Oral History Interview with Adrian Miller, August 3, 2001 transcript

Oral History Interview with Adrian Miller, August 3, 2001

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Adrian Miller. Miller was born in Winamac, Indiana 16 November 1924 and graduated from high school in 1942. He entered the Army in March, 1944 and took his basic training at Ft. Blanding, Florida. He volunteered for the paratroopers at Fort Benning, Georgia and describes the six weeks of rigorous training, which included jumps. In November, he joined the 101st Army Airborne and was assigned to the 505th Parachute Infantry, Company H. Miller was sent to Bastogne and describes the conditions and the high casualty rate. After being relieved in January he went to Lorraine, France, then to Berchtesgaden, Germany where he met his brother. Miller was in Paris when Germany surrendered. On 15 December 1945, he returned to the United States on the Queen Mary. He was discharged January 1946.
Date: August 3, 2001
Creator: Miller, Adrian
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Adrian Miller, August 3, 2001 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Adrian Miller, August 3, 2001

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Adrian Miller. Miller was born in Winamac, Indiana 16 November 1924 and graduated from high school in 1942. He entered the Army in March, 1944 and took his basic training at Ft. Blanding, Florida. He volunteered for the paratroopers at Fort Benning, Georgia and describes the six weeks of rigorous training, which included jumps. In November, he joined the 101st Army Airborne and was assigned to the 505th Parachute Infantry, Company H. Miller was sent to Bastogne and describes the conditions and the high casualty rate. After being relieved in January he went to Lorraine, France, then to Berchtesgaden, Germany where he met his brother. Miller was in Paris when Germany surrendered. On 15 December 1945, he returned to the United States on the Queen Mary. He was discharged January 1946.
Date: August 3, 2001
Creator: Miller, Adrian
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with David Van Fleet, May 3, 2001 transcript

Oral History Interview with David Van Fleet, May 3, 2001

Transcript of an oral interview with David Van Fleet. Mr Van Fleet graduated from high school in 1941, went to A&M on a football scholarship, staying there until midterm when the war broke out and he joined the Marine Corps. After boot camp in San Diego, he joined the 4th Marine Raiders Battalion, D Company. After additional training with the Raiders, his outfit went overseas in February 1943, ending up in Espiritu Santo. They went to Guadalcanal in June, stayed there for a month, and then landed on Vangunu Island, New Georgia. Van Fleet provides a very good description of landing on the island and the fighting there under deplorable conditions. Then they crossed over to Gatukai island because the natives said there were Japanese there too. The outfit then went back to Guadalcanal for a few days before heading back to New Georgia (Bairoko Harbor). Van Fleet states this was the only battle he knows of that we lost. Included as an appendix to this oral history are a few pages from a history of that battle by Major General Peatross. He understood that this was about the end for the Raiders so he asked to be transferred to …
Date: May 3, 2001
Creator: Van Fleet, David
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Leon Bruce, October 3, 2001 transcript

Oral History Interview with Leon Bruce, October 3, 2001

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Leon Bruce. Bruce was born in Sayre, Oklahoma and joined the Merchant Marine Service in 1943. He was sent to Catalina Island, California for training. When he completed training he reported aboard the SS Schuyler Colfax (1943) a Liberty ship tanker. Bruce tells of his experiences while aboard the ship. In 1945 he went aboard the SS Mission San Rafael (1944). He relates the experience of being aboard as the ship carried high octane fuel to Biak, New Guinea where the fuel was off-loaded directly into vehicles of the 41st Infantry. The ship was later subjected to a torpedo attack and he recounts the actions taken to avoid being hit. After the war, Bruce became a minister and school teacher.
Date: October 3, 2001
Creator: Bruce, Leon
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Warren Suter, July 3, 2001 transcript

Oral History Interview with Warren Suter, July 3, 2001

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Warren Suter. Suter finished his course work at The Ohio State University before signing up with the Navy. He received his commission in May, 1941. After that, Suter went to work in the Ordnance Bureau overseeing the production of five-inch gun mounts at a factory in Ohio. In 1943, he was transferred to the San Francisco bay Area and discusses anti-submarine nets deployed in the bay. Toward the end of the war, Suter went to Guam and worked in a drafting office making plans for a large dental parlor and an outdoor theater.
Date: July 3, 2001
Creator: Suter, Warren
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with David Van Fleet, May 3, 2001 (open access)

Oral History Interview with David Van Fleet, May 3, 2001

Transcript of an oral interview with David Van Fleet. Mr Van Fleet graduated from high school in 1941, went to A&M on a football scholarship, staying there until midterm when the war broke out and he joined the Marine Corps. After boot camp in San Diego, he joined the 4th Marine Raiders Battalion, D Company. After additional training with the Raiders, his outfit went overseas in February 1943, ending up in Espiritu Santo. They went to Guadalcanal in June, stayed there for a month, and then landed on Vangunu Island, New Georgia. Van Fleet provides a very good description of landing on the island and the fighting there under deplorable conditions. Then they crossed over to Gatukai island because the natives said there were Japanese there too. The outfit then went back to Guadalcanal for a few days before heading back to New Georgia (Bairoko Harbor). Van Fleet states this was the only battle he knows of that we lost. Included as an appendix to this oral history are a few pages from a history of that battle by Major General Peatross. He understood that this was about the end for the Raiders so he asked to be transferred to …
Date: May 3, 2001
Creator: Van Fleet, David
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Leon Bruce, October 3, 2001 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Leon Bruce, October 3, 2001

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Leon Bruce. Bruce was born in Sayre, Oklahoma and joined the Merchant Marine Service in 1943. He was sent to Catalina Island, California for training. When he completed training he reported aboard the SS Schuyler Colfax (1943) a Liberty ship tanker. Bruce tells of his experiences while aboard the ship. In 1945 he went aboard the SS Mission San Rafael (1944). He relates the experience of being aboard as the ship carried high octane fuel to Biak, New Guinea where the fuel was off-loaded directly into vehicles of the 41st Infantry. The ship was later subjected to a torpedo attack and he recounts the actions taken to avoid being hit. After the war, Bruce became a minister and school teacher.
Date: October 3, 2001
Creator: Bruce, Leon
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Warren Suter, July 3, 2001 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Warren Suter, July 3, 2001

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Warren Suter. Suter finished his course work at The Ohio State University before signing up with the Navy. He received his commission in May, 1941. After that, Suter went to work in the Ordnance Bureau overseeing the production of five-inch gun mounts at a factory in Ohio. In 1943, he was transferred to the San Francisco bay Area and discusses anti-submarine nets deployed in the bay. Toward the end of the war, Suter went to Guam and worked in a drafting office making plans for a large dental parlor and an outdoor theater.
Date: July 3, 2001
Creator: Suter, Warren
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History