Letter from Joe to his wife Catherine discussing seeing the movie "Young Ideas," having a good supper, a new man joining their squadron, the mail service, and his joy at Clifford Smith returning home.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral history with J S Gray. Gray was born in Catahoula Parrish, Louisiana on 14 July 1920. He joined the Army Air Corps in 1937 and after various assignments was shipped to Manila, Philippine Islands, serving in the 27th Bomb Group, 454th Ordnance. Gray tells of the Japanese attack on Clark Field and ultimate surrender of United States forces by General King. He describes conditions encountered during several forced marches, including the Bataan Death March. Gray also discusses internment in Camp O’Donnell and Cabanatuan and the horrific conditions encountered on POW “Hell” ship to Japan. He worked in a copper smelting plant in Yokkaichi. He mentions the sabotage methods used while working in a steel casting plant, kindness extended by two individual Japanese guards, his near death experience from treatment by a guard, and the saving and concealment of the stars cut from an American flag. He details the making of an American flag out of scraps and the retained stars prior to release from the POW camp [the handmade flag is now on display in the museum’s gallery]. When he returned to the United States, he was hospitalized, and then …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Arnold Shidler. Shidler joined the Army in 1944. He served with the 80th Infantry Division, 318th Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion. In July of 1944, they deployed to England. They were in active duty through France, and into Germany, participating in the Battle of the Bulge. After receiving frostbite on his feet, he was sent back to England in early 1945. Shidler was later stationed in La Havre, France until the end of the war. Shidler returned to the US and was discharged in February of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Henry Gerards. Born in Kennewick, Washington, 3 March 1917, Gerards joined the US Army Air Forces in November 1942. After competing basic training in Santa Maria, California, he entered pilot training. Upon receiving his wings and being commissioned he was sent to Ardmore, Oklahoma for transition to multi-engine aircraft flying the B-17. Upon completion of crew training, the crew flew a new B-17 to Scotland where they were assigned to the 390th Bomb Group, 570th Bomb Squadron. They flew twenty-two missions before being shot down over Magdeburg, Germany on 28 May 1944. Gerards recalls the flight encountering over thirty German fighter planes, which shot down four other bombers as well as their own. He was captured soon after he landed and was interrogated during the ten days he spent in Dulag Luft before being sent to Stalag Luft III in Sagan, Germany. One of the highlights of being a prisoner was receiving Red Cross packages of food. Recalling an attempt to escape by a group of POWs from his barracks, he tells of the deaths of many of the men. The prison camp was liberated by members of …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Joe L. Ware, Sr. He was born in 1924 in Nederland, Texas. After working on B-24 bombers at the Consolidated Aircraft Company in San Diego, California, he returned to Texas and joined the Navy when he was nineteen-years-old. He went to Machinist School; was transported to the Pacific region on the USS Wharton (AP-7); and assigned to the USS Colorado (BB-45) in New Hebrides. He describes his typical duties as a machinist on the battleship. He talks about the bombardment and support for the invasion of Tarawa as well as Kwajalein. He mentions that the ship was hit twenty-two times by the shore battery at Tinian. He also speaks of kamikaze attacks at Leyte Gulf and Lingayen Gulf as well as shells hitting the bridge at Luzon. He mentions being under constant fire at Okinawa. He was on the bridge of the USS Colorado in Tokyo Bay when the peace treaty was signed. He remained on the ship while it transported troops home from the Pacific. He explains the meaning of a Homer Brown pennant. He was discharged in January 1946. The interview also contains information about his …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William Jones. Jones joined the Army Air Forces in July of 1944. He shares a few anecdotes about basic training and went to aerial photography school as well as aerial gunnery school. Before he was assigned to a B-29 crew, the war ended. Jones was sent to Japan on occupation duty. While there, Jones visited Hiroshima and Nagasaki and was able to take aerial photographs in January, 1946. He returned to the US in August and was discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William S. Emerson. Emerson joined the Navy in May 1942. He trained as a Naval Aviation Cadet and learned to fly dive-bombers. Emerson joined VB-19 and was attached to the USS Lexington (CV-16) in 1944. He flew missions over Guam and the Philippines and took part in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Emerson was shot down during a mission to bomb an airfield on Iwo Jima. He was rescued by a submarine and rejoined his unit on the Lexington. Emerson was wounded when the Lexington was struck by a kamikaze. After he recovered he became a flight instructor for the remainder of the war. Emerson stayed in the Navy through the Korean War and retired after 25 years.

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 Wade Holcomb. Holcomb joined the Navy in 1938. When Pearl Harbor was attacked, he was in the radio shack on the USS Crosby (DD-164) at San Diego copying code. He was transferred to the Electronics Material School in late 1943. Upon completion of the course, Holcomb became an instructor at various locations throughout the US. When the war ended, Holcomb stayed in the Reserves, serving during the Korean War.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with George Mehling. Mehling joined the Army Air Forces in December, 1942 and trained in Miami Beach before going to radio communication school. Mehling was assigned to the 440th Troop Carrier Squadron and trained with airborne units in North Carolina in 1943. He served as a radio operator aboard C-47s. He went overseas in March 1944. He made the trip over Normandy on D-Day and made several flights in the following day delivering troops and supplies. He also made the drop over Belgium during Operation MARKET GARDEN. On one mission late I n1944, he had to bail out of his disabled aircraft and was captured by the Germans and spent time at Stalag 7A. After being liberated, he was discharged in August, 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral history with J S Gray. Gray was born in Catahoula Parrish, Louisiana on 14 July 1920. He joined the Army Air Corps in 1937 and after various assignments was shipped to Manila, Philippine Islands, serving in the 27th Bomb Group, 454th Ordnance. Gray tells of the Japanese attack on Clark Field and ultimate surrender of United States forces by General King. He describes conditions encountered during several forced marches, including the Bataan Death March. Gray also discusses internment in Camp O’Donnell and Cabanatuan and the horrific conditions encountered on POW “Hell” ship to Japan. He worked in a copper smelting plant in Yokkaichi. He mentions the sabotage methods used while working in a steel casting plant, kindness extended by two individual Japanese guards, his near death experience from treatment by a guard, and the saving and concealment of the stars cut from an American flag. He details the making of an American flag out of scraps and the retained stars prior to release from the POW camp [the handmade flag is now on display in the museum’s gallery]. When he returned to the United States, he was hospitalized, and then …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Arnold Shidler. Shidler joined the Army in 1944. He served with the 80th Infantry Division, 318th Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion. In July of 1944, they deployed to England. They were in active duty through France, and into Germany, participating in the Battle of the Bulge. After receiving frostbite on his feet, he was sent back to England in early 1945. Shidler was later stationed in La Havre, France until the end of the war. Shidler returned to the US and was discharged in February of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Henry Gerards. Born in Kennewick, Washington, 3 March 1917, Gerards joined the US Army Air Forces in November 1942. After competing basic training in Santa Maria, California, he entered pilot training. Upon receiving his wings and being commissioned he was sent to Ardmore, Oklahoma for transition to multi-engine aircraft flying the B-17. Upon completion of crew training, the crew flew a new B-17 to Scotland where they were assigned to the 390th Bomb Group, 570th Bomb Squadron. They flew twenty-two missions before being shot down over Magdeburg, Germany on 28 May 1944. Gerards recalls the flight encountering over thirty German fighter planes, which shot down four other bombers as well as their own. He was captured soon after he landed and was interrogated during the ten days he spent in Dulag Luft before being sent to Stalag Luft III in Sagan, Germany. One of the highlights of being a prisoner was receiving Red Cross packages of food. Recalling an attempt to escape by a group of POWs from his barracks, he tells of the deaths of many of the men. The prison camp was liberated by members of …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Joe L. Ware, Sr. He was born in 1924 in Nederland, Texas. After working on B-24 bombers at the Consolidated Aircraft Company in San Diego, California, he returned to Texas and joined the Navy when he was nineteen-years-old. He went to Machinist School; was transported to the Pacific region on the USS Wharton (AP-7); and assigned to the USS Colorado (BB-45) in New Hebrides. He describes his typical duties as a machinist on the battleship. He talks about the bombardment and support for the invasion of Tarawa as well as Kwajalein. He mentions that the ship was hit twenty-two times by the shore battery at Tinian. He also speaks of kamikaze attacks at Leyte Gulf and Lingayen Gulf as well as shells hitting the bridge at Luzon. He mentions being under constant fire at Okinawa. He was on the bridge of the USS Colorado in Tokyo Bay when the peace treaty was signed. He remained on the ship while it transported troops home from the Pacific. He explains the meaning of a Homer Brown pennant. He was discharged in January 1946. The interview also contains information about his …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William Jones. Jones joined the Army Air Forces in July of 1944. He shares a few anecdotes about basic training and went to aerial photography school as well as aerial gunnery school. Before he was assigned to a B-29 crew, the war ended. Jones was sent to Japan on occupation duty. While there, Jones visited Hiroshima and Nagasaki and was able to take aerial photographs in January, 1946. He returned to the US in August and was discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William S. Emerson. Emerson joined the Navy in May 1942. He trained as a Naval Aviation Cadet and learned to fly dive-bombers. Emerson joined VB-19 and was attached to the USS Lexington (CV-16) in 1944. He flew missions over Guam and the Philippines and took part in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Emerson was shot down during a mission to bomb an airfield on Iwo Jima. He was rescued by a submarine and rejoined his unit on the Lexington. Emerson was wounded when the Lexington was struck by a kamikaze. After he recovered he became a flight instructor for the remainder of the war. Emerson stayed in the Navy through the Korean War and retired after 25 years.

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 oral interview with George Mehling. Mehling joined the Army Air Forces in December, 1942 and trained in Miami Beach before going to radio communication school. Mehling was assigned to the 440th Troop Carrier Squadron and trained with airborne units in North Carolina in 1943. He served as a radio operator aboard C-47s. He went overseas in March 1944. He made the trip over Normandy on D-Day and made several flights in the following day delivering troops and supplies. He also made the drop over Belgium during Operation MARKET GARDEN. On one mission late I n1944, he had to bail out of his disabled aircraft and was captured by the Germans and spent time at Stalag 7A. After being liberated, he was discharged in August, 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with J.L. Summers. While attending college, Summers entered the Army in November, 1940 when his unit, the headquarters battery in the 131st Field Artillery, was mobilized. Prior to that, Summers had been in the National Guard. En route to the Philippines, Summers' unit was redirected to Australia after the Japanese attack. From there, they went to Java. In March, 1942, Summers became a prisoner of war and wound up at Bicycle Camp in Batavia (Jakarta today). Summers describes life as a POW at Bicycle Camp. He was shipped out to the POW camp at Changi, Singapore in September, 1942 aboard the Dai Nichi Maru. In January a train trip and another hell ship ride occurred to Burma. Once there, Japanese trucks took Summers and the other POWs to 18 Kilo Camp where they were to build the railroad to Thailand. From there, he went to the 40 Kilo Camp in March, the 80 Kilo Camp in June, and the 100 Kilo Camp in late August. Throughout this time, Summers suffered from tropical ulcers on his legs, malaria, wet beriberi, dysentery and dengue fever. When the railroad was completed, Summers …