The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Joseph Malleske. Malleske enlisted in the Navy in January 1944 at Great Lakes, Illinois and took boot camp there. After boot camp, they sent him down to Norfolk (Camp Bradford) for amphibious training where he got picked up to go to radar school. After that he was formed into a crew for LST duty and sent to Little Creek, Virginia for a two week training cruise on the Chesapeake Bay in a LST. In late May 1944, they sent them to Evansville, Indiana to pick up their LST (number 569), a brand-new one from the shipyard there. In late July 1944, they sailed for Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides. From there, they went to Milne Bay, New Guinea, loaded up Seabee troops and then made their way to Tacloban, Leyte, arriving about D+4 (October 24, 1944). After a short stay at Leyte (until the battle was over), they headed back to Hollandia. They made several runs between Hollandia and Leyte and then landed troops on D-Day at Luzon. They also went to the Palawan Islands and Mindanao, landing supplies or troops. After more trips between the Philippines …

Transcript of an oral interview with James Reed. Reed was drafted and went into the Army 11 Nov 1943. After basic training in Waco, Texas he was sent overseas, landing in England. He was put in a tank destroyer outfit to start with but got separated from them. After a hospital stay, he was put in the 101st Airborne Division, 327th Glider Infantry. He was wounded by shrapnel on 20 Dec 1944 in his right leg during the Battle of the Bulge. He was at Bastogne. Once wounded, he was sent back to France and then to England. He stayed at a hospital in England for nine months and then was shipped home. After a 4-5 month stay at a hospital in the States, he was discharged. He receives disability from the Army for his injuries. Reed was discharged 18 Sep 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Oris Brehmer. Brehmer was born in Luckenbach, Texas in 1924. Drafted in March, 1943 with a choice of services, he chose the Navy. He went through boot camp and Corpsman School in San Diego, then to Marine Field Medical School. He sailed for the South Pacific and joined the 1st Marine Division in Australia. In December, 1943 the division landed at Cape Gloucester, New Britain. Brehmer's company saw no combat there. From March to September 1944 they were moved to Pavuvu in the Solomons for rest and training. At Peleliu, he stepped off a Higgins boat into chin deep water with all his gear. On the beach, he was wounded in the shoulder by mortar shrapnel and sent to a hospital ship. After five days he returned to his decimated unit that was subsequently sent back to the rest area at Pavuvu. They remained until going to Okinawa in April 1945. There he witnessed both the fighting on the island and the kamikaze attacks on the Navy. After 2 September, the 1st Marines went to mainland China to disarm Japanese troops. Brehmer returned to the States in late …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ky Putnam. Putnam enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942 in El Paso, Texas. After training, he was assigned to the 414th Night Fighter Squadron. His squadron was based in Italy and Putnam describes his living conditions, his squadron mates, and several of his combat experiences. Putnam tells the story of the time he got shot down in February, 1945. He and his radar man both parachuted out of the damaged P-61 and landed separately in the mountains. Putnam fell in with some Italian partisans and was eventually reunited with his radar man, John Marunovich, at the crash site. Putnam goes into considerable detail about his 22-day ordeal after his plane crashed. As Putnam and Marunovich made their way south, they encountered several friendly Italians, even one dressed in a German infantryman's uniform who traveled with the Americans for a while. After a while, Putnam and his radar man encountered an Allied unit from South Africa. They finally found a guide to get them through the lines and back to the Allied side. After a hike over a ridge at night, the group made it into Allied …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Orville Schwanger. Schwanger joined the Army Signal Corps around 1942. He completed radio repair training. From 1943 through the end of the war, Schwanger traveled to Brisbane, Australia, New Guinea, the Philippines, and Leyte Gulf. On the islands, he set up and worked in radio repair shops. He received his discharge in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Miller. Miller joined the Junior Naval Reserves around 1936, at the age of 13. He joined the Navy in 1940, and served aboard USS Wyoming (BB-32) as an Aviation Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class. Shortly after the war started, he was transferred to USS Raven (AM-55) as a gunner. He recalls spotting and shooting at German U-boats along Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. In early 1942, they escorted tankers along the east coast, up to Nova Scotia. Miller was transferred to VF-28, an F4F fighter squadron. Around October, they were assigned to USS Suwannee (ACV-27) and participated in the invasion of North Africa and the Battle of Casablanca in November. In December, they were transferred to USS Chenango (CVE-28). In early 1943, they supported the Guadalcanal campaign. Beginning in December, and through 1944, Miller served aboard USS Tulagi (CVE-72), participating in the invasion of Normandy. Miller discusses their activity during the Battle of Okinawa. He continued his service after the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Henley Bennett. Bennett joined the Navy in December 1943 and trained in San Diego. Upon completion he was assigned to USS Long Island (CVE-1) and went to the Marshall Islands. He was also stationed on Guam for a while. He served with utility Squadrons 7 and 17 while overseas. When the war ended, Bennett was discharged in June 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Crichton. Crichton enlisted in the Army in June 1942 and was assigned to the 31st Infantry Division. In New Guinea, as captain of his unit he took no prisoners when intercepting elite Japanese forces even though the natives brought in prisoners bound in vines. While Crichton was evacuating all women from combat zones, he read in a Japanese diary that Americans planned to annihilate the Japanese, sparing only the most beautiful women to exhibit in a zoo. In the Philippines, Crichton was reassigned to 6th Army Intelligence, screening and forwarding guerilla and coast watcher messages. When he received word that battleships were headed for Surigao Strait, he relayed the information to Halsey. At Lingayen Gulf, a kamikaze struck the destroyer escort beside Crichton’s ship, and a bomb hit where Crichton had slept the night before. He went ashore on D+3. Sleeping in a slit trench with a log rolled of it, he awoke to find a large shell embedded in the log. He went on to serve as aide to General Krueger, who ordered Crichton to shoot and kill him if enemy capture was imminent. After the …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ky Putnam. Putnam enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942 in El Paso, Texas. After training, he was assigned to the 414th Night Fighter Squadron. His squadron was based in Italy and Putnam describes his living conditions, his squadron mates, and several of his combat experiences. Putnam tells the story of the time he got shot down in February, 1945. He and his radar man both parachuted out of the damaged P-61 and landed separately in the mountains. Putnam fell in with some Italian partisans and was eventually reunited with his radar man, John Marunovich, at the crash site. Putnam goes into considerable detail about his 22-day ordeal after his plane crashed. As Putnam and Marunovich made their way south, they encountered several friendly Italians, even one dressed in a German infantryman's uniform who traveled with the Americans for a while. After a while, Putnam and his radar man encountered an Allied unit from South Africa. They finally found a guide to get them through the lines and back to the Allied side. After a hike over a ridge at night, the group made it into Allied …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Miller. Miller joined the Junior Naval Reserves around 1936, at the age of 13. He joined the Navy in 1940, and served aboard USS Wyoming (BB-32) as an Aviation Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class. Shortly after the war started, he was transferred to USS Raven (AM-55) as a gunner. He recalls spotting and shooting at German U-boats along Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. In early 1942, they escorted tankers along the east coast, up to Nova Scotia. Miller was transferred to VF-28, an F4F fighter squadron. Around October, they were assigned to USS Suwannee (ACV-27) and participated in the invasion of North Africa and the Battle of Casablanca in November. In December, they were transferred to USS Chenango (CVE-28). In early 1943, they supported the Guadalcanal campaign. Beginning in December, and through 1944, Miller served aboard USS Tulagi (CVE-72), participating in the invasion of Normandy. Miller discusses their activity during the Battle of Okinawa. He continued his service after the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Henley Bennett. Bennett joined the Navy in December 1943 and trained in San Diego. Upon completion he was assigned to USS Long Island (CVE-1) and went to the Marshall Islands. He was also stationed on Guam for a while. He served with utility Squadrons 7 and 17 while overseas. When the war ended, Bennett was discharged in June 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Orville Schwanger. Schwanger joined the Army Signal Corps around 1942. He completed radio repair training. From 1943 through the end of the war, Schwanger traveled to Brisbane, Australia, New Guinea, the Philippines, and Leyte Gulf. On the islands, he set up and worked in radio repair shops. He received his discharge in 1946.

Transcript of an oral interview with James Reed. Reed was drafted and went into the Army 11 Nov 1943. After basic training in Waco, Texas he was sent overseas, landing in England. He was put in a tank destroyer outfit to start with but got separated from them. After a hospital stay, he was put in the 101st Airborne Division, 327th Glider Infantry. He was wounded by shrapnel on 20 Dec 1944 in his right leg during the Battle of the Bulge. He was at Bastogne. Once wounded, he was sent back to France and then to England. He stayed at a hospital in England for nine months and then was shipped home. After a 4-5 month stay at a hospital in the States, he was discharged. He receives disability from the Army for his injuries. Reed was discharged 18 Sep 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Oris Brehmer. Brehmer was born in Luckenbach, Texas in 1924. Drafted in March, 1943 with a choice of services, he chose the Navy. He went through boot camp and Corpsman School in San Diego, then to Marine Field Medical School. He sailed for the South Pacific and joined the 1st Marine Division in Australia. In December, 1943 the division landed at Cape Gloucester, New Britain. Brehmer's company saw no combat there. From March to September 1944 they were moved to Pavuvu in the Solomons for rest and training. At Peleliu, he stepped off a Higgins boat into chin deep water with all his gear. On the beach, he was wounded in the shoulder by mortar shrapnel and sent to a hospital ship. After five days he returned to his decimated unit that was subsequently sent back to the rest area at Pavuvu. They remained until going to Okinawa in April 1945. There he witnessed both the fighting on the island and the kamikaze attacks on the Navy. After 2 September, the 1st Marines went to mainland China to disarm Japanese troops. Brehmer returned to the States in late …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Crichton. Crichton enlisted in the Army in June 1942 and was assigned to the 31st Infantry Division. In New Guinea, as captain of his unit he took no prisoners when intercepting elite Japanese forces even though the natives brought in prisoners bound in vines. While Crichton was evacuating all women from combat zones, he read in a Japanese diary that Americans planned to annihilate the Japanese, sparing only the most beautiful women to exhibit in a zoo. In the Philippines, Crichton was reassigned to 6th Army Intelligence, screening and forwarding guerilla and coast watcher messages. When he received word that battleships were headed for Surigao Strait, he relayed the information to Halsey. At Lingayen Gulf, a kamikaze struck the destroyer escort beside Crichton’s ship, and a bomb hit where Crichton had slept the night before. He went ashore on D+3. Sleeping in a slit trench with a log rolled of it, he awoke to find a large shell embedded in the log. He went on to serve as aide to General Krueger, who ordered Crichton to shoot and kill him if enemy capture was imminent. After the …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Joseph Malleske. Malleske enlisted in the Navy in January 1944 at Great Lakes, Illinois and took boot camp there. After boot camp, they sent him down to Norfolk (Camp Bradford) for amphibious training where he got picked up to go to radar school. After that he was formed into a crew for LST duty and sent to Little Creek, Virginia for a two week training cruise on the Chesapeake Bay in a LST. In late May 1944, they sent them to Evansville, Indiana to pick up their LST (number 569), a brand-new one from the shipyard there. In late July 1944, they sailed for Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides. From there, they went to Milne Bay, New Guinea, loaded up Seabee troops and then made their way to Tacloban, Leyte, arriving about D+4 (October 24, 1944). After a short stay at Leyte (until the battle was over), they headed back to Hollandia. They made several runs between Hollandia and Leyte and then landed troops on D-Day at Luzon. They also went to the Palawan Islands and Mindanao, landing supplies or troops. After more trips between the Philippines …

Letter from Joe to his wife Catherine discussing his hangover, complimenting Catherine on making a new dress, cleaning his guns, the weather, and enjoying listening to the radio.

Transcription of letter from Chester Nimitz to his father in Kerrville. Nimitz indicates that a one dollar a month allowance should be sufficient while at the Academy. He also intends to get his new dress jacket before having his photo made. He also mentions his feet are feeling better and that his class has two lessons a day aboard the training ship Chesapeake. He also mentions being vaccinated. Nimitz also mentions looking forward to the Army-Navy football game in Philadelphia later in the year and expresses relief at learning to sail cutters instead of having to row. He closes by indicating he has his textbooks but no time to study.

Transcription of letter from Chester Nimitz to his grandfather in Fredericksburg. Nimitz, writing from San Antonio, discusses his travel plans to return to Annapolis.

Handwritten letter from Chester Nimitz to his father in Kerrville. Nimitz indicates that a one dollar a month allowance should be sufficient while at the Academy. He also intends to get his new dress jacket before having his photo made. He also mentions his feet are feeling better and that his class has two lessons a day aboard the training ship Chesapeake. He also mentions being vaccinated. Nimitz also mentions looking forward to the Army-Navy football game in Philadelphia later in the year and expresses relief at learning to sail cutters instead of having to row. He closes by indicating he has his textbooks but no time to study. This letter is on US Naval Academy stationery.

Handwritten letter from Chester Nimitz to his grandfather in Fredericksburg. Nimitz, writing from San Antonio, discusses his travel plans to return to Annapolis. This letter is on US Naval Academy stationery.