Oral History Interview with Melvin Harmon, October 21, 2002 transcript

Oral History Interview with Melvin Harmon, October 21, 2002

Interview with Melvin Harmon, a paratrooper during World War II. He discusses his paratrooper training and his time on Guadalcanal, Bougainville and other battles in the Solomon Islands. He also contracted malaria.
Date: October 21, 2002
Creator: Morris, Cork & Harmon, Melvin
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Earl Smyth, Jr., October 20, 2003 transcript

Oral History Interview with Earl Smyth, Jr., October 20, 2003

Interview with Earl Smyth, Jr., a serviceman during World War II. He discusses his time aboard the USS Saratoga at the Battle of Midway and at Guadalcanal, where the ship sustained two torpedo attacks. He saw Pearl Harbor three days after the attack.
Date: October 20, 2003
Creator: Bryk, Clarence & Smyth, Earl, Jr.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with James F. Sansom, October 8, 2004 transcript

Oral History Interview with James F. Sansom, October 8, 2004

Interview with James F. Sansom, an officer in the U. S. Army during World War II. Sansom joined the Army in 1940 and began training on anti-aircraft guns in Florida. He was selected for Officer Candidate School (OCS) and was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1942. He was assigned to the 843rd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Air Warning Battalion, which made its way to India via the Panama Canal and Australia. Shortly after reaching Calcutta, the unit moved to Myitkyina, Burma. After the war, Sansom was assigned to Sagumo Prison outside Tokyo where Japanese war criminals were being held while on trial for war crimes. He describes some of the routines and residents in the prison. Sansom taught Hideki Tojo how to play card games like gin rummy. Sansom also describes the process of executing convicted prisoners as he carried out some sentences. In all, he executed nine convicted war criminals.
Date: October 8, 2004
Creator: Cox, Floyd & Sansom, James F.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Al Flocke, October 22, 2000 transcript

Oral History Interview with Al Flocke, October 22, 2000

Interview with Al Flocke, a radio operator during World War II. He discusses his flight training and being the radio operator on a B-24 bomber which did raids on Guam, Turk, Iwo Jima and other islands. He also relates anecdotes about food, rations, and living conditions on the islands.
Date: October 22, 2000
Creator: Nichols, Chuck & Flocke, Al
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Alan W. Saunders, October 8, 2004 transcript

Oral History Interview with Alan W. Saunders, October 8, 2004

Interview with Alan W. "Buck" Saunders, a pilot during World War II. He discusses joining the Army Air Corps, becoming an airplane mechanic, and going to flight school for pilot training. He was stationed in India and flew supplies into China over the Himalayas (known by pilots as "the Hump"). In China, he traded items such as jewelry or opium for information on Japanese troop placements in Burma. He also discusses his meetings with native Burmese and talks about later experiences he had after the war and during the Vietnam War.
Date: October 8, 2004
Creator: Cox, Floyd & Saunders, Alan W.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Joyce E. Sarvey, October 21, 2000 transcript

Oral History Interview with Joyce E. Sarvey, October 21, 2000

Interview with Joyce E. Sarvey discussing her work with Western Union in San Antonio, Texas during World War II.
Date: October 21, 2000
Creator: Pickard, Hesty & Sarvey, Joyce E.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Charles Borchers, October 24, 2000 transcript

Oral History Interview with Charles Borchers, October 24, 2000

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles Borchers. Borchers joined the Army in September 1944 and received training at Camp Hood and Fort Ord. His first combat duty was in the Luzon campaign, where he was stationed in the mountains north of Manila. There he was assigned to the 112th Cavalry Regiment. His platoon devised an alarm system out of barbed wire and tin cans to alert them to Japanese infiltration. They fired 15,000 rounds when a water buffalo stumbled into it. After the battle, Borchers was stricken with hepatitis and never was in action again. He arrived in Tokyo Bay on 1 September 1945 and camped at the Tateyama Air Base with a view of the surrender. He was part of the occupation forces and describes what he saw on his travels through Japan, including the rubble of Chiba. He joined the 649th Ordnance Ammunition Company, dumping ammunition, vehicles, and aircraft into the water near Shoshi. Borchers returned home and was discharged in November 1946 as a first sergeant, whereupon he joined the Naval Reserves and entered medical school. He resigned his commission in 1953.
Date: October 24, 2000
Creator: Borchers, Charles
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Willis Gathright, October 31, 2000 transcript

Oral History Interview with Willis Gathright, October 31, 2000

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Willis Gathright. Gathright was born on 3 December 1924 and graduated from high school in 1942. Upon being drafted in June 1943 he went to eight weeks of boot training at the US Naval Training Station in San Diego. This was followed by twelve weeks of sonar training at the West Coast Sound School at Point Loma, California. He describes how a sonar unit works. After graduating from the sonar school and receiving gunnery training at in Algiers, Louisiana, Gathright was assigned to Patrol Craft Escort 849. On 18 June 1944, the ship arrived at Brisbane, Australia where Army radio equipment was placed on board manned by a crew of ten Army soldiers. Gathright recalls the ship being part of the fleet during the invasion of Leyte acting as the radio relay between the USS Blue Ridge (AGC-2) and General McArthur’s headquarters in Australia. After participating in the invasion of Lingayen Gulf at Luzon, the ship remained in Manila until February 1945 when they were ordered to Morotai, where they joined the Australian Fleet for the invasion of Tarakan, Borneo on 1 May 1945. Gathright describes the ship …
Date: October 31, 2000
Creator: Gathright, Willis
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Henry Hauschild, October 18, 2000 transcript

Oral History Interview with Henry Hauschild, October 18, 2000

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Henry Hauschild. Hauschild joined the Army in January 1942 and received basic training at Fort Ringgold. He received chemical warfare training in Maryland. Upon completion, he became an instructor on how to survive phosgene and tear gas attacks. At Mitchel Field he trained P-47 pilots in creating smoke screens. While in Delaware as a chief chemical warfare officer, he was ordered to administer a surprise tear gas attack on the barracks at dawn. He was against the idea, because of the likelihood of chaos and potential injuries. He reluctantly followed orders, and fortunately no one was injured.
Date: October 18, 2000
Creator: Hauschild, Henry
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Leonard Kovar, October 20, 2000 transcript

Oral History Interview with Leonard Kovar, October 20, 2000

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Leonard Kovar. Kovar joined the Marine Corps in October 1942 and received basic training in San Diego. Upon completion he was assigned to guard the Santa Ana Naval Lighter-Than-Air Station. He was then sent to New Caledonia, and he enjoyed his time in Nouméa. In New Guinea he joined L Company, 7th Marine Regiment, where he served as a bazooka-loader. His first landing was at Cape Gloucester, where he lived in a wet foxhole and defended himself against banzai-style attacks. Twice he received encouragement from Chesty Puller. His next landing was at Peleliu, where his amphibious tractor was one of the only ones to make it past the coral. He was wounded by machine gun fire on the final day of the Battle of Peleliu and received a blood transfusion in the field before being transferred to a first aid station. He was carried by the USS Solace (AH-5) to a hospital at the Admiralty Islands and then flown to a hospital at Guadalcanal. Kovar made a full recovery and was discharged in September 1945. He recalls a tremendous celebration on V-J Day.
Date: October 20, 2000
Creator: Kovar, Leonard
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Isidore Ozuna, October 24, 2000 transcript

Oral History Interview with Isidore Ozuna, October 24, 2000

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Isidore Ozuna. Ozuna joined the Navy in July of 1943. He served with the deck force aboard the USS Colorado (BB-45). His battle station was with the gun crews. He participated in the pre-invasion shelling and fire support of Tarawa, Kwajalein, Saipan, Guam, Tinian, Leyte, Lingayen Gulf and Okinawa. He returned to the US after the war ended and received his discharge in December of 1945.
Date: October 24, 2000
Creator: Ozuna, Isidore
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Joe E. Hunter, October 10, 2003 transcript

Oral History Interview with Joe E. Hunter, October 10, 2003

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Joe E. Hunter: He joined the Navy in May, 1944 with basic training at Camp Wallace, Texas. He spoke of being chosen for the CINPAC (Commander-in-Chief Pacific Command) Boat Crew by Commander Hal Lamar, Admiral Nimitz's Flag Officer, and becoming the stern hook on Admiral Nimitz's barge. He took Admiral Bull Halsey out fishing once and another time picked up an unnamed vice-admiral off of a submarine. He told about interacting with the Seabees. He reunited with his shipmates in the recent past and marvels at how well everyone turned out.
Date: October 10, 2003
Creator: Hunter, Joe E.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Richard Gilbert, October 16, 2003 transcript

Oral History Interview with Richard Gilbert, October 16, 2003

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Richard Gilbert. Gilbert joined the Navy in early 1945. Beginning June of 1945, he served as Fireman First-Class aboard the USS Norris (DD-859), traveling to Hong Kong. There, they tended the mines and tended water for the minesweepers working along the coast. He continued his service after the war ended, serving aboard the USS Finch (DE-328), until his discharge in the spring of 1947.
Date: October 16, 2003
Creator: Gilbert, Richard
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Calvin Patterson, October 10, 2003 transcript

Oral History Interview with Calvin Patterson, October 10, 2003

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Calvin Patterson. Patterson joined the Navy in 1943. He completed Radar School and Fire Fighter School and was assigned to serve as an instructor aboard a radar training ship, USS Moosehead (IX-98). They traveled up and down the Mexican coast, taking recent radar school graduates for experiential learning aboard the ship. Patterson was later assigned to a Coast Guard radio station in California. In February of 1944, he was transferred to USS Hector (AR-7), a fleet repair ship, where he organized and oversaw the combat information center. They traveled to Hawaii, Eniwetok, the Philippines and Ulithi where their largest repair job took place on USS Houston (CL-81). They aided many other ships in preparation for battle and in preparation to return to the US. Patterson returned home and was discharged in March of 1946.
Date: October 10, 2003
Creator: Patterson, Calvin
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Louis Avant, October 10, 2003 transcript

Oral History Interview with Louis Avant, October 10, 2003

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Louis Avant. Avant was 16 when the war began and joined the Navy a few years later. He was trained as an electrician, but ended up working as a machinist mate for the boat pool that served CINPAC at Hawaii and then Guam. Avant mentions boxing in several smoker events. He was a member of the boat crew that took Admiral Nimitz to the surrender ceremony.
Date: October 10, 2003
Creator: Avant, Louis
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with James Grealish, October 11, 2003 transcript

Oral History Interview with James Grealish, October 11, 2003

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Grealish. Grealish joined the Navy in April of 1942. He completed Midshipman School. He served aboard the USS Waters (APD-8), transporting troops to the Solomon Islands, New Georgia, Saipan, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and rescuing survivors from the USS Helena (CL-50). He was later assigned as Commanding Officer of USS Cronin (DE-704). Grealish was discharged in 1946, though continued active duty through 1953 and service in the Reserves through his retirement in 1979, having acquired the rank of rear admiral.
Date: October 11, 2003
Creator: Grealish, James
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Richard Reedle, October 11, 2003 transcript

Oral History Interview with Richard Reedle, October 11, 2003

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Richard Reedle. Reedle joined the Navy in January 1942. He served as a boatswain’s mate on the USS McKean (APD-5). Reedle describes how his ship landed Marine Raiders throughout the Solomon Islands. He also discusses being critically hit by an aerial torpedo and being the last man off before it sank. Reedle then joined the crew of the USS Preston (DD-795) and became a captain of one of the five-inch guns. He describes providing gunnery support at Okinawa and screening carrier task groups. Reedle also discusses kamikaze attacks and going through a typhoon. He left the service in November 1945.
Date: October 11, 2003
Creator: Reedle, Richard
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Paul Livingston, October 11, 2003 transcript

Oral History Interview with Paul Livingston, October 11, 2003

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Paul Livingston. Livingston joined the Navy in April of 1943. He served aboard the USS Rathburne (DD-113), a training ship for the West Coast Sound School in San Diego. Livingston helped train prospective Commanding and Executive Officers in anti-submarine warfare using sonar as a guide. In May of 1944 they were converted to a to a high-speed transport, and reclassified as (APD-25). They traveled to Hawaii to complete amphibious training with Underwater Demolition Team 10. They participated in the invasions of Peleliu, Leyte, Lingayen Gulf and Okinawa. They returned to the US and Livingston was discharged in late 1945.
Date: October 11, 2003
Creator: Livingston, Paul
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with John Roberts, October 10, 2003 transcript

Oral History Interview with John Roberts, October 10, 2003

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Roberts. Roberts joined the Navy in June of 1943. Beginning in 1944, he served as Signalman Third-Class aboard the USS Drew (APA-162). They transported cargo and troops to and from combat areas traveling to Guam, Ulithi, Leyte and Okinawa.
Date: October 10, 2003
Creator: Roberts, John
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with William Meehan, October 11, 2003 transcript

Oral History Interview with William Meehan, October 11, 2003

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Meehan. Meehan was born in Lambertville, New Jersey. He attended midshipman’s school at Northwestern in Chicago completing the course in December 1940. He was commissioned by Admiral Chester W. Nimitz. Meehan received orders to report to the USS Goldsborough (AVD-5), a seaplane tender, as the communications officer. He recounts various missions to Mexico and Iceland and describes a trip to Greenland during which the ship encountered a storm that resulted in the loss of a crewmember. He was sent to Panama in early 1942 as part of a force to protect the Canal Zone. In June 1942 the ship went to Honduras to patrol for German submarines. He witnessed two PBY patrol aircraft capturing two large boats that provided support to German submarines. In July 1943, Meehan was made captain of the Goldsborough. He recalls being part of a hunter-killer group and describes an encounter with a German submarine. In March 1944 the ship was converted to a high speed transport and designated APD-32. Moving to the Pacific, the Goldsborough participated in the invasion of Saipan. The ship also delivered an Under Water Demolition Team (UDT) to …
Date: October 11, 2003
Creator: Meehan, William
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Dwight Mayo, October 11, 2003 transcript

Oral History Interview with Dwight Mayo, October 11, 2003

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Dwight Mayo. Mayo joined the Marine Corps in October of 1942. Beginning in late 1944, he served as an F4U Corsair fighter pilot, stationed aboard USS Bennington (CV-20) in the Pacific. He took part in strikes against the Japanese home islands, and in raids in support of the Okinawa campaign. Mayo completed 100 missions. He continued his service after the war ended, retiring in 1962 with the rank of major.
Date: October 11, 2003
Creator: Mayo, Dwight
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Curtis G. Clark, October 11, 2003 transcript

Oral History Interview with Curtis G. Clark, October 11, 2003

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Curtis G. Clark. Born in 1918, he joined the Navy in 1937. He served on the USS Talbot throughout the war, beginning as a Radioman third class and working his way up to the rank of Warrant Officer. He provides information about the Battle of Dutch Harbor in Alaska. He discusses the conversion of four-stack destroyer ships (DD), such as the USS Talbot, into high-speed transport ships (Auxiliary Personnel Destroyer or APD) on Mare Island, California. As part of the conversion, the torpedo tubes were replaced with Welin davits and landing craft. He discusses the sinking of the USS McKean (PAD-5) near Bougainville in the Solomon Islands. He talks about landing reconnaissance forces in preparation for the Battle of the Green Islands. He also discusses transporting Underwater Demolition Teams (UDT) as well as the teams? method of operation. He describes the collision with the USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) on the way to Saipan as well as the trip to San Francisco for repairs. After the repairs, the ship transported other UDT units to the Philippines. He was on the USS Talbot when it returned to the United States for …
Date: October 11, 2003
Creator: Clark, Curtis G.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Charles Kunkler, October 9, 2003 transcript

Oral History Interview with Charles Kunkler, October 9, 2003

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles W. Kunkler. Kunkler was born in Los Angeles on 5 August 1925. He joined the Navy and was sent to Farragut, Idaho for six weeks of boot training. He was then sent to Pearl Harbor. Upon his arrival he was one of five seaman selected by Commander Hal Lamar to serve on the Admiral Nimitz’s barge. After serving for a period of time in Pearl Harbor the crew was assigned to a newly constructed barge that was sent to Admiral Nimitz’s new headquarters on Guam. Kunkler tells of the purpose of the barge and describes his assigned duties. He also comments on the personalities of Commander Lamar and of Admiral Nimitz. Following his leave after returning to the United States in 1945, he was placed in a hospital in Rhode Island for treatment of an injury he received en route to Guam. Soon after being discharged from the hospital, he was discharged from the Navy.
Date: October 9, 2003
Creator: Kunkler, Charles
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Arnold Rothhaar, October 3, 2003 transcript

Oral History Interview with Arnold Rothhaar, October 3, 2003

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Arnold Rothhaar. Rothhaar joined the Navy in 1942. He served as Coxswain of a whaleboat aboard USS Cotten (DD-669). He transported crewmembers to and from shore. He recalls several encounters with the Japanese through the Pacific Theater. He remained with the Cotton until it returned to the US in December of 1945.
Date: October 3, 2003
Creator: Rothhaar, Arnold
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History