The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Frank Miller. Miller joined the Navy in 1942. He trained to work in the engine and boiler rooms, serving as Third Class Petty Officer aboard the USS Jarvis (DD-799). Miller participated in 8 engagements through Alaska and the Kurile Islands. After Japan’s surrender, he worked with occupation forces in Japan destroying military supplies. Miller was discharged in February of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Thomas S. Hura. Hura begins by speaking of life in Youngstown, Ohio, during the Great Depression. As soon as Hura graduated from high school in 1943, he was drafted into the Navy and sent for training at Great Lakes, Illinois. When Hura finished training, he was shipped to California and assigned to the gunnery and deck division aboard the USS Pennsylvania (BB-38). Hura's job aboard ship was loading the 40mm guns and operating a 20mm gun. When the Pennsylvania arrived at Pearl Harbor, Hura reported for a week of gunnery school. Hura describes the Pennsylvania in action at Makin Atoll in November, 1943. From there, Hura speaks about being attacked by Japanese aircraft at Eniwetok. He also describes leave in Australia, supporting the invasions at Saipan and at Guam, night fighting at Surigao Strait, and covering the landings at Lingayen Gulf on Luzon and at Okinawa. At Okinawa, Pennsylvania was torpedoed. She was pulled to Guam for repairs and managed to survive a typhoon in route. From Guam, Pennsylvania went to Seattle for major repairs. Hura travelled to Toledo and was discharged in March, 1946. He went to …

Transcript of an oral interview with Charles Thibeault. Thibeault was drafted and went into the Army in 1943. He took basic training in Alabama, was shipped overseas and joined the 35th Division, 134th Infantry, 1st Battalion, Company C in 1944 when they were in France. He was a squad leader then when he made Staff Sergeant he had his own platoon. He fought at the Battle of the Bulge and was wounded. He also fought in the Battle of Bastogne and at Metz. His outfit liberated one of the concentration camps (somewhere in Germany but Thibeault couldn't remember the name). Thibeault gives a fairly graphic description of the scene at the concentration camp. After liberating the camp he got his men together and said, "As of now, right now, we do not take any more prisoners. If that is the way they are going to treat people, I will do the same. I don't care. This is not war, what they did to the people. They were prisoners of war and all that is all they done, and look how skinny they are; you could see the bones." His unit also liberated a concentration camp that just contained women. Thibeault …

The National Museum of the pacific War presents an oral interview with Eugene Volcik. Volcik grew up on a farm in Texas and was 13 when the war started. Volcik’s brothers served and urged him not to join the service too quickly as their mother needed help at home. Volcik was 17 when the war ended. After the war, he joined the Navy in February 1946 and recalls several experiences from his time in the post-war Navy aboard USS Huntington (CL-107).

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Bains. Bains joined the Army around early 1942. He completed Signal Corps training. Bains deployed to England and served with the 66th Infantry Division, 566th Signal Corps Company. The 66th was primarily involved with destroying the Germany troops left behind by the retreat from Northern France. Bains traveled through central Europe, Germany and France. He returned to the US and received his discharge in late 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Everett H. Logan. Logan was born 6 March 1921 in Wolcott, Indiana. He was drafted into the Army 1 September 1942. Following basic training at Fort McClellan, Alabama, he joined the 111th Engineer Battalion of the 36th Infantry Division at Camp Edwards, Massachusetts, training in small pontoon bridge deployment and mine clearing. In 1943 the unit landed in Oran, Algeria. Fighting in North Africa had ended, so after some additional training, the unit sailed to Anzio. After landing on the beach, they were pinned down for 3 or 4 days. While in Italy, Logan saw Ernie Pyle, witnessed the destruction of the Abbey of Monte Cassino, and the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The 36th advanced as far as Pisa. In August 1944, they were sent to Marseille. They advanced north into France and eventually into Germany. When Germany surrendered, they went back to France where they were shuttled around waiting for a decision whether they would go to the Pacific. Finally they were sent to Holland and transported back to the United States. Logan arrived in the States on 1 October 1945 and was discharged on 5 October …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Carey. Carey joined the Naval ROTC at Yale and received his commission in February 1944. Assigned to the USS Loy (DE-160), he was shocked by the poor relations of the captain and executive officer. In one instance, the captain flew into a rage until he was finally subdued by the executive officer's fists. The other officers were kinder to each other, and Carey assisted them with gunnery and communications. Off the Bay of Biscay, he monitored high-speed German transmissions that he recorded so that they could be slowed down and decoded. The transmissions were useful in pinpointing enemy subs. In the summer of 1944, Carey was reassigned to PC-1245. That fall, his family received the devastating news that his brother was killed in the European Theater. After the war, Carey was caught in a typhoon at Okinawa and survived with the help of a passing tugboat. He returned home and was discharged in January 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Jefferson Loyd. Loyd joined the Navy in March of 1944. He served as a 20mm gunner and Third-Class Motor Machinist aboard USS Dewey (DD-349). They escorted convoys to Eniwetok, participated in raids on Ulithi, supported troops in the Luzon, Iwo Jima and Okinawa invasions. He continued his service after the war.

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.

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.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Adolph Krchnak. Krchnak joined the Army in December of 1944. He completed parachute school. In late 1944, early 1945 he was stationed in the Philippines with the 11th Airborne Division. They served in a traditional infantry role in the Philippines. His division participated in the Liberation of Manila in the spring of 1945. In August of 1945 they traveled into southern Japan as part of the occupation force. He was honorably discharged in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Adolph Krchnak. Krchnak joined the Army in December of 1944. He completed parachute school. In late 1944, early 1945 he was stationed in the Philippines with the 11th Airborne Division. They served in a traditional infantry role in the Philippines. His division participated in the Liberation of Manila in the spring of 1945. In August of 1945 they traveled into southern Japan as part of the occupation force. He was honorably discharged in 1946.