Oral History Interview with Jack M. Lyons, April 27, 2018 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Jack M. Lyons, April 27, 2018

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jack M. Lyons. He discusses his childhood and growing up during the Great Depression and what led him to join the Us Naval Aviation program. He describes his experiences in flight school, basic training and fighting in the Pacific Theatre during World War Two.
Date: April 27, 2018
Creator: Lyons, Jack M. & Misenhimer, Richard
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Jack M. Lyons, April 27, 2018 transcript

Oral History Interview with Jack M. Lyons, April 27, 2018

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jack M. Lyons. He discusses his childhood and growing up during the Great Depression and what led him to join the Us Naval Aviation program. He describes his experiences in flight school, basic training and fighting in the Pacific Theatre during World War Two.
Date: April 27, 2018
Creator: Lyons, Jack M. & Misenhimer, Richard
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Marvin Lee Dunlap, April 26, 2018 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Marvin Lee Dunlap, April 26, 2018

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Marvin Lee Dunlap. He discusses his family and childhood growing up during the Great Depression and what led him to join the US Navy. He describes his experiences in bootcamp and fighting in the Pacific Theatre on the USS Duluth during World War Two.
Date: April 26, 2018
Creator: Dunlap, Marvin Lee & Misenhimer, Richard
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Marvin Lee Dunlap, April 26, 2018 transcript

Oral History Interview with Marvin Lee Dunlap, April 26, 2018

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Marvin Lee Dunlap. He discusses his family and childhood growing up during the Great Depression and what led him to join the US Navy. He describes his experiences in bootcamp and fighting in the Pacific Theatre on the USS Duluth during World War Two.
Date: April 26, 2018
Creator: Dunlap, Marvin Lee & Misenhimer, Richard
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Charles H. Tucker, April 18, 2017 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Charles H. Tucker, April 18, 2017

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles H. Tucker from Orange, California. He discusses volunteering for the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1943 and going to basic training in Miami Beach, Florida, then going to Aircraft Armament School in Buckley Field, Colorado, and finally air gunnery school in Fort Myers, Florida. In air gunnery school, Mr. Tucker learned to shoot in B-17 by shooting into the Gulf of Mexico. After gunnery school he was sent to the B-25 crew training at Columbia, South Carolina for 5 months. After Mr. Tucker completed his training, he was transferred to Dacca to a B-25 base and joined the 10th Air Force, the 12th Bomb Group. When he arrived his crew pilots were reassigned, and Mr. Tucker was not able to fly much until he was assigned to a regular crew again. Mr. Tucker was put in the 729th bomb squadron tasked with supporting the British 14th Army against the Japanese forces in Burma. The campaign he was involved in ended in May 1945 with the capture of Rangoon, the main city of Burma and Mr. tucker was in one of the squadron planes that flew over the …
Date: April 18, 2017
Creator: Tucker, Charles H.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Charles H. Tucker, April 18, 2017 transcript

Oral History Interview with Charles H. Tucker, April 18, 2017

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles H. Tucker from Orange, California. He discusses volunteering for the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1943 and going to basic training in Miami Beach, Florida, then going to Aircraft Armament School in Buckley Field, Colorado, and finally air gunnery school in Fort Myers, Florida. In air gunnery school, Mr. Tucker learned to shoot in B-17 by shooting into the Gulf of Mexico. After gunnery school he was sent to the B-25 crew training at Columbia, South Carolina for 5 months. After Mr. Tucker completed his training, he was transferred to Dacca to a B-25 base and joined the 10th Air Force, the 12th Bomb Group. When he arrived his crew pilots were reassigned, and Mr. Tucker was not able to fly much until he was assigned to a regular crew again. Mr. Tucker was put in the 729th bomb squadron tasked with supporting the British 14th Army against the Japanese forces in Burma. The campaign he was involved in ended in May 1945 with the capture of Rangoon, the main city of Burma and Mr. tucker was in one of the squadron planes that flew over the …
Date: April 18, 2017
Creator: Tucker, Charles H.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Al D'Agostino, April 19, 2012 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Al D'Agostino, April 19, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Al D’Agostino. D’Agostino joined the Merchant Marine in 1945 and received training in Brooklyn. Upon completion, he was assigned to the SS Monterey where he worked as a butcher. His first trip to the Pacific was transporting European troops, who were unhappy about the looming invasion of Japan. The war ended while the Monterey was in transit, and the soldiers returning home were a much happier bunch. Even more joyful was the reunion of families when the Monterey picked up war brides and their babies from all over the Pacific and brought them back to the States. He transferred to a Liberty ship that brought German war criminals back to the States from South America, although he believes that the majority of the passengers were actually concentration camp survivors. D’Agostino was discharged but was drafted again during the Korean War and served as a radio relay operator atop a mountain in dangerous and harsh winter conditions. When he was discharged a second time, he applied his kitchen experience and attended Cornell’s hotel school. D’Agostino became the director of food service for Trans World Airlines. Before retiring, he moved …
Date: April 19, 2012
Creator: D'Agostino, Al
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Al D'Agostino, April 19, 2012 transcript

Oral History Interview with Al D'Agostino, April 19, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Al D’Agostino. D’Agostino joined the Merchant Marine in 1945 and received training in Brooklyn. Upon completion, he was assigned to the SS Monterey where he worked as a butcher. His first trip to the Pacific was transporting European troops, who were unhappy about the looming invasion of Japan. The war ended while the Monterey was in transit, and the soldiers returning home were a much happier bunch. Even more joyful was the reunion of families when the Monterey picked up war brides and their babies from all over the Pacific and brought them back to the States. He transferred to a Liberty ship that brought German war criminals back to the States from South America, although he believes that the majority of the passengers were actually concentration camp survivors. D’Agostino was discharged but was drafted again during the Korean War and served as a radio relay operator atop a mountain in dangerous and harsh winter conditions. When he was discharged a second time, he applied his kitchen experience and attended Cornell’s hotel school. D’Agostino became the director of food service for Trans World Airlines. Before retiring, he moved …
Date: April 19, 2012
Creator: D'Agostino, Al
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Michael W. Deery, April 19, 2012 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Michael W. Deery, April 19, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Michael W. Deery. He discusses his family, growing up during the Great Depression and what led him to join the US Navy. He describes his experiences during bootcamp and in the Pacific Theatre during World War Two.
Date: April 19, 2012
Creator: Deery, Michael W. & Misenhimer, Richard
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Michael W. Deery, April 19, 2012 transcript

Oral History Interview with Michael W. Deery, April 19, 2012

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Michael W. Deery. He discusses his family, growing up during the Great Depression and what led him to join the US Navy. He describes his experiences during bootcamp and in the Pacific Theatre during World War Two.
Date: April 19, 2012
Creator: Deery, Michael W. & Misenhimer, Richard
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Karel Dahmen, April 20, 2011 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Karel Dahmen, April 20, 2011

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Karel Dahmen. Dahmen was born in the Netherlands and witnessed the bombing of Rotterdam in May 1940. He recalls the chaos of fires burning and people being shot. With two friends he quickly manned a vacant boat and carried 45 Jews across the North Sea to England, using only a compass and school atlas for navigation. He joined the Dutch Navy in February 1941 and was assigned to HNLMS Jacob van Heemskerck as a radar operator. He went in convoy to Iceland to dismantle a German weather station. Dahmen recalls picking up Germans who were eager to turn themselves in and become prisoners-of-war. At the end of the year he attended officer school and became an engineer officer. He was then assigned to the Dutch Naval Liaison office in England, where he received messages and delivered news of the attack on Pearl Harbor to the Dutch prime minister. After the war he was sent for training at Camp Lejeune and Camp Endicott to work with Marines and Seabees in preparation for deployment to Indonesia. With the Dutch Marine Corps, he facilitated Indonesia’s transition to independence. Dahmen was reunited …
Date: April 20, 2011
Creator: Dahmen, Karel
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Karel Dahmen, April 20, 2011 transcript

Oral History Interview with Karel Dahmen, April 20, 2011

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Karel Dahmen. Dahmen was born in the Netherlands and witnessed the bombing of Rotterdam in May 1940. He recalls the chaos of fires burning and people being shot. With two friends he quickly manned a vacant boat and carried 45 Jews across the North Sea to England, using only a compass and school atlas for navigation. He joined the Dutch Navy in February 1941 and was assigned to HNLMS Jacob van Heemskerck as a radar operator. He went in convoy to Iceland to dismantle a German weather station. Dahmen recalls picking up Germans who were eager to turn themselves in and become prisoners-of-war. At the end of the year he attended officer school and became an engineer officer. He was then assigned to the Dutch Naval Liaison office in England, where he received messages and delivered news of the attack on Pearl Harbor to the Dutch prime minister. After the war he was sent for training at Camp Lejeune and Camp Endicott to work with Marines and Seabees in preparation for deployment to Indonesia. With the Dutch Marine Corps, he facilitated Indonesia’s transition to independence. Dahmen was reunited …
Date: April 20, 2011
Creator: Dahmen, Karel
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Albert Donaldson, April 14, 2009 transcript

Oral History Interview with Albert Donaldson, April 14, 2009

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Albert Donaldson. Donaldson talks about how the Great Depression affected his family. He joined the Navy in 1944 and provides details of his training. He traveled aboard the USS Buckingham (APA-141). They traveled to Pearl Harbor, which he describes along with his responsibilities with work parties unloading and reloading ships. He assisted with trading out old ammunition for new ammunition. He was transferred to the John Rodgers Naval Air Station in Hawaii. He worked on the Martin Mars seaplanes, repairing and test flying them. He also flew C-54s and the J-3 Piper Cub and shares his experiences. He spent the remainder of his Navy career in Hawaii and was discharged in August of 1946 and joined the reserves. While in the service he made storekeeper 3rd class. In the 1950s he was commissioned into the Air Force.
Date: April 14, 2009
Creator: Donaldson, Albert
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Albert Donaldson, April 14, 2009 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Albert Donaldson, April 14, 2009

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Albert Donaldson. Donaldson talks about how the Great Depression affected his family. He joined the Navy in 1944 and provides details of his training. He traveled aboard the USS Buckingham (APA-141). They traveled to Pearl Harbor, which he describes along with his responsibilities with work parties unloading and reloading ships. He assisted with trading out old ammunition for new ammunition. He was transferred to the John Rodgers Naval Air Station in Hawaii. He worked on the Martin Mars seaplanes, repairing and test flying them. He also flew C-54s and the J-3 Piper Cub and shares his experiences. He spent the remainder of his Navy career in Hawaii and was discharged in August of 1946 and joined the reserves. While in the service he made storekeeper 3rd class. In the 1950s he was commissioned into the Air Force.
Date: April 14, 2009
Creator: Donaldson, Albert
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Paul Jackson, April 10, 2008 transcript

Oral History Interview with Paul Jackson, April 10, 2008

Interview with Paul Jackson, a U. S. Marine during World War II. He discusses his time in boot camp at Camp Pendleton and his combat experiences in the Battle of Iwo Jima.
Date: April 10, 2008
Creator: Roberts, Virginia & Jackson, Paul
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with L. B. Blackmon, April 10, 2007 transcript

Oral History Interview with L. B. Blackmon, April 10, 2007

Interview with L. B. Blackmon, a serviceman in the U. S. Navy during World War II. He discusses boot camp in San Diego, his assignment to Pearl Harbor, and his experiences during the attack. He later trained cadets in Corpus Christi.
Date: April 10, 2007
Creator: Misenhimer, Richard & Blackmon, L. B.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with L. B. Blackmon, April 10, 2007 (open access)

Oral History Interview with L. B. Blackmon, April 10, 2007

Transcription of a phone interview with L. B. Blackmon of Corpus Christi, Texas, a World War Two veteran of the United States Marine Corps. In the interview, Mr. Brown talks about his time in the Marines as well as life growing up during the Great Depression and other biographical information. He recalls memories of surviving Pearl Harbor, guard duty around naval storage in Hawaii, and the Horse Marines.
Date: April 10, 2007
Creator: Misenhimer, Richard & Blackmon, L. B.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Albert Finley, April 11, 2006 transcript

Oral History Interview with Albert Finley, April 11, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Albert Finley. Finley joined the Marine Corps around December of 1943. He provides vivid details of his boot camp experiences. He served with Headquarters Company, 4th Marines, as a radar mechanic on Corsairs, repairing radio and radar gear. Beginning in September of 1944 they traveled to Guam, Kwajalein, Pearl Harbor and Majuro in the Marshall Islands. Finley shares a number of anecdotal stories, including working with POWs. He was discharged in the fall of 1946.
Date: April 11, 2006
Creator: Finley, Albert
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Albert Finley, April 11, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Albert Finley, April 11, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Albert Finley. Finley joined the Marine Corps around December of 1943. He provides vivid details of his boot camp experiences. He served with Headquarters Company, 4th Marines, as a radar mechanic on Corsairs, repairing radio and radar gear. Beginning in September of 1944 they traveled to Guam, Kwajalein, Pearl Harbor and Majuro in the Marshall Islands. Finley shares a number of anecdotal stories, including working with POWs. He was discharged in the fall of 1946.
Date: April 11, 2006
Creator: Finley, Albert
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Guinn Rasbury, April 30, 2004 transcript

Oral History Interview with Guinn Rasbury, April 30, 2004

Interview with Guinn Rasbury, a U. S. Marine during World War II. He discusses joining the Marines, being part of the invasion force at Florida and Tulagi Islands, having multiple malaria attacks, being transferred to Maine to cure his malaria, being transferred around the United States, and finally returning to the Pacific theater. He explains how being sick with malaria and getting bumped from a plane ride home saved his life. He shares anecdotes about sounding "Taps" at a memorial service for President Roosevelt and being chairman of the Second Marine Division Memorial Scholarship Fund Committee.
Date: April 30, 2004
Creator: Graham, Eddie & Rasbury, Guinn
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with H. L. Obermiller, April 30, 2004 transcript

Oral History Interview with H. L. Obermiller, April 30, 2004

Interview with H. L. Obermiller, a Pharmacist's Mate during World War II. He discusses his involvement in the Battles of Tarawa, Saipan and Tinian, where he served as a Pharmacist's Mate. He remembers having Spam for Thanksgiving, meeting Navajo code talkers, and writing letters home.
Date: April 30, 2004
Creator: Metzler, Ed & Obermiller, H. L.
Object Type: Sound
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.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Owen Fluckey, August 21, 2004 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Owen Fluckey, August 21, 2004

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Owen Fluckey. He discusses his childhood and family and what led him to join the US navy. He describes his experiences in bootcamp at the Great Lakes Training Station in Indiana and his time in the Pacific Theatre during World War Two.
Date: April 21, 2004
Creator: Fluckey, Owen; Tombaugh, John B. & Meter, Peggy Van
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Afton Keeton, April 5, 2003 transcript

Oral History Interview with Afton Keeton, April 5, 2003

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Afton Keeton. Keeton joined the Navy in early 1942. He completed Hospital Corps School, and served as a Pharmacist’s Mate. He volunteered for Submarine School. From 1944 through the end of the war, Keeton worked in the sick bays aboard USS Seadragon (SS-194) and USS Tilefish (SS-307). He shares numerous anecdotes of his work aboard the submarines, though does not go into detail of where they traveled through the Pacific. Keeton continued his service after World War II, and retired in February of 1972.
Date: April 5, 2003
Creator: Keeton, Afton
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History