The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Joe Snyder. Snyder was born in Kansas City, Missouri on 8 July 1918. He was working for the Kansas City Star newspaper when he was drafted in November 1941. After completing basic training at Fort Riley, Kansas, he applied for Officer Candidate School. He was accepted and sent to the Armor Center at Fort Knox, Kentucky for training. Upon graduating, he was commissioned a second lieutenant and ordered to report to the 14th Armored Division at Camp Chafee, Arkansas. After participating in maneuvers he was named Public Information Officer for the division. Soon thereafter, he went to New Caledonia with the 25th Infantry Division. While there, he wrote hometown stories about various servicemen and sent them to their hometown newspapers for publication. Leaving New Caledonia, he joined General MacArthur’s Headquarters at Hollandia, New Guinea. Snyder was present during the invasions of Morotai, Leyte and Corregidor and describes the combat he observed. He recalls landing at Atsugi Airfield, Japan and being aboard the USS Missouri (BB-63) when the Surrender Agreement was signed by members of the Japanese delegation. Following the ceremony, Snyder visited Nagasaki, Japan and vividly describes the …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Gilbert Vera. Vera was born in Benavides, Texas 5 March 1918. After graduating from high school in 1937, he worked various jobs until being drafted into the Army. After his induction, he was sent to Camp Wallace, Texas for three months of basic training. Vera was then sent to Hunter Field in Savannah, Georgia for six months training on communication equipment including the switchboard and telephone lines. Upon completion of the training he went to Fort Dix, New Jersey for debarkation. After a twelve day journey traveling in convoy, he landed at Casablanca, North Africa as part of the 15th Air Force. Soon after arrival, Vera was subjected to attack by German aircraft. He tells of the work he did in the communications center. After a year the unit moved to Manduria, Italy where they remained until Germany surrendered. Vera returned to the United States and was discharged September 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Elnora Geer. Geer finished high school in 1933 and went to work as a telephone operator in McKinney, Texas. When the war started, Geer was married and had one child with another on the way when her husband was drafted in early 1944. Before her husband shipped overseas, she moved out to California with her babies. He was en route to the Philippines when the war ended and she was on hand to greet him upon his return to New Orleans.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Pedro De La Garza. De La Garza was drafted into the Army in December of 1942. He was assigned to the 329th Medical Battalion, 104th Infantry Division, nicknamed the Timberwolf Division. His military occupation specialty was ambulance orderly. From September of 1944 through July of 1945 he participated on the front lines in the European Theater. He traveled to France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, crossed the Rhine River and was located at the Elbe River when Germany surrendered. He provides details of his work, his travels and his experiences during nighttime combat. He was discharged in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James Olson. Olson was born in Lindsborg, Kansas on 14 April 1922. He grew up on a farm during the Dust Bowl days during the Great Depression years. He worked various jobs after graduating from high school in Cheyenne, Wyoming and on 26 October 1942, he joined the Navy. Upon enlisting, he was sent to Farragut, Idaho for boot training and fire control school. Upon completion of his schooling, he was sent to San Diego where he went aboard Patrol Craft 780 (PC-780) as the damage control officer with the responsibility of repairing anything that might be damaged aboard ship. The boat then sailed to Attu where they performed patrol duties for eleven months. The boat was then sent to Bremerton, Washington for supplies prior to sailing to Pearl Harbor where they performed escort duties until the end of the war. Olson received his discharge November 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lloyd C. Fons. 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 commaning 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.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Roger A. Ashenbrenner. Ashenbrenner was born 7 June 1922 in Washington D.C. He enlisted in the Navy 15 August 1942. He went to boot camp in Newport, Rhode Island. After brief periods as an armed guard at the Naval War College, amphibious training at Little Creek, Virginia, and a trip to Brooklyn, New York to man a new destroyer, he was finally sent to the merchant ship Mormac Swan as a member of the Navy Armed Guard. Their duty was to man the 3" gun mounted on the bow of the ship. After one trip across the Atlantic, Ashenbrenner was assigned to the Henry A. Wiley (DM-29). In November 1944, the Wiley escorted the battleships Missouri (BB-63), Texas (BB-35), and Arkansas (BB-33), and two escort carriers from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Arriving at Pearl Harbor, she then escorted the New York (BB-34) to join the covering force for the invasion of Iwo Jima. While there, Ashenbrenner witnessed both the original flag raising on Mt. Suribachi and the second raising immortalized by Joe Rosenthal. Once Iwo Jima was secured, the Wiley went to Okinawa to sweep mines. Subsequently …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Dale Perry. Perry joined the Navy at seventeen in August, 1943 before finishing high school. After basic training, he went to various schools to learn about torpedo operations before going to motor torpedo boat school in Rhode Island. He shipped to the Mediterranean Sea area and was assigned to PT-309. He shares several anectdotes about his time aboard the vessel. In 2020, Perry visiteed the museum and was allowed to go aboard his old boat one more time, PT-309.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bob McMahon. He enrolled in the Flying Cadet program while in college. After completing initial training in San Antonio, he was transferred to the 21st Pursuit Squadron at Hamilton Field in California where he trained in P-36s and P-40s. In November 1941 he embarked on the troop ship, USS Republic (AP-33) which was underway in the South Pacific on December 7. He arrived in Australia on December 21. In February, 1942 his squadron took off from Darwin to Indonesia when they encountered heavy weather and returned to the airfield, where he was attacked by Japanese fighter planes. He shot down three Japanese fighters before being wounded and forced to bail out of his damaged plane. He landed in a mangrove swamp and was rescued. McMahon watched hundreds of Japanese bombers destroy the Darwin airport and the adjacent RAAF field. The Australians evacuated Darwin and he was flown to Brisbane to recover from his wounds. After recovering, he joined the 39th Fighter Squadron operating out of New Guinea. He recalls escorting a B-26 during a flight out of Port Moresby, New Guinea on which Congressman Lyndon Johnson was embarked. …

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.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Roger A. Ashenbrenner. Ashenbrenner was born 7 June 1922 in Washington D.C. He enlisted in the Navy 15 August 1942. He went to boot camp in Newport, Rhode Island. After brief periods as an armed guard at the Naval War College, amphibious training at Little Creek, Virginia, and a trip to Brooklyn, New York to man a new destroyer, he was finally sent to the merchant ship Mormac Swan as a member of the Navy Armed Guard. Their duty was to man the 3" gun mounted on the bow of the ship. After one trip across the Atlantic, Ashenbrenner was assigned to the Henry A. Wiley (DM-29). In November 1944, the Wiley escorted the battleships Missouri (BB-63), Texas (BB-35), and Arkansas (BB-33), and two escort carriers from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Arriving at Pearl Harbor, she then escorted the New York (BB-34) to join the covering force for the invasion of Iwo Jima. While there, Ashenbrenner witnessed both the original flag raising on Mt. Suribachi and the second raising immortalized by Joe Rosenthal. Once Iwo Jima was secured, the Wiley went to Okinawa to sweep mines. Subsequently …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Dale Perry. Perry joined the Navy at seventeen in August, 1943 before finishing high school. After basic training, he went to various schools to learn about torpedo operations before going to motor torpedo boat school in Rhode Island. He shipped to the Mediterranean Sea area and was assigned to PT-309. He shares several anectdotes about his time aboard the vessel. In 2020, Perry visiteed the museum and was allowed to go aboard his old boat one more time, PT-309.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James Olson. Olson was born in Lindsborg, Kansas on 14 April 1922. He grew up on a farm during the Dust Bowl days during the Great Depression years. He worked various jobs after graduating from high school in Cheyenne, Wyoming and on 26 October 1942, he joined the Navy. Upon enlisting, he was sent to Farragut, Idaho for boot training and fire control school. Upon completion of his schooling, he was sent to San Diego where he went aboard Patrol Craft 780 (PC-780) as the damage control officer with the responsibility of repairing anything that might be damaged aboard ship. The boat then sailed to Attu where they performed patrol duties for eleven months. The boat was then sent to Bremerton, Washington for supplies prior to sailing to Pearl Harbor where they performed escort duties until the end of the war. Olson received his discharge November 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lloyd Overmyer. Overmyer graduated from high school in Monterey, Indiana in 1943 and was drafted into the Army on 20 June 1945. He was undergoing basic training in Little Rock, Arkansas when the war in Europe ended. Following military police training, he embarked on the troop ship USAT George Washington, which sailed to Bremerhaven, Germany. He provides several anecdotes of his transit and was training for the invasion of Japan when the war ended. At the Dachau concentration camp, Overmyer was assigned to guard SS soldiers awaiting trial and repatriated German POWs. He describes an unpleasant encounter with General Omar Bradley while serving occupation duty in Germany. He remembers seeing local German citizens being forced to the camp to see for themselves the conditions there and to help clean the facilities.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Pete Rocha. Rocha joined the Navy and trained at Great Lakes. He served as a storekeeper in Florida and Texas for a while before receiving amphibious training in Virginia. Rocha was assigned to LSM-262 as a storekeeper. Rocha recalls combat experiences at Okinawa and the Philippines. His battle station was on a 40mm gun at the bow. After the war, while ashore at Yokahama, Rocha encountered his brother.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bob McMahon. He enrolled in the Flying Cadet program while in college. After completing initial training in San Antonio, he was transferred to the 21st Pursuit Squadron at Hamilton Field in California where he trained in P-36s and P-40s. In November 1941 he embarked on the troop ship, USS Republic (AP-33) which was underway in the South Pacific on December 7. He arrived in Australia on December 21. In February, 1942 his squadron took off from Darwin to Indonesia when they encountered heavy weather and returned to the airfield, where he was attacked by Japanese fighter planes. He shot down three Japanese fighters before being wounded and forced to bail out of his damaged plane. He landed in a mangrove swamp and was rescued. McMahon watched hundreds of Japanese bombers destroy the Darwin airport and the adjacent RAAF field. The Australians evacuated Darwin and he was flown to Brisbane to recover from his wounds. After recovering, he joined the 39th Fighter Squadron operating out of New Guinea. He recalls escorting a B-26 during a flight out of Port Moresby, New Guinea on which Congressman Lyndon Johnson was embarked. …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lloyd C. Fons. 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 commaning 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.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Elnora Geer. Geer finished high school in 1933 and went to work as a telephone operator in McKinney, Texas. When the war started, Geer was married and had one child with another on the way when her husband was drafted in early 1944. Before her husband shipped overseas, she moved out to California with her babies. He was en route to the Philippines when the war ended and she was on hand to greet him upon his return to New Orleans.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Pedro De La Garza. De La Garza was drafted into the Army in December of 1942. He was assigned to the 329th Medical Battalion, 104th Infantry Division, nicknamed the Timberwolf Division. His military occupation specialty was ambulance orderly. From September of 1944 through July of 1945 he participated on the front lines in the European Theater. He traveled to France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, crossed the Rhine River and was located at the Elbe River when Germany surrendered. He provides details of his work, his travels and his experiences during nighttime combat. He was discharged in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Gilbert Vera. Vera was born in Benavides, Texas 5 March 1918. After graduating from high school in 1937, he worked various jobs until being drafted into the Army. After his induction, he was sent to Camp Wallace, Texas for three months of basic training. Vera was then sent to Hunter Field in Savannah, Georgia for six months training on communication equipment including the switchboard and telephone lines. Upon completion of the training he went to Fort Dix, New Jersey for debarkation. After a twelve day journey traveling in convoy, he landed at Casablanca, North Africa as part of the 15th Air Force. Soon after arrival, Vera was subjected to attack by German aircraft. He tells of the work he did in the communications center. After a year the unit moved to Manduria, Italy where they remained until Germany surrendered. Vera returned to the United States and was discharged September 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Joe Snyder. Snyder was born in Kansas City, Missouri on 8 July 1918. He was working for the Kansas City Star newspaper when he was drafted in November 1941. After completing basic training at Fort Riley, Kansas, he applied for Officer Candidate School. He was accepted and sent to the Armor Center at Fort Knox, Kentucky for training. Upon graduating, he was commissioned a second lieutenant and ordered to report to the 14th Armored Division at Camp Chafee, Arkansas. After participating in maneuvers he was named Public Information Officer for the division. Soon thereafter, he went to New Caledonia with the 25th Infantry Division. While there, he wrote hometown stories about various servicemen and sent them to their hometown newspapers for publication. Leaving New Caledonia, he joined General MacArthur’s Headquarters at Hollandia, New Guinea. Snyder was present during the invasions of Morotai, Leyte and Corregidor and describes the combat he observed. He recalls landing at Atsugi Airfield, Japan and being aboard the USS Missouri (BB-63) when the Surrender Agreement was signed by members of the Japanese delegation. Following the ceremony, Snyder visited Nagasaki, Japan and vividly describes the …

Letter from Joe to his wife Catherine discussing drinking beer the night before, the improvement of the food, noting that it has been five months since he shipped out, and the weather.