Oral History Interview with Alvino Mendoza, April 25, 2017 transcript

Oral History Interview with Alvino Mendoza, April 25, 2017

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Alvino Mendoza. Mendoza was born in Round Rock, Texas on 1 March 1926, and briefly tells of his life before entering the US Navy. After completing boot training at Camp Wallace, Texas he was assigned as a seaman aboard USS St. George (AV-16). His battle station was loader on an anti-aircraft gun. Mendoza describes his experiences during the Battle of Okinawa in which the St. George, as well as USS Curtiss (AV-4), were hit by kamikazes. He tells of being in several typhoons and describes an incident in which he fell into the sea. He served in the occupation of Japan. Mendoza returned to the US and received his discharge in February of 1946.
Date: April 25, 2017
Creator: Mendoza, Alvino
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Bill Lewis, April 25, 2001 transcript

Oral History Interview with Bill Lewis, April 25, 2001

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bill Lewis. Lewis joined the Navy in July 1939 and received basic training in San Diego. Upon completion, he was assigned to the USS Breese (DM-18) where he worked in the engine room. He participated in neutrality patrols and survey trips along the Pacific coast. Ten days before the attack on Pearl Harbor, his ship reported sighting a Japanese submarine outside Pearl Harbor. During the attack, he saw the USS Utah (BB-31) roll over and watched as a destroyed midget submarine came to the surface. The Breese got underway and patrolled for seven days, short of crew, until returning to the harbor. At Midway he took on survivors from the USS Yorktown (CV-5). He describes the process of laying contact mines throughout the South Pacific. Lewis was surprised that the USS Tucker (DD-374) tragically entered one of their minefields. Lewis was transferred to the USS Latimer (APA-152) for the landings at Lingayen Gulf and Okinawa. After the war, he remained in the Navy, making the first landing at Inchon, aboard the USS Thuban (AKA-19). He retired from the Navy in 1962 and joined the Merchant Marines, bringing cargo …
Date: April 25, 2001
Creator: Lewis, Bill
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Robert Storey, April 25, 2019 transcript

Oral History Interview with Robert Storey, April 25, 2019

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Murry Storey. Storey joined the Navy in 1939. He served with the deck crew aboard USS Salt Lake City (CA-25). They were with USS Enterprise (CV-6) task group west of Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. They docked in Pearl Harbor on 8 December, and Storey describes the overturned ships and casualties that he witnessed in the harbor. He discusses their involvement in the Doolittle Raid. Storey does not go into great detail about specific places he traveled or battles he fought in aboard Salt Lake City. He provides general details of his experiences serving. He returned to the US after the war ended and received his discharge in late 1945.
Date: April 25, 2019
Creator: Storey, Robert
System: The Portal to Texas History