Oral History Interview with Al Jowdy, September 21, 2008 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Al Jowdy, September 21, 2008

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.
Date: September 21, 2008
Creator: Jowdy, Al
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Al Jowdy, September 21, 2008 transcript

Oral History Interview with Al Jowdy, September 21, 2008

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.
Date: September 21, 2008
Creator: Jowdy, Al
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History

Newsmap. For the Armed Forces. 237th week of the war, 119th week of U.S. participation

Front: Text describes action on various war fronts: Southeast Asia, Italy, USSR, Southwest Pacific, Central Pacific, Kuriles. Maps: Central Pacific; Cassino area; Burma. Insets: Cassino. Includes 6 photographs. Back: USS Ranger. 10 photographs and text illustrate recent operations.
Date: March 27, 1944
Creator: [United States.] Army Service Forces. Morale Services Division. Army Information Branch.
Object Type: Poster
System: The UNT Digital Library

Newsmap. Monday, February 21, 1944 : week of February 10 to February 17 : 232nd week of the war, 114th week of U.S. participation

Front: Text describes action on various war fronts: Italy, USSR, Western Europe, Southwest Pacific, Central Pacific, Submarines. Maps show the Gulf of Finland, Russia; Italy. Inset map shows Cassino area, Italy. Includes 11 photographs. Back: Landing Craft. Illustrations and photographs of various landing craft with descriptive text.
Date: February 21, 1944
Creator: [United States.] Army Service Forces. Morale Services Division. Army Information Branch.
Object Type: Poster
System: The UNT Digital Library

Newsmap. Monday, December 6, 1943 : week of November 25 to December 2, 221st week of the war, 103rd week of U.S. participation

Text describes action on various war fronts: Italy, USSR, Germany, Central Pacific, Southwest Pacific, China, Plans. Inset maps: central Italy, northeast New Guinea, Action areas in central and southwest Pacific, Truk Is., Nauru, Wotje, Jaluit, Makin, Tarawa. Photographs: Australian Air Force Beaufighter, Sgt. Ben Kuroki of Hershey, Nebraska, Captured Soviet equipment, Rescued blindfolded Nazi. German built road in Isernia. Back: Text and 11 illustrations highlight the 11 general orders that must be known by sentinels.
Date: December 6, 1943
Creator: [United States.] Army Orientation Course.
Object Type: Poster
System: The UNT Digital Library