The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Dukes. Born in Alabama, Dukes quit school in 1937 to join the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). In March 1941, he joined the Marine Corps, and was sent to San Diego for boot camp. Dukes was then assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 8th Marines where he received mortar training. On 6 June 1942, he boarded the SS Lurline bound for Pago Pago, Samoa. During November 1942 the unit merged with the 2nd Marine Division when they landed on Guadalcanal. He was assigned to the Matanikau River and tells of subsequent actions in which some of his men were killed. Dukes was wounded and sent to the Silver Stream Hospital in New Zealand. Following surgery, he was sent to the Oak Knoll Naval Hospital. Dukes struggled with malaria. Throughout the interview, he expresses his admiration for the people of New Zealand. He returned to the US and received his discharge on 12 August 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Dukes. Born in Alabama, Dukes quit school in 1937 to join the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). In March 1941, he joined the Marine Corps, and was sent to San Diego for boot camp. Dukes was then assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 8th Marines where he received mortar training. On 6 June 1942, he boarded the SS Lurline bound for Pago Pago, Samoa. During November 1942 the unit merged with the 2nd Marine Division when they landed on Guadalcanal. He was assigned to the Matanikau River and tells of subsequent actions in which some of his men were killed. Dukes was wounded and sent to the Silver Stream Hospital in New Zealand. Following surgery, he was sent to the Oak Knoll Naval Hospital. Dukes struggled with malaria. Throughout the interview, he expresses his admiration for the people of New Zealand. He returned to the US and received his discharge on 12 August 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William S. O'Donnell. O'Donnell was working for Montgomery Ward in Chicago when he was drafted into the Army after the war got started. His aptitude with numbers led him to be assigned as a statistician in a Machine Records Unit (MRU). He went to Europe with the 39th MRU and was attached to General Patton's Third Army. He landed in Normandy, France 7 days after D-Day. His unit provided daily punch card analysis of unit strength in Patton's 3rd Army. O'Donnell was on an assignment in Paris when Germany surrendered. When the war ended, O'Donnell retunred home to Indiana.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William S. O'Donnell. O'Donnell was working for Montgomery Ward in Chicago when he was drafted into the Army after the war got started. His aptitude with numbers led him to be assigned as a statistician in a Machine Records Unit (MRU). He went to Europe with the 39th MRU and was attached to General Patton's Third Army. He landed in Normandy, France 7 days after D-Day. His unit provided daily punch card analysis of unit strength in Patton's 3rd Army. O'Donnell was on an assignment in Paris when Germany surrendered. When the war ended, O'Donnell retunred home to Indiana.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Willie Sander. Sander was born in Brenham, Texas on 18 August 1916. After graduating from high school in 1933, he worked as the manager for the A&P Grocery chain. In 1942, he joined the Navy and received pilot training on PBYs. After being commissioned in June, he was sent to Kaneohe Naval Air Station where he received advanced training. Soon after the invasion of Tarawa, he delivered a new plane there and returned to Hawaii with one that had been badly damaged. He comments on the death and destruction he saw. In March 1944 he flew to Fiji where he joined Patrol Squadron 14 (VP-14), which was attached to a seaplane tender. They flew night patrols and rescue missions. In early 1945 he returned to the United States and picked up new PBM Mariners. Sander took the planes to San Diego where JATO equipment was installed. After receiving training in the use of the equipment they flew to Luzon. He recounts a number of missions, including one for which his crew was credited with sinking five Japanese ships and he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. On 15 …