Resource Type

Oral History Interview with Jack Kleiss, September 29, 2000 transcript

Oral History Interview with Jack Kleiss, September 29, 2000

Interview with Jack Kleiss, a pilot during World War II. He discusses training for carrier landings on USS Enterprise; the arrival of VMF-211 aboard Enterprise and their delivery to Wake Island; and the attack on Pealr Harbor on 7 December 1941. Kleiss was in a dive bomber and attacked Japanese carriers at the Battle of Midway, where he earned the Navy Cross.
Date: September 29, 2000
Creator: Nichols, Chuck & Kleiss, Jack
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Sam H. Snoddy, April 29, 2004 transcript

Oral History Interview with Sam H. Snoddy, April 29, 2004

Interview with Sam H. Snoddy, a U. S. Marine during World War II. He served in the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. After training, he participated in the initial landing at Saipan where he was wounded in the knees and shoulder on the beach by shell fragments. He was loaded onto a hospital ship with several other casualties before going to Hawaii to recuperate. He participated in the Okinawa campaign and spent time at Nagasaki on occupation duty. After being discharged, he went to college on the G. I. Bill, and eventually settled in Texas, where he worked in the oil industry.
Date: April 29, 2004
Creator: Smith, Ned & Snoddy, Sam H.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Valentin R. Ybarra, April 29, 2004 transcript

Oral History Interview with Valentin R. Ybarra, April 29, 2004

Interview with Valentin R. Ybarra regarding his experiences during World War II. He discusses his wartime experiences in Peleliu and Okinawa as well as occupation duty in Japan and China. He also had an assignment in Spain. He remembers the Cuban Missile Crisis, the revolt in the Dominican Republic, and his service in Vietnam.
Date: April 29, 2004
Creator: Misenhimer, Richard & Ybarra, Valentin R.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Hazael R. Olivares, March 29, 2003 transcript

Oral History Interview with Hazael R. Olivares, March 29, 2003

Interview with Hazael R. Olivares, a serviceman in the U. S. Navy during World War II. Olivares dropped out of high school and decided to join the U. S. Navy after hearing about the attack on Pearl Harbor. He took his 16-week basic training course at Great Lakes in Illinois where he learned how to fire various guns and recognize aircraft. After basic training, he was assigned to Algiers, Louisiana where he learned how to weld. Aboard the USS Bordelon (DD-881), he served as a Ship Fitter in the damage control department. After WWII, he remained in the reserves and was called up for duty in Korea. He served aboard the USS Sitkoh Bay (CVE-86). After Korea, he worked as a civilian for the Army Corps of Engineers as an oiler on a dredge. He then served in the Merchant Marines, hauling refined petroleum products from South America to North America. He also discusses going to French Indochina (Vietnam) and traveling up the Saigon River in a merchant vessel.
Date: March 29, 2003
Creator: Misenhimer, Richard & Olivares, Hazael R.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Lloyd C. Fons, October 29, 2008 transcript

Oral History Interview with Lloyd C. Fons, October 29, 2008

Interview with Lloyd C. Fons, an officer in the U. S. Navy during World War II. After completing midshipman's school and earning a commission, Fons served aboard patrol torpedo (PT) boats in the Philippines. He served in Squadron 17 aboard three different boats - 229, 230 and 231. He eventually became the commanding officer of PT 229 in July, 1945. His primary assignment seemed to be delivering guerrillas to various locations in Mindoro and Luzon. After the war, Fons was transferred to Hong Kong where he was commanding officer aboard a yard patrol boat, YP 641, for 11 months. Here, his primary duty seemed to be delivering frozen and refrigerated food to other ships.
Date: October 29, 2008
Creator: Misenhimer, Richard & Fons, Lloyd C.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Ted Wilhoite transcript

Oral History Interview with Ted Wilhoite

Interview with Ted Wilhoite about the history of Grapevine, Texas.
Date: July 29, 1982
Creator: Wilhoite, Ted
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with C. M. Dickerson, June 29, 1976 transcript

Oral History Interview with C. M. Dickerson, June 29, 1976

Interview with C. M. Dickerson, a resident of Baytown, Texas since approximately 1920. Topics include the petroleum industry and trade in Baytown, TX.
Date: June 29, 1976
Creator: Webber, Betsy & Dickerson, C. M., 1908-
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Speech by Wanda Orton to the Bay Area Heritage Society] transcript

[Speech by Wanda Orton to the Bay Area Heritage Society]

Speech made by Wanda Orton to the Bay Area Heritage Society discussing Texas heroes that had lived in the Baytown area dating back to the time before the Texas Revolution, such as David G. Burnet, Sam Houston, etc.
Date: April 29, 1980
Creator: Orton, Wanda
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with J. Bryan Stratton, August 29, 1979 transcript

Oral History Interview with J. Bryan Stratton, August 29, 1979

Interview with J. Bryan Stratton, a resident of Baytown, Texas since approximately 1920. Topics include the consolidation of the tri-cities into the incorporated city of Baytown, the depression, the beginning of life insurance business, his service in World War II as a staff member of General Omar Bradley's Headquarters Unit, the Charter Commission, and the adoption of the City Charter.
Date: August 29, 1979
Creator: Swofford, Sarah & Stratton, Joel Bryan
System: The Portal to Texas History