Oral History Interview with John P. Condon, March 8, 1989 (open access)

Oral History Interview with John P. Condon, March 8, 1989

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John P. Cordon discussing where he grew up and went to school and what led him to join the Navy. He describes flying airplanes for the Navy in the Pacific Theatre during World War Two.
Date: March 8, 1989
Creator: Condon, John P. & Hall, Cargill
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Ream Family, March 9, 1989 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Ream Family, March 9, 1989

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents a series of interviews with members of the Ream family: John Ream, Sarah Ream Connelly, Katherine Ream Sobeck, and Nora Ream Kuttner. The Ream family members were children when the Japanese occupied the Philippines and they were interned as civilians at Camp John hay in Baguio. They each in turn discuss the arrival of the Japanese and their subsequent experiences as prisoners of the Japanese. At one point, they were moved to Camp Holmes, also in Baguio, prior to going to Bilibid in Manila. They mention visiting other family members at Santo Tomas and each recalls being liberated and their impressions of arriving in the United States.
Date: March 9, 1989
Creator: Family, Ream
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with L. E. Robinson, March 8, 1985 transcript

Oral History Interview with L. E. Robinson, March 8, 1985

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents a monologue by L E Robinson. Robinson joined the Marine Corps in May 1939 and received basic training in San Diego. After sea school training, he was assigned to Admiral Kimmel’s flag allowance and boarded the USS Pennsylvania (BB-38). Robinson was at Pearl Harbor as the admiral’s senior orderly during the attack of December 7. After surviving strafing from enemy planes, he headed toward the submarine base dock to help carry the wounded. When he found himself holding a severed leg, he experienced a profound emotional detachment that forever changed him. That day, Robinson began serving as the admiral’s bodyguard. Some hours later, a communications officer entered the admiral’s office and froze, dropping a delayed message to the floor. As Robinson bent to pick it up, his eyes passed over a phrase advising Kimmel to take action for proper precautions. From that point on, Robinson was consumed with paranoia, and he overzealously guarded the admiral. When Nimitz arrived and assumed command, he brought with him an air of businesslike normalcy, and Robinson became his orderly. He notes that both admirals were always courteous and concise under pressure.
Date: March 8, 1985
Creator: Robinson, L. E.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with L. E. Robinson, March 8, 1985 (open access)

Oral History Interview with L. E. Robinson, March 8, 1985

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents a monologue by L E Robinson. Robinson joined the Marine Corps in May 1939 and received basic training in San Diego. After sea school training, he was assigned to Admiral Kimmel’s flag allowance and boarded the USS Pennsylvania (BB-38). Robinson was at Pearl Harbor as the admiral’s senior orderly during the attack of December 7. After surviving strafing from enemy planes, he headed toward the submarine base dock to help carry the wounded. When he found himself holding a severed leg, he experienced a profound emotional detachment that forever changed him. That day, Robinson began serving as the admiral’s bodyguard. Some hours later, a communications officer entered the admiral’s office and froze, dropping a delayed message to the floor. As Robinson bent to pick it up, his eyes passed over a phrase advising Kimmel to take action for proper precautions. From that point on, Robinson was consumed with paranoia, and he overzealously guarded the admiral. When Nimitz arrived and assumed command, he brought with him an air of businesslike normalcy, and Robinson became his orderly. He notes that both admirals were always courteous and concise under pressure.
Date: March 8, 1985
Creator: Robinson, L. E.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Harold Snider, March 28, 1987 transcript

Oral History Interview with Harold Snider, March 28, 1987

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Harold Snider. Snider joined the Army Air Corps around 1939. He completed flight training, and was assigned to a B-17 with the 7th Bomb Group. They deployed to Honolulu on 6 December 1941, and landed at Hickam Field during the Japanese attack on 7 December. He describes the events of this day, landing amidst explosions and smoke. Once they landed, they jumped into a ditch while being strafed by the Japanese. In January of 1942, they were ordered to continue on to Australia and the Philippines, and he describes flying through the South Pacific. In Del Monte, Mindanao, Snider and his crew picked up General MacArthur, his family and staff and flew them to Alice Springs, Australia. They later flew missions out of Del Monte, bombing a Japanese Navy task force. They flew reconnaissance missions over Guadalcanal, Rabaul, Bougainville and the Solomon Islands during the Guadalcanal Campaign in late 1942. They continued missions through mid-1945, and returned to the US after the war ended.
Date: March 28, 1987
Creator: Snider, Harold
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Harold Snider, March 28, 1987 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Harold Snider, March 28, 1987

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Harold Snider. Snider joined the Army Air Corps around 1939. He completed flight training, and was assigned to a B-17 with the 7th Bomb Group. They deployed to Honolulu on 6 December 1941, and landed at Hickam Field during the Japanese attack on 7 December. He describes the events of this day, landing amidst explosions and smoke. Once they landed, they jumped into a ditch while being strafed by the Japanese. In January of 1942, they were ordered to continue on to Australia and the Philippines, and he describes flying through the South Pacific. In Del Monte, Mindanao, Snider and his crew picked up General MacArthur, his family and staff and flew them to Alice Springs, Australia. They later flew missions out of Del Monte, bombing a Japanese Navy task force. They flew reconnaissance missions over Guadalcanal, Rabaul, Bougainville and the Solomon Islands during the Guadalcanal Campaign in late 1942. They continued missions through mid-1945, and returned to the US after the war ended.
Date: March 28, 1987
Creator: Snider, Harold
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History