The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ramon Villa. Villa joined the Army in April of 1941. He served with the 200th Coast Artillery. In September, he deployed to the Philippines, and was assigned at Clark Field. After the Japanese landed on Luzon, Villa helped defend Bataan and Corregidor, surrendering to the Japanese in April of 1942. He was captured and held a prisoner of war at Camp O’Donnell, Cabanatuan Camp #3, Las Piñas Camp #4, and in Japan. In 1944, he survived transport aboard the Haro Maru to Taiwan, to work as slave labor on a sugar plantation. He was liberated after the war ended, and returned to the US in October of 1945, receiving an honorable discharge in February of 1946.

Transcript of an oral interview with James B. Hinshaw. When Hinshaw finished high school, he was draftd into the Army in 1943. He went ot basic training at Camp Roberts in California. At Camp Gruber, Oklahoma, Hinshaw was attached to an anti-tank company in the 222nd Regiment of the 42nd Infantry Division, which shipped over to Marseille, France in December, 1944. Shortly thereafter, his unit moved into combat near Strasbourg. the 42nd eventually assaulted into Wurzburg, Germany where Hinshaw fired his 57mm anti-tank weapon at a German machine gun nest, neutralizing it. He remembers being strafed by a German jet fighter. When the war in Europe ended, Hinshaw's unit was headed for Austria, where the 42nd ID served occupation duty. He finally shipped home in Marchm 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jack Nuckols. Nuckols was drafted into the Army in September, 1944 and trained at Camp Hood. After training and transit, Nuckols landed on Okinawa on 10 April, 1945 with the 7th Infantry Division, 184th Infantry Regiment. He recalls several anecdotes from his combat experiences. After occupation duty in Korea, Nuckols returned to the US and was discharged in November 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Frank Tooze. Tooze joined the Navy V-12 program in July of 1943, and began his naval service at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York. He graduated in October of 1944 from the Midshipmen School Program as an ensign. He then reported for duty aboard the USS Biscayne (AGC-18). In February 1945 they set sail for Luzon, Philippines. Their orders were to provide close-in support during the Battle of Iwo Jima. They were there from February 19 through March 26. From there they provided support for the Battle of Okinawa beginning April of 1945. Tooze provides details of his experiences and what he witnessed at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He provides some detail of the death of news correspondent Ernie Pyle. In December of 1945 they returned to the States. Tooze was discharged in March of 1946, then participated in the Naval Reserve until 1951.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Denzil Rogers. Rogers enlisted in the Army in November, 1944 and trained for the infantry in Arkansas. In April, 1945, he landed at Leyte where he joined the 132nd Infantry Regiment, Americal Division. He went to Japan with the Americal Division and was soon transferred to a military police outfit. Rogers remained in Japan until rotating to the US in October, 1946. He was then discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Kenneth Mahaffey. Mahaffey joined the Marine Corps in May 1943, after training as a Navy pilot. He received dive bombing training in Florida and upon completion was assigned to an SBD squadron. His first assignment was in early 1944, doing search and rescue operations and tracking submarines at Midway. He was then sent to the Gilbert and Marshall Islands, stationed there for bombing missions. After hitting his target, Mahaffey, piloting the only plane in his squadron outfitted with photographic equipment, waited for the smoke to clear before photographing the area to assess the damage. He recalls one mission on which Lindberg joined his squadron to demonstrate that their planes could carry an extra thousand pounds of ammunition. Mahaffey returned to the States in November 1944 to serve as a fire tactics instructor at Corpus Christi. One evening, he flew to Laredo to visit his brother, an orderly corporal in the Army Air Forces. When the tower prohibited his takeoff, he flew straight over it and performed a barrel roll. His brother tore up the only report of the incident. Mahaffey was discharged in 1946 but reenlisted four years …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ruth Congram. Congram began taking flight instruction in the late 1930s, earning her private pilot’s license. After the war began in 1941, Congram worked for the Lucas Harold Company building parts for the Norden bombsight. In May of 1944 she enlisted in the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), a civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force. Congram flew on search missions as a pilot and as an observer, flying over farms searching for needed iron in junk piles. Additionally, she operated a Civil Air Patrol Radio station, and served as senior staff at CAP Summer Encampments at various Air Force bases. Congram worked as Administrative Finance Officer and Encampment Commander. She received Civil Air Patrol rank of Lieutenant Colonel in September of 1983. She and her husband operated the Congram Airport on the east side of Monticello, Indiana from 1945-1966, preparing planes for re-license and rebuilt wrecked airplanes. Congram never retired from CAP.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents a monologue by Irvin Strobing. Strobing joined the Army Air Corps in July of 1939. He completed Army Signal School at Fort Monmouth and worked as a radio operator. He traveled to Manila, Philippines in May of 1940 and joined the 10th Signal Service Company. He shares his experiences as an apprentice, working and general life in the Philippines. Following the surrender on Bataan, Corregidor became the focus of Japanese forces. Strobing had an operating position in one of Corregidor’s network of tunnels. He speaks on Lt. Gen. Jonathan Wainwright surrendering the Corregidor garrison to the Japanese on 6 May 1942. Strobing provides vivid recollections of his experiences through his capture and imprisonment at Bilibid and later Cabanatuan. Strobing shares details of his time in prison, the living and food accommodations, work, illness, death, interactions with the Japanese guards and their liberation from the camp. He rejoined his family in the States in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James White. After he graduated from Purdue University in 1940, White pursued a pilot’s license, receiving his training at Purdue Airport. After working for a few months and being evaluated by the Aviation Cadet Evaluation Team, he was accepted into the program and was sworn in at Fort Des Moines, Iowa on 31 October 1941. At that time he was part of the Army Air Corps and took primary flight training in Stamford, Texas. White states that in the weeks after the Pearl Harbor attack about half the class washed out rather than continue training. They were transferred to bombardier and navigator schools. After primary he was transferred to Goodfellow Field in San Angelo, Texas for basic training. From there he went to Lubbock for more training. He received his wings and a commission in May 1942. He became an instructor. White transitioned to B-26s and was transferred to Del Rio, Texas. After less than a year, he volunteered to go overseas, shipping out in January 1944 for England. White became a maintenance officer and chief test pilot of the Fourth Echelon Depot Group that did heavy repair …

Transcript of an oral interview with James B. Hinshaw. When Hinshaw finished high school, he was draftd into the Army in 1943. He went ot basic training at Camp Roberts in California. At Camp Gruber, Oklahoma, Hinshaw was attached to an anti-tank company in the 222nd Regiment of the 42nd Infantry Division, which shipped over to Marseille, France in December, 1944. Shortly thereafter, his unit moved into combat near Strasbourg. the 42nd eventually assaulted into Wurzburg, Germany where Hinshaw fired his 57mm anti-tank weapon at a German machine gun nest, neutralizing it. He remembers being strafed by a German jet fighter. When the war in Europe ended, Hinshaw's unit was headed for Austria, where the 42nd ID served occupation duty. He finally shipped home in Marchm 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jack Nuckols. Nuckols was drafted into the Army in September, 1944 and trained at Camp Hood. After training and transit, Nuckols landed on Okinawa on 10 April, 1945 with the 7th Infantry Division, 184th Infantry Regiment. He recalls several anecdotes from his combat experiences. After occupation duty in Korea, Nuckols returned to the US and was discharged in November 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Denzil Rogers. Rogers enlisted in the Army in November, 1944 and trained for the infantry in Arkansas. In April, 1945, he landed at Leyte where he joined the 132nd Infantry Regiment, Americal Division. He went to Japan with the Americal Division and was soon transferred to a military police outfit. Rogers remained in Japan until rotating to the US in October, 1946. He was then discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Frank Tooze. Tooze joined the Navy V-12 program in July of 1943, and began his naval service at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York. He graduated in October of 1944 from the Midshipmen School Program as an ensign. He then reported for duty aboard the USS Biscayne (AGC-18). In February 1945 they set sail for Luzon, Philippines. Their orders were to provide close-in support during the Battle of Iwo Jima. They were there from February 19 through March 26. From there they provided support for the Battle of Okinawa beginning April of 1945. Tooze provides details of his experiences and what he witnessed at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He provides some detail of the death of news correspondent Ernie Pyle. In December of 1945 they returned to the States. Tooze was discharged in March of 1946, then participated in the Naval Reserve until 1951.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents a monologue by Irvin Strobing. Strobing joined the Army Air Corps in July of 1939. He completed Army Signal School at Fort Monmouth and worked as a radio operator. He traveled to Manila, Philippines in May of 1940 and joined the 10th Signal Service Company. He shares his experiences as an apprentice, working and general life in the Philippines. Following the surrender on Bataan, Corregidor became the focus of Japanese forces. Strobing had an operating position in one of Corregidor’s network of tunnels. He speaks on Lt. Gen. Jonathan Wainwright surrendering the Corregidor garrison to the Japanese on 6 May 1942. Strobing provides vivid recollections of his experiences through his capture and imprisonment at Bilibid and later Cabanatuan. Strobing shares details of his time in prison, the living and food accommodations, work, illness, death, interactions with the Japanese guards and their liberation from the camp. He rejoined his family in the States in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ruth Congram. Congram began taking flight instruction in the late 1930s, earning her private pilot’s license. After the war began in 1941, Congram worked for the Lucas Harold Company building parts for the Norden bombsight. In May of 1944 she enlisted in the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), a civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force. Congram flew on search missions as a pilot and as an observer, flying over farms searching for needed iron in junk piles. Additionally, she operated a Civil Air Patrol Radio station, and served as senior staff at CAP Summer Encampments at various Air Force bases. Congram worked as Administrative Finance Officer and Encampment Commander. She received Civil Air Patrol rank of Lieutenant Colonel in September of 1983. She and her husband operated the Congram Airport on the east side of Monticello, Indiana from 1945-1966, preparing planes for re-license and rebuilt wrecked airplanes. Congram never retired from CAP.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Kenneth Mahaffey. Mahaffey joined the Marine Corps in May 1943, after training as a Navy pilot. He received dive bombing training in Florida and upon completion was assigned to an SBD squadron. His first assignment was in early 1944, doing search and rescue operations and tracking submarines at Midway. He was then sent to the Gilbert and Marshall Islands, stationed there for bombing missions. After hitting his target, Mahaffey, piloting the only plane in his squadron outfitted with photographic equipment, waited for the smoke to clear before photographing the area to assess the damage. He recalls one mission on which Lindberg joined his squadron to demonstrate that their planes could carry an extra thousand pounds of ammunition. Mahaffey returned to the States in November 1944 to serve as a fire tactics instructor at Corpus Christi. One evening, he flew to Laredo to visit his brother, an orderly corporal in the Army Air Forces. When the tower prohibited his takeoff, he flew straight over it and performed a barrel roll. His brother tore up the only report of the incident. Mahaffey was discharged in 1946 but reenlisted four years …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James White. After he graduated from Purdue University in 1940, White pursued a pilot’s license, receiving his training at Purdue Airport. After working for a few months and being evaluated by the Aviation Cadet Evaluation Team, he was accepted into the program and was sworn in at Fort Des Moines, Iowa on 31 October 1941. At that time he was part of the Army Air Corps and took primary flight training in Stamford, Texas. White states that in the weeks after the Pearl Harbor attack about half the class washed out rather than continue training. They were transferred to bombardier and navigator schools. After primary he was transferred to Goodfellow Field in San Angelo, Texas for basic training. From there he went to Lubbock for more training. He received his wings and a commission in May 1942. He became an instructor. White transitioned to B-26s and was transferred to Del Rio, Texas. After less than a year, he volunteered to go overseas, shipping out in January 1944 for England. White became a maintenance officer and chief test pilot of the Fourth Echelon Depot Group that did heavy repair …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ramon Villa. Villa joined the Army in April of 1941. He served with the 200th Coast Artillery. In September, he deployed to the Philippines, and was assigned at Clark Field. After the Japanese landed on Luzon, Villa helped defend Bataan and Corregidor, surrendering to the Japanese in April of 1942. He was captured and held a prisoner of war at Camp O’Donnell, Cabanatuan Camp #3, Las Piñas Camp #4, and in Japan. In 1944, he survived transport aboard the Haro Maru to Taiwan, to work as slave labor on a sugar plantation. He was liberated after the war ended, and returned to the US in October of 1945, receiving an honorable discharge in February of 1946.