Letter to the press about the USS Anzio (CVE-57) and the experiences of her crew in the Pacific Theater from her commission in August, 1943 to the end of the war in September, 1945.

Photograph of wounded soldiers aboard a Hospital Plane from Makin Island. Two soldiers are sat on cots and looking at a shirtless soldier standing in the middle of the plane. The middle soldier seems to be holding a Japanese flag with writing on it.

Photograph of wounded soldiers being transported by boat to air hospital near Makin Atoll in Gilbert Islands.

Photograph of a hospital plane at Makin being loaded with wounded soldiers. Two wounded soldiers are laying in cots beside the plane, and one is being picked up by two unidentified shirtless soldiers. Several other unidentified soldiers are working behind the cots.

Photograph of marines at Apamama Atoll in the Gilbert Islands moving supplies. The marines are working around several trucks filled with supplies. Military ships are sat in the water in the background of the photo.

Photograph of Admiral Nimitz (far left) touring Tarawa after a battle. Three unidentified men stand in front of Nimitz and the one closest to Nimitz points towards the end of a war weapon used in the battle.

Photograph of the Marine Raider Battalion troops after a successful raid on Makin Island.

Photograph of Admiral Nimitz, Col. Carlson and Lt. Gen. Delos C. Emmons after Col. Carlson's return from a raid on Makin Island. Admiral Nimitz is holding a Japanese officer's sword and pistol that was presented to him by Col. Carlson.

Photograph of Admiral Chester W. Nimitz inspects Tarawa with a group of other men. Two men stand on the far left in light-colored uniforms with two pockets on the front, stars pinned to their collars, belts, trousers, thick soled shoes and brimmed hats with the Navy's emblem on the front. In the center stands another man with a cigar in his hands, and Chester W. Nimitz. They wear the same light-colored uniforms but with side caps on instead. Another man stands in front of Chester W. Nimitz pointing to the left again wearing the light-colored uniform but with glasses, a utility belt and helmet with "Page" written across the side. Three other men stands in the back on the right, two are almost totally obscured from view.

Photograph of Admiral Chester W. Nimitz as he inspects Tarawa with a large group of men in uniform. Chester W. Nimitz stands in the center, walking down a small slope trailed by the majority of his group with only three men ahead of him. They are surrounded by cut down trees, sticks, remnants of tents and sandbags.

Interview with Lyle Specht, a Marine Corps veteran, concerning his combat experiences with the 6th Marines at Guadalcanal, Tarawa, and Okinawa in the Pacific Theater during World War II.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Franklin B. Murphy of Milford, Maine. He discusses enlisting in the U.S. Marines and going through basic training in South Carolina before completing his communications training in North Carolina. He also talks about his journey from Hawaii to Tarawa and the horrors he saw when they arrived and started to set up communication lines. Mr. Murphy was assigned to the twenty-fourth marines as their communication before being sent to Iwo Jima. He was in Guam for some recreational time when the bombs were dropped on Japan and the war ended, he was then discharged December of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Franklin B. Murphy of Milford, Maine. He discusses enlisting in the U.S. Marines and going through basic training in South Carolina before completing his communications training in North Carolina. He also talks about his journey from Hawaii to Tarawa and the horrors he saw when they arrived and started to set up communication lines. Mr. Murphy was assigned to the twenty-fourth marines as their communication before being sent to Iwo Jima. He was in Guam for some recreational time when the bombs were dropped on Japan and the war ended, he was then discharged December of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Al Jowdy. Jowdy enlisted in the Navy in July 1942 at the age of 15, with his parents’ consent. His first assignment was pulling bodies out of sunken ships in Pearl Harbor. At Guadalcanal, his ship was torpedoed. Due to the presence of enemy subs, he could not be rescued initially and spent two weeks floating in a raft. Then he joined a rescue effort to aid the USS Wasp (CV-7), only to be torpedoed again, spending another four days in the water. Jowdy was then assigned to the USS Salt Lake City (CA-25), patrolling the Bering Sea and participating in the Battle of the Komandorski Islands as a second loader on a 40-millimeter. After witnessing the Marianas Turkey Shoot and also seeing MacArthur film his famous return, Jowdy participated in the bombardment of Iwo Jima, amidst kamikazes and suicide boats. After the war, he survived a typhoon and served occupation duty in Japan, later transporting troops as part of the demobilization effort before being discharged in January 1946.

Transcript of an oral interview with Al Heigel. When Heigel finished high school in June, 1944, he joined the Navy at Little Rock, Arkansas and went for boot training at San Diego. He was assigned as a radar operator and reported aboard the USS Independence (CVL-22) at Pearl Harbor. Heigel describes the light carrier and its construction and features. He also speaks of the time the Independence was hit by a torpedo off Tarawa in 1943. Heigel then describes events off Okinawa: watching the USS Franklin (CV-13) being bombed off Okinawa; locating and shooting down kamikazes; describing battle stations; aircraft water landings; being in a typhoon, etc. After the war ended, the Independence served as a troop transport taking GIs back home to the US. He describes bunks in the hangar deck and arriving in Portland, Oregon. As the Independence was being prepared for the Bikini Atoll atomic tests, Heigel got off becuase he had the requisite amount of points allowing him to be discharged. He then entered the lumber business, married and raised family.

Transcript of an oral monologue with Hal Lamar. He reflects on Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz during his time serving as the Admiral's personal aide and secretary. He describes Nimitz's character and abilities as a leader. Lamar shares anecdotes about visiting wounded men and awarding Purple Heart medals, other officers coming to call, recreating, visiting Tarawa ,and activities at the new headquarters on Guam.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Alan Fouts. Fouts joined the Navy in 1939 and trained in San Diego. Upon completion of basic training, Fouts joined the USS Argonne (AG-31). Later, he was stationed at the submarine base at Pearl Harbor when the war started. He recalls witnessing the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor. He managed to get guns operational on the USS Widgeon (AM-22) before it got underway during the attack. Between the attacks, Fouts went alongside the USS Arizona (BB-39) and measured the holes in the hull. He continued serving as a diver at Noumea and Samoa in 1942-1943. He volunteered for submarine duty and was made five war patrols aboard the USS Pogy (SS- 266). Fouts tells several submarine stories. After the war, Fouts remained in the Navy for thirty years.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Al Jowdy. Jowdy enlisted in the Navy in July 1942 at the age of 15, with his parents’ consent. His first assignment was pulling bodies out of sunken ships in Pearl Harbor. At Guadalcanal, his ship was torpedoed. Due to the presence of enemy subs, he could not be rescued initially and spent two weeks floating in a raft. Then he joined a rescue effort to aid the USS Wasp (CV-7), only to be torpedoed again, spending another four days in the water. Jowdy was then assigned to the USS Salt Lake City (CA-25), patrolling the Bering Sea and participating in the Battle of the Komandorski Islands as a second loader on a 40-millimeter. After witnessing the Marianas Turkey Shoot and also seeing MacArthur film his famous return, Jowdy participated in the bombardment of Iwo Jima, amidst kamikazes and suicide boats. After the war, he survived a typhoon and served occupation duty in Japan, later transporting troops as part of the demobilization effort before being discharged in January 1946.

Transcript of an oral interview with Al Heigel. When Heigel finished high school in June, 1944, he joined the Navy at Little Rock, Arkansas and went for boot training at San Diego. He was assigned as a radar operator and reported aboard the USS Independence (CVL-22) at Pearl Harbor. Heigel describes the light carrier and its construction and features. He also speaks of the time the Independence was hit by a torpedo off Tarawa in 1943. Heigel then describes events off Okinawa: watching the USS Franklin (CV-13) being bombed off Okinawa; locating and shooting down kamikazes; describing battle stations; aircraft water landings; being in a typhoon, etc. After the war ended, the Independence served as a troop transport taking GIs back home to the US. He describes bunks in the hangar deck and arriving in Portland, Oregon. As the Independence was being prepared for the Bikini Atoll atomic tests, Heigel got off becuase he had the requisite amount of points allowing him to be discharged. He then entered the lumber business, married and raised family.

Transcript of an oral monologue with Hal Lamar. He reflects on Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz during his time serving as the Admiral's personal aide and secretary. He describes Nimitz's character and abilities as a leader. Lamar shares anecdotes about visiting wounded men and awarding Purple Heart medals, other officers coming to call, recreating, visiting Tarawa ,and activities at the new headquarters on Guam.

Transcript of an interview with George E. Charland, a Native American Marine Corps veteran, concerning his experiences during World War II. Charland discusses his experiences with the 3rd Marine Defense Battalion during the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941; his experiences with the 2nd Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, at Guadalcanal, 1942; his experiences with E Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, at Tarawa, 1943; his experiences with the 4th Marine Division at Saipan and Tinian, 1944, and Iwo Jima, 1945; medical discharge in April, 1945.

Transcript of an interview with Admiral J. Lloyd Abbot, Jr., a Navy veteran, comments about his service in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Abbot discusses the U. S. Naval Academy, 1935-39; assignment to USS Enterprise, 1939; assignment to USS Gilmer, 1939-41; flight training at Pensacola, 1941; assignment to Advanced Carrier Training Group (Pacific), 1941-42; assignment to VF-6 (Fighting 6) aboard the USS Enterprise, 1942; assignment to VS-1D-14 in the South Pacific, 1942-43; commanding officer of VS-66, Wallis Island, 1943; antisubmarine patrols out of Wallis Island; assignment to Nanumea, 1943; assignment to Tarawa, 1943-44, with an SBD squadron; assignment to the Chief of Naval Air Training, Pensacola, 1944-46, as engineering officer; and his postwar naval and civilian career.

Interview with First Sergeant Lewis J. Michelony, Jr., a Marine Corps veteran, concerning his experiences in the Pacific Theater during World War II and the Korean War. Michelony discusses his assignment to the 6th Marines in 1943, Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan, and Tinian, as well as Korea and the Chosin Reservoir.

Transcript of an interview with Commander Edmund Thomassen, a Navy veteran, concerning his experiences as a naval officer in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Thomassen discusses the New York State Merchant Marine Academy in 1941, his assignment to the USS Sheridan (APA 51), Tarawa landing, Marshall Island landings, Saipan landing, his assignment to Newport, Rhode Island, his assignment to the USS Dutchess for amphibious landings, and his Korean War experiences.