Oral History Interview with James Phinney, July 15, 2010 transcript

Oral History Interview with James Phinney, July 15, 2010

Interview with James (Jim) Phinney, an aircraft electrician for the U. S. Navy during Wold War II. He discusses joining the Navy, going through boot camp and becoming an aircraft electrician. He was assigned to the USS Lexington but abandoned ship after it was hit by a torpedo. He was rescued and was then sent to San Diego to be reassigned to the USS Enterprise. He mentions being at Guadalcanal and later aboard a sub-chaser. The crew crossed the Equator and consequently participated in an initiation ceremony, during which time Admiral Halsey was nearly shot by one of the ship's pilots who forgot to lock his gun. He also recalls some of the food he ate while at sea.
Date: July 15, 2010
Creator: Cox, Floyd; Phinney, James & O'Konski, Susan
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from Joe Davis to Catherine Davis - July 15, 1944] (open access)

[Letter from Joe Davis to Catherine Davis - July 15, 1944]

Letter from Joe to his wife Catherine discussing taking a test on the last day of gunnery school, flying a gunnery mission, seeing the movie "The Sultan's Daughter," and asking if she received the money he sent her.
Date: July 15, 1944
Creator: Davis, Joseph Emmett
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from Catherine Davis to Joe Davis - July 15, 1944] (open access)

[Letter from Catherine Davis to Joe Davis - July 15, 1944]

Letter from Catherine to her husband Joe discussing news from home, including that James Logan received the Congressional Medal of Honor, supper with Baker and Neel, and a potential trip to Gonzales.
Date: July 15, 1944
Creator: Davis, Catherine Dawe
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Abel Ortega, July 15, 2002 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Abel Ortega, July 15, 2002

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Abel Ortega. Ortega was drafted into the Army in March, 1941 and was in the Philippines by November. Ortega was with a tank battalion on Luzon and recalls the retreat to and subsequent surrender on Bataan. Ortega also recalls how his Christian faith served him, and others around him, during captivity. He describes his experiences on the Bataan Death March. Ortega remained in the Philippines for over two years before being shipped to Japan to perform more slave labor. After the war, Ortega was repatriated and describes his return home to his parents.
Date: July 15, 2002
Creator: Ortega, Abel
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Abel Ortega, July 15, 2002 transcript

Oral History Interview with Abel Ortega, July 15, 2002

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Abel Ortega. Ortega was drafted into the Army in March, 1941 and was in the Philippines by November. Ortega was with a tank battalion on Luzon and recalls the retreat to and subsequent surrender on Bataan. Ortega also recalls how his Christian faith served him, and others around him, during captivity. He describes his experiences on the Bataan Death March. Ortega remained in the Philippines for over two years before being shipped to Japan to perform more slave labor. After the war, Ortega was repatriated and describes his return home to his parents.
Date: July 15, 2002
Creator: Ortega, Abel
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Transcript of Letter from Chester W. Nimitz to his Grandfather, July 15, 1901] (open access)

[Transcript of Letter from Chester W. Nimitz to his Grandfather, July 15, 1901]

Transcription of letter from Chester Nimitz to his grandfather in Fredericksburg. Nimitz tells of other young men in his prep school from Texas and that a few of them are Germans. He also observes that some of the people there did not take a competitive exam.
Date: July 15, 1901
Creator: Nimitz, Chester W. (Chester William), 1885-1966
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from Chester W. Nimitz to his Grandfather, July 15, 1901] (open access)

[Letter from Chester W. Nimitz to his Grandfather, July 15, 1901]

Handwritten letter from Chester Nimitz to his grandfather in Fredericksburg. Nimitz tells of other young men in his prep school from Texas and that a few of them are Germans. He also observes that some of the people there did not take a competitive exam. This letter is written on Robert Werntz Preparatory Academy stationery.
Date: July 15, 1901
Creator: Nimitz, Chester W. (Chester William), 1885-1966
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History