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 interview with Willard LaCounte. LaCounte was drafted into the Army in September, 1943 and trained as an antiaircraft artilleryman at Camp Haan, California. In late 1943 he was assigned to the 118th Antiaircraft Automatic Weapons Battalion as a jeep driver in an industrial section of England and recalls defending it against German air raids. He landed at Normandy one day after the invasion. His unit eventually set up in Holland and shot down buzz bombs heading across the Channel. After the war LaCounte helped arrange R&R trips for soldiers.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with LeRoy Brunner. Brunner joined the Army Air Forces in September, 1945 and trained in San Antonio. He attended officer candidate school where he received a commission before going to radar school and being assigned to a meteorology school in Illinois. He served at a weather station in Alaska prior to the outbreak of the Korean War. Brunner discusses his long career in the Air Force.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Jennings Ulbrich. Ulbrich joined the Navy in February of 1945. He was transferred to Brown Field Airport, San Diego. He worked in ships service, selling merchandise, food, maintaining Coke machines. Ulbrich made the rank of Third-Class Petty Officer. After the base was decommissioned, he was transferred to El Centro and performed shore patrol duty and guarded prisoners. He was there when the war ended. Ulbrich continued his service until his discharge in August of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Green Day. Day shares his memories of growing up during the Great Depression. He completed trade school to be a machinist. He joined the Navy around 1944. In May 1945 he was assigned to USS Halford DD-480, and they traveled to Pearl Harbor. They provided escort duty to Borneo, and Day served with the deck department helping to maintain the ship. In late 1945 Day experienced a typhoon aboard the ship. He was discharged in July of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Albert Machaud. Machaud joined the Army Air Forces on 27 June 1946. He served as a control tower operator with the 128th Army Airways Communication System Squadron. He traveled throughout the Pacific, including Johnston Island, Wake Island, Kwajalein, Okinawa and into Tokyo by January of 1947, directing aircraft on new airstrips that had hastily been built during the war. He speaks of his experiences during his 2 years in occupied Japan. Machaud was discharged on 26 June 1949.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Dyches. Dyches joined the Marine Corps in April of 1944. He served with the 4th Marine Division, 24th Regiment, 2nd Battalion, Company G. Dyches traveled to Maui for additional training. He participated in the Battle of Iwo Jima. On his fifth morning on the island he was seriously wounded from an exploding grenade thrown into his fox hole. Dyches spent over a year and a half in various hospitals recovering from his wounds and was awarded the Purple Heart. He was honorably discharged in August of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Stuart MacDonald. MacDonald joined the Marine Corps and was called to active duty right after the attack on Pearl Harbor. After basic training, he was assigned to the headquarters battery in the 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division. He went to Guadalcanal with the First MARDIV and served in the fire direction center before catching malaria. After recovering, MacDonald was assigned to the Third MARDIV as a forward observer at Bougainville and later at Guam. MacDonald was rotated back to the US in January, 1945. He was discharged in February, 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Upton Ruddock. Upton’s wife, Mary, assists with the interview. Ruddock was drafted into the Army in May 1944. He went to Fort Riley, Kansas for basic training. He trained on horseback. He was part of the 56th Cavalry Brigade. After training he went to war, leaving California November 1944. They landed at Bombay, India. He joined the 124th Cavalry Regiment of the MARS Task Force. They crossed India by train to Ledo, Burma. He took care of eight mules and two horses, utilizing them to help carry their food, supplies and equipment to the Burma Road. He discusses other experiences in Burma. He also served in Shanghai, China shoveling coal into the stove for a big hotel. He returned to the States and was discharged in February 1946. After he was discharged he worked on his father’s farm. He used his G.I. Bill to purchase a home and some land, and to further his work vaccinating chickens.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with George Ciampa. Ciampa joined the Army in 1943 and trained at Cheyenne, Wyoming. He was assigned to a graves registration unit and sent to Europe. He landed shortly after the Normandy invasion and his unit immediately began setting up temporary cemeteries. Ciampa provides a lot of details about his experiences in France, Belgium and Germany. Later in life, Ciampa became a documentary film maker. Many of his films revolve around his experiences in Europe during WWII and during the occupation. After the war, Ciampa remained in occupied Germany for a while and he relates several anecdotes about his experiences then. He was discharged in January 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Wickes. Wickes was drafted into the Army in September 1943 and was eventually assigned to the 78th Infantry Division. He landed in France in November, 1944 and moved toward the front in Germany where he experienced his first combat. Right before the Battle of the Bulge, Wickes was captured by German soldiers. Wickes recalls several details about being a POW. Twice he managed to escape but got recaptured each time. After liberation, he returned to the US in June.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James Imlay. Imlay’s sister, Barbara Burton, relays information about the World War II service of her brother, James Imlay. Imlay was in the Navy aboard the USS Pope (DD-225), which was sunk off Borneo in March 1942, and was a prisoner of war of the Japanese for the duration of the war in the Pacific. A commendation letter for Pope crew members is read into the record.

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 interview with Willard LaCounte. LaCounte was drafted into the Army in September, 1943 and trained as an antiaircraft artilleryman at Camp Haan, California. In late 1943 he was assigned to the 118th Antiaircraft Automatic Weapons Battalion as a jeep driver in an industrial section of England and recalls defending it against German air raids. He landed at Normandy one day after the invasion. His unit eventually set up in Holland and shot down buzz bombs heading across the Channel. After the war LaCounte helped arrange R&R trips for soldiers.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with LeRoy Brunner. Brunner joined the Army Air Forces in September, 1945 and trained in San Antonio. He attended officer candidate school where he received a commission before going to radar school and being assigned to a meteorology school in Illinois. He served at a weather station in Alaska prior to the outbreak of the Korean War. Brunner discusses his long career in the Air Force.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Jennings Ulbrich. Ulbrich joined the Navy in February of 1945. He was transferred to Brown Field Airport, San Diego. He worked in ships service, selling merchandise, food, maintaining Coke machines. Ulbrich made the rank of Third-Class Petty Officer. After the base was decommissioned, he was transferred to El Centro and performed shore patrol duty and guarded prisoners. He was there when the war ended. Ulbrich continued his service until his discharge in August of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Green Day. Day shares his memories of growing up during the Great Depression. He completed trade school to be a machinist. He joined the Navy around 1944. In May 1945 he was assigned to USS Halford DD-480, and they traveled to Pearl Harbor. They provided escort duty to Borneo, and Day served with the deck department helping to maintain the ship. In late 1945 Day experienced a typhoon aboard the ship. He was discharged in July of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Albert Machaud. Machaud joined the Army Air Forces on 27 June 1946. He served as a control tower operator with the 128th Army Airways Communication System Squadron. He traveled throughout the Pacific, including Johnston Island, Wake Island, Kwajalein, Okinawa and into Tokyo by January of 1947, directing aircraft on new airstrips that had hastily been built during the war. He speaks of his experiences during his 2 years in occupied Japan. Machaud was discharged on 26 June 1949.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Dyches. Dyches joined the Marine Corps in April of 1944. He served with the 4th Marine Division, 24th Regiment, 2nd Battalion, Company G. Dyches traveled to Maui for additional training. He participated in the Battle of Iwo Jima. On his fifth morning on the island he was seriously wounded from an exploding grenade thrown into his fox hole. Dyches spent over a year and a half in various hospitals recovering from his wounds and was awarded the Purple Heart. He was honorably discharged in August of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Stuart MacDonald. MacDonald joined the Marine Corps and was called to active duty right after the attack on Pearl Harbor. After basic training, he was assigned to the headquarters battery in the 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division. He went to Guadalcanal with the First MARDIV and served in the fire direction center before catching malaria. After recovering, MacDonald was assigned to the Third MARDIV as a forward observer at Bougainville and later at Guam. MacDonald was rotated back to the US in January, 1945. He was discharged in February, 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Upton Ruddock. Upton’s wife, Mary, assists with the interview. Ruddock was drafted into the Army in May 1944. He went to Fort Riley, Kansas for basic training. He trained on horseback. He was part of the 56th Cavalry Brigade. After training he went to war, leaving California November 1944. They landed at Bombay, India. He joined the 124th Cavalry Regiment of the MARS Task Force. They crossed India by train to Ledo, Burma. He took care of eight mules and two horses, utilizing them to help carry their food, supplies and equipment to the Burma Road. He discusses other experiences in Burma. He also served in Shanghai, China shoveling coal into the stove for a big hotel. He returned to the States and was discharged in February 1946. After he was discharged he worked on his father’s farm. He used his G.I. Bill to purchase a home and some land, and to further his work vaccinating chickens.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Wickes. Wickes was drafted into the Army in September 1943 and was eventually assigned to the 78th Infantry Division. He landed in France in November, 1944 and moved toward the front in Germany where he experienced his first combat. Right before the Battle of the Bulge, Wickes was captured by German soldiers. Wickes recalls several details about being a POW. Twice he managed to escape but got recaptured each time. After liberation, he returned to the US in June.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with George Ciampa. Ciampa joined the Army in 1943 and trained at Cheyenne, Wyoming. He was assigned to a graves registration unit and sent to Europe. He landed shortly after the Normandy invasion and his unit immediately began setting up temporary cemeteries. Ciampa provides a lot of details about his experiences in France, Belgium and Germany. Later in life, Ciampa became a documentary film maker. Many of his films revolve around his experiences in Europe during WWII and during the occupation. After the war, Ciampa remained in occupied Germany for a while and he relates several anecdotes about his experiences then. He was discharged in January 1946.