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.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Cornelius D. Wiens, November 26, 2000 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Cornelius D. Wiens, November 26, 2000

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Cornelius D. Wiens. Wiens grew up in Montana and Kansas and was drafted into the Army in 1944. After completing training, he departed about the Sea Snipe for the Philippines. His first landing was at Leyte, where he remained fighting for three months. He describes coming to land on the small landing craft. From Leyte he went to Negros, then Masbate, and finally Mindanao. He describes the Japanese soldiers who were unwilling to surrender. After Japan's surrender he also spent time in Korea as a radio operator.
Date: November 26, 2000
Creator: Wiens, Cornelius D.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with David Straus, September 17, 2001 transcript

Oral History Interview with David Straus, September 17, 2001

Interview with David Straus of San Antonio, Texas, a veteran from the United States Marine Corps during World War Two in the Pacific Theater as well as the Korean War. The interview includes some of Straus' background before the war and his personal experiences while in the Marines, including memories of Okinawa, various weapons, what happened at the end of World War Two, and his assignment in Korea.
Date: September 17, 2001
Creator: Cox, Floyd & Straus, David
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with David Straus, September 17, 2001 (open access)

Oral History Interview with David Straus, September 17, 2001

Interview with David Straus of San Antonio, Texas, a veteran from the United States Marine Corps during World War Two in the Pacific Theater as well as the Korean War. The interview includes some of Straus' background before the war and his personal experiences while in the Marines, including memories of Okinawa, various weapons, what happened at the end of World War Two, and his assignment in Korea.
Date: September 17, 2001
Creator: Cox, Floyd & Straus, David
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Al Stevens, March 27, 2006 transcript

Oral History Interview with Al Stevens, March 27, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Al Stevens. He graduated from Michigan State University in 1943 as a metallurgical engineer. He enlisted in the Navy in 1944 in Detroit, Michigan. He attended the Navy Electronics School at Harvard University as well as a specialized radar training program organized by MIT at the Harbor Building in Boston, Massachusetts. He received further training in radar countermeasures at Ocracoke Island, North Carolina. He served on the USS Wasatch (ACG-9). When the ship was anchored, he was assigned to deliver orders and mail. He describes the Operation Olympic portion of the plan to invade Japan. He was part of the force that occupied Wakanoura and Nagoya, Japan. He shares an anecdote about obtaining a Japanese sword as a souvenir in Nagoya. In North China he participated in the repatriation of the Japanese, Chinese, and Koreans. He wrote a book, ?Up Close and Personal,? about his World War II experiences.
Date: March 27, 2006
Creator: Stevens, Al
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Al Stevens, March 27, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Al Stevens, March 27, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Al Stevens. He graduated from Michigan State University in 1943 as a metallurgical engineer. He enlisted in the Navy in 1944 in Detroit, Michigan. He attended the Navy Electronics School at Harvard University as well as a specialized radar training program organized by MIT at the Harbor Building in Boston, Massachusetts. He received further training in radar countermeasures at Ocracoke Island, North Carolina. He served on the USS Wasatch (ACG-9). When the ship was anchored, he was assigned to deliver orders and mail. He describes the Operation Olympic portion of the plan to invade Japan. He was part of the force that occupied Wakanoura and Nagoya, Japan. He shares an anecdote about obtaining a Japanese sword as a souvenir in Nagoya. In North China he participated in the repatriation of the Japanese, Chinese, and Koreans. He wrote a book, ?Up Close and Personal,? about his World War II experiences.
Date: March 27, 2006
Creator: Stevens, Al
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Dean Caswell, December 8, 2021 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Dean Caswell, December 8, 2021

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Dean Caswell. Caswell volunteered for the Marine Corps two weeks prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. He eventually went to flight training before being assigned aboard USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) from which he flew Corsairs. Caswell made over 100 combat flights from Bunker Hill, eventually becoming an ace with Marine Fighter Squadron 221 (VMF-221). He shares on anecdote about getting seven enemy planes in one mission. He also shares anecdotes from throughout his long career in the Marine Corps.
Date: December 8, 2021
Creator: Caswell, Dean
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Transcript of Letter from Chester W. Nimitz to Charles Henry Nimitz, September 1905] (open access)

[Transcript of Letter from Chester W. Nimitz to Charles Henry Nimitz, September 1905]

Transcription of letter from Chester Nimitz to his grandfather in Fredericksburg. Nimitz, writing from China, mentions leaving Manila just as a cholera outbreak occurred. Nimitz mentions his travel plans for he interior of China. He mentions the Boxer Rebellion briefly and various news on some other classmates in the fleet. He also describes a malfunction with one of his torpedoes. Between the time Nimitz started this letter and mailed it, he took an inland trip to Peking, which he describes. He also mentions going to Korea and escorting members of the Taft Party (including Alice Roosevelt).
Date: {1905-09-08,1905-09-11,1905-09-12,1905-09-16}
Creator: Nimitz, Chester W. (Chester William), 1885-1966
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Transcript of Letter from Chester W. Nimitz to William Nimitz, September 1905] (open access)

[Transcript of Letter from Chester W. Nimitz to William Nimitz, September 1905]

Transcription of letter from Chester Nimitz to his father in Kerrville. Nimitz describes his visit to Seoul, Korea. He also writes about having crowd control duty during a friendly football game between crew members from two different ships. He mentions also that the USS Ohio (BB-12) is at Shanghai and will be going upriver to Nanking soon.
Date: {1905-09-20,1905-09-23,1905-09-30}
Creator: Nimitz, Chester W. (Chester William), 1885-1966
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from Chester W. Nimitz to William Nimitz, September 1905] (open access)

[Letter from Chester W. Nimitz to William Nimitz, September 1905]

Handwritten letter from Chester Nimitz to his father in Kerrville. Nimitz describes his visit to Seoul, Korea. He also writes about having crowd control duty during a friendly football game between crew members from two different ships. He mentions also that the USS Ohio (BB-12) is at Shanghai and will be going upriver to nanking soon.
Date: {1905-09-20,1905-09-23,1905-09-30}
Creator: Nimitz, Chester W. (Chester William), 1885-1966
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from Chester W. Nimitz to Charles Henry Nimitz, September 1905] (open access)

[Letter from Chester W. Nimitz to Charles Henry Nimitz, September 1905]

Handwritten letter from Chester Nimitz to his grandfather in Fredericksburg. Nimitz, writing from China, mentions leaving Manila just as a cholera outbreak occurred. Nimitz mentions his travel plans for he interior of China. He mentions the Boxer Rebellion briefly and various news on some other classmates in the fleet. He also describes a malfunction with one of his torpedoes. Between the time Nimitz started this letter and mailed it, he took an inland trip to Peking, which he describes. He also mentions going to Korea and escorting members of the Taft Party (including Alice Roosevelt).
Date: {1905-09-08,1905-09-11,1905-09-12,1905-09-16}
Creator: Nimitz, Chester W. (Chester William), 1885-1966
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History