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 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 interview with Gilbert Esensee. Esensee was born in Fredericksburg, Texas, on 6 August 1925, into a family of eight children. In 1944, he joined the Army and took basic training at Camp Roberts, California. He was then sent to La Havre, France, where he joined the 29th Infantry Division, 175th Infantry Regiment. Esensee was involved in combat action along the Roer River, where he was wounded. He also tells of German soldiers swimming the Elbe River, to avoid capture by Russian troops.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Gilbert Esensee. Esensee was born in Fredericksburg, Texas, on 6 August 1925, into a family of eight children. In 1944, he joined the Army and took basic training at Camp Roberts, California. He was then sent to La Havre, France, where he joined the 29th Infantry Division, 175th Infantry Regiment. Esensee was involved in combat action along the Roer River, where he was wounded. He also tells of German soldiers swimming the Elbe River, to avoid capture by Russian troops.

The National Museum of The Pacific War presents an oral interview with Cecil Groves. Groves was born in a small hamlet in Arkansas in 1920. He quit school in seventh grade to help his father make a living for a family of ten. Drafted in 1941, he underwent basic training at Miami Beach. He was sent to Fresno, California where he was assigned to the Signal Corps and attended telephone linesman school. Completing school, he was sent to New Guinea where he was assigned to the communication section in the 54th Troop Carrier Wing. He tells of being assigned to various bases including the Port Moresby Airfield Complex, Clark Field in the Philippines, and Tachikawa, Japan. He was discharged in 1945.

The National Museum of The Pacific War presents an oral interview with Cecil Groves. Groves was born in a small hamlet in Arkansas in 1920. He quit school in seventh grade to help his father make a living for a family of ten. Drafted in 1941, he underwent basic training at Miami Beach. He was sent to Fresno, California where he was assigned to the Signal Corps and attended telephone linesman school. Completing school, he was sent to New Guinea where he was assigned to the communication section in the 54th Troop Carrier Wing. He tells of being assigned to various bases including the Port Moresby Airfield Complex, Clark Field in the Philippines, and Tachikawa, Japan. He was discharged in 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Wilbur Vantine. In June, 1943, Vantine joined the Merchant Marine. He delivered aviation fuel to Milne Bay in New Guinea on his first voyage and bombs to New Caledonia before returning to the Merchant Marine Academy in New York and earning a commission in the Navy Reserve in April, 1945. Once he graduated, Vantine was assigned to a liberty ship and went to Liverpool. He was in New York on VJ Day. In 1957, he became a Panama Canal pilot and retired in 1997.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Wilbur Vantine. In June, 1943, Vantine joined the Merchant Marine. He delivered aviation fuel to Milne Bay in New Guinea on his first voyage and bombs to New Caledonia before returning to the Merchant Marine Academy in New York and earning a commission in the Navy Reserve in April, 1945. Once he graduated, Vantine was assigned to a liberty ship and went to Liverpool. He was in New York on VJ Day. In 1957, he became a Panama Canal pilot and retired in 1997.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William Wheless. Wheless joined the Army Air Forces in the summer of 1942. He served as a C-47 pilot in the Air Transport Command in the China-Burma-India Theater. Wheless was assigned to a base in Assam Valley, northeastern India. He and his squadron flew over the Himalaya Mountains supplying General Stilwell and Merrill’s Marauders in Burma, and Allied forces stationed in Yunnan Province in China. He survived many dangerous missions and was awarded the Air Medal on one occasion for a low-level supply drop to surrounded US troops in enemy territory. He returned to the US and was discharged in the spring of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William Wheless. Wheless joined the Army Air Forces in the summer of 1942. He served as a C-47 pilot in the Air Transport Command in the China-Burma-India Theater. Wheless was assigned to a base in Assam Valley, northeastern India. He and his squadron flew over the Himalaya Mountains supplying General Stilwell and Merrill’s Marauders in Burma, and Allied forces stationed in Yunnan Province in China. He survived many dangerous missions and was awarded the Air Medal on one occasion for a low-level supply drop to surrounded US troops in enemy territory. He returned to the US and was discharged in the spring of 1945.