The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Mildred Bauman. Bauman’s family immigrated to the U.S. from Germany in 1923. She was born in Brooklyn, New York in November of 1926. Her family sent her back to Germany to live with her grandparents in Berlin in 1928. Bauman grew up in Germany during the Nazi reign and was 13 years old when World War II began. Being an American citizen, Bauman endured relentless harassment from neighbors and classmates. She vividly describes her experiences growing up and as a young woman in the early 1940s, including forced evacuations, Russians taking over, bombings, concentration camps and casualties. She was sent back to the U.S. in 1946 due to her American citizenship. From the early 1950s to the 1980s Bauman worked for Guaranty Federal in Dallas. She retired to Burnet, Texas. She speaks of desiring to compile her story into a book, though it wasn’t until 2014 that a book came to fruition, titled “Abandoned! The WWII Ordeal of an American Child Living and Surviving from 1928 to 1946 in Hitler’s Nazi Germany”, available at the Burnet County Library.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Harry G. Hadler. Hadler was born in Argonia, Kansas on 14 December 1919 and was drafted into the Army Air Corps on 1 January 1942. He had received his private pilot’s license through the Civilian Pilot Training Program while at Wichita State University. After completing his basic training he was enrolled in aircraft mechanics training at Sheppard Field in Wichita Falls, Texas. Advanced training in B-25s in Los Angeles followed. He was then transferred to Westover, Massachusetts and assigned to the 13th Bombardment Group (Medium) of the First Air Force as chief of a ground crew. Their mission supported anti-submarine patrols off the East Coast. In November 1942 he was accepted into Officer Candidate School and graduated on 20 January 1943, receiving his commission as second lieutenant. Hadler attended photo intelligence school and was assigned to a headquarters wing of the 2nd Air Force at Fort Biggs in El Paso, Texas. In March 1945 he was assigned to the 39th Bomb Group (Very Heavy) located in Guam, where he prepared bomb plots from aerial photographs for B-29 bombing missions over mainland Japan and Okinawa. In October 1945 he …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Roy Warren. Warren was a child when his father was stationed in Pearl Harbor in 1941 as a communications officer with the Navy. He tells of life as a 4th grader attending school on Ford Island and living in Little Makalapa. Warren recalls seeing the first wave of Japanese torpedo bombers flying over his house. He describes his experiences during the attack and the days afterward. Warren details the types of souvenirs that he collected during and after the battle. He describes sailors showing up at his house in wet uniforms. Warren mentions how his family stayed in Hawaii after the attack and how his mother ended up as a civilian employee for the Navy. Later in life he joined the Army when he grew up and describes some of his career highlights.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Vaughn Attaway. Attaway was married and living on the farm when he was drafted into the Army in October, 1944. After training, Attaway was shipped to Luzon and attached to the 161st Infantry Battlaion, 25th Infantry Division. Attaway describes varoius patrols he conducted in the hills on Luzon. When the war ended, Attaway's unit began training for the invasion of Japan. When the war ended, Attaway was assigned occupation duty in Japan. Attaway shares a few anecdotes about occupation duty. Attaway returned to the US and was discharged in August, 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dr. Walter N. Burnette. Burnette mentions being involved in the mafia and gaining permission to leave that life. From there, he went to West Point in 1940. His graduation was accelerated due to the war. He graduated in 1943 and was commissioned in the Army Air Forces. General Hap Armold pinned his wings on him. He was originally slated to fly B-25s or B-17s, but was too small to fly medium or heavy bombers so he transitioned to flying A-20s instead. After completing training, Burnette and six other A-20s were ordered to Casa Blanca. Burnette describes the trip to North Africa. Burnette was assigned to the 47th Bomb Goup, 12th Air Force and found his unit in Italy. He mentions seeing the Tuskegee Airmen. Burnette carried an Army infantry captain in the nose of his aircraft on a bombing mission and was then invited to visit the infantry on the front lines, which he did. He went on a dawn patrol and got close to the German lines. Burnette also describes attacking Monte Cassino. When Burnette finished 50 missions he was assigned to the 5th Air Force to …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Leon Shook. Shook joined the Navy in July of 1942. That fall he began his service aboard the USS Colorado (BB-45) as a machinist, a loader on 1.1-inch guns and worked with the ammunition supply. In November of 1943 they participated in the Battle of Tarawa. In July of 1944 they participated in the Battle of Tinian, where they were hit by twenty-two 7.7-inch shells, killing 42 men and wounding 365. In the fall of 1944 they participated in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, where they were struck by 2 kamikaze suicide bombers, killing 19 men. In January of 1945 they participated in the pre-invasion of Lingayen Gulf. The Colorado was struck by accidental fire from the USS Pennsylvania (BB-38), killing 69 men. Shook received 9 Battle Stars. He provides details of the various battles he participated in. He was discharged in October of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with David Witmer. Witmer joined the Navy in early 1943. Beginning in late 1943, he served as Second-Class Torpedoman aboard the USS Twiggs (DD-591). They completed training exercises in Bermuda and Pearl Harbor. They escorted convoys operating between Oahu and Eniwetok. Witmer also participated in the Philippines Campaign, and the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He recalls the kamikaze attack at Okinawa that sunk the Twiggs, and he received significant wounds. Witmer returned to the US and received his discharge in May of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jonah Peterson. Peterson was drafted into the Navy in 1943. He finished signal school in October and was assigned to the USS Cascade (AD-16), a destroyer tender. He was there at Ulithi for a while before transferring to the USS Argonne (AG-31) in time for the invasion of the Philippines. Peterson returned to the US in December and was discharged in early 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Thomas M. Lawson. Lawson was born in Pierre, South Dakota in 1924. After two years of ROTC in college, he joined the Army Air Forces in August 1943. After basic training in Wichita Falls, Texas, he went to pilot training at Randolph Field in San Antonio. He was ready to solo in a PT-19 trainer, but his instructor pilot was not happy with his forced landing exercise and he was washed out. Being a pilot now out of the question, Lawson was sent to South Dakota for radio school, learning code, repair, radio navigation, and how to jump out of an airplane. Since the radioman on a B-17 relieved the waist gunner if he was incapacitated, he was then sent to Yuma, Arizona for 5 months of gunnery school. He then went to Panama City, Florida for additional flying familiarization. There he went on flights in B-17s over the gulf looking for submarines. His next duty station was Lincoln Army Air Base, Nebraska. He was to be given all his shots and assigned to a bomb group. Before this happened, however, the war ended, so he was assigned …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William Riggs. Riggs joined the Navy in March 1943 and trained at San Diego. He was then assigned as a parachute rigger in Torpedo Squadron 40 (VT-40) aboard the USS Suwannee (ACV-27) in February, 1945. He was aboard when the Suwannee participated in the Okinawa invasion. After the war, Riggs stayed in the Active Reserves until 1985, retiring as a master chief.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles Thorney. Thorney was in the NROTC at Northwestern University when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. He was commissioned in September 1944, a year early, and sent to Florida for training in antisubmarine warfare. He was eventually assigned as the executive officer aboard USS PGM-2, a motorized patrol gunboat, in the Solomon Islands. Thorney recalls operating mostly at night around the Rabaul area interdicting Japanese supply efforts when he initally joined PGM-2. When the war ended, Thorney was at Okinawa still with PGM-2. They then wento to China to sweep mines from the Yangtze River.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Clayton Nattier. Nattier went into the Army Air Forces in October 1942 as an aviation cadet. In August, 1943 he earned his commission and his wings as a B-17 pilot. During training his eardrums ruptured and he was hospitalized. During recovery, he spent a lot of time in the Link trainer, which paid off later in his career. With his new crew, Nattier went overseas to England in June, 1944 and began flying combat missions at the end of July. In September, over Germany, Nattier's plane was hit and he and the crew had to bail out. Nattier was captured on the ground and became a prisoner of war. He provides very clear detail about bailing out and his captivity. The Russians liberated his camp toward the end of April after the Germans had vacated. He returned to the US on 20 June 1945 and was discharged in December.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Isaac Breedlove. Breedlove joined the Army in 1937 and was sent to Panama for duty at the Canal Zone. He was there two years before being discharged. Breedlove reenlisted in 1939 and was sent to Hawaii. Breedlove was in an infantry company at Schofield Barracks when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. He suffered from the mumps, but waited until he was aboard a transport to the Solomon Islands to get treatment. He landed on Guadalcanal with his unit in late November, 1942. While on Guadalcanal, Breedlove received summons to report to his local draft board. His company commander did not let him go. He was also involved in the invasion of Luzon in January 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Thelma Province O'Malley. Born in 1921, she joined the SPARS in 1943 or early1944. She describes her training in Palm Beach, Florida as well as her duties at the Coast Guard Recruiting Station in San Francisco, California. She also talks about sightseeing in San Francisco. The interview also includes information about her parents and siblings.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Maxine Lauderdale Cullison. Cullison speaks of being raised in Harlingen, Texas and meeting her husband, who was training in the Army Air Corps there in 1942. She mentions two brother that served during the war: one aboard the USS Swordfish (SS-193) and one was an engineer building the Alcan Hiaghway. Then she speaks about her husband's service and all the places he was stationed.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Maxine Lauderdale Cullison. Cullison speaks of being raised in Harlingen, Texas and meeting her husband, who was training in the Army Air Corps there in 1942. She mentions two brother that served during the war: one aboard the USS Swordfish (SS-193) and one was an engineer building the Alcan Hiaghway. Then she speaks about her husband's service and all the places he was stationed.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Mildred Bauman. Bauman’s family immigrated to the U.S. from Germany in 1923. She was born in Brooklyn, New York in November of 1926. Her family sent her back to Germany to live with her grandparents in Berlin in 1928. Bauman grew up in Germany during the Nazi reign and was 13 years old when World War II began. Being an American citizen, Bauman endured relentless harassment from neighbors and classmates. She vividly describes her experiences growing up and as a young woman in the early 1940s, including forced evacuations, Russians taking over, bombings, concentration camps and casualties. She was sent back to the U.S. in 1946 due to her American citizenship. From the early 1950s to the 1980s Bauman worked for Guaranty Federal in Dallas. She retired to Burnet, Texas. She speaks of desiring to compile her story into a book, though it wasn’t until 2014 that a book came to fruition, titled “Abandoned! The WWII Ordeal of an American Child Living and Surviving from 1928 to 1946 in Hitler’s Nazi Germany”, available at the Burnet County Library.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with David Witmer. Witmer joined the Navy in early 1943. Beginning in late 1943, he served as Second-Class Torpedoman aboard the USS Twiggs (DD-591). They completed training exercises in Bermuda and Pearl Harbor. They escorted convoys operating between Oahu and Eniwetok. Witmer also participated in the Philippines Campaign, and the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He recalls the kamikaze attack at Okinawa that sunk the Twiggs, and he received significant wounds. Witmer returned to the US and received his discharge in May of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jonah Peterson. Peterson was drafted into the Navy in 1943. He finished signal school in October and was assigned to the USS Cascade (AD-16), a destroyer tender. He was there at Ulithi for a while before transferring to the USS Argonne (AG-31) in time for the invasion of the Philippines. Peterson returned to the US in December and was discharged in early 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Thomas M. Lawson. Lawson was born in Pierre, South Dakota in 1924. After two years of ROTC in college, he joined the Army Air Forces in August 1943. After basic training in Wichita Falls, Texas, he went to pilot training at Randolph Field in San Antonio. He was ready to solo in a PT-19 trainer, but his instructor pilot was not happy with his forced landing exercise and he was washed out. Being a pilot now out of the question, Lawson was sent to South Dakota for radio school, learning code, repair, radio navigation, and how to jump out of an airplane. Since the radioman on a B-17 relieved the waist gunner if he was incapacitated, he was then sent to Yuma, Arizona for 5 months of gunnery school. He then went to Panama City, Florida for additional flying familiarization. There he went on flights in B-17s over the gulf looking for submarines. His next duty station was Lincoln Army Air Base, Nebraska. He was to be given all his shots and assigned to a bomb group. Before this happened, however, the war ended, so he was assigned …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles Thorney. Thorney was in the NROTC at Northwestern University when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. He was commissioned in September 1944, a year early, and sent to Florida for training in antisubmarine warfare. He was eventually assigned as the executive officer aboard USS PGM-2, a motorized patrol gunboat, in the Solomon Islands. Thorney recalls operating mostly at night around the Rabaul area interdicting Japanese supply efforts when he initally joined PGM-2. When the war ended, Thorney was at Okinawa still with PGM-2. They then wento to China to sweep mines from the Yangtze River.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Vaughn Attaway. Attaway was married and living on the farm when he was drafted into the Army in October, 1944. After training, Attaway was shipped to Luzon and attached to the 161st Infantry Battlaion, 25th Infantry Division. Attaway describes varoius patrols he conducted in the hills on Luzon. When the war ended, Attaway's unit began training for the invasion of Japan. When the war ended, Attaway was assigned occupation duty in Japan. Attaway shares a few anecdotes about occupation duty. Attaway returned to the US and was discharged in August, 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dr. Walter N. Burnette. Burnette mentions being involved in the mafia and gaining permission to leave that life. From there, he went to West Point in 1940. His graduation was accelerated due to the war. He graduated in 1943 and was commissioned in the Army Air Forces. General Hap Armold pinned his wings on him. He was originally slated to fly B-25s or B-17s, but was too small to fly medium or heavy bombers so he transitioned to flying A-20s instead. After completing training, Burnette and six other A-20s were ordered to Casa Blanca. Burnette describes the trip to North Africa. Burnette was assigned to the 47th Bomb Goup, 12th Air Force and found his unit in Italy. He mentions seeing the Tuskegee Airmen. Burnette carried an Army infantry captain in the nose of his aircraft on a bombing mission and was then invited to visit the infantry on the front lines, which he did. He went on a dawn patrol and got close to the German lines. Burnette also describes attacking Monte Cassino. When Burnette finished 50 missions he was assigned to the 5th Air Force to …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Clayton Nattier. Nattier went into the Army Air Forces in October 1942 as an aviation cadet. In August, 1943 he earned his commission and his wings as a B-17 pilot. During training his eardrums ruptured and he was hospitalized. During recovery, he spent a lot of time in the Link trainer, which paid off later in his career. With his new crew, Nattier went overseas to England in June, 1944 and began flying combat missions at the end of July. In September, over Germany, Nattier's plane was hit and he and the crew had to bail out. Nattier was captured on the ground and became a prisoner of war. He provides very clear detail about bailing out and his captivity. The Russians liberated his camp toward the end of April after the Germans had vacated. He returned to the US on 20 June 1945 and was discharged in December.