Oral History Interview with Edwin Knight, July 13, 2009 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Edwin Knight, July 13, 2009

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Edwin Knight. Knight was drafted into the Army in 1943 and received training in anti-tank warfare. He was assigned to the 43rd Infantry Division, 169th Infantry Regiment. In late 1943, while stationed in New Caledonia, Knight was selected for medic training. In the spring of 1944, he sailed to New Guinea, where he had interactions with natives. To deal with the heat, he lined the inside his helmet with gasoline, which cooled when it evaporated. In January 1945, at Lingayen Gulf, he tried his best to stay silent as a rat crawled into his shirt while Japanese forces marched by. During combat, Knight tended to a wounded soldier who was then shot and killed while receiving treatment. He also treated distressed soldiers who had self-inflicted wounds. Upon returning home, Knight suffered from PTSD but dedicated himself to international charity work, even working in Japan.
Date: July 13, 2009
Creator: Knight, Edwin
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Jack Puryear, July 13, 2009 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Jack Puryear, July 13, 2009

Transcript of an oral interview with Jack Puryear. Puryear went into the Navy in 1943 and wound up in aerial photography, training at Pensacola, Florida. Upon completing training, Puryear shipped out to Guadalcanal and joined Fleet Aerial Photo Squadron One. He describes photographing Guam, Tinian and Saipan prior to the invasion of the Mariana Islands. He relates a stroy in which Admiral Halsey gave him a ride on Guadalcanal. Puryear tells a story also about photographing the Palau Islands prior to the invasion. His unit was recalled back to the US for refitting, and when they returned to the Pacific Theater of Operations, they were stationed at Guam. Once the airfield at Okinawa was secure, elements of Puryears photo reconnaisance squadron moved there to photograph the main Japanese Islands in advance of the planned invasion. He also tells about flying out of Okinawa ahead of a typhoon and getting caught in it on their way to Guam. Puryear went back to the US in March, 1946 and went into the Naval Reserve. He was commissioned and served as a supply officer and was recalled for the war in Korea. He then went to supply school in New Jersey before serving …
Date: July 13, 2009
Creator: Puryear, Jack
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Edwin Knight, July 13, 2009 transcript

Oral History Interview with Edwin Knight, July 13, 2009

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Edwin Knight. Knight was drafted into the Army in 1943 and received training in anti-tank warfare. He was assigned to the 43rd Infantry Division, 169th Infantry Regiment. In late 1943, while stationed in New Caledonia, Knight was selected for medic training. In the spring of 1944, he sailed to New Guinea, where he had interactions with natives. To deal with the heat, he lined the inside his helmet with gasoline, which cooled when it evaporated. In January 1945, at Lingayen Gulf, he tried his best to stay silent as a rat crawled into his shirt while Japanese forces marched by. During combat, Knight tended to a wounded soldier who was then shot and killed while receiving treatment. He also treated distressed soldiers who had self-inflicted wounds. Upon returning home, Knight suffered from PTSD but dedicated himself to international charity work, even working in Japan.
Date: July 13, 2009
Creator: Knight, Edwin
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Jack Puryear, July 13, 2009 transcript

Oral History Interview with Jack Puryear, July 13, 2009

Transcript of an oral interview with Jack Puryear. Puryear went into the Navy in 1943 and wound up in aerial photography, training at Pensacola, Florida. Upon completing training, Puryear shipped out to Guadalcanal and joined Fleet Aerial Photo Squadron One. He describes photographing Guam, Tinian and Saipan prior to the invasion of the Mariana Islands. He relates a stroy in which Admiral Halsey gave him a ride on Guadalcanal. Puryear tells a story also about photographing the Palau Islands prior to the invasion. His unit was recalled back to the US for refitting, and when they returned to the Pacific Theater of Operations, they were stationed at Guam. Once the airfield at Okinawa was secure, elements of Puryears photo reconnaisance squadron moved there to photograph the main Japanese Islands in advance of the planned invasion. He also tells about flying out of Okinawa ahead of a typhoon and getting caught in it on their way to Guam. Puryear went back to the US in March, 1946 and went into the Naval Reserve. He was commissioned and served as a supply officer and was recalled for the war in Korea. He then went to supply school in New Jersey before serving …
Date: July 13, 2009
Creator: Puryear, Jack
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History