The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Louis Giroil. Giroil recalls much about the Great Depression in the New Orleans area and the defense work available once the war started. He joined the Navy in January 1943 and trained as an aviation radioman. After training, he was assigned to Torpedo Squadron 80 (VT-80) and went aboard USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) in time for the invasion of the Philippines. He returned to the US and joined Torpedo Squadron 44 (VT-44), went aboard USS Langley (CVL-27) and hit targets at Okinawa, Iwo Jima and Formosa. Giroil was back in the US when the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Al Kiracofe. Kiracofe joined the Navy in 1942 and received yeoman training at Great Lakes. Upon completion, he was assigned to CASU-22 at Quonset Point, helping to prepare squadrons for overseas deployment. He was then assigned to Carrier Air Group 41, which was just beginning to use radar for night flying. One of his duties as yeoman was to send letters of regret to the parents of soldiers who were killed in action. The experience upset him to the point that he remembered the date of each letter for the rest of his life. He was transferred to Carrier Air Group 10 aboard the USS Intrepid (CV-11) and helped to set up squadrons in Alameda from January 1943 to September 1944. At Okinawa, a kamikaze hit caused the deaths of eight men on the Intrepid. When the ship returned to Alameda for repairs, Kiracofe was so shaken up that he was ordered to a US Naval hospital for treatment and received a medical discharge in July 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Raymond Heller. Heller joined the Army in September 1944 and received basic training at Camp Hood. Upon completion, he was assigned to the 40th Infantry Division as a rifleman. In March 1945 he travelled to Leyte and was camped beside survivors of the Bataan Death March. He made patrols along various islands, to protect villagers from Japanese raids. While in the Philippines, he bought fresh fruits from natives. He recalls that although his unit prepared for a full-scale landing on Mindanao, it was unopposed, save for a lone Japanese soldier who charged with a sword. At Panay, Heller was treated by a medic for jungle rot. He then survived a typhoon on the way to Inchon. On V-J Day he saw USS Missouri (BB-63) break away from his convoy to celebrate by firing ammunition. Heller patrolled the 38th parallel, opposite the Russians. Heller returned home and was discharged in October 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jack Preston. After discovering that he was not the right size for the Army Air Corps, Preston joined the Marine Corps around the time the war began. He was assigned to the 2nd Marine Division as a rifleman. His first combat experience occurred on Tarawa, where he was one of the first ashore. After wading through waist-deep water, he crawled along a coconut log wall and had an uncomfortably close encounter with an enemy combatant who tossed grenades before retreating. Afterward, Preston enjoyed a brief R&R in New Zealand, where he tried to stay out of the brawls between New Zealander and American troops. On Saipan and Tinian, Preston saw civilian prisoners used for slave labor and put on the front line as false targets. He once found himself within 10 steps of an enemy tank while his antitank support was unable to fire. Fortunately, the tank was too close to lower its gun on him. Preston also survived a bullet that ricocheted off his canteen. After a brief stint on Saipan pulling guard duty, Preston returned to the States and was discharged a few months later.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Leonard Zaehler. Zaehler joined the Marine Corps in early 1942 and received basic training in San Diego. He was assigned to the service squadron of MAG-12, running a mobile machine shop where his primary duty was repairing ground vehicles. He spent a good part of his duty stationed on Emirau Island, where the squadron’s plucky COO would cheerfully bring him Japanese bombs that he had discovered on the island. He would ask to borrow Zaehler’s tools in order to disarm and study the bombs. Zaehler gingerly provided him the tools and then made a polite and speedy exit, in case of an accident, of which there were none. When there were no vehicles to repair, Zaehler towed Corsairs to the line. He often saw the comings and goings of fighter ace Joe Foss and watched Charles Lindbergh teaching New Zealanders how to land the F4U.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Walter White. White trained to be an aircraft electrician at Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. He was drafted into the Army Air Force and completed gunnery school in Arlington, Texas. He was assigned to the 492nd Bomb Group in Alamogordo, New Mexico. He served as tail gunner on B-24s. He provides description of the plane’s interior and location of tail gunner. In March of 1944 his crew traveled to a base in North Pickenham, England. Their plane was titled the Ruptured Duck. Overall, White flew 30 combat missions. He describes missions flown to Germany and between France and Switzerland. He returned to the States with 1,000 German prisoners aboard a troop ship. He was then assigned as an electrician to a B-17 outfit. He was discharged in October of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Clifford Ashby. Ashby was born in Effingham, Illinois on 11 June 1925. He became interested in amateur radio while in high school and joined the Merchant Marines in 1943. After passing tests related to radio operations he was assigned to the liberty ship, SS James B. Francis (1942) as a radio operator. He tells of the ship loaded with ammunition sitting in the harbor at Guadalcanal with hoses pumping water on the deck to keep it cool. He also observed Japanese air raids over the island of Morotai. Ashby’s ship also participated in the invasion of Luzon. Later, he was assigned to the SS Benjamin Grierson commenting on the excellent food served aboard Liberty ships. He comments on the excellent wages paid to Merchant seaman and the fact that the pay was doubled when the ship was within a war zone. He tells of the SS Grierson setting at Ulithi with 40 other merchant ships for three months following the Japanese surrender. After leaving the Merchant Marine he attended various colleges and he comments on his career prior to retirement.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Douglas Hubbard, Jr. Hubbard was born on 1 April 1945. He joined the Naval Intelligence Command as a special agent of the Naval Investigative Service in March of 1968. He volunteered for service in Vietnam for 36 months. He later accepted an appointment as a training officer for the British South Africa police in Rhodesia. Additionally, Hubbard worked in security, mining and exploration industries. He has lived and worked extensively in Asia, Australia and Africa. His father, Doug Hubbard, was instrumental in establishing the National Museum of the Pacific War.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lloyd Bailey. Bailey was born in Kansas City, Missouri on 16 February 1922 and graduated from high school in Waco, Texas in 1940. After attending Texas A&M for one year, he enlisted in the Army. He went to Camp Wolters in Mineral Wells, Texas for basic training. While there, he was recruited by Federal Bureau of Investigation agents to participate in an internal security program. Following basic entered the Corps of Engineers Officer Candidate School at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. On 2 February 1943 he was commissioned a second lieutenant and assigned to the 386th Engineer Battalion, an African American unit stationed at Camp Sutton, North Carolina. In 1943, the battalion boarded the SS Louis Pasteur and sailed to Casablanca where they cleaned up the dock area to facilitate unloading cargo. He tells of the unit traveling by rail to Iran. Soon after arriving in Iran the battalion sailed to Naples, Italy. His platoon was sent to Anzio and assigned the task of removing land mines. Three of his men were lost while doing this job. He was assigned to oversee the construction of the largest Butler Building ever …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Harmon Harris. Harris joined the Navy in May of 1944. He served with the 141st Construction Battalion. They traveled to the Marshall Islands and Kwajalein, building airstrips, houses and defensive structures.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Louis Giroil. Giroil recalls much about the Great Depression in the New Orleans area and the defense work available once the war started. He joined the Navy in January 1943 and trained as an aviation radioman. After training, he was assigned to Torpedo Squadron 80 (VT-80) and went aboard USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) in time for the invasion of the Philippines. He returned to the US and joined Torpedo Squadron 44 (VT-44), went aboard USS Langley (CVL-27) and hit targets at Okinawa, Iwo Jima and Formosa. Giroil was back in the US when the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Al Kiracofe. Kiracofe joined the Navy in 1942 and received yeoman training at Great Lakes. Upon completion, he was assigned to CASU-22 at Quonset Point, helping to prepare squadrons for overseas deployment. He was then assigned to Carrier Air Group 41, which was just beginning to use radar for night flying. One of his duties as yeoman was to send letters of regret to the parents of soldiers who were killed in action. The experience upset him to the point that he remembered the date of each letter for the rest of his life. He was transferred to Carrier Air Group 10 aboard the USS Intrepid (CV-11) and helped to set up squadrons in Alameda from January 1943 to September 1944. At Okinawa, a kamikaze hit caused the deaths of eight men on the Intrepid. When the ship returned to Alameda for repairs, Kiracofe was so shaken up that he was ordered to a US Naval hospital for treatment and received a medical discharge in July 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Raymond Heller. Heller joined the Army in September 1944 and received basic training at Camp Hood. Upon completion, he was assigned to the 40th Infantry Division as a rifleman. In March 1945 he travelled to Leyte and was camped beside survivors of the Bataan Death March. He made patrols along various islands, to protect villagers from Japanese raids. While in the Philippines, he bought fresh fruits from natives. He recalls that although his unit prepared for a full-scale landing on Mindanao, it was unopposed, save for a lone Japanese soldier who charged with a sword. At Panay, Heller was treated by a medic for jungle rot. He then survived a typhoon on the way to Inchon. On V-J Day he saw USS Missouri (BB-63) break away from his convoy to celebrate by firing ammunition. Heller patrolled the 38th parallel, opposite the Russians. Heller returned home and was discharged in October 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jack Preston. After discovering that he was not the right size for the Army Air Corps, Preston joined the Marine Corps around the time the war began. He was assigned to the 2nd Marine Division as a rifleman. His first combat experience occurred on Tarawa, where he was one of the first ashore. After wading through waist-deep water, he crawled along a coconut log wall and had an uncomfortably close encounter with an enemy combatant who tossed grenades before retreating. Afterward, Preston enjoyed a brief R&R in New Zealand, where he tried to stay out of the brawls between New Zealander and American troops. On Saipan and Tinian, Preston saw civilian prisoners used for slave labor and put on the front line as false targets. He once found himself within 10 steps of an enemy tank while his antitank support was unable to fire. Fortunately, the tank was too close to lower its gun on him. Preston also survived a bullet that ricocheted off his canteen. After a brief stint on Saipan pulling guard duty, Preston returned to the States and was discharged a few months later.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Leonard Zaehler. Zaehler joined the Marine Corps in early 1942 and received basic training in San Diego. He was assigned to the service squadron of MAG-12, running a mobile machine shop where his primary duty was repairing ground vehicles. He spent a good part of his duty stationed on Emirau Island, where the squadron’s plucky COO would cheerfully bring him Japanese bombs that he had discovered on the island. He would ask to borrow Zaehler’s tools in order to disarm and study the bombs. Zaehler gingerly provided him the tools and then made a polite and speedy exit, in case of an accident, of which there were none. When there were no vehicles to repair, Zaehler towed Corsairs to the line. He often saw the comings and goings of fighter ace Joe Foss and watched Charles Lindbergh teaching New Zealanders how to land the F4U.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Walter White. White trained to be an aircraft electrician at Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. He was drafted into the Army Air Force and completed gunnery school in Arlington, Texas. He was assigned to the 492nd Bomb Group in Alamogordo, New Mexico. He served as tail gunner on B-24s. He provides description of the plane’s interior and location of tail gunner. In March of 1944 his crew traveled to a base in North Pickenham, England. Their plane was titled the Ruptured Duck. Overall, White flew 30 combat missions. He describes missions flown to Germany and between France and Switzerland. He returned to the States with 1,000 German prisoners aboard a troop ship. He was then assigned as an electrician to a B-17 outfit. He was discharged in October of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Clifford Ashby. Ashby was born in Effingham, Illinois on 11 June 1925. He became interested in amateur radio while in high school and joined the Merchant Marines in 1943. After passing tests related to radio operations he was assigned to the liberty ship, SS James B. Francis (1942) as a radio operator. He tells of the ship loaded with ammunition sitting in the harbor at Guadalcanal with hoses pumping water on the deck to keep it cool. He also observed Japanese air raids over the island of Morotai. Ashby’s ship also participated in the invasion of Luzon. Later, he was assigned to the SS Benjamin Grierson commenting on the excellent food served aboard Liberty ships. He comments on the excellent wages paid to Merchant seaman and the fact that the pay was doubled when the ship was within a war zone. He tells of the SS Grierson setting at Ulithi with 40 other merchant ships for three months following the Japanese surrender. After leaving the Merchant Marine he attended various colleges and he comments on his career prior to retirement.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Douglas Hubbard, Jr. Hubbard was born on 1 April 1945. He joined the Naval Intelligence Command as a special agent of the Naval Investigative Service in March of 1968. He volunteered for service in Vietnam for 36 months. He later accepted an appointment as a training officer for the British South Africa police in Rhodesia. Additionally, Hubbard worked in security, mining and exploration industries. He has lived and worked extensively in Asia, Australia and Africa. His father, Doug Hubbard, was instrumental in establishing the National Museum of the Pacific War.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lloyd Bailey. Bailey was born in Kansas City, Missouri on 16 February 1922 and graduated from high school in Waco, Texas in 1940. After attending Texas A&M for one year, he enlisted in the Army. He went to Camp Wolters in Mineral Wells, Texas for basic training. While there, he was recruited by Federal Bureau of Investigation agents to participate in an internal security program. Following basic entered the Corps of Engineers Officer Candidate School at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. On 2 February 1943 he was commissioned a second lieutenant and assigned to the 386th Engineer Battalion, an African American unit stationed at Camp Sutton, North Carolina. In 1943, the battalion boarded the SS Louis Pasteur and sailed to Casablanca where they cleaned up the dock area to facilitate unloading cargo. He tells of the unit traveling by rail to Iran. Soon after arriving in Iran the battalion sailed to Naples, Italy. His platoon was sent to Anzio and assigned the task of removing land mines. Three of his men were lost while doing this job. He was assigned to oversee the construction of the largest Butler Building ever …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Harmon Harris. Harris joined the Navy in May of 1944. He served with the 141st Construction Battalion. They traveled to the Marshall Islands and Kwajalein, building airstrips, houses and defensive structures.