Interview with Jerell E. Crow. He entered the Coast Guard in 1940 and trained in Florida and New York City. He served aboard a Landing Ship, Tank (LST) when those ships were first introduced. He traveled to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to the Neville Island Shipyard operated by the Dravo Corporation as part of a crew that brought an LST down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. From there, the crew practiced operations at Biloxi, Mississippi. Eventually, Crow travelled to San Diego aboard the LST through the Panama Canal. From there, he went to Guadalcanal and unloaded tanks. Eventually, his ship was hit at Saipan and he was wounded. He also served aboard an LST during the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Afterwards, Crow's LST was present in Tokyo Bay for the surrender. He visited Hiroshima while on occupation duty after the atomic bomb was dropped. Eventually, his LST made its way back to San Francisco where he was discharged.

Ensemble performance at the UNT College of Music Lyric Theatre.

Ensemble performance at the UNT College of Music Lyric Theatre.

Ensemble performance at the UNT College of Music Winspear Hall.

Interview with Paul F. Lemmon, a fireman in the US Navy during WWII. He answers questions about his life prior to enlisting and his experience overseas.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Wendell Brinson. Brinson joined the Army Air Forces in September of 1943. He completed schooling to work on radial engines. He traveled to New Guinea and was assigned to the 65th Troop Carrier Squadron. He worked on weapons, and replaced cables on C-47s throughout the island. Brinson traveled to the Philippines, where his squadron was involved in the Raid on Los Baños. He returned to the US and was discharged in January of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Joe Drastata. Drastata was born in El Campo, Texas on 1 August 1924 and entered the Army Air Forces in March 1943. After receiving initial training at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri he was sent to Fort Bragg, North Carolina where he was assigned to the 65th Troop Carrier Squadron, 403rd Troop Carrier Group. During July 1943 the unit went on board the USAT Maui bound for Australia. Drastata tells of the 28 day trip and describes the King Neptune ceremony when crossing the Equator. He describes the uncomfortable sleeping accommodations coupled with extensive rain and swarms of mosquitoes encountered at Port Moresby, New Guinea. He was assigned to communications assisting in duties that involved flag or light signals, land lines, switchboards and public address systems. The unit moved to various locations including Biak where he recounts an accident that claimed the life of a young officer. On 3 February 1945, the 65th Troop Carrier Squadron dropped paratroopers on the Los Banos prison camp to free the allied captives. Although Drastata was not personally involved in the operation he discusses various facets of this successful operation. He returned to the …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Willis Cooper. Cooper joined the Army Air Forces in November 1942 at age 29, after working in the Louisiana Department of Conservation. He received mechanic’s training at Keesler Field and went to a factory in Indiana to learn about engines. He was then assigned to the 65th Troop Carrier Squadron and sent to New Guinea, where he changed engines and performed 100-hour inspections on C-47s. After Cooper became the chief of maintenance, the group inspector remarked that Cooper had dramatically reduced each plane’s maintenance time. Before returning home, he worked overtime to prepare extra planes to fly much needed supplies to Okinawa, which had been recently devastated by a typhoon. Cooper was discharged in January 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jacqueline Redstone and Christiane Jenkins. In 1940, Jenkins’ family moved to Tientsin, North China, where her father, Paul Henri Brabant, had taken a job overseeing a coal mine. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, they recall what life was like when the Japanese invaded. They were allowed to remain in their home, though had several encounters with the Japanese soldiers. They recall the soldiers being shipped back to Japan after the atomic bombs were dropped. After the war, they traveled to the US, then returned to China and later moved to Hong Kong.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jerell E. Crow. He entered the Coast Guard in 1940 and trained in Florida and New York City. He served aboard a Landing Ship, Tank (LST) when those ships were first introduced. He traveled to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to the Neville Island Shipyard operated by the Dravo Corporation as part of a crew that brought an LST down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. From there, the crew practiced operations at Biloxi, Mississippi. Evetually, Crow travelled to San Diego aboard the LST through the Panama Canal. From there, he went to Guadalcanal and unloaded tanks. Evetually, his ship was hit at Saipan and he was wounded. He also served aboard an LST during the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Afterwards, Crow's LST was present in Tokyo Bay for the surrender. He visited Hiroshima while on occupation duty after the atomic bomb was dropped. Eventually, his LST made its way back to San Francisco where he was discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jack Smalling. Smalling graduated in August of 1941 from the University of Texas with a degree in Chemical Engineering and a commission as ensign, Engineering Specialist in the Naval Reserve. He volunteered for submarine duty and served as a lieutenant commander aboard USS S-11 (SS-116). They conducted photoreconnaissance of Iwo Jima before the 1945 invasion, and detected and tracked the Japanese battleship Yamato prior to its being sunk. He also served aboard USS Spearfish (SS-190) and in January of 1945, USS Hackleback (SS-295).

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Hylan. Hylan joined the Marine Corps in February of 1943. He completed Radio Operator School in June. In November, he deployed to New Caledonia with a replacement battalion. He served with the 1st 155mm Howitzer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, and later the 3rd Marine Artillery Regiment. He conducted patrol duty and survey work. In April of 1944 he traveled to Tinian and Saipan. In July he participated in the Battle of Guam. He also participated in the Battle of Okinawa. Hylan returned to the US in October and was discharged in January of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Reynolds. Reynolds joined the Royal Air Force on 4 September 1939 and entered active duty in July of 1940. He completed flight training and received his wings in March of 1941. Reynolds served as a flight instructor in Ontario and returned to England in early 1943 as a pilot officer. He continued serving as an instructor to the 8th Air Force, training Americans in map reading and how to navigate through cloudy, European skies. He later joined the 101st Squadron, piloting Wellington and Lancaster aircraft. They completed five bombing missions over Germany several missions to retrieve British former prisoners of war for repatriation. He recalls his memories of VE-Day.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Felix Ysturiz. Ysturiz joined the Merchant Marine in January of 1943. He trained to serve as a Radio Officer. In 1943, he served as a radioman aboard the SS Oliver Wendell Holmes. They traveled to Hawaii, New Caledonia, New Zealand, the Solomon Islands transporting cargo for the Navy, including PT boats and Seabee construction materials. Around mid-1944 through 1945, Ysturiz served aboard a C-2 ship, transporting cargo for the Army, traveling to New Guinea, Leyte and Manila. He was discharged around late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jimmy Bennett. Bennett was born in Munda, New Georgia, Western Province, Solomon Islands in May of 1922. He recalls the Japanese invading in 1942, the Americans arriving in 1943, and his family hiding in the bush. Bennet, and a number of other natives, joined the American Army’s 118th Engineer Battalion, 43rd Infantry Division. He served as a scout for the island, and led the troops on Baanga Island, through the New Georgia Campaign, and until the end of the war. Reference Alfred Bisili’s oral history, a native friend of Bennett, who participated with him during the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Albert Schlemmer. Schlemmer joined the Marine Corps in January of 1942. He was assigned to G Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines. In late 1942 he deployed to New Zealand and participated in the Battles of Guadalcanal and Cape Gloucester. He returned to the US in md-1944 to complete Officer Candidates School. He served as an instructor, teaching about jungle warfare. He then joined the 3rd Division, 9th Marines in preparation to invade Japan. Schlemmer was discharged in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Alfred Bisili. Bisili was born in Munda, New Georgia, Western Province, Solomon Islands in December of 1923. He recalls the Japanese invading in 1942, the Americans arriving in 1943, and his family hiding in the bush. Bisili, and a number of other natives, joined the American Army’s 118th Engineer Battalion, 43rd Infantry Division. He served as a scout for the island, and led the troops on Baanga Island, through the New Georgia Campaign, and until the end of the war. Reference Jimmy Bennett’s oral history, a native friend of Bisili, who participated with him during the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles Bebell. Bebell joined the Navy in 1943. Beginning June of 1944, he served as Boatswain’s Mate and Fire Controlman aboard USS Hollandia (CVE-97). They traveled between the US and Navy bases in the Pacific, including Guam, transporting needed supplies and passengers. In April of 1945, they operated off the Okinawan coast, sending fighters to support the advancing troops. In May, they returned troops to San Diego. In June, they loaded replacement aircraft at Pearl Harbor and operated with the Third Fleet’s logistic supply unit. Bebell decommissioned the Hollandia and was discharged in January of 1947.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Hobert Dempsey. Dempsey joined the Army in June 1943 and received antiaircraft training in the Mojave Desert. He came down with appendicitis just before his unit went overseas. After recovering, he was reassigned to the 232nd Infantry Regiment, Rainbow Division, as a combat infantryman. He arrived at Le Havre in December 1944, finding a port full of civilian casualties. He fought through France and into Belgium. He was shot in the leg and played dead until the Germans passed by. He was sent to a hospital three days later and returned to the front lines after four days of recuperation. After crossing the Rhine as a front-runner, he accidentally went behind German lines and was captured with five other Americans. He was sent to a prisoner-of-war camp that was unknown to the Americans, who strafed the camp at least once. Conditions were harsh, food was scarce, and the prisoners performed hard labor in cold weather. The camp was overtaken by Russians, who wouldn’t let American troops evacuate prisoners. Dempsey escaped on foot and was eventually rescued and smuggled past a Russian checkpoint by Americans. He weighed over 150 …