The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Bill Meyers. Meyers entered the Naval ROTC program at the University of California in 1930. Beginning in 1932, he served two years as Quartermaster aboard the SS Monterey. He returned to college in 1934, received his commission through the NROTC in 1936, and graduated in 1937. In 1940 he served as the Gunnery Officer and Assistant Navigator aboard the USS Aldebaran (AF-10). They transported cargo between the West Coast and the Hawaiian Islands. In 1943 and 1944, Meyers served as Commanding Officer aboard the USS Newman (DE-205), operating in the Atlantic, escorting troop transports to England. He then served aboard USS Ringness (APD-100), transporting landing craft and troops to Guadalcanal and Okinawa. They returned to the US in early 1946 to decommission the ship. Meyers continued his service after the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Carter Wheelock. Wheelock joined the Navy in 1943. He served as a Radarman aboard USS Pennsylvania (BB-38). He participated in every naval battle the ship went through from mid-1943 through the end of the war, traveling to the Aleutian, Gilbert and Marshall Islands, Saipan, Guam, Peleliu, the Philippines, and Okinawa. He was discharged in 1946.

Transcript of an oral interview with Harold F. Neuberger. Neuberger grew up on a farm in Illinois and joined the Navy after he finished high school in 1943. He trained at Camp Farragut, Idaho. From there, he went to a machinist school at the University of Kansas. Then he attended a naval optics school in Washington, DC. Upon graduating, Neuberger was assigned to the USS Bennington (CV-20), and was a crewmember upon the ship's commissioning (thus making him a plankowner). He describes going through the Panama Canal on their way to the Pacific in early 1945. The Bennington's first assignement took her to just off the coast of Japan. Then she headed for Iwo Jima. After that, she resupplied and cruised for Okinawa, where the carrier provided air support for ground forces. Neuberger describes going through a typhoon. Neuberger was discharged in February, 1946 and returned to Illinois.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Richard Haw. As a member of the ROTC, Haw joined the Navy at the age of 17. Upon completion of hospital corps school in San Diego, he was assigned to an operating room at Shoemaker Naval Hospital where he performed minor surgery and worked as an obstetrician. He was granted leave to attend his mother's funeral, and a clerical error resulted in his being reported AWOL. Haw's father was shunned by his community and ridiculed in the local papers for this. Haw deployed to Iwo Jima, where he gave lifesaving assistance to the wounded even after sustaining a permanent spinal cord injury during a shell blast. In the Philippines, he tended to newly liberated American POWs, some of whom were suicidal. After returning home and being discharged in 1946, Haw himself suffered from PTSD.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Mack Roberson. Roberson was born in Three Rivers, Texas in 1926. After attending Schreiner Institute in Kerrville, Texas for several semesters, he joined the US Marine Corps and received boot training as San Diego. Upon completion, he accepted an assignment to train for honor guard duties. In 1944, he was aboard a troop ship bound for Okinawa and he tells of some of his experience aboard ship. He recalls observing kamikazes hitting US ships in Buckner Bay. He also comments on the Baka bomb. Recalling the destruction he observed at Hiroshima, he questions the decision to drop the atomic bomb. He also describes his interaction with the Japanese people. He fondly remembers his personal experience with Admiral Nimitz and expresses his admiration.

Transcript of an oral interview with Peter N. Karegeannes. Born in 1923, he joined the Navy in 1943. He subsequently volunteered to be a Corpsman in the Marine Corps. He was assigned to the 5th Marine Division, 26th Regiment, 2nd Battalion serving with Headquarters Company and later with Fox Company. After receiving medical training in handling casualties on the front lines, he was sent to Iwo Jima. He landed on Red Beach in the thirteenth wave on the first day of the battle. He describes the difficult landing and fighting as well as being targeted by Japanese artillery when rendering medical aid to soldiers. He also mentions Mount Suribachi and tactics for attacking Japanese soldiers in caves. He was hit by shrapnel and evacuated to a hospital ship. After the Japanese surrender, he was sent to Sasebo, Japan. He describes the behavior & living conditions of the Japanese people. He also describes experiencing a typhoon in Japan. He was discharged in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jordan Garrett. Garrett was born in Arkadelphia, Arkansas 19 September 1920. He joined the Navy after he quit high school and went to Great Lakes Naval Training Station, Illinois for boot camp. He was then assigned to the USS Houston (CA-30) serving as a cook and a barber. He gave Admiral Thomas C. Hart and General Douglas MacArthur shaves when they were aboard the ship. He was injured when the Houston was sunk by the Japanese. He was taken captive and held in a theater in Serang, Indonesia for thirty-six days. Garrett was then taken to the Bicycle Camp in Batavia where he remained for six months. Upon their arrival Singapore by ship, Garrett and other POWs were transported to Burma to work on the Thai-Burma railroad. He endured bombing of the area by Allied planes. He was also sent to Indochina to work on Japanese gun emplacements and was there when Japan surrendered. Garrett recounts the conditions POWs endured during captivity including physical abuse, starvation and disease. At the war’s end, he was taken by plane to Calcutta, India before being flown to the United States where …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bill Hardin. He was born in Brock, Texas 25 December 1921. His three other brothers served in the military during World War II. Two were killed in action. After graduating from Howard Payne College at Brownwood, Texas, Hardin entered the Naval Officer’s Candidate School program and was sent to Columbia University for sixteen weeks of training. Upon being commissioned, he was sent to San Diego for small boat training. While there he saw several USO shows danced with Marilyn Monroe. Upon completion of small boat training, he was sent to Pearl Harbor and was assigned to the USS White Marsh (LSD-8). After the invasion of Iwo Jima, he was transferred into Underwater Demolition Team (UDT) 17. He describes the intensity of the UDT training. Based on Guam, Hardin’s team participated in the invasion of Okinawa. During the operation, a close friend and team member was killed. While on Saipan, he witnessed the loading of the first atomic bomb that was dropped over Japan. While based on Guam, he was designated as a mail censor. Following the surrender of Japan, he returned to San Francisco and assisted sailors to …

Transcript of an oral interview with Peter N. Karegeannes. Born in 1923, he joined the Navy in 1943. He subsequently volunteered to be a Corpsman in the Marine Corps. He was assigned to the 5th Marine Division, 26th Regiment, 2nd Battalion serving with Headquarters Company and later with Fox Company. After receiving medical training in handling casualties on the front lines, he was sent to Iwo Jima. He landed on Red Beach in the thirteenth wave on the first day of the battle. He describes the difficult landing and fighting as well as being targeted by Japanese artillery when rendering medical aid to soldiers. He also mentions Mount Suribachi and tactics for attacking Japanese soldiers in caves. He was hit by shrapnel and evacuated to a hospital ship. After the Japanese surrender, he was sent to Sasebo, Japan. He describes the behavior & living conditions of the Japanese people. He also describes experiencing a typhoon in Japan. He was discharged in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bill Hardin. He was born in Brock, Texas 25 December 1921. His three other brothers served in the military during World War II. Two were killed in action. After graduating from Howard Payne College at Brownwood, Texas, Hardin entered the Naval Officer’s Candidate School program and was sent to Columbia University for sixteen weeks of training. Upon being commissioned, he was sent to San Diego for small boat training. While there he saw several USO shows danced with Marilyn Monroe. Upon completion of small boat training, he was sent to Pearl Harbor and was assigned to the USS White Marsh (LSD-8). After the invasion of Iwo Jima, he was transferred into Underwater Demolition Team (UDT) 17. He describes the intensity of the UDT training. Based on Guam, Hardin’s team participated in the invasion of Okinawa. During the operation, a close friend and team member was killed. While on Saipan, he witnessed the loading of the first atomic bomb that was dropped over Japan. While based on Guam, he was designated as a mail censor. Following the surrender of Japan, he returned to San Francisco and assisted sailors to …

Transcript of an oral interview with Harold F. Neuberger. Neuberger grew up on a farm in Illinois and joined the Navy after he finished high school in 1943. He trained at Camp Farragut, Idaho. From there, he went to a machinist school at the University of Kansas. Then he attended a naval optics school in Washington, DC. Upon graduating, Neuberger was assigned to the USS Bennington (CV-20), and was a crewmember upon the ship's commissioning (thus making him a plankowner). He describes going through the Panama Canal on their way to the Pacific in early 1945. The Bennington's first assignement took her to just off the coast of Japan. Then she headed for Iwo Jima. After that, she resupplied and cruised for Okinawa, where the carrier provided air support for ground forces. Neuberger describes going through a typhoon. Neuberger was discharged in February, 1946 and returned to Illinois.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Richard Haw. As a member of the ROTC, Haw joined the Navy at the age of 17. Upon completion of hospital corps school in San Diego, he was assigned to an operating room at Shoemaker Naval Hospital where he performed minor surgery and worked as an obstetrician. He was granted leave to attend his mother's funeral, and a clerical error resulted in his being reported AWOL. Haw's father was shunned by his community and ridiculed in the local papers for this. Haw deployed to Iwo Jima, where he gave lifesaving assistance to the wounded even after sustaining a permanent spinal cord injury during a shell blast. In the Philippines, he tended to newly liberated American POWs, some of whom were suicidal. After returning home and being discharged in 1946, Haw himself suffered from PTSD.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Mack Roberson. Roberson was born in Three Rivers, Texas in 1926. After attending Schreiner Institute in Kerrville, Texas for several semesters, he joined the US Marine Corps and received boot training as San Diego. Upon completion, he accepted an assignment to train for honor guard duties. In 1944, he was aboard a troop ship bound for Okinawa and he tells of some of his experience aboard ship. He recalls observing kamikazes hitting US ships in Buckner Bay. He also comments on the Baka bomb. Recalling the destruction he observed at Hiroshima, he questions the decision to drop the atomic bomb. He also describes his interaction with the Japanese people. He fondly remembers his personal experience with Admiral Nimitz and expresses his admiration.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jordan Garrett. Garrett was born in Arkadelphia, Arkansas 19 September 1920. He joined the Navy after he quit high school and went to Great Lakes Naval Training Station, Illinois for boot camp. He was then assigned to the USS Houston (CA-30) serving as a cook and a barber. He gave Admiral Thomas C. Hart and General Douglas MacArthur shaves when they were aboard the ship. He was injured when the Houston was sunk by the Japanese. He was taken captive and held in a theater in Serang, Indonesia for thirty-six days. Garrett was then taken to the Bicycle Camp in Batavia where he remained for six months. Upon their arrival Singapore by ship, Garrett and other POWs were transported to Burma to work on the Thai-Burma railroad. He endured bombing of the area by Allied planes. He was also sent to Indochina to work on Japanese gun emplacements and was there when Japan surrendered. Garrett recounts the conditions POWs endured during captivity including physical abuse, starvation and disease. At the war’s end, he was taken by plane to Calcutta, India before being flown to the United States where …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Carter Wheelock. Wheelock joined the Navy in 1943. He served as a Radarman aboard USS Pennsylvania (BB-38). He participated in every naval battle the ship went through from mid-1943 through the end of the war, traveling to the Aleutian, Gilbert and Marshall Islands, Saipan, Guam, Peleliu, the Philippines, and Okinawa. He was discharged in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Bill Meyers. Meyers entered the Naval ROTC program at the University of California in 1930. Beginning in 1932, he served two years as Quartermaster aboard the SS Monterey. He returned to college in 1934, received his commission through the NROTC in 1936, and graduated in 1937. In 1940 he served as the Gunnery Officer and Assistant Navigator aboard the USS Aldebaran (AF-10). They transported cargo between the West Coast and the Hawaiian Islands. In 1943 and 1944, Meyers served as Commanding Officer aboard the USS Newman (DE-205), operating in the Atlantic, escorting troop transports to England. He then served aboard USS Ringness (APD-100), transporting landing craft and troops to Guadalcanal and Okinawa. They returned to the US in early 1946 to decommission the ship. Meyers continued his service after the war.