Oral History Interview with Jack Hensel, July 21, 2022 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Jack Hensel, July 21, 2022

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jack Hensel. Hensel was drafted into the Navy in June 1943. He trained as an aerial gunner and was eventually assigned to a crew aboard an Avenger. In early 1945, he went aboard USS Franklin (CV-13). In March, when the Franklin was attacked, Hensel was blown overboard and eventually made it onto a raft before being rescued by USS Hickox (DD-673). He went to a hospital at Ulithi to recover from burns before heading back to the US. He was undergoing more training when the war ended.
Date: September 1, 2022
Creator: Metzler, Ed
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Jack Hensel, July 21, 2022 captions transcript

Oral History Interview with Jack Hensel, July 21, 2022

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jack Hensel. Hensel was drafted into the Navy in June 1943. He trained as an aerial gunner and was eventually assigned to a crew aboard an Avenger. In early 1945, he went aboard USS Franklin (CV-13). In March, when the Franklin was attacked, Hensel was blown overboard and eventually made it onto a raft before being rescued by USS Hickox (DD-673). He went to a hospital at Ulithi to recover from burns before heading back to the US. He was undergoing more training when the war ended.
Date: July 21, 2022
Creator: Metzler, Ed
Object Type: Video
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Jack Hensel, July 21, 2022 transcript

Oral History Interview with Jack Hensel, July 21, 2022

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jack Hensel. Hensel was drafted into the Navy in June 1943. He trained as an aerial gunner and was eventually assigned to a crew aboard an Avenger. In early 1945, he went aboard USS Franklin (CV-13). In March, when the Franklin was attacked, Hensel was blown overboard and eventually made it onto a raft before being rescued by USS Hickox (DD-673). He went to a hospital at Ulithi to recover from burns before heading back to the US. He was undergoing more training when the war ended.
Date: July 21, 2022
Creator: Metzler, Ed
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Robert Warren, March 28, 2022 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Robert Warren, March 28, 2022

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Warren. Warren was born in Frisco, Texas in February 1921. After graduating from high school, he attended Texas A&M participating in the ROTC program for two years. Upon graduation in 1942 he applied for a commission in the United States Army Air Forces and was accepted. After participating in various stages of flight training, he was assigned as a C-47 pilot. Flying the Northern Route over Greenland, he joined the 439th Troop Carrier Wing, 94th Squadron, 9th Air Force in England. He tells of being involved in Operation Market Garden and of crossing the Rhine, where he pulled Waco CG-4 gliders, and of the Battle of the Bulge where he hauled fuel for General Patton’s tanks.
Date: March 28, 2022
Creator: Warren, Robert
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Floyd Cox, February 7, 2022 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Floyd Cox, February 7, 2022

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Floyd C. Cox. He tells of organizing a group of volunteers to establish a formal oral history program. Cox also shares the growth of the program from an unorganized collection of less than 200 oral histories in 1999 to an organized and diversified collection of over 5000 stories in 2022. He tells of the progression from analog tape recordings to digital recordings and the advancement of making the collection available to the public through an online digital archive.
Date: February 7, 2022
Creator: Cox, Floyd C.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with George Burnet, March 16, 2021 (open access)

Oral History Interview with George Burnet, March 16, 2021

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with George Burnet. He discusses his childhood growing up during the Great Depression and what led him to join the chemical warfare service of the US Army. He describes all the different training camps he was sent to around the US and eventually being deployed in the Pacific Theatre during World War Two.
Date: March 16, 2021
Creator: Burnet, George & Misenhimer, Richard
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with George Burnet, March 16, 2021 transcript

Oral History Interview with George Burnet, March 16, 2021

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with George Burnet. He discusses his childhood growing up during the Great Depression and what led him to join the chemical warfare service of the US Army. He describes all the different training camps he was sent to around the US and eventually being deployed in the Pacific Theatre during World War Two.
Date: March 16, 2021
Creator: Burnet, George & Misenhimer, Richard
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
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 Robert W. Pratt, August 17, 2016 transcript

Oral History Interview with Robert W. Pratt, August 17, 2016

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert W. Pratt. He discusses his family and his childhood growing up during the great depression. He describes his time in midshipmen's school and his experiences fighting in the Pacific Theatre of World War Two.
Date: August 17, 2016
Creator: Pratt, Robert W. & Misenhimer, Richard
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Robert W. Pratt, August 17, 2016 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Robert W. Pratt, August 17, 2016

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert W. Pratt. He discusses his family and his childhood growing up during the great depression. He describes his time in midshipmen's school and his experiences fighting in the Pacific Theatre of World War Two.
Date: August 17, 2016
Creator: Pratt, Robert W. & Misenhimer, Richard
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with A. K. Sheffield, May 20, 2016 (open access)

Oral History Interview with A. K. Sheffield, May 20, 2016

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with A K Sheffield. Sheffield joined the Navy in late 1943. He completed Armed Guard School in San Diego. He served with the Navy Armed Guard aboard a transport ship, and traveled to the Philippine Islands. In May of 1944, Sheffield was aboard the SS Henry Bergh when it ran aground on the Farallon Islands, and shares details of those events. He traveled through the Pacific Islands, to Japan and throughout the Atlantic. Sheffield does not speak of participating in any battles or combat. He returned home aboard USS Iowa (BB-61) after the war ended in late 1945.
Date: May 20, 2016
Creator: Sheffield, A. K.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with A. K. Sheffield, May 20, 2016 transcript

Oral History Interview with A. K. Sheffield, May 20, 2016

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with A K Sheffield. Sheffield joined the Navy in late 1943. He completed Armed Guard School in San Diego. He served with the Navy Armed Guard aboard a transport ship, and traveled to the Philippine Islands. In May of 1944, Sheffield was aboard the SS Henry Bergh when it ran aground on the Farallon Islands, and shares details of those events. He traveled through the Pacific Islands, to Japan and throughout the Atlantic. Sheffield does not speak of participating in any battles or combat. He returned home aboard USS Iowa (BB-61) after the war ended in late 1945.
Date: May 20, 2016
Creator: Sheffield, A. K.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Lee White, August 18, 2015 transcript

Oral History Interview with Lee White, August 18, 2015

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lee White. He discusses his childhood and education and what led him to join the US Air Force. He describes his experiences during training and fighting in the Pacific Theatre during World War Two.
Date: August 18, 2015
Creator: White, Lee & Fargo, John
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Lee White, August 18, 2015 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Lee White, August 18, 2015

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lee White. He discusses his childhood and education and what led him to join the US Air Force. He describes his experiences during training and fighting in the Pacific Theatre during World War Two.
Date: August 18, 2015
Creator: White, Lee & Fargo, John
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Adolph Krchnak, May 23, 2015 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Adolph Krchnak, May 23, 2015

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Adolph Krchnak. Krchnak joined the Army in December of 1944. He completed parachute school. In late 1944, early 1945 he was stationed in the Philippines with the 11th Airborne Division. They served in a traditional infantry role in the Philippines. His division participated in the Liberation of Manila in the spring of 1945. In August of 1945 they traveled into southern Japan as part of the occupation force. He was honorably discharged in 1946.
Date: May 23, 2015
Creator: Krchnak, Adolph
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Adolph Krchnak, May 23, 2015 transcript

Oral History Interview with Adolph Krchnak, May 23, 2015

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Adolph Krchnak. Krchnak joined the Army in December of 1944. He completed parachute school. In late 1944, early 1945 he was stationed in the Philippines with the 11th Airborne Division. They served in a traditional infantry role in the Philippines. His division participated in the Liberation of Manila in the spring of 1945. In August of 1945 they traveled into southern Japan as part of the occupation force. He was honorably discharged in 1946.
Date: May 23, 2015
Creator: Krchnak, Adolph
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with A. J. Durham, October 12, 2013 transcript

Oral History Interview with A. J. Durham, October 12, 2013

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with A J Durham. Durham joined the Navy in February of 1943. He served with Composite Squadron 55 (VC-55). After basic training, Durham worked at the Naval Air Station in Astoria, Oregon and unloaded ammunition ships. He later served with the Ordnance Department, synchronizing 30 caliber machine guns aboard TBMs. Durham transferred to Composite Squadron 4 (VC-4), and completed Torpedo School, and served as a Torpedo man and an Aviation Ordnance Mate aboard a TBF Avenger. In April of 1944, he began serving aboard USS White Plains (CVE-66) and recalls his experiences aboard the carrier during invasions of the Mariana and Palau Islands, and through the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Durham remained aboard during Operation MAGIC CARPET, returning troops back to the US. He continued his service in the Reserves, receiving his discharge in the early 1950s.
Date: October 12, 2013
Creator: Durham, A. J.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with A. J. Durham, October 12, 2013 (open access)

Oral History Interview with A. J. Durham, October 12, 2013

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with A J Durham. Durham joined the Navy in February of 1943. He served with Composite Squadron 55 (VC-55). After basic training, Durham worked at the Naval Air Station in Astoria, Oregon and unloaded ammunition ships. He later served with the Ordnance Department, synchronizing 30 caliber machine guns aboard TBMs. Durham transferred to Composite Squadron 4 (VC-4), and completed Torpedo School, and served as a Torpedo man and an Aviation Ordnance Mate aboard a TBF Avenger. In April of 1944, he began serving aboard USS White Plains (CVE-66) and recalls his experiences aboard the carrier during invasions of the Mariana and Palau Islands, and through the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Durham remained aboard during Operation MAGIC CARPET, returning troops back to the US. He continued his service in the Reserves, receiving his discharge in the early 1950s.
Date: October 12, 2013
Creator: Durham, A. J.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Abner Aust, March 19, 2013 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Abner Aust, March 19, 2013

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Abner Aust. Aust joined the Army Air Forces in September 1941 and completed flight school in April 1943. He was assigned to Venice, Florida, as an instructor, often receiving extra runway duty on account of his mischievous acrobatics. In October 1944, he joined the 506th Fighter Group, 457th Fighter Squadron, as flight commander. Upon familiarizing himself with the P-51, he flew his first missions out of Tinian, moving next to Iwo Jima. While escorting B-29s, he sometimes broke away to lead his group of eight fighters to strafe opportunistically. He is credited with five victories, the last of which occurred on 10 August 1945, distinguishing him as the last fighter ace of World War II. Aust then served in the Air Force and participated in the Vietnam War. Just before his retirement, he worked at Bolling Air Force Base to develop the F-15. After all of his experience in fighters, his favorite plane is the P-40N.
Date: March 19, 2013
Creator: Aust, Abner
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History