The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Gustave Sembritzky. Sembritzky joined the Navy in March of 1940. Beginning September, he served as Aviation Chief Electrician’s Mate aboard USS Lexington (CV-2). In December 1941 they reinforced the base at Midway. In February of 1942 they participated in the Salamaua–Lae raid. In May, during the Battle of the Coral Sea, their ship was critically damaged and sunk. In the fall of 1942, Sembritzky was transferred to USS Altamaha (CVE-18). In 1943 he was assigned to USS White Plains (CVE-66) and participated in the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October of 1944. He returned to the US and was discharged in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jay Kopkey. Kopkey was born in Winamac, Indiana on 20 June 1920, and graduated from high school there in 1938. He joined the United States Coast Guard in June 1942 and was sent to Curtis Bay, Maryland to boot camp for seven weeks. Upon completion of boot camp he was sent to San Hill Barracks, Michigan for anti-aircraft gun training. After completion of this training he was assigned as a guard on an ore carrier on the Great Lakes. After several months he was selected to attend Police and Fire school in Baltimore, Maryland in 1943. After completing the seven week course, Kopkey was assigned to a fireboat patrolling the Maumee River (in Ohio and Indiana). He recounts an incident involving his fire boat putting out a fire on an oil tanker on the river. After four months of this duty he was sent to Camp Lejeune for amphibious landing craft training. Kopkey was then selected to go to Juneau, Alaska for port security work. He returned to the US in November 1945 and was discharged later that month.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Olive E. (Sally) White. White received her nursing degree in September of 1943 from Gary Methodist School of Nursing. In March of 1944 she was commissioned into the US Navy Nursing Corps, and stationed at the Great Lakes Naval Station. She achieved the rank of lieutenant (junior grade). She remained in the Reserves and was discharged in March of 1953.

Transcript of an oral interview with Ralph E. Donnelly. Donnelly joined th eArmy Air Corps in December, 1942. In the process of learning to fly, Donnelly was eliminated. He instead earned his wings as a navigator. Whe ntraining as a navigator, he flew with several WASPs. Donnelly was eventually sent to Tonopah, Nevada and was assigned to a B-24. When Donnelly was assigned overseas, his crew flew their B-24 to North Africa and then to Italy, where they were based. Donnelly was assigned to the 778th Squadron, 464th Bomb Group, 15th Army Air Force in Italy. Donnelly describes missions over Bulgaria, Germany and Austria. He describes being shot down in October, 1944, jumping from the plane, and using his parachute. He was captured, sent to Budapest and describes being interrogated. Eventually, he was shipped to a prisoner of war camp in Germany. He rode in a boxcar to the POW camp with a Tuskegee Airman. As a prisoner, he was marched to various camps. During one forced march, Donnelly and another prisoners escaped into the forest. They were recaptured in a village a few days later and handed back to the Wehrmacht (Luftwaffe). After another escape attempt, Donnelly and few …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Edward Sandini. Sandini was born in June 1925 into a Hungarian immigrant family and grew up in Philadelphia during the Great Depression. Upon joining the Army Air Forces in 1943, he was accepted into the flight training program. Sandini was assigned to the 369th Bombardment Squadron, 30th Bomb Group, 40th Bomb Wing, 1st Air Division, 8th Air Force. He tells a comprehensive tale of the experiences he encountered during World War II, Korea and Vietnam. He flew twenty-four B-17 missions during World War II as well as numerous AC-47 gunship missions over Vietnam. He also tells of his involvement in the development of the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile program. He retired as a colonel in 1970.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Otis Sumner. Sumner was drafted into the Navy in November, 1943 and went to Samson for boot camp. Training completed, he was assigned to the USS Hodges (DE-231). He was aboard working as a water tender during the invasion of Luzon. Sumner was discharged in May 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Maurice Clark. Clark joined the Army Air Forces in April of 1943. He served with as a Radio Operator and 2nd Navigator with the 93rd Bomb Squadron, 19th Bomb Group, 20th Air Force, aboard the B-29 the crew named Lil’ Butch. From February through August of 1945 they were stationed in Guam, and completed bombing missions over Japan, to destroy their war-making capabilities. They bombed targets on the Caroline Islands, Marianas and Northeast Tokyo. Clark returned home and was discharged in November of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Thomas Killian. Killian joined the Army in April of 1945, at the young age of 14 years old. He was assigned to the 29th Regimental Combat Team, 10th Army. He traveled to Okinawa, arriving 26 June 1945, participating in the invasion of the island. They traveled south on the island, towards Naha, and helped with cleanup, and had some direct combat with the Japanese. By August the bombs had been dropped and the war was over. Killian remained on the island until 26 August. He returned to the US and was discharged in May of 1948. In August of 1949, Killian rejoined, and by June of 1950 he was back in Okinawa. From there, he participated in the Korean War with E Company, 7th Cavalry. He was wounded and discharged in July of 1951.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Alfred Gluck. Gluck joined the Merchant Marines in mid-1941. He served as a Seaman aboard a liberty ship, the SS George L. Baker (1614). In May of 1943, they traveled to Honolulu, Hawaii, transporting general supplies and merchandise for people on the island. He returned to San Francisco, and was assigned to the SS James Lick in July as Able Seaman, traveling to New Hebrides and New Caledonia, transporting military cargo. In 1944 through the end of the war, Gluck also served aboard the SS Mormacgull, traveling to New Guinea and Guadalcanal and the SS Louis Sullivan (2781). He continued his service after the war, and received his discharge in March of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Gustave Sembritzky. Sembritzky joined the Navy in March of 1940. Beginning September, he served as Aviation Chief Electrician’s Mate aboard USS Lexington (CV-2). In December 1941 they reinforced the base at Midway. In February of 1942 they participated in the Salamaua–Lae raid. In May, during the Battle of the Coral Sea, their ship was critically damaged and sunk. In the fall of 1942, Sembritzky was transferred to USS Altamaha (CVE-18). In 1943 he was assigned to USS White Plains (CVE-66) and participated in the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October of 1944. He returned to the US and was discharged in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jay Kopkey. Kopkey was born in Winamac, Indiana on 20 June 1920, and graduated from high school there in 1938. He joined the United States Coast Guard in June 1942 and was sent to Curtis Bay, Maryland to boot camp for seven weeks. Upon completion of boot camp he was sent to San Hill Barracks, Michigan for anti-aircraft gun training. After completion of this training he was assigned as a guard on an ore carrier on the Great Lakes. After several months he was selected to attend Police and Fire school in Baltimore, Maryland in 1943. After completing the seven week course, Kopkey was assigned to a fireboat patrolling the Maumee River (in Ohio and Indiana). He recounts an incident involving his fire boat putting out a fire on an oil tanker on the river. After four months of this duty he was sent to Camp Lejeune for amphibious landing craft training. Kopkey was then selected to go to Juneau, Alaska for port security work. He returned to the US in November 1945 and was discharged later that month.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Olive E. (Sally) White. White received her nursing degree in September of 1943 from Gary Methodist School of Nursing. In March of 1944 she was commissioned into the US Navy Nursing Corps, and stationed at the Great Lakes Naval Station. She achieved the rank of lieutenant (junior grade). She remained in the Reserves and was discharged in March of 1953.

Transcript of an oral interview with Ralph E. Donnelly. Donnelly joined th eArmy Air Corps in December, 1942. In the process of learning to fly, Donnelly was eliminated. He instead earned his wings as a navigator. Whe ntraining as a navigator, he flew with several WASPs. Donnelly was eventually sent to Tonopah, Nevada and was assigned to a B-24. When Donnelly was assigned overseas, his crew flew their B-24 to North Africa and then to Italy, where they were based. Donnelly was assigned to the 778th Squadron, 464th Bomb Group, 15th Army Air Force in Italy. Donnelly describes missions over Bulgaria, Germany and Austria. He describes being shot down in October, 1944, jumping from the plane, and using his parachute. He was captured, sent to Budapest and describes being interrogated. Eventually, he was shipped to a prisoner of war camp in Germany. He rode in a boxcar to the POW camp with a Tuskegee Airman. As a prisoner, he was marched to various camps. During one forced march, Donnelly and another prisoners escaped into the forest. They were recaptured in a village a few days later and handed back to the Wehrmacht (Luftwaffe). After another escape attempt, Donnelly and few …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Edward Sandini. Sandini was born in June 1925 into a Hungarian immigrant family and grew up in Philadelphia during the Great Depression. Upon joining the Army Air Forces in 1943, he was accepted into the flight training program. Sandini was assigned to the 369th Bombardment Squadron, 30th Bomb Group, 40th Bomb Wing, 1st Air Division, 8th Air Force. He tells a comprehensive tale of the experiences he encountered during World War II, Korea and Vietnam. He flew twenty-four B-17 missions during World War II as well as numerous AC-47 gunship missions over Vietnam. He also tells of his involvement in the development of the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile program. He retired as a colonel in 1970.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Otis Sumner. Sumner was drafted into the Navy in November, 1943 and went to Samson for boot camp. Training completed, he was assigned to the USS Hodges (DE-231). He was aboard working as a water tender during the invasion of Luzon. Sumner was discharged in May 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Maurice Clark. Clark joined the Army Air Forces in April of 1943. He served with as a Radio Operator and 2nd Navigator with the 93rd Bomb Squadron, 19th Bomb Group, 20th Air Force, aboard the B-29 the crew named Lil’ Butch. From February through August of 1945 they were stationed in Guam, and completed bombing missions over Japan, to destroy their war-making capabilities. They bombed targets on the Caroline Islands, Marianas and Northeast Tokyo. Clark returned home and was discharged in November of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Thomas Killian. Killian joined the Army in April of 1945, at the young age of 14 years old. He was assigned to the 29th Regimental Combat Team, 10th Army. He traveled to Okinawa, arriving 26 June 1945, participating in the invasion of the island. They traveled south on the island, towards Naha, and helped with cleanup, and had some direct combat with the Japanese. By August the bombs had been dropped and the war was over. Killian remained on the island until 26 August. He returned to the US and was discharged in May of 1948. In August of 1949, Killian rejoined, and by June of 1950 he was back in Okinawa. From there, he participated in the Korean War with E Company, 7th Cavalry. He was wounded and discharged in July of 1951.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Alfred Gluck. Gluck joined the Merchant Marines in mid-1941. He served as a Seaman aboard a liberty ship, the SS George L. Baker (1614). In May of 1943, they traveled to Honolulu, Hawaii, transporting general supplies and merchandise for people on the island. He returned to San Francisco, and was assigned to the SS James Lick in July as Able Seaman, traveling to New Hebrides and New Caledonia, transporting military cargo. In 1944 through the end of the war, Gluck also served aboard the SS Mormacgull, traveling to New Guinea and Guadalcanal and the SS Louis Sullivan (2781). He continued his service after the war, and received his discharge in March of 1946.