Oral History Interview with Albert Bouley, June 27, 2001 transcript

Oral History Interview with Albert Bouley, June 27, 2001

Interview with Albert Bouley, a U. S. Marine during World War II. He discusses his enlistment in the Marines just after Pearl Harbor; his assignment to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Division; the battle of Guadalcanal; malaria and dysentery; the battle of Cape Gloucester; the use of Pavuvu as a base; the battle of Peleliu; his return to the United States; guard duty at the Brooklyn Naval Yard and his service as an instructor in a heavy weapons school before the end of the war. He joined the Air Force 2 1/2 years later to be able to fly and work on planes, then retire to become a teacher in California, and finally settled in Texas.
Date: June 27, 2001
Creator: Cox, Floyd & Bouley, Albert
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Agadito Silva (open access)

Oral History Interview with Agadito Silva

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Agaito Silva. Silva was inducted into the US Army in January 1941. Trained in anti-aircraft guns at Fort Bliss, Texas he was assigned to the 200th Coast Artillery. Several months later the unit was shipped to Fort Stotsenberg, Luzon, Philippines. He describes the Japanese attack on 8 December 1941 and the serious shortages of food and medical supplies that developed. He tells of retreating to Corregidor and of being wounded by shell fragments. After surrendering on 6 May 1942, Silva tells how the prisoners were treated. They sent to Bilibid Prison and then to Cabanatuan. He was then taken to Japan to work in the mines and gives several anecdotes describing the inhumane treatment of the prisoners by the Japanese. He relates how after the Japanese surrender, food and medical supplies were dropped to the POW camp. Silva returned to the United States on 18 October 1945.
Date: June 12, 2003
Creator: Silva, Agadito
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Jessie Clark, June 6, 2002 transcript

Oral History Interview with Jessie Clark, June 6, 2002

Interview with Jessie Clark regarding her experiences during World War II. She discusses having to adjust to a lifestyle of rationing for food products and shoes as well as blackouts and scrap metal drives. Her husband worked for the Southern Pacific Railroad and was often absent while she stayed home to raise their children in Houston. She discusses the scarcity of toys during Christmas and hosiery.
Date: June 6, 2002
Creator: Loyd, Ms. & Clark, Jessie
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Robert Meyer, June 25, 2007 transcript

Oral History Interview with Robert Meyer, June 25, 2007

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert W. Meyer. Meyer was born in Olympia, Washington on 3 September 1924. After graduating from high school in 1942, he was drafted into the Army on 15 May 1943. He was placed into the Army Specialized Training Program. Following 13 weeks of basic training at Camp Wheeler, Georgia, he was sent to the University of Alabama for 3 months of specialized training. He was accepted for flight training, but returned to the infantry in April 1944. Assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 263rd Regiment, 66th Infantry Division, he went overseas in September 1944. Reassigned as a machine gunner to Company A, 109th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division, Meyer saw combat in Belgium, Germany, and Luxemburg. He was captured by the Germans on 18 December 1944 while fighting near Longsdorf, Luxemburg. He spent the next 4 months in various prisoner of war and labor camps, including Stalag IIA north of Berlin. In April 1945, as the Russians approached Stalag IIA, the German guards fled. Essentially free, Meyer first tried to avoid the Russians but finally advanced with them to the Elbe River where he was reunited with US forces. …
Date: June 25, 2007
Creator: Meyer, Robert
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Keith Westphal, June 27, 2007 transcript

Oral History Interview with Keith Westphal, June 27, 2007

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Keith Westphal. Westphal describes growing up during the Great Depression and how it affected his family. He joined the Navy in May of 1945. He provides some details of his boot camp. He completed signal school, though was assigned to Fire Control in the Gunnery Division where he served as Seaman First Class. In December of 1945 he began work overseeing the antiaircraft guns aboard the USS Pocono (AGC-16), an Adirondack class amphibious force command ship. They remained on the Atlantic coast and did not go out to sea. Westphal describes the ship’s interior and weapons on board. He shares his experiences of transporting Admiral Marc Mitscher, and general duties and life aboard the ship. Westphal was discharged in August of 1946, then enlisted in the Naval Reserves.
Date: June 27, 2007
Creator: Westphal, Keith
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with William Smith, June 8, 2007 transcript

Oral History Interview with William Smith, June 8, 2007

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William R. Smith. Smith was born in April of 1921 and served in the Junior Naval Reserve as a teenager, joining the Naval Reserves around 1937 with a forged birth certificate. He received basic training by volunteering aboard USS Texas (BB-35) and USS Brooklyn (CL-40). By 1939, Smith was serving as a Chief Fire Control Technician aboard USS Clark (DD-361). They were docked in San Francisco on 7 December 1941 and took up antisubmarine patrol off Samoa by February of 1942. Smith reenlisted in April. The Clark escorted a tanker to Midway, a convoy to New Zealand and assisted with landings on Guadalcanal by November of 1942. In November of 1943, Smith transferred to USS Newcomb (DD-586), participating in the Battle of Leyte Gulf and the invasion at Lingayen in January 1945. Smith also participated in the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, where the Newcomb was hit by 5 kamikaze planes on 6 April. Smith recalls a brief and positive encounter with Admiral Chester Nimitz. Around August of 1945 he was transferred to USS La Vallette (DD-448) and traveled to San Diego where he was stationed through April …
Date: June 8, 2007
Creator: Smith, William
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Frank Crain, June 22, 2000 transcript

Oral History Interview with Frank Crain, June 22, 2000

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Frank Crain. Crain left law school to join the Army Air Forces in January 1942. He was assigned to an ordnance detachment with the 3rd Air Depot Group in Agra, India, where he loaded ammunition onto trains. He was transferred to Karachi, where he made reusable practice bombs out of tin cans and sand. He applied to OCS and returned to the States in April 1943. As an Infantry officer he taught math, reading, and ordnance use. He was sent to Italy and assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 86th Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division. In the Apennines, his unit furnished ammunition and performed light engineering. Crain was the battalion commander’s primary troubleshooter. He was assigned to the 85th Infantry Division when the armistice went into effect in Italy. There was no resistance from Germans in the Po Valley, who pleaded with Crain to help them defend their homes from the Russians. When the war ended, he was assigned to keep the peace between political factions in Tarvisio. His last occupation duty was overseeing refugees in Milan. Crain returned home and was discharged in December 1945. He returned to …
Date: June 22, 2000
Creator: Crain, Frank
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Carl DuBose, June 27, 2000 transcript

Oral History Interview with Carl DuBose, June 27, 2000

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Carl DuBose. DuBose joined the Army Air Forces in June of 1942. He served as a B-17 pilot with the 427th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group. He deployed to England, and flew 36 combat missions over Germany, attacking airfields, submarine yards and railroads. DuBose returned to the US in October of 1944. He was assigned to Roswell, New Mexico, flying B-29s. He was discharged in December of 1945.
Date: June 27, 2000
Creator: DuBose, Carl
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Robert Hobbs, June 21, 2000 transcript

Oral History Interview with Robert Hobbs, June 21, 2000

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Hobbs. Hobbs joined the Army in the spring of 1943. He served with the 35th Infantry Division, and deployed to England in May of 1944. His job was to drive a machine gun Jeep. Hobbs participated in the invasion of Normandy, the Battle of Saint-Lô and the Battle of the Bulge. He returned to the US and was discharged in August of 1945.
Date: June 21, 2000
Creator: Hobbs, Robert
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Sidney Key, June 6, 2000 transcript

Oral History Interview with Sidney Key, June 6, 2000

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Sidney Key. Key joined the Marine Corps in July of 1942. He completed Officer Candidate School and LVT School. Key was assigned to the 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Amphibious Tractor Battalion. In May of 1943, he deployed and participated in in the assaults on Tarawa, Saipan and Tinian. He operated the landing vehicles and provided combat support in operations ashore. Key was discharged in late 1945.
Date: June 6, 2000
Creator: Key, Sidney
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Charles Kidder, June 8, 2000 transcript

Oral History Interview with Charles Kidder, June 8, 2000

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles Kidder. Kidder joined the Army Air Forces in March 1943 and received basic training on a golf course in Miami Beach while staying at a hotel. Upon completion, he was assigned to LaGuardia Field, where he was a quartermaster supply clerk. While there he lived at the Greystone and Alamac hotels, the Garden Bay Manor apartment complex, and a mansion at One Park Avenue. The post was very relaxed, and roll call was rarely taken. As a member of the military, he enjoyed ballgames and entertainment for free. In September 1944, he requested to be given a more active role in the war. He was then given intensive training as an engine mechanic for DC-3s, C-54s (Skymaster), and C-47s (Skytrain, a.k.a. “Gooney Bird”). In April 1945 he was sent to the Pacific and served in Saipan and Guam as an assistant crew chief. Kidder returned home and was discharged in March 1946. He qualified for disability due to hearing loss after being around airplanes without any hearing protection. He went to the University of Texas on the GI Bill and majored in journalism.
Date: June 8, 2000
Creator: Kidder, Charles
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Orby Ledbetter, June 9, 2000 transcript

Oral History Interview with Orby Ledbetter, June 9, 2000

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Orby Ledbetter. Ledbetter joined the Texas Army National Guard in 1937 as a soldier in the Texas 36th Infantry Division, 142nd Infantry Regiment. He provides details of serving in the Texas Guard and remaining with the 36th ID throughout the war. He describes his experiences completing basic training through numerous camps and traveling overseas aboard the SS Argentina. Beginning in April of 1943 Orby served in the North African Campaign and also landed at Salerno, Italy. He was captured by the German Army in September of 1943 and remained a prisoner of war at Stalag VII-A in Moosburg, Germany until April of 1945. Ledbetter provides vivid details of these experiences. He was discharged in September of 1945.
Date: June 9, 2000
Creator: Ledbetter, Orby
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Harry Miller, June 23, 2003 transcript

Oral History Interview with Harry Miller, June 23, 2003

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents and oral interview with Harry Miller. Born 11 September 1922 in Winamac, Indiana, Miller graduated from high school in 1940. Called into the Army in 1943, he took basic training at Fort Hamilton, New York. After fifteen weeks of basic he was assigned to the 13th Major Port Battalion. He was stationed at Perth Amboy, New Jersey and worked long hours loading ammunition and other supplies for overseas shipment. He then went aboard a troop ship and landed at Plymouth, England. There, he was involved in unloading military supplies. Sometime after June 1944, he was pulled from the port battalion and assigned as a replacement with the 29th Infantry Division, 115th Infantry Regiment. He recalls of being in combat at Brest, France and the drive to the Elbe River. Miller also recalls his regiment being confronted by 10,000 Germans surrendering to the Americans to avoid capture by the Russian Army. After Germany surrendered, he was sent to Bremen, as a company clerk. In 1946, he returned to the United States and was discharged.
Date: June 23, 2003
Creator: Miller, Harry
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Alfred Taylor, June 5, 2003 transcript

Oral History Interview with Alfred Taylor, June 5, 2003

The National Museum of the pacific War presents an oral interview with Alfred N. Taylor. In early 1942 Taylor was drafted into the Army Air Forces. After training and an assignment in Florida, Taylor was shipped to India. He worked at an airbase in Assam calling pilots to their aircraft for missions over the Himalaya Mountains. Taylor returned to the US and was discharged in January 1946.
Date: June 5, 2003
Creator: Taylor, Alfred N.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with William Brewer, June 16, 2003 transcript

Oral History Interview with William Brewer, June 16, 2003

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William Brewer. Brewer joined the Navy in April of 1943. He completed Gunnery School and Radio School. In mid-1944, Brewer was assigned to Patrol Squadron 47 (VP-47) and later deployed to Hawaii. Beginning in spring of 1945, he served as an Aviation Radioman-Gunner aboard USS Bataan (CVL-29). The task force conducted a series of raids to support the invasion of Okinawa. They participated in the Battle of the East China Sea, and conducted numerous bombing runs on airfields and factories in Japan. He returned to the US in September of 1945 and was discharged in March of 1946.
Date: June 16, 2003
Creator: Brewer, William
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Cyril Conn, June 17, 2003 transcript

Oral History Interview with Cyril Conn, June 17, 2003

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Cyril Conn. Conn joined the Army Air Forces in May of 1942. He served as an aircraft mechanic with the 27th Air Depot Group. From May of 1943 through the fall of 1945, he was stationed in New Guinea. Conn was discharged in November of 1945.
Date: June 17, 2003
Creator: Conn, Cyril
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Thomas Handran-Smith, June 1, 1974 transcript

Oral History Interview with Thomas Handran-Smith, June 1, 1974

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents a monologue of Thomas Handran-Smith. Smith served with the 2nd Field Artillery Regiment, Australia Imperial Forces. They participated in the Battle of Buna in New Guinea. He provides details of the living and fighting conditions through his time at Buna. He also comments on his American allies in the 32nd Infantry Division.
Date: June 1, 1974
Creator: Handran-Smith, Thomas
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with James Arquette, June 23, 2000 transcript

Oral History Interview with James Arquette, June 23, 2000

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Arquette. Arquette joined the Navy in February of 1942. He completed flight training, and was assigned to a fighter squadron. Beginning November of 1942, he served as a pilot aboard USS Lexington (CV-16). He participated in raids on Wake Island and the Gilbert Islands. He later transferred to USS Randolph (CV-15), participating in the Okinawa invasion. He returned to the US and was discharged in October of 1945. Arquette continued his service and retired in 1963.
Date: June 23, 2000
Creator: Arquette, James
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Joseph Drachnik, June 29, 2000 transcript

Oral History Interview with Joseph Drachnik, June 29, 2000

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Joseph Drachnik. Drachnik graduated from the Naval Academy in June of 1942. He served aboard USS Betelgeuse (AKA-11), transporting cargo and troops for the invasion of Guadalcanal. They made several resupply and reinforcement voyages to Guadalcanal and Tulagi in support of the campaign, and returned to the US in January of 1943. Beginning October of 1943 through October of 1945, Drachnik served as Executive Officer aboard USS Allen M. Sumner (DD-692), completing patrol duty during the battles of Leyte and Luzon. He completed 30 years of service, retiring in 1972.
Date: June 29, 2000
Creator: Drachnik, Joseph
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Dwight Dehaven, June 13, 2000 transcript

Oral History Interview with Dwight Dehaven, June 13, 2000

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dwight Dehaven. Dehaven joined the Navy in 1939 and served aboard the USS Yorktown (CV-5) in the boiler room. Dehaven recalls being shaken by a bomb and by explosions from the USS Lexington (CV-2) nearby in the Battle of the Coral Sea. In the Battle of Midway, bombs and a torpedo caused fire and flooding. Dehaven witnessed the gruesome death of a sailor jumping ship and saw a pilot trapped underneath an overturned plane. After abandoning ship, Dehaven was rescued by the USS Henley (DD-391), which was subsequently hit by a torpedo. He abandoned that ship amidst the explosions of depth charges and was then rescued by the USS Balch (DD-363). He was assigned to help repair the USS California (BB-44) and was then transferred to the USS England (DE-635) as a chief machinist’s mate. Dehaven describes the complementary skillsets and personalities of Captain Williamson and Commander Pendleton, and how that contributed to the England’s unparalleled success in anti-submarine warfare. Dehaven was discharged in November 1945. He returned to the England for its decommissioning ceremony, remembering his friends who were trapped and burned in the Yorktown after it …
Date: June 13, 2000
Creator: Dehaven, Dwight
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with William Stokesberry, June 13, 2001 transcript

Oral History Interview with William Stokesberry, June 13, 2001

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Stokesberry. Stokesberry joined the Navy in April 1940 and was stationed at Kaneohe Bay on 7 December 1941. He was out early collecting garbage from various stations on the base that morning and was among the first to see Japanese planes approaching. After the attack, he repaired damaged water lines. October 1942, he was sent to Johnston Island as an aviation metalsmith. After a brief assignment at Pearl Harbor doing overhaul and repair work, he was assigned to USS Independence (CVL-22). There he modified planes and landing craft to make night operations inconspicuous, such as adding flame dampeners to fighter planes and giving landing signal officers reflective clothing. He also outfitted planes with tubes filled with foil that when dropped would confuse Japanese radarmen. To give the impression that the 3rd and 5th fleet had two sets of aircraft, he painted planes with unique colors for each operation. He recalls the Independence participating in the sinking of HIJMS Musashi at the Battle of Leyte Gulf, and he saw several kamikazes try to hit the Independence off Okinawa. After the war ended, he spent the rest of his …
Date: June 13, 2001
Creator: Stokesberry, William
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Nelson Granzella, June 1, 2000 transcript

Oral History Interview with Nelson Granzella, June 1, 2000

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Nelson Granzella. Granzella joined the Navy and served aboard the USS Omaha (CL-4), based in the French Riviera. He traveled to Italy, North Africa, Turkey, and Greece during the Spanish Civil War. After the invasion of Poland, he stayed in Portugal for a few months and was then reassigned to the USS Wapello (YN-56). After the attack on Pearl Harbor, he was tasked with removing oil from the surface of waterways. He was then assigned to the USS Dash (AM-88), sweeping mines around Tulagi. He was transferred to the USS England (DE-635) as chief quartermaster, tracking the stars and relaying information to the navigator. Granzella also helped sink several Japanese submarines near Papua New Guinea. He would plot the submarines’ movements based on information given to him by sonar operators and then relay the information to the bridge. After the war, Granzella became a specialist in photo intelligence based in Washington, D.C.
Date: June 1, 2000
Creator: Granzella, Nelson
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Alfred Schmitz, June 12, 2002 transcript

Oral History Interview with Alfred Schmitz, June 12, 2002

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Alfred Schmitz. He was born on August 28, 1925 in Austin, Texas. He enlisted in the Navy in June 1944 and upon graduation from basic training and Fireman "A" School, he was assigned to the USS La Prade (DE-409) and sailed to Pearl Harbor. He next sailed in September 1944 with a hunter-killer task group during the Palau Islands invasion. He recalls the ship being involved in a joint attack on a Japanese midget submarine in the entrance to Kossol Roads Harbor, where the sub was destroyed with depth charges. In addition, he describes the ship's participation in the invasion of Okinawa servings as part of a submarine screen between the battleships and the beach and on rotating picket ship duty with other smaller vessels. After Okinawa he recalls that the ship joined the Japan occupation forces at Sasebo on September 23, 1945. During this period he recalls being sent to Nagasaki immediately after the atomic bomb was dropped to pick up Navy Seabees. He recalls that the ship returned to San Diego where he was part of the decommissioning crew until May 1946.
Date: June 12, 2002
Creator: Schmitz, Alfred
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Homer Buck & Dub Ramsel, June 21, 2003 transcript

Oral History Interview with Homer Buck & Dub Ramsel, June 21, 2003

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Homer Buck and Dub Ramsel. Buck joined the Marine Corps in October of 1942, and served as a B-25 pilot. He was assigned as a replacement on Mindanao, Philippines. He completed patrol missions, searching for Japanese PT boats. Buck was discharged in early 1946. Ramsel was called to active duty in September of 1942. He received his wings and commission in August of 1943, and served as a Corsair pilot. In early 1944, Ramsel served with Marine Fighting Squadron 215 (VMF-215). He deployed to Hawaii as a replacement, completed around 900 hours of flight time, though never participated in any war campaigns. Ramsel was discharged in October of 1945.
Date: June 21, 2003
Creator: Buck, Homer & Dub Ramsel
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History