The National Museum of the Pacific War presents a monologue by Keith Evans. Evans joined the Navy in April of 1944. He was assigned to the USS USS LSM-135 that same year. He participated in the Battle of Okinawa as one of the first waves to hit the beach. Evans provides details of his experiences through this battle and general living conditions aboard the ship. They anchored on the beach of Ie Shima, and delivered supplies and had an opportunity to tour the island. In May of 1945, while operating at Okinawa and picking up survivors from the minesweeper Spectacle (AM-305), the USS LSM-135 was sunk by a kamikaze attack. Evans recalls his job throughout this fateful event was to set up smoke screens for the USS Missouri (BB-63).

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dr John McCall. After one college semester, McCall was drafted into the military and volunteered for a meteorology program. He took basic training at Keesler Field, Mississippi and in May 1943 began his academic training at the University of Chicago. After less than six months, his class got cancelled. Someone decided they didn't need as many weather forecasters as originally planned. McCall went to take basic training again, at Jefferson Barracks in St Louis, Missouri. Still hoping to learn a trade rather than just simply going to the trenches, McCall re-tested and re-classified and was given a choice between several program; he choose weather observing. He was sent to Chanute Field, Illinois for training and then to Rattlesnake Army Air Base in Pyote, Texas where he served as a weather observer for just over one year. McCall describes in detail his activities as a weather observer during his time at the base. Eventually, about half of the weather observers at the station were sent overseas and McCall was on a ship sailing for Hawaii when the war with Japan ended. Someone decided to send all the replacements to …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James Walsh. Walsh was born in Wheeler, Indiana on 19 October 1926. He quit high school in 1944 and joined the Navy. He went to the Great Lakes Naval Training Station in Illinois for six weeks of boot training followed by six months of amphibious training and gunnery training at Norfolk, Virginia. Upon completion of the training he went by troop train to Portland, Oregon. In September 1944 he went aboard Landing Craft Support vessel USS LCS(L)(3)-51. He describes the ship’s heavy armaments. In November 1944, Group 7, consisting of Walsh’s LCS and five other sister ships, sailed to Saipan before going to Leyte. They remained at Leyte until 19 February 1945 before participated in the invasion of Iwo Jima. Walsh led the first wave of Marine onto the beach and describes clearing the beach of disabled landing craft. The ship then participated in the invasion of Okinawa. Walsh tells of the ship being on picket duty and being attacked by kamikaze aircraft. Walsh saw the USS Laffey (DD-724) hit by several suicide aircraft while LCS-51 sustained damage caused by debris from a plane they shot down. The …

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.

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 …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with A J Dunn. Dunn joined the Navy in 1940 and received basic training in San Diego. Upon completion, he was assigned to the USS Oglala (CM-4) at Pearl Harbor. On the morning of 7 December 1941, he was returning from liberty when the attack began. Unable to find his ship, he jumped aboard the USS Mugford (DD-389) just as it was getting underway. After seven days of patrols, he returned to the harbor and was transferred to the USS New Orleans (CA-32). While on convoy duty to Brisbane, the ship received a warm welcome from Australian citizens. But one evening, the ship was nearly subject to friendly fire when a cruiser from New Zealand mistook the New Orleans for a Japanese ship. Dunn was transferred to the USS Indiana (BB-58) with Task Force 58, bombarding islands in the Gilberts and Marshalls. As a gunner’s mate, his duties included testing small arms ammunition in a surveillance oven to see whether it had expired. He was transferred to the USS Botetourt (APA-136), operating out of the Philippines until the end of the war. He sailed past the USS Missouri (BB-63) …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with David Curry. Curry joined the Navy one year after graduating from high school. Upon completion of basic, he was assigned to the USS Mississippi (BB-41), where he was trained as a gunner’s mate, serving as a rammer man and then setting fuses. Along with three other men, he maintained their five-inch gun and cleaned it daily. He was standing watch when a kamikaze hit the ship, catching Curry by surprise. The impact blew him backwards, and he cut his head on his helmet when he hit the deck. Although he was not seriously harmed, he witnessed gruesome injuries at sick bay. He recalls going into the Battle of Surigao Strait with only 12 rounds of ammunition, which were successfully fired into an enemy battleship. And he also remembers bombarding Shuri Castle at Okinawa. Curry returned home after the war and pulled shore duty in New Orleans until his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Boyd R. Murphy. Murphy joined the Army in August, 1942, in Indiana. He eventually attended Officer Candidate School and received a commission in April, 1943. Murphy eventually qualified for flight training and went to Pine Bluff, Arkansas and then Lubbock, Texas. When he earned his wings, he then learned to fly B-24 bombers. Murphy shipped out in early 1945 and reported to Clark Field in the Philippines. He flew one combat mission before the war ended and then was sent to Japan during the occupation.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents a monologue by Keith Evans. Evans joined the Navy in April of 1944. He was assigned to the USS USS LSM-135 that same year. He participated in the Battle of Okinawa as one of the first waves to hit the beach. Evans provides details of his experiences through this battle and general living conditions aboard the ship. They anchored on the beach of Ie Shima, and delivered supplies and had an opportunity to tour the island. In May of 1945, while operating at Okinawa and picking up survivors from the minesweeper Spectacle (AM-305), the USS LSM-135 was sunk by a kamikaze attack. Evans recalls his job throughout this fateful event was to set up smoke screens for the USS Missouri (BB-63).

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dr John McCall. After one college semester, McCall was drafted into the military and volunteered for a meteorology program. He took basic training at Keesler Field, Mississippi and in May 1943 began his academic training at the University of Chicago. After less than six months, his class got cancelled. Someone decided they didn't need as many weather forecasters as originally planned. McCall went to take basic training again, at Jefferson Barracks in St Louis, Missouri. Still hoping to learn a trade rather than just simply going to the trenches, McCall re-tested and re-classified and was given a choice between several program; he choose weather observing. He was sent to Chanute Field, Illinois for training and then to Rattlesnake Army Air Base in Pyote, Texas where he served as a weather observer for just over one year. McCall describes in detail his activities as a weather observer during his time at the base. Eventually, about half of the weather observers at the station were sent overseas and McCall was on a ship sailing for Hawaii when the war with Japan ended. Someone decided to send all the replacements to …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James Walsh. Walsh was born in Wheeler, Indiana on 19 October 1926. He quit high school in 1944 and joined the Navy. He went to the Great Lakes Naval Training Station in Illinois for six weeks of boot training followed by six months of amphibious training and gunnery training at Norfolk, Virginia. Upon completion of the training he went by troop train to Portland, Oregon. In September 1944 he went aboard Landing Craft Support vessel USS LCS(L)(3)-51. He describes the ship’s heavy armaments. In November 1944, Group 7, consisting of Walsh’s LCS and five other sister ships, sailed to Saipan before going to Leyte. They remained at Leyte until 19 February 1945 before participated in the invasion of Iwo Jima. Walsh led the first wave of Marine onto the beach and describes clearing the beach of disabled landing craft. The ship then participated in the invasion of Okinawa. Walsh tells of the ship being on picket duty and being attacked by kamikaze aircraft. Walsh saw the USS Laffey (DD-724) hit by several suicide aircraft while LCS-51 sustained damage caused by debris from a plane they shot down. The …

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.

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 …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with A J Dunn. Dunn joined the Navy in 1940 and received basic training in San Diego. Upon completion, he was assigned to the USS Oglala (CM-4) at Pearl Harbor. On the morning of 7 December 1941, he was returning from liberty when the attack began. Unable to find his ship, he jumped aboard the USS Mugford (DD-389) just as it was getting underway. After seven days of patrols, he returned to the harbor and was transferred to the USS New Orleans (CA-32). While on convoy duty to Brisbane, the ship received a warm welcome from Australian citizens. But one evening, the ship was nearly subject to friendly fire when a cruiser from New Zealand mistook the New Orleans for a Japanese ship. Dunn was transferred to the USS Indiana (BB-58) with Task Force 58, bombarding islands in the Gilberts and Marshalls. As a gunner’s mate, his duties included testing small arms ammunition in a surveillance oven to see whether it had expired. He was transferred to the USS Botetourt (APA-136), operating out of the Philippines until the end of the war. He sailed past the USS Missouri (BB-63) …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with David Curry. Curry joined the Navy one year after graduating from high school. Upon completion of basic, he was assigned to the USS Mississippi (BB-41), where he was trained as a gunner’s mate, serving as a rammer man and then setting fuses. Along with three other men, he maintained their five-inch gun and cleaned it daily. He was standing watch when a kamikaze hit the ship, catching Curry by surprise. The impact blew him backwards, and he cut his head on his helmet when he hit the deck. Although he was not seriously harmed, he witnessed gruesome injuries at sick bay. He recalls going into the Battle of Surigao Strait with only 12 rounds of ammunition, which were successfully fired into an enemy battleship. And he also remembers bombarding Shuri Castle at Okinawa. Curry returned home after the war and pulled shore duty in New Orleans until his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Boyd R. Murphy. Murphy joined the Army in August, 1942, in Indiana. He eventually attended Officer Candidate School and received a commission in April, 1943. Murphy eventually qualified for flight training and went to Pine Bluff, Arkansas and then Lubbock, Texas. When he earned his wings, he then learned to fly B-24 bombers. Murphy shipped out in early 1945 and reported to Clark Field in the Philippines. He flew one combat mission before the war ended and then was sent to Japan during the occupation.