Oral History Interview with James Wicker, January 23, 2014 (open access)

Oral History Interview with James Wicker, January 23, 2014

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Wicker. Wicker joined the Navy in mid-1944. He served with the ship repair crew aboard the USS Corregidor (CVE-58). They traveled to Eniwetok, Guam, Pearl Harbor, conducting anti-submarine patrol, providing air cover and qualifying pilots in carrier operations. Wicker returned to the US and received his discharged in late 1945.
Date: January 23, 2014
Creator: Wicker, James
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with George Gresko, January 23, 2014 (open access)

Oral History Interview with George Gresko, January 23, 2014

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with George Gresko. Gresko joined the Army Air Forces in January 1944 and trained at Miami Beach. He then went to aerial gunnery school, then overseas to Tinian where he joined the 6th Bomb Group, 24th Bomb Squadron in April, 1945. He flew 11 combat missions before being sent back to the US to train as a lead crew. He was discharged in February 1946. In 2005, Gresko returned to Tinian for the 60th anniversary of the atomic bomb attack.
Date: January 23, 2014
Creator: Gresko, George
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Eugene Hannemann, June 23, 2014 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Eugene Hannemann, June 23, 2014

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Eugene Hannemann. Hannemann joined the Navy in June of 1943. He deployed after basic training to Brisbane, Australia, where he was assigned to a replacement unit. He served as a Yeoman in the Admiral’s Office of the 7th Fleet, under the direction of Douglas MacArthur. Hannemann additionally served on bases in Hollandia, New Guinea and in the Philippines. In mid-1945, he was transferred to a Navy base in Florida. In 1946, he received his discharge.
Date: June 23, 2014
Creator: Hannemann, Eugene
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with James Plaster, April 23, 2014 (open access)

Oral History Interview with James Plaster, April 23, 2014

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Plaster. Plaster joined the US Navy in 1943, completed boot camp and Landing Craft School. He then went to New Caledonia, where he served aboard USS John Penn (APA-23). He describes the ship and its mission. While participating in the invasion of Guadalcanal, the ship was sunk by a Japanese torpedo. Plaster was then assigned to USS President Hayes (APA-20) as a member of a landing craft crew and participated in the landing on Bougainville. He also recalls being subjected to nightly bombing for 21 consecutive nights. While there, he contracted malaria. In 1945, Plaster was assigned to a minesweeper in the Philippines. He explains the method used in mine sweeping including the use of the paravane. He also tells of his ship being in typhoons. Soon after the Japanese surrender, Plaster was assigned to a destroyer that participated in a goodwill tour that visited a number of countries before returning to the US.
Date: April 23, 2014
Creator: Plaster, James
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Thomas Agin, July 23, 2014 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Thomas Agin, July 23, 2014

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Thomas Agin. Agin lied about his age so he could join the CCC in summer, 1941, when he was 15 years old. When he was discharged from the CCC in 1942, instead of returning to school, Agin joined the Army Air Forces at sixteen years old. He trained in aerial gunnery before heading overseas on a B-25 crew. He was assigned to the 71st Bomb Squadron, 38th Bomb Group at Morotai, Indonesia. He flew on 46 missions over the Philippines, Indonesia and New Guinea attacking shipping and airfields. Agin shares several combat stories. He mentions low level attacks and skip bombing. When the war ended, Agin was discharged but re-enlisted in April, 1946.
Date: July 23, 2014
Creator: Agin, Thomas
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Jerome Crowley, September 23, 2014 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Jerome Crowley, September 23, 2014

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jerome Crowley. Crowley was born in Cituate, Maine 17 March 1924. He graduated from high school in 1941 and joined the US Navy 17 January 1942. Upon completion of boot camp he was sent to Aviation Machinist Mate School in Jacksonville, Florida where he received six months training on aircraft engines. He then volunteered for PT boats and underwent two months of training in Melville, Rhode Island. Crowley was then assigned to Torpedo Squadron 9 and went to Tobago for additional training. In March 1943 his unit arrived in Tulagi and he was assigned to the engine room aboard PT-156. He participated in the invasion of Munda and the Treasury Islands as well as doing patrols in the Kula Gulf. Crowley comments on the high morale among the crew members.
Date: September 23, 2014
Creator: Crowley, Jerome
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Raymond Juengermann, December 23, 2014 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Raymond Juengermann, December 23, 2014

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Raymond Juengermann. Juengermann was drafted into the Army Air Forces in January, 1943. He qualified for flight training and earned his wings in May, 1944. Then he reported to Roswell, New Mexico for training in B-17 bombers. In early 1945, he and his crew headed for England. Once he was settled into the routine, he began flying combat missions over Germany. he flew 29 combat missions in B-17s through April. After the war. Juengermann stayed in Europe ferrying people to various destinations on the continent. he returned to the US and was discharged in February, 1946.
Date: December 23, 2014
Creator: Juengermann, Raymond
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with W. T. Riedel, September 23, 2014 (open access)

Oral History Interview with W. T. Riedel, September 23, 2014

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with W.T. Riedel. Riedel was born in Yorktown, Texas on 27 December 1921. He was a member of the Texas A&M University band when he enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces in 1943. Following basic training at Sheppard Field in Wichita Falls, Texas, he was sent to the University of Denver in Colorado. While there he was selected for pilot training. He recalls the various air fields on which he received the various phases of flight training before receiving his wings in February 1944. Upon being commissioned he was sent to Salt Lake City, Utah where a B-17 bomber crew was assembled and crew training began. Upon completion of the training, the crew flew to Bedford, England. There, they were assigned to the 306th Bomb Group. He describes one mission they flew over Lutzkendorf, Germany during which their aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire. Due to a fire aboard their plane, the crew was compelled to bail out. The entire crew landed safely and were picked up by Belgian partisans and taken to friendly headquarters. They were returned to England and given a period of rest and …
Date: September 23, 2014
Creator: Riedel, W. T.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with James Wicker, January 23, 2014 transcript

Oral History Interview with James Wicker, January 23, 2014

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Wicker. Wicker joined the Navy in mid-1944. He served with the ship repair crew aboard the USS Corregidor (CVE-58). They traveled to Eniwetok, Guam, Pearl Harbor, conducting anti-submarine patrol, providing air cover and qualifying pilots in carrier operations. Wicker returned to the US and received his discharged in late 1945.
Date: January 23, 2014
Creator: Wicker, James
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with George Gresko, January 23, 2014 transcript

Oral History Interview with George Gresko, January 23, 2014

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with George Gresko. Gresko joined the Army Air Forces in January 1944 and trained at Miami Beach. He then went to aerial gunnery school, then overseas to Tinian where he joined the 6th Bomb Group, 24th Bomb Squadron in April, 1945. He flew 11 combat missions before being sent back to the US to train as a lead crew. He was discharged in February 1946. In 2005, Gresko returned to Tinian for the 60th anniversary of the atomic bomb attack.
Date: January 23, 2014
Creator: Gresko, George
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Eugene Hannemann, June 23, 2014 transcript

Oral History Interview with Eugene Hannemann, June 23, 2014

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Eugene Hannemann. Hannemann joined the Navy in June of 1943. He deployed after basic training to Brisbane, Australia, where he was assigned to a replacement unit. He served as a Yeoman in the Admiral’s Office of the 7th Fleet, under the direction of Douglas MacArthur. Hannemann additionally served on bases in Hollandia, New Guinea and in the Philippines. In mid-1945, he was transferred to a Navy base in Florida. In 1946, he received his discharge.
Date: June 23, 2014
Creator: Hannemann, Eugene
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with James Plaster, April 23, 2014 transcript

Oral History Interview with James Plaster, April 23, 2014

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Plaster. Plaster joined the US Navy in 1943, completed boot camp and Landing Craft School. He then went to New Caledonia, where he served aboard USS John Penn (APA-23). He describes the ship and its mission. While participating in the invasion of Guadalcanal, the ship was sunk by a Japanese torpedo. Plaster was then assigned to USS President Hayes (APA-20) as a member of a landing craft crew and participated in the landing on Bougainville. He also recalls being subjected to nightly bombing for 21 consecutive nights. While there, he contracted malaria. In 1945, Plaster was assigned to a minesweeper in the Philippines. He explains the method used in mine sweeping including the use of the paravane. He also tells of his ship being in typhoons. Soon after the Japanese surrender, Plaster was assigned to a destroyer that participated in a goodwill tour that visited a number of countries before returning to the US.
Date: April 23, 2014
Creator: Plaster, James
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Thomas Agin, July 23, 2014 transcript

Oral History Interview with Thomas Agin, July 23, 2014

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Thomas Agin. Agin lied about his age so he could join the CCC in summer, 1941, when he was 15 years old. When he was discharged from the CCC in 1942, instead of returning to school, Agin joined the Army Air Forces at sixteen years old. He trained in aerial gunnery before heading overseas on a B-25 crew. He was assigned to the 71st Bomb Squadron, 38th Bomb Group at Morotai, Indonesia. He flew on 46 missions over the Philippines, Indonesia and New Guinea attacking shipping and airfields. Agin shares several combat stories. He mentions low level attacks and skip bombing. When the war ended, Agin was discharged but re-enlisted in April, 1946.
Date: July 23, 2014
Creator: Agin, Thomas
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Jerome Crowley, September 23, 2014 transcript

Oral History Interview with Jerome Crowley, September 23, 2014

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jerome Crowley. Crowley was born in Cituate, Maine 17 March 1924. He graduated from high school in 1941 and joined the US Navy 17 January 1942. Upon completion of boot camp he was sent to Aviation Machinist Mate School in Jacksonville, Florida where he received six months training on aircraft engines. He then volunteered for PT boats and underwent two months of training in Melville, Rhode Island. Crowley was then assigned to Torpedo Squadron 9 and went to Tobago for additional training. In March 1943 his unit arrived in Tulagi and he was assigned to the engine room aboard PT-156. He participated in the invasion of Munda and the Treasury Islands as well as doing patrols in the Kula Gulf. Crowley comments on the high morale among the crew members.
Date: September 23, 2014
Creator: Crowley, Jerome
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Raymond Juengermann, December 23, 2014 transcript

Oral History Interview with Raymond Juengermann, December 23, 2014

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Raymond Juengermann. Juengermann was drafted into the Army Air Forces in January, 1943. He qualified for flight training and earned his wings in May, 1944. Then he reported to Roswell, New Mexico for training in B-17 bombers. In early 1945, he and his crew headed for England. Once he was settled into the routine, he began flying combat missions over Germany. he flew 29 combat missions in B-17s through April. After the war. Juengermann stayed in Europe ferrying people to various destinations on the continent. he returned to the US and was discharged in February, 1946.
Date: December 23, 2014
Creator: Juengermann, Raymond
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with W. T. Riedel, September 23, 2014 transcript

Oral History Interview with W. T. Riedel, September 23, 2014

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with W.T. Riedel. Riedel was born in Yorktown, Texas on 27 December 1921. He was a member of the Texas A&M University band when he enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces in 1943. Following basic training at Sheppard Field in Wichita Falls, Texas, he was sent to the University of Denver in Colorado. While there he was selected for pilot training. He recalls the various air fields on which he received the various phases of flight training before receiving his wings in February 1944. Upon being commissioned he was sent to Salt Lake City, Utah where a B-17 bomber crew was assembled and crew training began. Upon completion of the training, the crew flew to Bedford, England. There, they were assigned to the 306th Bomb Group. He describes one mission they flew over Lutzkendorf, Germany during which their aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire. Due to a fire aboard their plane, the crew was compelled to bail out. The entire crew landed safely and were picked up by Belgian partisans and taken to friendly headquarters. They were returned to England and given a period of rest and …
Date: September 23, 2014
Creator: Riedel, W. T.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History