The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with R.L. Hawkins. Hawkins was born in Springfield, Illinois on 31 May 1924. Upon joining the Navy in February 1943, he attended boot camp at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station, in Illinois. After twelve weeks he entered fire control school, also at Great Lakes. From there, he attended advanced fire control school in Washington, DC. Hawkins was then sent to Providence, Rhode Island for gunnery training. In early 1944, he went to the Brooklyn Navy Yard and was assigned to the USS Diphda (AKA-59) as a senior fire control man. Hawkins describes the mechanisms used in controlling the guns including gyros, fitting systems, motors of the control system and vacuum tubes. In January 1945 the ship participated in the Lingayen Gulf invasion and he describes landing LCVPs and relates the experience of bringing them back on board. Following the ship’s participation in the invasion of Okinawa, during which they came under kamikaze attack, the ship returned to the United States. While they were in the US Japan surrendered.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Seldon Prothro. Prothro was born in Texas in 1926. Upon enlisting in the Navy on 22 April 1944, he was sent to San Diego for boot training. Soon after completing boot training he developed mumps and was hospitalized. Upon his release, he was assigned the Armed Guard detachment aboard the SS William Luckenbach (1913) as a gunner/electrician. He delivered goods to Okinawa as well as several other islands. The ship returned to the United States after the Surrender of Japan and Prothro was discharged. Soon thereafter, he reenlisted in the Navy and was assigned to USS LSM-379. He recalls that the ship delivered doctors to various destination including Australia, Japan and China. He was discharged in 1947.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ruben Davis. Davis was born in Texas on 5 July 1926. In 1944 he was inducted into the Navy and sent to San Diego for boot training. Upon completing eight weeks of boot training he was assigned to amphibious training at Coronado Island, California. During training, he covered boat handling, semaphore and Morse code. While in training he developed pneumonia and was hospitalized. Upon recovering, he was assigned to USS LSM-171 as a coxswain. He recalls the ship laying smokescreen during the invasion of Okinawa and being under attack by kamikaze aircraft. He also remembers the ship being in a typhoon in 1945. Following the surrender of Japan the ship went to various islands and picked up and disposed of Japanese weaponry. Davis returned to the United States aboard the USS Wakefield (AP-21) and was discharged in April 1946.

Jazz concert performed at the UNT College of Music Kenton Hall.

Choir concert performed at the UNT College of Music Winspear Hall.

Lecture recital presented at the UNT College of Music Voertman Hall in partial fulfillment of the Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree.