The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Edward Shackelford. Shackelford joined the Army Air Forces in March 1943. He completed basic training in Miami Beach, Florida. From there he went to Fort Collins, Colorado, and had weapons training and learned to be a clerk typist. He then went to Gunter Field, Alabama, and worked with budgets and accounting, before he volunteered to go overseas. He was with the 13th Air Force Headquarters on Palawan. In June 1944 he boarded a ship to New Caledonia where he worked in casual labor then relocated to Guadalcanal where he trained to be a radio operator. From there he went to Bougainville and worked in the DF station where they helped lost Marine aviators find their base. He then transferred to the Philippines to work in a radio station as a clerk typist and he ran the Airmen’s club. In December 1945 he came back to San Francisco and was discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Roy Barrera. Barerra grew up in Texas during the Depression and enlisted in the Army at 17 in 1944. He was assigned to the 6th Infantry Division and shipped out with the unit to Luzon in 1945. After the war, Barerra served in occupied Korea playing in the division band. He injured one of his finger badly and had to switch to playing trumpet. He used the GI Bill to finish law school upon being discharged in December 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Paul Evans. Evans joined the Marchant Marine in the summer of 1944. He was assigned as a radio operator on the SS Charles M. Russel. Evans describes life aboard ship and details the ceremony when they crossed the equator. He discusses his role as a loader for a 20mm anti-aircraft gun and coming under attack during the landings on Leyte. Evans also describes receiving an SOS while on watch and how the senders were too far away to help. His next voyage was on the SS Fort Stevenson, which was a tanker. Evans describes a stopover on Tinian and an opportunity to explore the airfield and parked B-29 bombers. He returned to the US in September of 1945 and enlisted in the US Army for three years.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert E. Batterson. Batterson was born on 5 May 1921 in Mason City, West Virginia. Following graduation from high school in 1938, he joined the Navy. After competing boot camp at Norfolk, Virginia, he was assigned to the USS Philadelphia (CL-41). During battle stations, he was a powder man on a six inch gun. The ship was anchored at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 and he describes what he saw on that day. In 1942, he was selected to enter the V-5 Naval Aviation Program. In January 1943 he began at the University of Southern California. Upon completing the first phase of the training he went to the University of New Mexico for initial flight training followed by pre-flight at Del Monte, California. From there he began flight training at Hutchinson Naval Air Station, Kansas. He was then sent to Corpus Christi, Texas for instrument and advanced training before joining a squadron at Daytona Beach, Florida. After several months, he went to Glennville Naval Air Base, Illinois to learn carrier landing. Upon being qualified as a carrier pilot, he was assigned to the USS Bennington (CV-20). He …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Roy Barrera. Barerra grew up in Texas during the Depression and enlisted in the Army at 17 in 1944. He was assigned to the 6th Infantry Division and shipped out with the unit to Luzon in 1945. After the war, Barerra served in occupied Korea playing in the division band. He injured one of his finger badly and had to switch to playing trumpet. He used the GI Bill to finish law school upon being discharged in December 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Paul Evans. Evans joined the Marchant Marine in the summer of 1944. He was assigned as a radio operator on the SS Charles M. Russel. Evans describes life aboard ship and details the ceremony when they crossed the equator. He discusses his role as a loader for a 20mm anti-aircraft gun and coming under attack during the landings on Leyte. Evans also describes receiving an SOS while on watch and how the senders were too far away to help. His next voyage was on the SS Fort Stevenson, which was a tanker. Evans describes a stopover on Tinian and an opportunity to explore the airfield and parked B-29 bombers. He returned to the US in September of 1945 and enlisted in the US Army for three years.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Edward Shackelford. Shackelford joined the Army Air Forces in March 1943. He completed basic training in Miami Beach, Florida. From there he went to Fort Collins, Colorado, and had weapons training and learned to be a clerk typist. He then went to Gunter Field, Alabama, and worked with budgets and accounting, before he volunteered to go overseas. He was with the 13th Air Force Headquarters on Palawan. In June 1944 he boarded a ship to New Caledonia where he worked in casual labor then relocated to Guadalcanal where he trained to be a radio operator. From there he went to Bougainville and worked in the DF station where they helped lost Marine aviators find their base. He then transferred to the Philippines to work in a radio station as a clerk typist and he ran the Airmen’s club. In December 1945 he came back to San Francisco and was discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert E. Batterson. Batterson was born on 5 May 1921 in Mason City, West Virginia. Following graduation from high school in 1938, he joined the Navy. After competing boot camp at Norfolk, Virginia, he was assigned to the USS Philadelphia (CL-41). During battle stations, he was a powder man on a six inch gun. The ship was anchored at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 and he describes what he saw on that day. In 1942, he was selected to enter the V-5 Naval Aviation Program. In January 1943 he began at the University of Southern California. Upon completing the first phase of the training he went to the University of New Mexico for initial flight training followed by pre-flight at Del Monte, California. From there he began flight training at Hutchinson Naval Air Station, Kansas. He was then sent to Corpus Christi, Texas for instrument and advanced training before joining a squadron at Daytona Beach, Florida. After several months, he went to Glennville Naval Air Base, Illinois to learn carrier landing. Upon being qualified as a carrier pilot, he was assigned to the USS Bennington (CV-20). He …

Letter from Agnes Langley Niernberger to her family discussing daily life sailing to the Philippine Islands. She hopes that they will be finished sailing soon. She sleeps on the tennis deck and has gotten so used to being rained out that she covers her head and falls back asleep. Agnes spends her time with Dienst and Baird, who she mentions were married before leaving Topeha. They occasionally see the U.S. Orchestra and movies and there are always song-fests in the evenings.

Photograph of a six-piece band playing at an Acorn (military air base) 39 party. Pictured seated from left to right is a saxophone player, a trumpet player, and a guitarist all sitting in front of a drummer and a double bass player standing behind the seated players. Behind them, a piano can be see with the hat of the piano player visible over the top of the piano.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jack M. Lyons. He discusses his childhood and growing up during the Great Depression and what led him to join the Us Naval Aviation program. He describes his experiences in flight school, basic training and fighting in the Pacific Theatre during World War Two.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jack M. Lyons. He discusses his childhood and growing up during the Great Depression and what led him to join the Us Naval Aviation program. He describes his experiences in flight school, basic training and fighting in the Pacific Theatre during World War Two.

Transcription of letter from Chester Nimitz to his father in Kerrville. Nimitz comments on academic progress for the month. He also mentions helping an aspiring midshipman and comments on the Academy's baseball team. He discusses his participation on the rowing team and comments on having trouble with his ears again. He mentions a clerk's error in an appropriation bill that deprives the midshipmen of certain moneys, which may cause Nimitz to be unable to come home in the fall.

Handwritten letter from Chester Nimitz to his father in Kerrville. Nimitz comments on academic progress for the month. He also mentions helping an aspiring midshipman and comments on the Academy's baseball team. He discusses his participation on the rowing team and comments on having trouble with his ears again. He mentions a clerk's error in an appropriation bill that deprives the midshipmen of certain moneys, which may cause Nimitz to be unable to come home in the fall. This letter is on US Naval Academy stationery.