The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert W. Pratt. He discusses his family and his childhood growing up during the great depression. He describes his time in midshipmen's school and his experiences fighting in the Pacific Theatre of World War Two.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lee White. He discusses his childhood and education and what led him to join the US Air Force. He describes his experiences during training and fighting in the Pacific Theatre during World War Two.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Edward Nielsen from Medaryville, Indiana. He discusses undergoing Amry training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, before being assigned as B Company of the 69th Army Regiment at Fort Knox as a private. Afterwards he got lucky and was assigned to drive a truck from Louisiana to North Carolina, Mr. Nielsen describes this as the best job he ever had in the Army. After Pearl Harbor he is transferred to the 1st Armored Division and Regiment, 2nd Battalion. He was then transported from fort Knox to Ireland then to England for a short time before being shipped out to Oran in North Africa. On the way to Oran, the ship he was on was almost hit by a missile shot by a German U-boat, but it instead hit another ship that was nearby. By the time Mr. Nielsen reached Oran he was a segreant Tank Commander. He also relays a time he warned his Company Commander about German Tiger Tanks being in their area and being ignored only for them to show up a few days later resulting in one captain deserting and being captured by German soldiers. Mr. Nielsen …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Hamilton. Hamilton was born in 1921 in New York. He joined the Navy in April 1942, but finished college before getting a commission later in 1943. He was then sent aboard USS Quincy (CA-71) in December. He was aboard for the invasion of Normandy. Hamilton was still aboard when Quincy transported President Roosevelt to Yalta. He was able to get close enough to FDR to observe the state of his health at the time. He was still aboard during the Okinawa campaign. Hamilton shares several great anecdotes about his experiences aboard the Quincy during and after the war including kamikazes and typhoons.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bruce Williams. Williams was born in August 1920 in Pennsylvania. He entered the Navy’s V-7 program at Northwestern University in September 1943. Upon commissioning in December, Williams reported aboard the submarine chase USS SC-731 as the executive officer. He recalls experiences from around New Guinea and the Philippines. Part of his job included delivering supplies to Filipino guerrillas. When the war ended, Williams elected to go to seminary and stayed in the reserves and worked as a chaplain until retiring in 1975.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Hayden Earl Reynolds. Reynolds was born in 1926 in Texas and joined the Marine Corps in January 1945. In April, he was shipped to Hawaii and joined the 4th Marine Division. He was on Maui when the war ended. He then shipped out to Guam and served as a highway patrolman there. Reynolds was discharged in 1947.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Donald Morrison. Morrison entered the Army on 1 September, the day before the war ended, and trained at Fort Bragg. He had an assignment at the US Military Academy at West Point and also attended a radio repair school in Oklahoma before being discharged in October 1946. He returned to the University of Nebraska and resumed his education. After the war, Morrison entered the Naval Reserve.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jerold Cox. Cox joined the Marine Corps in January of 1942. He served with the 1st Marine Division, 3rd Defense Battalion on Guadalcanal. He later served with the 2nd Marine Division, 3rd Anti-Aircraft Artillery (formerly Defense) during the Bougainville Campaign. Cox assisted with carrying ammunition and unloading the ships. He contracted malaria, and was sent back to the US around August of 1944 for recovery. He received his discharge in January of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Edward Lippard. Lippard joined the Army in mid-1943. He served as a combat engineer with the 82nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Armored Division, and deployed to England in late 1943. They participated in the invasion of Normandy, landing on Omaha Beach, then traveled into Germany. Lippard fought as an infantryman, helped replace bridges, clear mine fields and liberate several small French towns. His division was close to Berlin when the war ended. He returned to the US in December of 1945, and received his discharge in January of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Don Stinson. Stinson was born in 1923 and briefly tells of his childhood. He joined the Army Air Forces in October 1942. He was selected for flight training and tells of the various air fields and aircraft on which he learned to fly. After receiving his commission in 1943, he was assigned to the 2nd Combat Cargo Group. Stinson describes the difficulty in piloting a C-47 due to his size. Soon after organizing, the group was outfitted with new C-46s. In 1944, the group flew to New Guinea where they underwent jungle survival training. In the Philippines, they retrieved a group of nurses who had been prisoners of war for over four years, then transported them to a hospital on the island of Biak. The group was sent to Okinawa, where they were attacked by a kamikaze. Stinson witnessed the Japanese planes, painted white with a green cross, carrying the Japanese surrender delegation to the Philippines. He served in the occupation of Japan, and returned to the US in January of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William Crook. Upon enlisting into the US Navy in 1944, Crook went to the Great Lakes Naval Training Station for boot camp. Crook then attended a basic engineering course. Following this, he received training in large propulsion engines. He was on board a troop ship bound for the Philippines when the atomic bomb was dropped. Upon his arrival at Leyte, he was assigned to USS LSM-294. He recalls an incident on the high seas that resulted in the loss of several LCTs that his ship was escorting. Crook returned to the US in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with C James Erickson. Erickson enrolled in the Army Specialized Training Program in January of 1944. He completed radio training. Erickson was assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 343rd Regiment, 86th Infantry Division. They completed additional amphibious training in California. His training was complete in the fall of 1944. Soon thereafter his company was sent to Europe to participate in the Battle of the Bulge. They traveled into Germany and replaced the 82nd Airborne Division in Cologne. Erickson provides details of his combat experiences. After the war ended, he remained with the Army of Occupation in Germany, and returned home for discharge in January of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Richard Andrew. Andrew joined the Army in June of 1943. He served with the 34th Infantry Division, 133rd Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion, Company B. Beginning late 1943, Andrew traveled aboard the USS Butler (DD-636) to Africa, participating in additional training. In January of 1944 they traveled to Naples, Italy, and participated in the Italian Campaign on the front line battering the Bernhardt Line defenses. From March through June, they participated in the Battle of Anzio. Andrew was discharged in December of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ellison Smith. Smith joined the Navy in October of 1942. While stationed in Bermuda, he served as a PBY gunner, conducting search and rescue missions. Smith continued his service after the war ended, receiving his discharge in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ray Smith. Smith joined the Army in April, 1943 and trained asa combat medic. He wasassigned to the 148th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Division. He landed with the division on Bougainville. Smith was wounded on the fifth day at Bougainville and was evacuated. He returned to his unit and was with them when they landed on Luzon in the Philippines. He shares anecdotes from combat expeiriences on Luzon and in Manila. Ray earned two Bronze Star Medals during his service and shares he stories about how he earned them.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dale Mitchell. Mitchell joined the Army in 1944. He went to Fort Knox, Kentucky. He learned how to drive a tank and had weapons training. He served as an instructor and assisted with training new recruits in Germany. He came home from Europe and was discharged in December 1945. He got married and made his life’s work on the 1200-acre family farm.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Michael Long. Long joined the Marine Corps in 1943. He served as a Private, First Class in E Battery, 2nd Battalion, 14th Marine Artillery, 4th Marine Division. He trained as a machine gunner and was assigned to a 50-caliber machine gun crew as gun captain. His outfit fought at Eniwetok in the Marshall Islands, securing the island. They also participated in battles on Saipan and Tinian in the Mariana Islands beginning in June of 1944. From there they served on Iwo Jima beginning in February of 1945. He provides some detail of fighting on Iwo Jima. Long was discharged in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Clifford, Fritz. Fritz joined the Navy in August 1945 and trained at Samson, New York. After training, he was shipped to Hawaii and became a motor machinist and was assigned to the USS Buttress (AGC-4). Fritz suffered from seasickness. He stayed in the Navy for one year, being discharged in August, 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Albert Stone. Stone joined the Navy in April 1945. He completed boot camp at Great Lakes. From there he went to Gulfport, Mississippi for basic electronic training. In September 1945 he was shipped to Corpus Christi, Texas to train on naval aviation electronics and radar equipment. In June 1946 he was assigned to Operation CROSSROADS at Bikini Atoll in the South Pacific. His rank was AETM-3C, Aviation Electronics Technician Mate 3C. He was assigned to the USS Avery Island (AG-76), though was farmed out to a destroyer escort to fix and test all of their radio-controlled boats. He was discharged October 1946. He received a real estate license and a radio-telephone license and earned his pilot’s license with his G.I. Bill. He finished up at Duke University in 1950 with an electrical engineering degree. He worked for Savannah River Plant for DuPont Construction. He also worked on the Boemark Missile System, the Apollo program, the moon shots, and the Saturn V program.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Joseph Jura. Jura was drafted into the Navy in December of 1944. He was sent to Yerba Buena Island and was considered ship’s company. Jura worked in the barracks office as a Ration Yeoman on the island installation, billeting about 4,000 soldiers. Jura describes life on Treasure Island, and his job in detail. He was discharged in July of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Virginia Cumberland. During World War II, Cumberland worked in a factory in Indiana as a tool and die maker. She also speaks some about a brother of hers that was in the service and stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas and served overseas in France.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Enrique Moncada. Moncada joined the Navy in October of 1944. He served aboard the USS Forrest (DMS-24) minesweeper beginning in December of 1944. He performed regular seaman duties and served as gunner on the 40mm gun. They traveled to Okinawa. They did patrol work, screening with small minesweepers and performed local escort missions. Their ship and crew suffered one kamikaze attack. He provides detail of their endeavors to save the ship. He was discharged in June of 1946, but reenlisted in the Navy in June of 1948 and worked up to Seaman 1st Class. In December of 1950 he served aboard the USS Gloucester (PF-22), a patrol frigate and minesweeper. They traveled to Japan, South Korea, Wonsan, Inchon and Kojo. He was then transferred to the USS Mount Baker (AE-4), an ammunition ship, in February of 1952 as a gunner’s mate. He was discharged in June of 1952.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Pratt. Pratt joined the Navy while in college and was finally called to active duty in July 1943. Then he went to midshipman school at Northwestern University, finishing in May 1944 with a commission. His first assignment was to USS LST-781, being assembled in Pittsburgh. Pratt tells several stories about being aboard USS LST-781 and going down the Mississippi River, through the Panama Canal and through several islands in the Pacific. Pratt was discharged in August, 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ralph Crocker. Crocker joined the Naval Reserve in 1942 at Texas A&M, and was called to active duty in the spring of 1943. He studied civil engineering at Rice University for eight semesters. He then completed Officer Candidate School at Camp Endicott, Davisville, Rhode Island. He served with the Civil Engineer Corps as a Seabee, and worked as an operations officer on Espiritu Santos, New Hebrides. He and the enlisted men he was supervising worked as stevedores, loading and unloading ships. They were assigned to the 4th Marine Division. In 1945, Crocker and his Seabees were located at Luzon when the atomic bomb was dropped. Crocker then served in Sasebo, Japan during the occupation. He returned to the US and received his discharge in mid-1946.