The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Roger G. Anderson. When Anderson finished high school in 1943, he entered the Army Air Forces and trained initially at Miami Beach, Florida, then at Laredo, Texas, for gunnery school. Anderson describes the training involved at gunnery school and shares a few anecdotes. In July, 1944, Anderson and crew headed overseas. they were assigned to the 19th Bomb Squadron, 22nd Bomb Group, 5th Air Force. His squadron was nicknamed the Silver Fleet. To begin with, he was stationed in New Guinea and flew aome missions there. Eventually, his unit was assigned to Tacloban, bu teh area was too muddy for an airbase, so his unt was statioend at Angaur. From there, his unit evenually moved up to Clark Field on Luzon. In August, 1945, Anderson went home on leave after completing 48 missions. He anticipated being trained in B-29s, but the war ended while he was home on furlough and he got discharged in October, 1945. He used the G.I. Bill to go to college and eventually had a career as a teacher in Illinois.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ernest Andrus. Andrus joined the Navy in June of 1942. Beginning in November, he served as a medical corpsman in the sick bay aboard USS Rochambeau (AP-63), transporting troops throughout the Pacific islands. Around January of 1944, he transferred to the sick bay aboard USS LST-124 in New Caledonia. Andrus shares his experiences through the Battle of Tinian in July. They traveled to Guadalcanal for ferry duty, and provided transportation for supplies and men throughout the islands. Andrus left USS LST-124 in mid-1945 and went ashore in New Caledonia. He transferred back to the US around August, and recalls the celebration in the streets of downtown Los Angeles when the war ended. He received his discharge in December.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Anthony Arrington. Arrington joined the Navy in June 1942 and received basic training in Norfolk. He was assigned to the USS Texas (BB-35), serving as a waiter during trips to Casablanca and the British Isles. While he was onshore being treated for a shoulder injury, the Texas moved on to another port. Arrington was subsequently given landing craft training and reassigned to the USS Sims (APD-50). He was present for the entire Battle of Okinawa, operating a landing craft as a taxi for military personnel. A few weeks after the bombing of Hiroshima, he transported a group of scientists to the blast site, which was completely flattened, save for two partially damaged concrete structures. Arrington returned home and was discharged in January 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Abner Aust. Aust joined the Army Air Forces in September 1941 and completed flight school in April 1943. He was assigned to Venice, Florida, as an instructor, often receiving extra runway duty on account of his mischievous acrobatics. In October 1944, he joined the 506th Fighter Group, 457th Fighter Squadron, as flight commander. Upon familiarizing himself with the P-51, he flew his first missions out of Tinian, moving next to Iwo Jima. While escorting B-29s, he sometimes broke away to lead his group of eight fighters to strafe opportunistically. He is credited with five victories, the last of which occurred on 10 August 1945, distinguishing him as the last fighter ace of World War II. Aust then served in the Air Force and participated in the Vietnam War. Just before his retirement, he worked at Bolling Air Force Base to develop the F-15. After all of his experience in fighters, his favorite plane is the P-40N.

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 Joseph Baumbach. Baumbach joined the Marine Corps in November of 1942. Beginning around mid-1943, he served as a Radioman with the First Armored Amphibious Battalion, Company D. In January of 1944, they deployed to Kauai, Hawaii. They participated in the battles of Kwajalein, Guam and Okinawa. Baumbach returned to the US and received his discharge in December of 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 oral interview with Justin Bible. Bible joined the Army and went to radio school in California before being assigned to the 593rd Joint Assault Signal Company (JASCO). He landed in the Philippines (Leyte and Luzon) with the unit and shares a few anecdotes. He also went to Okinawa. Bible returned to the US in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William Bishop. Bishop was born in January of 1927. He graduated from high school in 1944, at the age of 17. He provides vivid recollections of life during wartime, with bomb drills, blackouts and living in a farming community in Wellington, Kansas. After graduation, Bishop worked for the US Department of Agriculture, and later served as an Emergency Wartime Carrier Clerk with the US Post Office. When he turned 18 in January of 1945, Bishop applied to join the Army, though was classified as 4-F and sent back home where he continued working for the Post Office.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Blythe. Blythe joined the Navy in September 1942. He was assigned to the USS Sandpiper (AVP-9) and describes some of the missions performed as a part of convoy escort along the northeastern US. Blythe then joined the commissioning crew of the USS Ticonderoga (CV-14). He describes the commissioning and the journey through the Panama Canal. Blythe talks of life aboard ship, his duties as a machinist mate, and how the crew interacted with the aviators. He discusses a kamikaze attack and the damage control efforts that followed including a story about Lieutenant Patrick Fleming, the ship’s leading ace, helping to pass ammunition in a damaged area. Blythe describes visiting Yokahama after the surrender and the condition and demeanor of the Japanese people he encountered. He tells of several stories that occurred on the way back to the US and his eventual discharge in October of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Merton Bobo. Bobo was born in Greenfield, Maine 10 February 1926. Graduating from high school in 1943 he enlisted in the Navy. Following a six week boot camp in Sampson, New York he was sent to Jacksonville, Florida to attend radio school. Once he graduated, he was sent to Yellow Water, Florida for gunnery training. Upon completing the gunnery training, he went to Fort Lauderdale, where he began operational training in a TBM with a pilot and gunner. The crew stayed together during their combat tour. Upon completion of the advanced training the crew went to San Diego where they joined VC-90. Going to Hawaii, they were trained in the use of rockets and torpedoes. The crew was assigned to the USS Steamer Bay (CVE-87) and began making patrols and practice landings. They joined a task unit and sailed to the Mindoro Straits where they were under attack by Japanese planes for five days. During this time Bobo witnessed a kamikaze crashing into the USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79). He participated in combat missions at Lingayen Gulf, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He recalls the night their ship was in …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Liban Brillantes. Assisting Brillantes with the interview is his daughter Peda, and his granddaughter Precious Ross. Brillantes was born in the Philippine Islands in 1916. He joined the 1st Company, 3rd Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment around 1934. Following the occupation of the Philippines by the Japanese, he joined the Filipino Guerillas and he tells of life under Japanese occupation. He describes participating in the annihilation of a column of Japanese soldiers and the method of burial by the Japanese command. He also comments on the rumor that looted gold was buried by General Yamashita and that Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos was involved in its recovery.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Albert Brown. Brown joined the Navy and served as a Radarman with amphibious forces at Guadalcanal for one year. In 1942, Brown worked aboard submarines as a specialist in surface attacks using radar. Admiral Chester Nimitz appointed him the officer in charge to create the Pacific Fleet Radar School for Senior Officers, and to instruct them in radar techniques. Brown completed this work through late 1945. He continued his service after the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Shelby Brown. Brown joined the Navy around 1942. Beginning April of 1943, he served as Seaman Second Class aboard USS Nashville (CL-43). Brown and his division took care of the fantail of the ship and the five turrets in their main battery. In August they traveled to Pearl Harbor to join carrier task forces for strikes on Marcus and Wake islands. They traveled to Espiritu Santo, crossing the equator, and had a shellback initiation. From Espiritu they shelled targets on New Guinea and the Admiralty Islands. They provided support for landings on Bougainville and Leyte. Brown recalls the ship being hit by a kamikaze, off Negros Island in December of 1944. In May of 1945 they provided fire support for the landings on Borneo. He was discharged in December of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Barbara Burton. Upon graduation from high school, Burton completed nursing school in 1947 at the University of California. Burton gives detail of civilian life during World War II. She talks about being in Los Angeles on August 15th and the celebration in the streets. After college she became a civilian Navy employee and took a position in the Aleutian Islands in 1947, working for the dispersing officer in the supply department. She provides details of her experiences there. Burton completed her work in 1950. Towards the end of her interview she gives much information about her husband’s experiences in World War II and 32 years in the Navy, James Fred Imlay.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Gus Cargile. Cargile entered the Navy as an aviation cadet in May 1942. After graduation in August 1943 he took a Marine commission. Cargile trained in Georgia, Kansas, Texas and Florida before he became an instructor. He taught bombing, shooting and night flying in Florida and Texas. He flew the SNV in basic and a North American SNJ in advanced, and went on to fly the F4U Corsair, F6F, F7F, SBD. He made landings on the USS Guadalcanal (CVE-60). He was discharged as captain in September 1946 and went into the Reserves.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Herbert Cavness. Cavness was born in Mason County, Texas in 1924. He quit high school in his junior year and joined the Army Air Forces in 1942. After completing basic training at Wichita Falls, Texas he was sent to Las Vegas, Nevada for training in aerial gunnery. He then went to Sioux City, Iowa for additional training and assignment to an air group. He recalls the loss of air crews during training mission. In early 1943 he boarded the RMS Aquitania and sailed to England. Arriving at Sudbury, he was assigned to the 486th Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force as a waist gunner on a B-17 bomber. He vividly describes his various actions and observations during various missions. He returned to the US and received his discharge in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Connelly. Connelly joined the Navy in early 1942. He served as a Radioman aboard the USS DuPage (APA-41). From January of 1944 through early 1945, they landed troops for the assaults on Kwajalein, Guam, Peleliu and the Philippines. Connelly was wounded and returned to the US, receiving a discharge in May of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James Cook. Cook’s brother Sidney speaks on his behalf. Cook graduated from high school in May of 1941. He joined the Marine Corps in 1942. He went to boot camp on the east coast, and he provides some detail of his experiences. He then went on to train as an aircraft mechanic at Chanute Field, Illinois. From there he went to the Navy Pier in Chicago for additional training. Then he completed special training in electronic propellers in Norman, Oklahoma through Spartan Aviation and the University of Oklahoma. In early 1943 he went to Hawaii for survival and jungle training. He was part of a Marine air crew. They were sent to Henderson Field on Guadalcanal. He assisted with ground maintenance and flying supplies and medevac. He provides some detail of his experiences on Peleliu. He provides details of attacks, and the Japanese and military life on the islands. He was discharged in May of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Cunningham. Cunningham joined the Army Air Forces in January of 1942. In June, he traveled to England. In November, he went to Algiers with a military police unit. He recalls a story about when he captured several German soldiers trying to sneak through the lines. He also went to Italy, arriving in Naples after the invasion and spent much time in Rome. He served in the 281st Military Police Battalion and shares several overseas anecdotes from Italy and Algeria. He had a motorcycle accident and was medically evacuated back to the US and was discharged in October, 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Bert Dawson. Dawson joined the Marine Corps in 1943. He served with the 5th Marine Division, as a paratrooper. He participated in the Battle of Iwo Jima. From Iwo, Dawson traveled to Sasebo, Japan. He was discharged in 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William DeFrates. DeFrates entered the Navy in May, 1943 with his parent's consent. He went to boot camp at Great Lakes, Illinois, as well as signal school. He was ultimately placed in the amphibious force after training at Norfolk, Virginia. DeFrates was assigned to the 7th Naval Beach Battalion. DeFrates describes training in LCVPs (Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel). DeFrates recalls several anecdotes from his training days and riding the troop ship to England, where he arrived in January, 1944. He also discusses training in England prior to the Normandy invasion. DeFrates describes going across the English Channel aboard an LST en route to the Normandy beachhead for the D-Day invasion. He discusses going over the side of an LST (Landing Ship, Tank) into an LCVP and heading for the beach. DeFrates was in the seventh or eight wave and landed close to noon on 6 June 1944 at Omaha Beach. His group immediately began setting up signal stations on the beach to communicate with incoming ships. DeFrates and crew signalled incoming ships until August at Normandy before being relieved and returned to England and then the US. He …

Transcript of an oral interview with Jack M. DeLong. Born in 1924, he joined the Army Air Corps in June, 1943. He describes basic training and living conditions at Amarillo Army Airfield, Texas. He learned Morse code in radio school at Camp Kohler, California. He describes being transported to Europe aboard the L. D. France in 1944. He was a radio operator with the 879th Signal Battalion in England. He describes his living accommodations in Salisbury and night bombing in Ipswich. He left England bound for Japan aboard the Queen Elizabeth as the war ended. The ship was rerouted to the New York. He was discharged in February, 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Nolan Donop. Donop joined the Army and eventually shipped out to Italy, where he volunteered to cook before being assigned to the 34th Infantry Divivsion and making his way to northern Italy to the Apennine Mountains. Donop recalls a few anecdotes from his combat experiences.