training Program. He trained as a German interpreter, and served with the 104th Infantry Division, 413th Infantry Regiment. Around September of 1944, they deployed to France and participated in combat through Belgium, Germany and the Siegfried Line. Martin returned to the US and received his discharge in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Craig. Craig was born in Freeport, Pennsylvania in 1918. Following graduation from high school he was employed by Allegheny Steel Corporation. He was drafted into the United States Army Air Forces in May 1942 and completed basic training at Miami Beach, Florida. He was then sent to Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama as a clerk in an Army Airways Communications System (AACS) unit. He describes the unusual living accommodations during that period. He recalls being transferred to Casablanca, North Africa to the 4th AACS Wing in 1944. He returned to the United States during 1945 and was discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Barret (Bud) Payne. Payne joined the Marine Corps in June of 1943. He completed boot camp in San Diego. He completed Radio Gunnery School, and served as a Private First-Class Radio Gunner aboard a Curtiss SB2C Helldiver. For a short time, he was assigned to Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 141 (VMSB-141) at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California. They were transferred to Hawaii, and later to Majuro in the Marshall Islands. In early 1945, Payne completed 7 missions from Majuro, including over the Mili and Watje atolls. He was stationed in Majuro when the war ended. He worked in occupied China from October through April of 1946, returned home and received his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William James McConnaughy. McConnaughy was born 8 February 1920, and joined the Army Air Corps around 1940. He was working on guard duty at Randolph Field in Texas when the war started. By late 1942, he was serving as Supply Sergeant with the 817th Bombardier Training Squadron at Big Spring Army Air Field in West Texas. In 1945, after the war ended, McConnaughy was transferred to Portland, Oregon, and then served as a Room Orderly on a B-29 base at Okinawa. In late 1945, early 1946, he returned to the US and received his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Jennings. Jennings joined the Navy in September 1942 as an aviation cadet. In March 1944, he earned his wings and a commission in the Marine Corps. He volunteered for a night fighter unit so he could go overseas. He first went to Peleliu before going to Okinawa and joining VMF(N)-542 in July. Jennings went home in March, 1946 and was recalled for the Korean War. He was stationed in Japan briefly before returning to the US to train pilots.