The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Mr. Leslie Brandes. Brandes served in the Corps of Cadets and graduated from Texas A&M in 1941 with a commission in the infantry, though he did not begin active duty until June of 1942. He was assigned to the 8th Air Force as a second lieutenant. He traveled to Scotland aboard the Queen Mary. He completed flight training school as a Flight Control Officer in September of 1943, and was stationed in England with the 91st Bombardment Group. He worked as an Air Traffic Controller, and provides details of his work, room and board accommodations at his base, witnessing casualties and his travels to London. He participated in D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge, and shares his experiences through these fateful battles. He was discharged as a major in September of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Mr. Leslie Brandes. Brandes served in the Corps of Cadets and graduated from Texas A&M in 1941 with a commission in the infantry, though he did not begin active duty until June of 1942. He was assigned to the 8th Air Force as a second lieutenant. He traveled to Scotland aboard the Queen Mary. He completed flight training school as a Flight Control Officer in September of 1943, and was stationed in England with the 91st Bombardment Group. He worked as an Air Traffic Controller, and provides details of his work, room and board accommodations at his base, witnessing casualties and his travels to London. He participated in D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge, and shares his experiences through these fateful battles. He was discharged as a major in September of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Arnold Cole. Cole was born in Beulah, North Dakota 9 October 1924. Joining the Navy in January 1942 he attended boot camp at Farragut, Idaho then was assigned to the Hospital Corps School. Upon completing training, he went to Camp Elliott, California to join the Fleet Marine Force as a combat medic with the 5th Marine Division, 26th Marine Regiment. On 19 February 1945 he was in the third wave of the invasion of Iwo Jima. He mentions the high casualty rate suffered during the invasion and he recalls that the corpsmen removed any type of markings indicating they were medical personnel in an effort to thwart the efforts of Japanese snipers to single them out. Cole was on Iwo Jima for thirty-three days before being severely wounded. After receiving initial treatment at the battalion aid station he was put aboard the USS Queens (APA-103) and taken to Guam. He was taken off the ship on a gurney, identified with a green toe tag (dead) and placed in the morgue. A morgue attendant heard him moaning and contacted medical personnel. He was taken to the hospital and given …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Arnold Cole. Cole was born in Beulah, North Dakota 9 October 1924. Joining the Navy in January 1942 he attended boot camp at Farragut, Idaho then was assigned to the Hospital Corps School. Upon completing training, he went to Camp Elliott, California to join the Fleet Marine Force as a combat medic with the 5th Marine Division, 26th Marine Regiment. On 19 February 1945 he was in the third wave of the invasion of Iwo Jima. He mentions the high casualty rate suffered during the invasion and he recalls that the corpsmen removed any type of markings indicating they were medical personnel in an effort to thwart the efforts of Japanese snipers to single them out. Cole was on Iwo Jima for thirty-three days before being severely wounded. After receiving initial treatment at the battalion aid station he was put aboard the USS Queens (APA-103) and taken to Guam. He was taken off the ship on a gurney, identified with a green toe tag (dead) and placed in the morgue. A morgue attendant heard him moaning and contacted medical personnel. He was taken to the hospital and given …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Norman Delisle. Delisle enlisted in the Navy right after Pearl Harbor and went to basic training in Newport, Rhode Island. He was assigned to the Boston Navy Yard awaiting assignment and while there he went to Wentworth Institute for training on diesel engines and air conditioning. After 2-3 months of training, he was transferred back down to Newport and he was made a gunnery instructor, instructing crews from different ships that were anywhere near the area. He was there about eight months and transferred to Vallejo, California to pick up the USS Oakland but before he could report aboard he was diagnosed with rheumatic fever, spending many months in hospitals. They were going to give him a disability discharge but he wanted to go back to active duty which he was allowed to do. He reported to the USS Oakland at Mare Island Shipyard. The Oakland left Mare Island in October, went to Pearl Harbor and joined the Pacific Fleet. The Oakland was involved in the invasion bombardment of Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands and then came back to Hawaii. After Hawaii, the Oakland joined Task Force 38 …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Norman Delisle. Delisle enlisted in the Navy right after Pearl Harbor and went to basic training in Newport, Rhode Island. He was assigned to the Boston Navy Yard awaiting assignment and while there he went to Wentworth Institute for training on diesel engines and air conditioning. After 2-3 months of training, he was transferred back down to Newport and he was made a gunnery instructor, instructing crews from different ships that were anywhere near the area. He was there about eight months and transferred to Vallejo, California to pick up the USS Oakland but before he could report aboard he was diagnosed with rheumatic fever, spending many months in hospitals. They were going to give him a disability discharge but he wanted to go back to active duty which he was allowed to do. He reported to the USS Oakland at Mare Island Shipyard. The Oakland left Mare Island in October, went to Pearl Harbor and joined the Pacific Fleet. The Oakland was involved in the invasion bombardment of Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands and then came back to Hawaii. After Hawaii, the Oakland joined Task Force 38 …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Margaret Heard. Heard was born in New Jersey and graduated from Nursing School in November 1939, passing the state board exam for Surgical Nurse. She traveled to Hawaii on in February 1941 and took a nursing job at the Dole Pineapple Plantation on the island of Lanai. She was attending a wedding in Honolulu on 7 December 1941 and was awakened by the sound of bombing at Pearl Harbor. She and another nurse drove to Schofield Barracks, and along the way observed the second wave of Japanese planes attacking the base. She remembers volunteering for duty with the Bureau of Nursing and being assigned to a group of surgeons on Punchbowl Street in Honolulu. She was given charge of the X-ray department due to a shortage of technicians. She provides anecdotes of her time on Lanai and Oahu, including driving without lights, and on one occasion rolling the car. She describes her uneventful interaction with Japanese-Americans. She took a leave of absence in the fall of 1944 and returned to the States for several months. When she was ready to return, she was tasked to pick up a …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Margaret Heard. Heard was born in New Jersey and graduated from Nursing School in November 1939, passing the state board exam for Surgical Nurse. She traveled to Hawaii on in February 1941 and took a nursing job at the Dole Pineapple Plantation on the island of Lanai. She was attending a wedding in Honolulu on 7 December 1941 and was awakened by the sound of bombing at Pearl Harbor. She and another nurse drove to Schofield Barracks, and along the way observed the second wave of Japanese planes attacking the base. She remembers volunteering for duty with the Bureau of Nursing and being assigned to a group of surgeons on Punchbowl Street in Honolulu. She was given charge of the X-ray department due to a shortage of technicians. She provides anecdotes of her time on Lanai and Oahu, including driving without lights, and on one occasion rolling the car. She describes her uneventful interaction with Japanese-Americans. She took a leave of absence in the fall of 1944 and returned to the States for several months. When she was ready to return, she was tasked to pick up a …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William Hewson. Hewson joined the Navy in April of 1943. He went to Alameda Naval Air Station and formed Composite Squadron 68 (VC-68), comprised of 12 TBMs and 16 Wildcats. He worked as a storekeeper striker. Beginning in spring of 1944 Hewson served as Storekeeper 2nd Class aboard the USS Fanshaw Bay (CVE-70). He oversaw all aviation mechanical supplies. They traveled to Pearl Harbor and Saipan. They participated in the Battle of Samar in late October of 1944, which Hewson provides vivid details of this event. They returned to San Diego in November. He was discharged in April of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William Hewson. Hewson joined the Navy in April of 1943. He went to Alameda Naval Air Station and formed Composite Squadron 68 (VC-68), comprised of 12 TBMs and 16 Wildcats. He worked as a storekeeper striker. Beginning in spring of 1944 Hewson served as Storekeeper 2nd Class aboard the USS Fanshaw Bay (CVE-70). He oversaw all aviation mechanical supplies. They traveled to Pearl Harbor and Saipan. They participated in the Battle of Samar in late October of 1944, which Hewson provides vivid details of this event. They returned to San Diego in November. He was discharged in April of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with June Savage. Savage was born June 3rd, 1944, in Wellington, New Zealand. Her mother was a Cook Islander, and her father was a United States Marine Corps officer who was stationed in Wellington during the war. At only two months old, Savage was sent back to the Cook Islands to live with her grandparents, who raised her until she was 16. Growing up without a mother or father caused her to feel lonely and isolated, and she poured herself into all aspects of her schooling, including public speaking. For this, she won a scholarship in New Zealand, where she reunited with her mother. Savage wanted to know who her father was, but she didn’t have the courage to ask her mother directly. When her mother eventually passed away, the only thing Savage knew about her father was that he had died in the Pacific War. Decades later, Savage’s daughter Tonya searched the Internet for information on ranking officers stationed in Wellington during the war. The search turned up a photo of a man bearing a strong resemblance to Savage, and a possible last name for him. At the …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with June Savage. Savage was born June 3rd, 1944, in Wellington, New Zealand. Her mother was a Cook Islander, and her father was a United States Marine Corps officer who was stationed in Wellington during the war. At only two months old, Savage was sent back to the Cook Islands to live with her grandparents, who raised her until she was 16. Growing up without a mother or father caused her to feel lonely and isolated, and she poured herself into all aspects of her schooling, including public speaking. For this, she won a scholarship in New Zealand, where she reunited with her mother. Savage wanted to know who her father was, but she didn’t have the courage to ask her mother directly. When her mother eventually passed away, the only thing Savage knew about her father was that he had died in the Pacific War. Decades later, Savage’s daughter Tonya searched the Internet for information on ranking officers stationed in Wellington during the war. The search turned up a photo of a man bearing a strong resemblance to Savage, and a possible last name for him. At the …