The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Alvin Kendzora. Kendzora enlisted in the Army Air Forces in April 1944 and trained at Sheppard Field in Texas. After basic training, he qualified to train as a radio operator. He departed for overseas in May 1945. He stopped at New Guinea for a month or two before heading for Leyte in the Philippines. He was attached to a headquarters squadron in the Fifth Air Force and was there when the war ended. He was tasked with hauling supplies to Japan and recalls some details of his experiences in Japan. He also managed to travel some in Shanghai as well as Korea. He shares several anecdotes about his experiences overseas and was discharged in May 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Harold DeYoung. DeYoung joined the Navy around mid-1942. He trained in radio and submarine cable telegraphy. In March of 1945 DeYoung was assigned to replace the cable station in Manila, which had been destroyed by the Japanese. He was discharged in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Thomas ""Tom"" Maloney. Maloney joined the Naval Air Reserve in Ocotber, 1941. Upon earning his wings, Maloney was assigned to Air Group 98 aboard the USS Princeton (CVL-23). He flew combat missions against targets all over New Guinea before being transferred to Air Group 6 aboard the USS Hancock (CV-19) in July, 1944. Aboard the Hancock, Maloney struck targets on Okinawa. He also sank a few Japanese ships near the home islands and earned two Navy Crosses.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Merkel. Merkel was born in San Antonio in 1926 and was drafted into the Navy in 1944 and sent to San Diego for boot camp. Soon after completing his training he was aboard a ship bound for Guam. At that time, he was assigned to a Naval Construction Battalion. Soon after his arrival he was assigned to a dredge ship. He tells of some of his experiences while aboard the vessel. He vividly recalls witnessing a kamikaze crashing into a hospital ship. He also remembers being aboard his ship during a typhoon in 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Bakel. Bakel had earned a degree in aeronautical engineering in early 1941 and was working at Consolidated Aircraft in San Diego when he was called up for active duty in the Army Air Corps. In May, 1942, he was commissioned as an engineering officer and assigned to several bomb groups before going overseas in early 1944. He was attached to the 308th Airdrome Squadron in New Guinea with the responsibility of opening new or captured air bases for use by fighters or bombers. He recalls opening an airfield on Luzon early in 1945 during the invasion of the Philippines. When the war ended, Bakel had enough points to receive a discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Gordon Whymark. Whymark begins with discussing witnessing the Battle for Britain as he was a teenager living in a rural community outside London. When he was seventeen, he joined the Royal Marines and trained at Chatham in 1943. After training, he boarded a ship bound for Sri Lanka and more training. Upon completion of jungle training in Sri Lanka, Whymark was assigned to HMS Illustrious, an aircraft carrier assigned to raiding the Japanese installations on Java and Sumatra. In 1944, Illustrious joined the US Navy Task Force 57 and attacked targets on Formosa and Okinawa. Whymark describes the kamikaze attack on Illustrious that he witnessed. Whymark was reassigned from Illustrious to HMS Swiftsure (08), a cruiser. When the war ended, Whymark went to Hong Kong and Shanghai aboard Swiftsure. He also shares stories about the time he spent on occupation duty at the British Embassy in Tokyo after the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Raymond. Raymond joined the Navy in 1940. He was sent to the USS New York (BB-34) where he started as a deck seaman and became a quartermaster. Raymond describes the duties of a quartermaster in the Navy. He was then sent to the USS Biloxi (CL-80) and took part in the commissioning. Raymond went to the Pacific and describes the types of missions the Biloxi performed and the armament of the ship. He discusses his ship being hit by a kamikaze off Okinawa and how the repairs were made. Raymond also describes the refueling process and how the lack of fuel contributed to the loss of a destroyer during a typhoon. Raymond mentions seeing the damage at Nagasaki and evacuating POWs. He retired from the Navy in 1960.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bill Brown. Brown was studying at the University of Texas at El Paso whe nhe joined the Army Air Force in 1942. Brown discusses his flight training, which occurred throughout Texas. With training cmplete, Brown was sent to Hawaii where he continued training with the 45th Fighter Squadron, 7th Air Force. Soon his unit was shipped to Iwo Jima where they flew bomber escort for bombing missions over the home islands of Japan. Brown was shot down over Yokahama and bailed out over the Tokyo Bay, where he was resuced by the USS Pipefish (SS-388). Brown was taken to Hawaii to recover and was eventually shipped back to the US, where he was discharged in September, 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Harold DeYoung. DeYoung joined the Navy around mid-1942. He trained in radio and submarine cable telegraphy. In March of 1945 DeYoung was assigned to replace the cable station in Manila, which had been destroyed by the Japanese. He was discharged in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Thomas ""Tom"" Maloney. Maloney joined the Naval Air Reserve in Ocotber, 1941. Upon earning his wings, Maloney was assigned to Air Group 98 aboard the USS Princeton (CVL-23). He flew combat missions against targets all over New Guinea before being transferred to Air Group 6 aboard the USS Hancock (CV-19) in July, 1944. Aboard the Hancock, Maloney struck targets on Okinawa. He also sank a few Japanese ships near the home islands and earned two Navy Crosses.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Merkel. Merkel was born in San Antonio in 1926 and was drafted into the Navy in 1944 and sent to San Diego for boot camp. Soon after completing his training he was aboard a ship bound for Guam. At that time, he was assigned to a Naval Construction Battalion. Soon after his arrival he was assigned to a dredge ship. He tells of some of his experiences while aboard the vessel. He vividly recalls witnessing a kamikaze crashing into a hospital ship. He also remembers being aboard his ship during a typhoon in 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Bakel. Bakel had earned a degree in aeronautical engineering in early 1941 and was working at Consolidated Aircraft in San Diego when he was called up for active duty in the Army Air Corps. In May, 1942, he was commissioned as an engineering officer and assigned to several bomb groups before going overseas in early 1944. He was attached to the 308th Airdrome Squadron in New Guinea with the responsibility of opening new or captured air bases for use by fighters or bombers. He recalls opening an airfield on Luzon early in 1945 during the invasion of the Philippines. When the war ended, Bakel had enough points to receive a discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Gordon Whymark. Whymark begins with discussing witnessing the Battle for Britain as he was a teenager living in a rural community outside London. When he was seventeen, he joined the Royal Marines and trained at Chatham in 1943. After training, he boarded a ship bound for Sri Lanka and more training. Upon completion of jungle training in Sri Lanka, Whymark was assigned to HMS Illustrious, an aircraft carrier assigned to raiding the Japanese installations on Java and Sumatra. In 1944, Illustrious joined the US Navy Task Force 57 and attacked targets on Formosa and Okinawa. Whymark describes the kamikaze attack on Illustrious that he witnessed. Whymark was reassigned from Illustrious to HMS Swiftsure (08), a cruiser. When the war ended, Whymark went to Hong Kong and Shanghai aboard Swiftsure. He also shares stories about the time he spent on occupation duty at the British Embassy in Tokyo after the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Raymond. Raymond joined the Navy in 1940. He was sent to the USS New York (BB-34) where he started as a deck seaman and became a quartermaster. Raymond describes the duties of a quartermaster in the Navy. He was then sent to the USS Biloxi (CL-80) and took part in the commissioning. Raymond went to the Pacific and describes the types of missions the Biloxi performed and the armament of the ship. He discusses his ship being hit by a kamikaze off Okinawa and how the repairs were made. Raymond also describes the refueling process and how the lack of fuel contributed to the loss of a destroyer during a typhoon. Raymond mentions seeing the damage at Nagasaki and evacuating POWs. He retired from the Navy in 1960.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Alvin Kendzora. Kendzora enlisted in the Army Air Forces in April 1944 and trained at Sheppard Field in Texas. After basic training, he qualified to train as a radio operator. He departed for overseas in May 1945. He stopped at New Guinea for a month or two before heading for Leyte in the Philippines. He was attached to a headquarters squadron in the Fifth Air Force and was there when the war ended. He was tasked with hauling supplies to Japan and recalls some details of his experiences in Japan. He also managed to travel some in Shanghai as well as Korea. He shares several anecdotes about his experiences overseas and was discharged in May 1946.

Letter from Joe to his wife Catherine discussing his crew visiting their old station to retrieve clothing and equipment, asking if Jessie got his raise, and complaining that the movies they are seeing are old.

Letter from Catherine to her husband Joe discussing news from home, including a weekend with Mother, car troubles, Charlotte's sickness, and potential plans to go to New Braunfels to celebrate the Fourth of July with friends.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bill Brown. Brown was studying at the University of Texas at El Paso whe nhe joined the Army Air Force in 1942. Brown discusses his flight training, which occurred throughout Texas. With training cmplete, Brown was sent to Hawaii where he continued training with the 45th Fighter Squadron, 7th Air Force. Soon his unit was shipped to Iwo Jima where they flew bomber escort for bombing missions over the home islands of Japan. Brown was shot down over Yokahama and bailed out over the Tokyo Bay, where he was resuced by the USS Pipefish (SS-388). Brown was taken to Hawaii to recover and was eventually shipped back to the US, where he was discharged in September, 1945.

Transcription of letter from Chester Nimitz to his father in Kerrville. Nimitz is on the summer cruise and writing from aboard the USS Hartford. He discusses visiting the shipyards at Newport News, Virginia. Nimitz expresses some surprise to see German navy ships anchored nearby and able to view the construction of American battleships so freely. He also mentions some details about being aboard and interacting with the captain.

Handwritten letter from Chester Nimitz to his father in Kerrville. Nimitz is on the summer cruise and writing from aboard the USS Hartford. He discusses visiting the shipyards at Newport News, Virginia. Nimitz expresses some surprise to see German navy ships anchored nearby and able to view the construction of American battleships so freely. He also mentions some details about being aboard and interacting with the captain. This letter is on US Naval Academy stationery.