The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Perry Camp. Camp spent a year in Honolulu working as a high scaler, scaling cliffs and building ammunition dumps after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Camp was then drafted into the Navy in 1943. He was trained as a gunner’s mate and completed schooling for electrical and hydraulics. He served as an instructor on the 5-inch guns. His position was fuse center and sight center. He discusses his position on his ship and provides detail of the weapons. He describes witnessing the commissioning of the USS Hugh W. Hadley (DD-774) in November of 1944. He worked aboard the destroyer preparing it for the sea. They shipped out of San Diego in February of 1945. They participated in the Battle of Okinawa. Camp describes this experience, including the ship being hit by a Kamikaze plane. Camp was discharged sometime after the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Erick Nygaard. Nygaard joined the Navy in December of 1941. He joined the Civilian Pilot Training program and describes this experience and flying a Piper Cub. He provides some description of his pilot training. He was commissioned in February of 1944 and was sent to Hawaii and served as a replacement pilot for the carriers in the Pacific. He served as a fighter pilot in Halsey’s Third Fleet aboard 3 carriers including the USS Intrepid (CV-11), the USS Hancock (CV-19), and the USS Ticonderoga (CV-14). He provides some detail of his experiences in the Battle of the Philippine Sea. While aboard the Hancock, Nygaard describes the carrier being hit by a kamikaze. He became a shellback and describes his initiation. He remained in the Active Reserve until 1955.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jimmie Allman. Allman was born in Churubusco, Indiana on 2 January 1927. Upon being drafted in May 1943, he had basic training at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. He was then sent to Fort Riley, Kansas where he was trained in the use of infantry weapons. In November 1945 he went to Fort Dix, New Jersey where he boarded a troop ship bound for Casablanca, Morocco. Upon his arrival he was assigned as a company clerk. After serving as such for a period of time, he was sent to Algiers, Algeria. There, he was made Sergeant of the Guard. After a short period of time, he was then sent to Bremerhaven, Germany where he remained until returning to the United States.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Howard Blackman. Blackman was born in Pulaski County, Indiana 8 December 1922. Born into a family of seven boys and two girls he tells of the living conditions during the depression. He quit school in the ninth grade to get a job. In 1943 he was drafted into the Army and went to Camp Lee, Virginia for six weeks of basic training, including some mechanical training. Upon completing basic he was sent to Chenango, Pennsylvania for additional training. Two weeks later be boarded the Queen Mary bound for England. Upon arrival, he was assigned to the 4th Port Battalion. He describes the duties and tells of further training in the use of rifles, mines and grenades. He landed on Omaha Beach 8 June 1944 and describes activities in which he was involved. At the time of the Battle of the Bulge the 4th Port Battalion had been disbanded and he was sent to Antwerp caring for wounded and assisting in getting them aboard hospital ships. He was then sent to Ghent, Belgium where he was assigned to the 301st Engineers operating various pieces of heavy equipment. He assisted …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles E. Loeschorn. In 1942, Loeschorn volunteered for the Marine Corps before he finished high school. He discusses training at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Upon completion of training, Loeschorn was assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, First Marine Division and shipped to New Zealand. In August, he was part of the initial landing force at Guadalcanal and recalls completing the construction of what became Henderson Field. He also recalls going on patrols and skirmishing with the Japanese. He mentions he became ill with malaria. He recalls the mud and wetness at Cape Gloucester and resting and recuperating at Pavuvu prior to going to Peleliu. Toward the end of his time fighting on Guadalcanal, Loeschorn had been moved to the Headquarters company. In HQ company, he served as a telephone linesman. he continued as that during the battle at Peleliu. he describes coming ashore on Peleliu. He recalls meeting Chesty Puller on Peleliu. At the end of September, 1944, Loeschorn was sent back to the US and was at Camp Lejeune when the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William Galvin. Galvin joined the Navy in October of 1942. During boot camp at Great Lakes he was selected to complete Field Medical School at Camp Pendleton. He traveled aboard a Dutch freighter with Merchant Marines picking up and delivering troops. He traveled to Pago Pago in Samoa, New Caledonia, picking up wounded soldiers and delivering them back to the U.S. He continued this work on the SS Lurline. After getting into trouble on leave, he was given an opportunity to join the Marines to have all charges against him dropped. In early 1944 he was assigned to the 5th Marine Division. He provides details of training with the Marines at Camp Tarawa. Galvin was in the second wave going ashore at Iwo Jima. He describes his experiences as a medic through the battle. After getting wounded he was sent on leave, and later returned for duty as a Corpsman at Farragut Hospital. He was discharged in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Martin Tschirhart. Tschirhart joined the Navy in March of 1942. He served aboard the USS Shasta (AE-6) as a Seaman on the deck crew, swabbing decks and painting. They traveled to New Caledonia, and moving from island to island they replenished the ammunition supplies of the Fleet. In the spring of 1943, they provided support in the Attu and Kiska operations, as well as campaigns in the western Pacific. He helped bring the HA-19 Japanese midget submarine to the US from Pearl Harbor. In late 1943 Tschirhart was transferred to the USS Pakana (ATF-108). They traveled to Pearl Harbor and completed numerous salvage operations in the Marshall Islands, Saipan, Guam and Okinawa. He recalls his experiences during a typhoon. He returned to the US and was discharged in early 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Eduardo Cajiuat. Cajiuat was a student in Manila when the Japanese invaded. He recalls being in the city while it was occupied by the Japanese and some of the food shortages and some of the economic repercussions. Cajiuat had an older brother who served as a guerrilla and a sister who spied on the Japanese. He also recalls the Americans liberating the city. Cajiuat became a minister and emigrated to the United States in 1964.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Richard Hudkins. Hudkins was drafted into the Army Air Forces in late 1943. He trained as an aerial gunner and was assigned to a crew in the 508th Bomb Squadron, 351 Bomb Group before shipping out to England. From there, he flew several combat missions over Europe I nB-17 bombers. When the war ended, Hudkins returned home and elected to stay in the Reserves.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Vollmer. Vollmer was drafted into the Army in March, 1943. As his unit, the 66th Infantry Division, was arriving in France, his ship was torpedoed and hundreds of men from his division drowned. Vollmer stayed with the 66th throughout the France campaign and was still on hand for occupation duty around Koblenz before he went to Austria for occupation duty. He returned home and was discharged in April, 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Earl Tweed. Tweed joined the Army in November, 1941 and trained to be an officer at Fort Benning. He trained in an anti-tank unit and went to England in time to be attached to the 115th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division prior to landing at Omaha Beach in Normandy on D-Day. Tweed was wounded in November and evacuated. He returned to his unit in January, 1945. Tweed was on hand when Germany surrendered and came back to the US in June, 1946. He stayed in the Army for 13 years.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Irvin Long. Long joined the Navy in August of 1943. In early 1944 he served aboard the USS Tabberer (DE-418) as a signalman, using flashing lights, semaphore flags, and Morse Code. In September of 1944 they traveled to Pearl Harbor to practice shooting and work with sonar. They left Pearl Harbor and joined Admiral Halsey’s Third Fleet in October of 1944, conducting anti-submarine sweeps of the Philippine Sea. He describes his experience through a typhoon in December of 1944. They later traveled to Iwo Jima, shooting down enemy aircraft during the bombing of Iwo. From there they traveled around Okinawa and Japan, doing submarine patrols. After August 1945 they were assigned to escort big supply ships into the Korea Bay in the Yellow Sea. He was discharged in January of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Herman R. Shirley. Shirley joined the Marine Corps in Alabama shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor and trained at Parris Island, South Carolina. Upon completion oftraining, Shirley headed for New Zealand aboard the USS Barnett (APA-5) and was assigned to Baker Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment. From there, the Barnett took Shirley to Guadalcanal in August, 1942. Shirley describes the scene after the battle at the Tenaru River and encountering Washing Machine Charlie. He also talks about other action he was involved in while fighting the Japanese on Guadalcanal. During the campaign, he served as a runner relaying messages. Shirley also describes being in combat and the mud on Cape Gloucester. Shirley had been assigned to telephone communications by this time and served as a linesman. Shirley also served as a telephone operator on Peleliu. Shirley returned to the US for more training after Peleliu and was at Camp Pendleton when the war ended. He was discharged in September, 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James Rose. Rose joined the Navy in July 1942 out of a desire to fly Corsairs. After being selected as an aviation cadet, he ultimately landed at an advanced fighter training base at Kingsville. Upon completion of flight training he became an instructor. After qualifying in carrier landings, he was transferred to Attack and Bombing Squadron 98 (VBF-98) at Los Alamitos Naval Air Station. After spotting a Corsair at fleet repair, he offered them his services as a test pilot, which soon became his primary duty. After the war, he earned a college degree and later joined the reserves. Rose was rather unique in that he accumulated hundreds of hours in various WWII aircraft. As such, he was later interviewed for a documentary for the aircraft museum in Seattle. As such, he was later interviewed for a documentary for the aircraft museum in Seattle.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with E Grover Pearson. Pearson joined the Navy in mid-1942. He completed training as an aviation gunner and radioman. He served for one year in the submarine patrol off the West Coast. Beginning September of 1944, Pearson served as a flight aviation radioman aboard USS San Francisco (CA-38). Catapulting off the cruiser, he and his flight crew participated in the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, providing air cover for the first group of Marines invading Okinawa. After the war ended, his ship was assigned show-of-force duty along the east coast of Asia. Pearson received an honorable discharge in January of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jack Hanks. Hanks joined the Army Air Forces in 1942. He received his wings in February of 1944. Hanks was assigned to Malden, Missouri to teach troop carrier training, where he served as a pilot instructor for the remainder of the war. He was discharged around February of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Everett Smiley. Smiley volunteered for service in the Army Air Forces in January 1943 and trained as a pilot. He earned a commission and his wings in December. After flight training, he reported for duty in Hobbs, New Mexico to learn to fly B-17s. Once he was stationed in Italy in July, 1944, he flew 51 combat missions before returning to the US in May. Smiley flew missions over Italy, Austria, Germany and other points in Europe and shares anecdotes about his experiences.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lawrence Huet. Huet joined the Navy in late 1942 and trained at Great Lakes. With training complete, he was assigned to USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) in May 1943 and served as flight deck crewman. In 1944, after some leave, Huet was assigned to the USS Flint (CL-97). Huet was discharged in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Roy Beck. Beck was drafted into the Army in September, 1943 and went to basic training in Missouri. From there, he went to a trade school in New York to become an electrician. His first assignment was in the Aleutian Islands at Amchitka where he worked as an electrician rigging wiring and working on poles. He also went to Attu and helped build a landing strip on Shemya Island before returning to the US and being discharged in June 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Lester Harrell. Harrell joined the Navy in 1942. In 1943, he completed Midshipman School. In 1944, Harrell served on the starboard anti-aircraft guns aboard USS New Mexico (BB-40). He later served as an ensign in the plotting room aboard USS Canberra (CA-70), where he was stationed when the ship was torpedoed in October of 1944. His next assignment was on a Landing Ship Medium (LSM). He returned to the US and received his discharge in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Hawley. Hawley graduated from Culver Military Academy, Indiana, and joined the Navy in July of 1944. He completed Quartermaster School. In early 1945, he served aboard a yard oiler, YOG-33 and traveled to the Russell Islands, Guadalcanal, the Cook Islands, the Fiji Islands, replenishing oil as needed. He continued his service after the war ended, receiving his discharge in July of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Donald Andrew Alfred. Alfred was born on 28 July 1925, graduated high school in 1942, and joined the Army Air Forces in 1943 at the age of seventeen. He served as a navigator with the 40th Bomb Squadron, 6th Bomb Group, 313th Bombardment Wing, 20th Air Force, aboard the B-29, called Dearly Beloved. In late 1944, they were stationed on Tinian and flew 27 missions over Japan, including Iwo Jima and Tokyo. After the war ended, they dropped supplies to American troops in Japan. Alfred returned to the US and received his discharge on 4 January 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Lee White. White was born 14 August 1925, graduated high school in 1942, and joined the Army Air Forces in August 1943. He joined the Aviation Cadet Program. White completed pre-flight training in the summer of 1944, then basic flying training, and became a Flight Officer in March 1945. In the summer, he was assigned to glider training in North Carolina, where he was located when the war ended. White continued his service, and went on to have a career in the Air Force as an aviator and flight instructor, retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 1970.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Fred Harvey. Harvey was born in Memphis, Texas on 29 October 1923. He relates some of the hardships the family of eight children endured during the Great Depression. Upon quitting high school, he joined the United States Marine Corps in 1942. Following boot camp, he was selected for the Paramarines and relates his experiences during his training as a Marine paratrooper. He remembers the conditions aboard the transport ships, the mission to Vella Lavella and incidents on Bougainville and New Caledonia, including an overdose of Atabrine. He recalls landing on Iwo Jima and his experiences there including being severely wounded.