The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Thomas Lyons. Lyons joined the Navy around December of 1942. He served aboard the USS J. Franklin Bell (APA-16) beginning in April of 194. Lyons job aboard was to maintain everything from the superstructure of the ship forward to the bow. He provides vivid details of the Bell, including weaponry and personnel. He describes their first trip through heavy seas from California to Alaska. They participated in the Battle of Attu, landing troops and supplies. They returned to the States, then headed to Wellington, New Zealand arriving in September of 1943. They helped train the 2nd Marines, preparing them for the invasion at Tarawa. At the battle, they landed 3,500 Marines, then took on about 1,300 wounded Marines. Lyons describes this fateful event, and how their ship served as an interim hospital. Beginning in January of 1944 through mid-1945, they transported and landed troops and supplies and embarked casualties in Kwajalein, Saipan, Tinian, Leyte and Okinawa. Lyons provides details of each of these events. He was discharged in January of 1946.