The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Eleanor Brown. From early 1942 through 1944, Brown served as a general mechanics helper at Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas, and had completed flight training. In April, she joined the Women’s Air Service Pilots (WASPs) in Sweetwater, Texas. Brown graduated, though WASP was disbanded in December of that same year. She returned to Kelly Field and continued to work as the first woman mechanic at the Air Force Base.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Sulo J. Alto. In March, 1943, Alto joined the Navy. He trained at Camp Perry, Virginia, then was assigned to a Navy supply depot at Fort Endicott, New York. Eventually, he boarded the USS Custer (APA-40) and headed for Hawaii via the Panama Canal in January, 1944. Alto served in the 94th Naval Construction Battlaion. Alto attended the big barbeque and picnic Admiral Nimitz hosted on Oahu for Texans in 1944. Alto's unit eventually headed for Guam to build a headquarters for Admiral Nimitz. He was discharged in March, 1946 and returned home to go to college.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Richard Curts. Curts joined the Army in September, 1943 and trained in Oklahoma. Then he was assigned to the 252nd Engineer Combat Battalion. He landed in France in September, 1944. His unit built bridges and cleared mines from France to Belgium. He was on the front lines at the Battle of the Bulge. His unit was on its way to the Pacific when the war ended. Curts went home and was discharged in May, 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Richard Donaldson. Donaldson joined the US Army Air Forces reserve in 1942. In February of 1943 he was called to active duty. He shares details of his military classes at Washington University and flight training, including night flying and Link Trainer instruction. He graduated as a pilot in May of 1944, flying a B-29. Donaldson served with the 314th Bomb Wing, 19th Bomb Group, 28th Bomb Squadron. He worked as an instructor in order to become an Airplane Commander. Donaldson and his crew flew to Cuba, practicing over water navigation in preparation for the Pacific Ocean. They traveled to Pearl Harbor, Kwajalein and stationed in Guam. They flew their first mission in February of 1945, dropping incendiary bombs over Tokyo. They flew strategic bombing missions over the Japanese Home Islands and destroyed Japan’s war-making capability. They flew their last mission in August of 1945, completing 36. Donaldson was discharged in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Emmett Prothero. Prothero joined the Citizen Military Training Camp in 1937 for basic flight training, and received his commission into the Army Air Corps in April of 1941. He graduated from Brooks Field with his pilot’s license as second lieutenant. Prothero joined the 2nd Bomb Group, and served as a test pilot, flying B-18s, B-23s, B-26s B-29s and LB-30s. He flew missions throughout the US, over the Atlantic, Australia, India, Panama, the Philippines and Kobe, Japan. He was discharged in June of 1946. He then served with the Naval Reserves until 1962.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Thomas Vaucher. Vaucher joined Citizens Military Training Camp (CMTC) in 1935. In 1939 he earned his civilian pilot license, and enlisted that same year in the Army Air Corps. Vaucher was commissioned as an officer with a pilot rating in April of 1941. On 16 December, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, he piloted his first combat patrol mission from Westover Field, Massachusetts in a B-18, searching for German ships and submarines off the east coast. During 46 months of active service, Lieutenant Colonel Vaucher flew nearly 40 different aircraft types for a total of 117 combat patrol, bombing, mining and photography missions in Panama, Guatemala, Ecuador, Peru, Galapagos, India, China and Tinian. Vaucher was discharged from active duty in June of 1946 and remained in the reserves until 1962.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ethel ""Sally"" Blaine Millett. Millett grew up in Missouri and went to nurses training in San Diego, California. She volunteered for the Philippines in 1941. She witnessed the bombing at Clark Field. She took care of the soldiers wounded by Japanese strafing. When the bombing got too bad, the nurses left Statsenberg for Manila. Because of continued Japanese bombing all over the Philippines, the nurses had to keep moving as the hospitals moved. She describes having malaria and then having to evacuate from Bataan to Corregidor. Then they went to Mindanao where they were formally captured by the Japanese. They were moved to Davao and then to Santo Tomas. She describes losing her possessions. She describes life in the internment camp: the food, the work required, the sanitary conditions, the self-government, the birthrate, and the entertainment. Millett has to have an operation while at Santo Tomas. She also describes executions. Finally, the American soldiers arrived, and she took a plane home in February 1945. Her brother met her in San Francisco.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Richard Curts. Curts joined the Army in September, 1943 and trained in Oklahoma. Then he was assigned to the 252nd Engineer Combat Battalion. He landed in France in September, 1944. His unit built bridges and cleared mines from France to Belgium. He was on the front lines at the Battle of the Bulge. His unit was on its way to the Pacific when the war ended. Curts went home and was discharged in May, 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Emmett Prothero. Prothero joined the Citizen Military Training Camp in 1937 for basic flight training, and received his commission into the Army Air Corps in April of 1941. He graduated from Brooks Field with his pilot’s license as second lieutenant. Prothero joined the 2nd Bomb Group, and served as a test pilot, flying B-18s, B-23s, B-26s B-29s and LB-30s. He flew missions throughout the US, over the Atlantic, Australia, India, Panama, the Philippines and Kobe, Japan. He was discharged in June of 1946. He then served with the Naval Reserves until 1962.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Thomas Vaucher. Vaucher joined Citizens Military Training Camp (CMTC) in 1935. In 1939 he earned his civilian pilot license, and enlisted that same year in the Army Air Corps. Vaucher was commissioned as an officer with a pilot rating in April of 1941. On 16 December, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, he piloted his first combat patrol mission from Westover Field, Massachusetts in a B-18, searching for German ships and submarines off the east coast. During 46 months of active service, Lieutenant Colonel Vaucher flew nearly 40 different aircraft types for a total of 117 combat patrol, bombing, mining and photography missions in Panama, Guatemala, Ecuador, Peru, Galapagos, India, China and Tinian. Vaucher was discharged from active duty in June of 1946 and remained in the reserves until 1962.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Richard Donaldson. Donaldson joined the US Army Air Forces reserve in 1942. In February of 1943 he was called to active duty. He shares details of his military classes at Washington University and flight training, including night flying and Link Trainer instruction. He graduated as a pilot in May of 1944, flying a B-29. Donaldson served with the 314th Bomb Wing, 19th Bomb Group, 28th Bomb Squadron. He worked as an instructor in order to become an Airplane Commander. Donaldson and his crew flew to Cuba, practicing over water navigation in preparation for the Pacific Ocean. They traveled to Pearl Harbor, Kwajalein and stationed in Guam. They flew their first mission in February of 1945, dropping incendiary bombs over Tokyo. They flew strategic bombing missions over the Japanese Home Islands and destroyed Japan’s war-making capability. They flew their last mission in August of 1945, completing 36. Donaldson was discharged in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Sulo J. Alto. In March, 1943, Alto joined the Navy. He trained at Camp Perry, Virginia, then was assigned to a Navy supply depot at Fort Endicott, New York. Eventually, he boarded the USS Custer (APA-40) and headed for Hawaii via the Panama Canal in January, 1944. Alto served in the 94th Naval Construction Battlaion. Alto attended the big barbeque and picnic Admiral Nimitz hosted on Oahu for Texans in 1944. Alto's unit eventually headed for Guam to build a headquarters for Admiral Nimitz. He was discharged in March, 1946 and returned home to go to college.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Eleanor Brown. From early 1942 through 1944, Brown served as a general mechanics helper at Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas, and had completed flight training. In April, she joined the Women’s Air Service Pilots (WASPs) in Sweetwater, Texas. Brown graduated, though WASP was disbanded in December of that same year. She returned to Kelly Field and continued to work as the first woman mechanic at the Air Force Base.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ethel ""Sally"" Blaine Millett. Millett grew up in Missouri and went to nurses training in San Diego, California. She volunteered for the Philippines in 1941. She witnessed the bombing at Clark Field. She took care of the soldiers wounded by Japanese strafing. When the bombing got too bad, the nurses left Statsenberg for Manila. Because of continued Japanese bombing all over the Philippines, the nurses had to keep moving as the hospitals moved. She describes having malaria and then having to evacuate from Bataan to Corregidor. Then they went to Mindanao where they were formally captured by the Japanese. They were moved to Davao and then to Santo Tomas. She describes losing her possessions. She describes life in the internment camp: the food, the work required, the sanitary conditions, the self-government, the birthrate, and the entertainment. Millett has to have an operation while at Santo Tomas. She also describes executions. Finally, the American soldiers arrived, and she took a plane home in February 1945. Her brother met her in San Francisco.

Transcription of letter from Chester Nimitz to his father in Kerrville. Nimitz discusses his standing in his classes after the latest monthly exams. He also describes his class being called out from the Academy to fight a fire raging in Annapolis. He also mentions an accident aboard a ship that claimed several lives - including two of Nimitz's friends that had already graduated.

Handwritten letter from Chester Nimitz to his father in Kerrville. Nimitz discusses his standing in his classes after the latest monthly exams. He also describes his class being called out from the Academy to fight a fire raging in Annapolis. He also mentions an accident aboard a ship that claimed several lives - including two of Nimitz's friends that had already graduated. This letter is on US Naval Academy stationery.

Photograph of the battle of Flowers Parade in San Antonio, Texas in 1936. The Alamo can be seen in the background of the photo with eight uniformed men standing in front of it. On the left, a pair of bleachers filled with people face a lineup of soldiers in uniform preparing to march.