Interview with Jack Kleiss, a pilot during World War II. He discusses training for carrier landings on USS Enterprise; the arrival of VMF-211 aboard Enterprise and their delivery to Wake Island; and the attack on Pealr Harbor on 7 December 1941. Kleiss was in a dive bomber and attacked Japanese carriers at the Battle of Midway, where he earned the Navy Cross.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Joseph Drachnik. Drachnik graduated from the Naval Academy in June of 1942. He served aboard USS Betelgeuse (AKA-11), transporting cargo and troops for the invasion of Guadalcanal. They made several resupply and reinforcement voyages to Guadalcanal and Tulagi in support of the campaign, and returned to the US in January of 1943. Beginning October of 1943 through October of 1945, Drachnik served as Executive Officer aboard USS Allen M. Sumner (DD-692), completing patrol duty during the battles of Leyte and Luzon. He completed 30 years of service, retiring in 1972.

Transcript of an oral interview with Taisuke Maruyama. He was born in 1922. After finishing the sixth grade, Mr Maruyama took an exam for Navy pilot school and passed; he was 15 or 16 at the time. At that time, preparatory flight school (navy basic training) for the Navy was one and one half years. Once he completed this, Maruyama entered flight training, which lasted for one year. After flight training, he was ordered to the carrier Hiryu; to be a scouting member of the 97th torpedo plane, a Kate. He was not assigned as a pilot but as a scout. In July/August 1941, the Hiryu escorted the invasion fleet when the Japanese Army landed in French Indo-China. Mr Maruyama saw his first combat on December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor; the first wave (183 planes). His target was the USS Oklahoma and he had the job of releasing the torpedo; it hit. He was 19 years old. After the attack, the carriers returned to their own harbors and the planes went to bases. Mr Maruyama states that either the pilot or the scout could be the leader on the plane. At Midway, he was still a scout but was …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Ross. Assigned to the 267th Infantry Regiment, 66th Infantry Division, he describes training and living conditions at camp Joseph T. Robinson. He describes crossing the Atlantic in November 1944 as well as being transported to Weymouth, England. He also recalls narrowly missing being transported on the SS Léopoldville (1929) and arriving at Cherbourg, France in December 1944. He participated in the Battle of the Bulge near Lorient, France. When the war ended in Europe, he was in placed in charge of supplies for two general hospitals near Arles, France. He was subsequently transferred to the 4289th Provisional Supervision Company. He talks about taking charge of SS Troops in Vienna and setting up a hospital in Wels, Austria. He recalls the entertainment in Vienna. He was discharged in April 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William Warnes. Warnes joined the Navy in 1936. He was first assigned to USS Salt Lake City (CA-25), serving aboard until September of 1937. He was then transferred to the Asiatic Fleet, aboard the USS Alden (DD-211). They traveled back and forth between Manila, Philippines and Chefoo, China. He worked on the ship as a cook and radio striker. Around spring of 1939 they traveled to North China, where their ship was assigned to the South China patrol for diplomatic courier duty along the coast. In the summer of 1940 Warnes was promoted to Third Class Radioman and transferred to the USS Langley (CV-1) as a radio operator. By the fall of 1940, they were operating in Manila. In February of 1942 the Langley was sunk off Java. Warnes and the surviving crew, were transferred to the USS Pecos (AO-6), which was also sunk in March of 1942. He provides details of each fateful event, including their rescue aboard the USS Whipple (DD-217). In April he traveled back to the US aboard the USS Mount Vernon (AP-22). At Terminal Island, California, Warnes was assigned to a submarine chaser, SC-538 …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jack Kleiss. Kleiss discusses training for carrier landings on USS Enterprise; the arrival of VMF-211 aboard Enterprise and their delivery to Wake Island; and the attack on Pealr Harbor on 7 December 1941. Kleiss was in a dive bomber and attacked Japanese carriers at the Battle of Midway, where he earned the Navy Cross.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Gerold (Jerry) Haynes. Haynes grew up in Mississippi and went to Memphis, Tennessee to join the Navy in 1939. He was assigned to the USS California and went to Pearl Harbor. The California was bombed December 7, 1941 during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Haynes describes the recovery efforts. In March 1942 he was reassigned to the USS Sante Fe (CL-60). He was on a 5 in/38 gun. He discusses sinking a ship in the San Bernadino Strait. In 1945, he rescued two survivors from the USS Franklin and received a citation. He describes the experience of pulling survivors from the ocean. NOTE: Haynes identified the USS Tingey (DDS-539) but the action described (Attu, Tarawa, USS Franklin rescue) supports the USS Santa Fe (CL-60).

Transcript of an oral interview with Taisuke Maruyama. He was born in 1922. After finishing the sixth grade, Mr Maruyama took an exam for Navy pilot school and passed; he was 15 or 16 at the time. At that time, preparatory flight school (navy basic training) for the Navy was one and one half years. Once he completed this, Maruyama entered flight training, which lasted for one year. After flight training, he was ordered to the carrier Hiryu; to be a scouting member of the 97th torpedo plane, a Kate. He was not assigned as a pilot but as a scout. In July/August 1941, the Hiryu escorted the invasion fleet when the Japanese Army landed in French Indo-China. Mr Maruyama saw his first combat on December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor; the first wave (183 planes). His target was the USS Oklahoma and he had the job of releasing the torpedo; it hit. He was 19 years old. After the attack, the carriers returned to their own harbors and the planes went to bases. Mr Maruyama states that either the pilot or the scout could be the leader on the plane. At Midway, he was still a scout but was …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Ross. Assigned to the 267th Infantry Regiment, 66th Infantry Division, he describes training and living conditions at camp Joseph T. Robinson. He describes crossing the Atlantic in November 1944 as well as being transported to Weymouth, England. He also recalls narrowly missing being transported on the SS Léopoldville (1929) and arriving at Cherbourg, France in December 1944. He participated in the Battle of the Bulge near Lorient, France. When the war ended in Europe, he was in placed in charge of supplies for two general hospitals near Arles, France. He was subsequently transferred to the 4289th Provisional Supervision Company. He talks about taking charge of SS Troops in Vienna and setting up a hospital in Wels, Austria. He recalls the entertainment in Vienna. He was discharged in April 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William Warnes. Warnes joined the Navy in 1936. He was first assigned to USS Salt Lake City (CA-25), serving aboard until September of 1937. He was then transferred to the Asiatic Fleet, aboard the USS Alden (DD-211). They traveled back and forth between Manila, Philippines and Chefoo, China. He worked on the ship as a cook and radio striker. Around spring of 1939 they traveled to North China, where their ship was assigned to the South China patrol for diplomatic courier duty along the coast. In the summer of 1940 Warnes was promoted to Third Class Radioman and transferred to the USS Langley (CV-1) as a radio operator. By the fall of 1940, they were operating in Manila. In February of 1942 the Langley was sunk off Java. Warnes and the surviving crew, were transferred to the USS Pecos (AO-6), which was also sunk in March of 1942. He provides details of each fateful event, including their rescue aboard the USS Whipple (DD-217). In April he traveled back to the US aboard the USS Mount Vernon (AP-22). At Terminal Island, California, Warnes was assigned to a submarine chaser, SC-538 …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Joseph Drachnik. Drachnik graduated from the Naval Academy in June of 1942. He served aboard USS Betelgeuse (AKA-11), transporting cargo and troops for the invasion of Guadalcanal. They made several resupply and reinforcement voyages to Guadalcanal and Tulagi in support of the campaign, and returned to the US in January of 1943. Beginning October of 1943 through October of 1945, Drachnik served as Executive Officer aboard USS Allen M. Sumner (DD-692), completing patrol duty during the battles of Leyte and Luzon. He completed 30 years of service, retiring in 1972.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Gerold (Jerry) Haynes. Haynes grew up in Mississippi and went to Memphis, Tennessee to join the Navy in 1939. He was assigned to the USS California and went to Pearl Harbor. The California was bombed December 7, 1941 during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Haynes describes the recovery efforts. In March 1942 he was reassigned to the USS Sante Fe (CL-60). He was on a 5 in/38 gun. He discusses sinking a ship in the San Bernadino Strait. In 1945, he rescued two survivors from the USS Franklin and received a citation. He describes the experience of pulling survivors from the ocean. NOTE: Haynes identified the USS Tingey (DDS-539) but the action described (Attu, Tarawa, USS Franklin rescue) supports the USS Santa Fe (CL-60).

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jack Kleiss. Kleiss discusses training for carrier landings on USS Enterprise; the arrival of VMF-211 aboard Enterprise and their delivery to Wake Island; and the attack on Pealr Harbor on 7 December 1941. Kleiss was in a dive bomber and attacked Japanese carriers at the Battle of Midway, where he earned the Navy Cross.