Handwritten letter from Chester Nimitz to his father in Kerrville. Nimitz is on the summer cruise and writing from aboard the USS Massachusetts (BB-2). He discusses the condition of his ear and is optimistic. He mentions participating in the Grand Army of the Republic reunion parade in Boston as well as his upcoming leave plans. This letter is on USS Massachusetts stationery.

Transcription of letter from Chester Nimitz to his father in Kerrville. Nimitz is on the summer cruise and writing from aboard the USS Massachusetts (BB-2). He discusses the condition of his ear and is optimistic. He mentions participating in the Grand Army of the Republic reunion parade in Boston as well as his upcoming leave plans.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Juventino Mata. Mata was born of Mexican-American parents on a ranch in Imperial County, California. He recalls being forced to flee Mexico as a youngster due to the Cristero War conducted by the Mexican dictator Elias Calles. In the US, Mata attended a segregated school to the 8th grade at which time he quit to contribute to the family income. He tells of the family working as itinerate farm workers, picking various crops throughout California. In 1942, he was drafted into the US Army Air Forces. Upon completion of basic training, he joined the 29th Fighter Group, 55th Fighter Squadron and went to England aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth. There he became a cook for the unit. He tells of the missions of the 55th Fighter Squadron and the various types of fighter planes they flew. Mata was discharged in late 1945.

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 oral interview with Joy (Cheatham) Taylor. Taylor begins with a summary of her siblings and provides details about an older brother who served in the Navy during World War II aboard the USS Saratoga (CV-3). Taylor reflects on rationing items like gasoline. She also mentions corresponding with her two older brothers in the Navy. Taylor's father died in 1943 and she and her mother went to live on the farm with Taylor's grandparents in Coryell County, Texas. She recalls several aspects of farm living during World War II. Taylor also mentions housing for soldiers near Fort Hood, Texas as well as gardening and canning vegetables. She talks about her having to wear homemade clothes made from feed sacks, which she disliked. Taylor recalls the end of the war and ringing the church bell all night in town. After the war, she helped her brother run a cafe in Abilene before she met her husband, Paul Taylor, and got married.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bernard Garbow. Garbow joined the Navy in September 1941 to become an aviator. He trained as a fighter pilot. Garbow became a replacement pilot in Fighter Squadron 19 (VF-19) on board the USS Lexington (CV-16). He shot down three planes in one action over Formosa. Garbow was also part of an attack that sank several ships in Manila Bay. He also witnessed three Japanese carriers sink during the Battle of Cape Engano. Garbow’s unit rotated back to the States when the war ended. He left the Navy in the Fall of 1945 only to rejoin in the Spring of 1946. He stayed in the Navy until he retired in 1973.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jim Spriggs. Spriggs joined the Navy in August of 1943. Beginning February of 1944, he served as Machinist Mate Third-Class aboard the USS Laffey (DD-724). They provided support during the Invasion of Normandy and the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. During Okinawa, Spriggs worked in the engine room helping keep the ship afloat after significant kamikaze damage. He returned to the US and received his discharge in late 1945.

Transcript of an oral interview with Trinidad J. Martinez. During the Great Depression, Martinez quit school in the 4th grade and went to work selling newspapers, shining shoes and driving a vegetable truck to raise money for the family. Martinez was at Clark Field when the Japanese attacked the Philippines. He and a few others surrendered to a Japanese squad on Bataan and were sent on the Bataan Death March. At Camp O'Donnell, Martinez worked on a burial detail before being moved to Cabanatuan, where he worked on the farm. Eventually, Martinez was shipped to Japan where he worked in an iron foundry. He also describes being liberated and travelling back home to the US.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Anne Noreen Bauer. She was born on 30 July 1915 in Monterey, Indiana. After graduation from high school she attended St. Joseph Hospital in Mishawaka, Indiana, where she received her nurse's training. Shortly after Pearl Harbor, she joined the Army Nurse Corps, was commissioned and reported to Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Indiana in August 1942. She was sent to California where she embarked on the USS West Point (AP-23). She recalls the ship hitting a whale during the transit. Eventually, she arrived at a hospital in Calcutta, India where she was assigned as supervisor in charge of surgery and head nurse of the Intensive Care Unit. She describes her experiences during her 18 months in Calcutta, including the Japanese bombings. Next she was sent to Kandy, Ceylon which was under the command of Lord Louis Mountbatten, where she was stationed for a year as head nurse of the ward. She recalls being invited to Mountbatten's quarters for dinner and engaging him in a conversation where he recounted that he "knew all about Mishawaka, Indiana," her birthplace. She recalls that the Women's Army Corps had just been formed and she …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ned Smith. Smith grew up in California, went to college in Idaho and California, and joined Naval Air in 1941. After training on the N3N's and the Stentson's, he was assigned to be a flight instructor. In 1943, he went to navigation school training, and then joined the VR-2 Naval Air Transport Squadron. He was flying in the Coronado PB2Y2's from Alameda, California all over the Pacific Theater. During the six weeks he was with VR-11, he flew R5D's. He discusses landing at Kwajalein, Majuro, and Johnston Island. He took prisoners of war back to the United States.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Juventino Mata. Mata was born of Mexican-American parents on a ranch in Imperial County, California. He recalls being forced to flee Mexico as a youngster due to the Cristero War conducted by the Mexican dictator Elias Calles. In the US, Mata attended a segregated school to the 8th grade at which time he quit to contribute to the family income. He tells of the family working as itinerate farm workers, picking various crops throughout California. In 1942, he was drafted into the US Army Air Forces. Upon completion of basic training, he joined the 29th Fighter Group, 55th Fighter Squadron and went to England aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth. There he became a cook for the unit. He tells of the missions of the 55th Fighter Squadron and the various types of fighter planes they flew. Mata was discharged in late 1945.

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 oral interview with Joy (Cheatham) Taylor. Taylor begins with a summary of her siblings and provides details about an older brother who served in the Navy during World War II aboard the USS Saratoga (CV-3). Taylor reflects on rationing items like gasoline. She also mentions corresponding with her two older brothers in the Navy. Taylor's father died in 1943 and she and her mother went to live on the farm with Taylor's grandparents in Coryell County, Texas. She recalls several aspects of farm living during World War II. Taylor also mentions housing for soldiers near Fort Hood, Texas as well as gardening and canning vegetables. She talks about her having to wear homemade clothes made from feed sacks, which she disliked. Taylor recalls the end of the war and ringing the church bell all night in town. After the war, she helped her brother run a cafe in Abilene before she met her husband, Paul Taylor, and got married.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bernard Garbow. Garbow joined the Navy in September 1941 to become an aviator. He trained as a fighter pilot. Garbow became a replacement pilot in Fighter Squadron 19 (VF-19) on board the USS Lexington (CV-16). He shot down three planes in one action over Formosa. Garbow was also part of an attack that sank several ships in Manila Bay. He also witnessed three Japanese carriers sink during the Battle of Cape Engano. Garbow’s unit rotated back to the States when the war ended. He left the Navy in the Fall of 1945 only to rejoin in the Spring of 1946. He stayed in the Navy until he retired in 1973.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jim Spriggs. Spriggs joined the Navy in August of 1943. Beginning February of 1944, he served as Machinist Mate Third-Class aboard the USS Laffey (DD-724). They provided support during the Invasion of Normandy and the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. During Okinawa, Spriggs worked in the engine room helping keep the ship afloat after significant kamikaze damage. He returned to the US and received his discharge in late 1945.

Transcript of an oral interview with Trinidad J. Martinez. During the Great Depression, Martinez quit school in the 4th grade and went to work selling newspapers, shining shoes and driving a vegetable truck to raise money for the family. Martinez was at Clark Field when the Japanese attacked the Philippines. He and a few others surrendered to a Japanese squad on Bataan and were sent on the Bataan Death March. At Camp O'Donnell, Martinez worked on a burial detail before being moved to Cabanatuan, where he worked on the farm. Eventually, Martinez was shipped to Japan where he worked in an iron foundry. He also describes being liberated and travelling back home to the US.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Anne Noreen Bauer. She was born on 30 July 1915 in Monterey, Indiana. After graduation from high school she attended St. Joseph Hospital in Mishawaka, Indiana, where she received her nurse's training. Shortly after Pearl Harbor, she joined the Army Nurse Corps, was commissioned and reported to Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Indiana in August 1942. She was sent to California where she embarked on the USS West Point (AP-23). She recalls the ship hitting a whale during the transit. Eventually, she arrived at a hospital in Calcutta, India where she was assigned as supervisor in charge of surgery and head nurse of the Intensive Care Unit. She describes her experiences during her 18 months in Calcutta, including the Japanese bombings. Next she was sent to Kandy, Ceylon which was under the command of Lord Louis Mountbatten, where she was stationed for a year as head nurse of the ward. She recalls being invited to Mountbatten's quarters for dinner and engaging him in a conversation where he recounted that he "knew all about Mishawaka, Indiana," her birthplace. She recalls that the Women's Army Corps had just been formed and she …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ned Smith. Smith grew up in California, went to college in Idaho and California, and joined Naval Air in 1941. After training on the N3N's and the Stentson's, he was assigned to be a flight instructor. In 1943, he went to navigation school training, and then joined the VR-2 Naval Air Transport Squadron. He was flying in the Coronado PB2Y2's from Alameda, California all over the Pacific Theater. During the six weeks he was with VR-11, he flew R5D's. He discusses landing at Kwajalein, Majuro, and Johnston Island. He took prisoners of war back to the United States.

Letter from Joe to his wife Catherine discussing one of his crew's gunners getting sick, a little girl giving him the victory sign, and reading adventure books from the library.