The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ray Bowden. Bowden joined the Navy in November 1938 and received basic training in San Diego. He went aboard the USS Oklahoma (BB-37) and was made coxswain of a liberty boat. During the attack on Pearl Harbor, he ran to his battle station. By the time he arrived, the ship had already been torpedoed seven times and was beginning to roll. He was hit by a piece of shrapnel that killed the men next to him but left him with only a broken rib. After the attack, he searched for his brother, who was also aboard the Oklahoma. He was safe at a nearby Marine encampment. Bowden participated in one diving mission as part of the effort to clean up the harbor, assessing damage and closing water-tight doors. Late in the war, he was transferred to the USS Santee (ACV-29) as a chief boatswain’s mate. He encountered kamikazes near Okinawa. At the end of the war, Bowden had enough points to be discharged but chose to remain in the Navy until 1947.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ray Bowden. Bowden joined the Navy in November 1938 and received basic training in San Diego. He went aboard the USS Oklahoma (BB-37) and was made coxswain of a liberty boat. During the attack on Pearl Harbor, he ran to his battle station. By the time he arrived, the ship had already been torpedoed seven times and was beginning to roll. He was hit by a piece of shrapnel that killed the men next to him but left him with only a broken rib. After the attack, he searched for his brother, who was also aboard the Oklahoma. He was safe at a nearby Marine encampment. Bowden participated in one diving mission as part of the effort to clean up the harbor, assessing damage and closing water-tight doors. Late in the war, he was transferred to the USS Santee (ACV-29) as a chief boatswain’s mate. He encountered kamikazes near Okinawa. At the end of the war, Bowden had enough points to be discharged but chose to remain in the Navy until 1947.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Harry Hill. He was born at Fort Washakie, Wyoming on the Wind River Indian Reservation on 14 September 1920. Upon graduation from Texas A&M College in May 1942, he received a commission as a 2nd lieutenant in the Army Air Corps. He was immediately sent to Page Field, Fort Meyers, Florida and assigned to the B-24 Aircraft Maintenance Division. Soon thereafter, he underwent three months of advanced B-24 maintenance training at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Upon completion of the training he returned to Fort Meyers and was assigned to the 93rd Bomb Group. In September 1942 the maintenance personnel of the 93rd Bomb Group went by ship to Glasgow, Scotland. They then traveled by train to Hardwick Air Base, Norwich, England. Hill tells of repairing the aircraft upon their return from bombing raids. He remained in England until June 1945 when he returned to the United States aboard the RMS Queen Mary.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Harry Hill. He was born at Fort Washakie, Wyoming on the Wind River Indian Reservation on 14 September 1920. Upon graduation from Texas A&M College in May 1942, he received a commission as a 2nd lieutenant in the Army Air Corps. He was immediately sent to Page Field, Fort Meyers, Florida and assigned to the B-24 Aircraft Maintenance Division. Soon thereafter, he underwent three months of advanced B-24 maintenance training at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Upon completion of the training he returned to Fort Meyers and was assigned to the 93rd Bomb Group. In September 1942 the maintenance personnel of the 93rd Bomb Group went by ship to Glasgow, Scotland. They then traveled by train to Hardwick Air Base, Norwich, England. Hill tells of repairing the aircraft upon their return from bombing raids. He remained in England until June 1945 when he returned to the United States aboard the RMS Queen Mary.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Melford K. Jarstad. Jarstad joined the Marine Corps in January 1942. He was sent to defend Johnston Island and manned antiaircraft guns for 16 months. Jarstad was transferred to the 5th Marine Division and served as a crewman on a 37mm gun. His unit landed on Iwo Jima and he describes in detail his experiences in battle and how his gun was utilized. Jarstad took part in the occupation of Japan and was discharged in December 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Tom Mann. Mann went into the Navy on June 9, 1944 and took boot camp in San Diego. He took a transport to Pearl Harbor and went to radio school at Camp Chapman. While on general detail, Mann tells the story of him and five other sailors doing work around Adm Nimitz's headquarters and of him coming out, offering them a coke, and chatting with them for a few minutes. Mann was assigned to the USS Maryland which was involved in the invasion of Okinawa. He tells the story of the ship being hit in the number 3 turret by a Kamikaze and of an operation called 'Circling the Wagon' where the ships went about 20 miles northeast of Okinawa and waited for the Kamikazes to start coming in. He states that in one day's time we shot down 327 planes. After getting back to Pearl Harbor, the Maryland was ordered to Bremerton, Washington for repairs. After the war was over, the Maryland made several 'Magic Carpet' trips between the Pacific and the west coast. Mann was discharged from the navy on May 17, 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Tom Mann. Mann went into the Navy on June 9, 1944 and took boot camp in San Diego. He took a transport to Pearl Harbor and went to radio school at Camp Chapman. While on general detail, Mann tells the story of him and five other sailors doing work around Adm Nimitz's headquarters and of him coming out, offering them a coke, and chatting with them for a few minutes. Mann was assigned to the USS Maryland which was involved in the invasion of Okinawa. He tells the story of the ship being hit in the number 3 turret by a Kamikaze and of an operation called 'Circling the Wagon' where the ships went about 20 miles northeast of Okinawa and waited for the Kamikazes to start coming in. He states that in one day's time we shot down 327 planes. After getting back to Pearl Harbor, the Maryland was ordered to Bremerton, Washington for repairs. After the war was over, the Maryland made several 'Magic Carpet' trips between the Pacific and the west coast. Mann was discharged from the navy on May 17, 1946.