[Letter from I.H. to Cecile Kempner, August 5, 1945] (open access)

[Letter from I.H. to Cecile Kempner, August 5, 1945]

Letter to Cecile from her father about family matters, going to Houston, the war, and investment advice.
Date: August 5, 1945
Creator: Kempner, Isaac H. (Isaac Herbert), 1873-1967
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
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
[Letter from J. G. Tompkins to Harris Leon Kempner, June 22, 1959] (open access)

[Letter from J. G. Tompkins to Harris Leon Kempner, June 22, 1959]

Letter from J. G. Tompkins to Harris Leon Kempner mentioning about the three boxes of personal effects that're loaded on the "Barbara Lykes" consigned to him. He also mentioned that he'll keep him posted on where it is and when it'll arrive.
Date: June 22, 1959
Creator: Tompkins, J. G.
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from Jeri Valot to Harris L. Kempner, March 16, 1966] (open access)

[Letter from Jeri Valot to Harris L. Kempner, March 16, 1966]

Letter from Jeri Valot to Harris L. Kempner providing a list of all the flights from Houston to Tokyo.
Date: March 16, 1966
Creator: Valot, Jeri
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from W. O. Caraway to D. W. Kempner, April 12, 1956] (open access)

[Letter from W. O. Caraway to D. W. Kempner, April 12, 1956]

Letter from W. O. Caraway to D. W. Kempner discussing international shipments of sugar packets.
Date: April 12, 1956
Creator: Caraway, W. O.
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from W. O. Caraway to Sugarland Industries Sales Department, March 21, 1956] (open access)

[Letter from W. O. Caraway to Sugarland Industries Sales Department, March 21, 1956]

Letter from W. O. Caraway to Sugarland Industries' Sales Department discussing shipment locations and instructions for cases of individually monogrammed sugar packets.
Date: March 21, 1956
Creator: Caraway, W. O.
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History