The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Arthur Powell. Powell was born in Enid, Oklahoma, on 3 November 1924. Upon graduating from high school he entered the US Army. After completing basic training in Amarillo, Texas, he was selected to enter flight training at Cedar City, Utah. In the middle of his training, the program was cancelled. Boarding USS Mitchell (APA-114) he spent thirty-nine days at sea before arriving at Bombay, India. There he was assigned to the 148th Replacement Battalion where he participated in the processing of troops to and from the China-Burma-India Theater. He returned to the United States in 1946 aboard the merchant ship, Marine Cardinal, and was discharged shortly after his return to the US.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William Bishop. Bishop was born in January of 1927. He graduated from high school in 1944, at the age of 17. He provides vivid recollections of life during wartime, with bomb drills, blackouts and living in a farming community in Wellington, Kansas. After graduation, Bishop worked for the US Department of Agriculture, and later served as an Emergency Wartime Carrier Clerk with the US Post Office. When he turned 18 in January of 1945, Bishop applied to join the Army, though was classified as 4-F and sent back home where he continued working for the Post Office.

The National Museum of the pacific War presents an oral interview with Sidney Lanier. Lanier recalls growing up and working during the Depression. He entered the Navy in March, 1943 and trained in San Diego. With training complete, Lanier reported to PC-1230 at New Orleans. They travelled to New Caledonia and stayed on station there for about a year before heading to Peleliu. At Peleliu, Lanier was assigned to the USS ATR-33 but travelled considerably before reaching his new ship in New Caledonia. He was discharged in January 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Bearden. Bearden was in the Texas National Guard when Japan started the war. He was in the 144th Infantry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division and trained at Camp Bowie. His unit went to Fort Lewis in Washington to guard the coast. Bearden then joined the paratroopers and trained at Fort Benning in August, 1942. Bearden speaks a lot about parachute infantry training. He went to England in December, 1943. He jumped into Normandy on 6 June 1944. Around D+5, Bearden was captured by German soldiers. Liberated by Russians in January, 1945, Bearden headed east and eventually reached Moscow, then Odessa, where he was repatriated. He returned to San Antonio and was discharged in July, 1945.

The National Museum of the pacific War presents an oral interview with Clyde Jauer. Jauer joined the Navy in January 1945 and trained at San Diego. Upon completion, he was assigned to the USS Terror (CM-5) in June. Jauer recalls a few anecdotes about life aboard ship. By the time he reached Okinawa, the island was secure. He also spent some time in Sasebo after the war and shares a few anecdotes. After the war, he made several trips from the Mainland to Hawaii and back repatriating troops. Jauer was discharged in July, 1946.

The National museum of the Pacific War presents an ortal interview with Lester Wineland. Wineland joined the Navy in 1944 after finishing high school. After basic training, Wineland reported aboard USS Pringle (DD-477) in San Francisco. He served asa radarman aboard the ship and suffered from no end of seasickness. He recalls the kamikaze attack at Mindoro and was transferred from the ship just prior to it sailing for Okinawa. Wineland reported to officer training school in Pennsylvania. He was there when the war ended. Rahter than take a commission, he chose to be discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Stewart Elder. Elder joined the Navy V-5 Program in 1942 and received his wings in November of 1944. He provides details of his flight training and the various of types of planes he flew. He was placed in a replacement squadron in Hawaii four months before the atomic bomb was dropped in Japan in August of 1945. They completed additional training exercises in Hawaii, and after the surrender he returned home. He completed over 1,000 hours of flying during operational training and additionally in the Ready Reserve. He was discharged around December of 1945.

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.

The National museum of the Pacific War presents an ortal interview with Eugene Ganske. Ganske attempted to join the Navy but wopund up in the Marine Corps instead in May 1944. He trained as an anti-aircraft gunner and eventually was sent to Tinian to guard B-29s. He also deployed to Okinawa after the invasion. After the war, Ganske went to CHina with the First Marine Division.

The National museum of the Pacific War presents an ortal interview with James Metcalf. Metcalf joined the Navy in December 1942 and attended aviation ordnance school in Oklahoma after basic training. Afterward, Metcalf was assigned as a gunner in Torpedo Squadron 13 (VT-13) and went aboard USS Franklin (CV-13) in January 1944. Metcalf flew raids on Guam, Peleliu, Okinawa, Formosa, and Iwo Jima while with VT-13. He was aboard the Franklin in March when it was attacked and severly damaged. He returned with the ship to the US.

The National museum of the Pacific War presents an ortal interview with Glynn Hull. Hull grew up on a farm in Iowa during the Depression. Hull entered the Army Air Forces in January 1943. He trained as a navigator. He was then assigned to a B-17 in the 551st Bomb Squadron, 385th Bomb GRoup and went to England in 1944. Hull discusses a few missions and other experiences. On one mission, Hull had to bail out and became a prisoner of war. He shares several anecdotes and experiences about being a POW in Germany.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James R. Snellen. Snellen was born 27 September 1926 in Bullitt County, Kentucky. He joined the Navy in April 1944 and went to Great Lakes Naval Training Center for boot camp. He then went to Fort Pierce, Florida for amphibious training as radioman and gunner on LCVPs. Upon completion, he was assigned to the USS Cofer (APD-62). At Leyte, Snellen saw the USS Mahan (DD-364) and the USS Lidde (APD-60) get hit by kamikazes. Afterwards, he boarded the stricken Lidde and scooped body parts over the side. While landing infantry on Mindoro, he observed the USS Nashville (CL-43) get hit by a kamikaze. In recalling one landing, in which the LCVP got stuck on a reef, Snellen saw the soldiers wading toward shore as a mortar round hit among them, killing them all. He also worked with underwater demolition teams at Borneo and tells of an attack on his ship during which crew shot down two Japanese planes. When Japan surrendered, the Cofer led six hospital ships through mine fields using a Japanese pilot arriving at Wakayama, Japan on 11 September. Upon departing, they sailed to Nagasaki and …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Glenn Kyzer. Kyzer was attending Auburn University when he signed up for the Army Air Forces in March, 1943. He was eventually selected for pilot training. He was commissioned and earned his wings in April, 1944. He learned to fly B-24s before being shipped to Italy and joining the 737th Bomb Squadron, 454th Bomb Group in December 1944. Kyzer recalls several missions in detail over Germany, Italy, Austria, etc. He flew 28 total combat missions. He was discharged in November, 1945 after flying back to the US.

The National Museum of the pacific War presents an interview with Ed Spradling. Spradling grauated from high school and went to work for North American Aviation, building B-24s in Grand Prairie, Texas. When he was old enough, he joined the Merchant Marine. After training, he joined a ship in April, 1945 in San Francisco. Spradling discusses life abord a liberty ship and some of his experiences, including a trip to Manila.

The National Museumn of the Pacific War presents an interview with Nevin Sledge. Sledge joined the Naval Aviation Cadet Program in April 1942 after some Civilian Pilot Training prior to the outbreak of war. Upon completion of flight training, he became an instructor at Corpus Christi before deploying to the Pacific with Marine Transport Squadron 253 (VMR-253). Sledge shares several anecdotes about his time in the Pacific from Guam, Ulithi, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

Lhingnu Saihriem sings a traditional Saihriem song. She is from Bahbahar village, Cachar District, Assam, around 95 years old at the time of recording.

Lhingnu Saihriem sings a traditional Saihriem song. She is from Bahbahar village, Cachar District, Assam, around 95 years old at the time of recording.

Lhingnu Saihriem sings a traditional Saihriem song. She is from Bahbahar village, Cachar District, Assam, around 95 years old at the time of recording.

Lhingnu Saihriem sings a traditional Saihriem song. She is from Bahbahar village, Cachar District, Assam, around 95 years old at the time of recording.

Lhingnu Saihriem sings a traditional Saihriem song. She is from Bahbahar village, Cachar District, Assam, around 95 years old at the time of recording.

Lhingnu Saihriem sings a traditional Saihriem song. She is from Bahbahar village, Cachar District, Assam, around 95 years old at the time of recording.

Interview with Ethel Baker Starkey, whose husband's ancestors were Texas Hill Country settlers, from Kerrville, Texas. Mrs. Starkey discusses her husband's family history. She also talks about coming to Kerrville for a job with her family.

Jazz concert performed at the UNT College of Music Kenton Hall.

Recital presented at the UNT College of Music Kenton Hall in partial fulfillment of the Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree.