Interview with Garvin Kowalke, a pilot during World War II. He discusses joining the Army Air Corps, going to Air Cadet training to become a pilot, and training on various aircraft (AT-17, UC-78, P-36, P-33, T-6, BT-13, B-17, B-29) before becoming a B-29 pilot; he shipped out to Guam and flew standard and fire bombing runs over Japan. He discusses having to ditch the plane on the way back to Guam once when the engines failed, seeing another B-29 crew have to bail out over Toyko Bay and get picked up by a U.S. submarine that was in the Bay, getting pulled down to the fires when they were trying to hide in the smoke to avoid Japanese fighter planes, and getting caught in a storm by Mount Fujiyama, as well as collecting data such wind direction, speed, and temperature over Hiroshima for future bombing runs, which turned out to be for the bombers who dropped the atomic bomb. He also talks about flying over Hiroshima two days after the bombing and gauging how high the radiation levels were at different altitudes. He also talks about being in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, becoming a B-57 pilot, and adopting a …

Interview with with Norman Apelt, an airplane mechanic during World War II. He discusses his service in the US Army Air Corps as an airplane mechanic in Pampa, Texas. After the war ended, Apelt was assigned duty in occupied Japan.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Lyman Mereness. Mereness joined the Navy in May of 1942. He received his wings in March of 1943. He served with the 8th Bomb Squadron. Beginning August of 1943, they served as the air group aboard the USS Intrepid (CV-11). Mereness supported the invasion of Hollandia and the Philippines Campaign, completing 39 combat missions. He was discharged in September of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Will Scott. Scott joined the Navy in May of 1941. He served as a Gunner’s Mate aboard the USS Utah (BB-31). He shares his experiences living at sea, his work and general life aboard the Utah. Scott also provides details of the attack while berthed in Pearl Harbor. After the Utah was sunk, Scott was assigned to the USS Honolulu (CL-48) for ten months, and then transferred to the USS Denver (CL-58) for two and half years. From there he served aboard the USS Harold J. Ellison (DD-864) until the war ended. During his service he traveled to the Aleutian Islands, Guadalcanal and Leyte Gulf.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Alvin Orsland. Orsland joined the Marine Corps in June of 1944. He went to Hawaii in November of 1944, assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division. In February of 1945 they participated in the Battle of Iwo Jima, which Orsland provides details of his experiences as a rifleman through the battle. He was discharged in July of 1946 as a Corporal.

Transcript of an oral interview with Garvin Kowalke. He discusses joining the Army Air Corps, going to Air Cadet training to become a pilot, training on various aircraft (AT-17, UC-78, P-36, P-33, T-6, BT-13, B-17, B-29) before becoming a B-29 pilot. He shipped out to Guam and flew standard and fire bombing runs over Japan. He discusses having to ditch the plane on the way back to Guam once when the engines failed, seeing another B-29 crew have to bail out over Toyko Bay and get picked up by a US submarine that was in the Bay, getting pulled down to the fires when they were trying to hide in the smoke to avoid Japanese fighter planes, getting caught in a storm by Mount Fujiyama, collecting data such wind direction, speed and temperature over Hiroshima for future bombing runs, which turned out to be for the bombers who dropped the atomic bomb, then flying over the city two days after the bombing and gauging how high the radiation levels were at different altitudes. He also talks about being in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, becoming a B-57 pilot, and adopting a baby boy from Germany after the war, then a …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James A. Laux. Born in 1925, he was drafted into the Navy in 1943. He was accepted into the submarine service. He describes his training at sub school. He reached New Guinea in 1944 and was assigned to his first submarine, the USS Pintado (SS-387), in 1945. He served as a 3rd Class Motor Machinist Mate. He describes sinking two floating mines while off the coast of Java as well as a near-miss with depth charges dropped by Japanese planes. They also rescued downed American pilots while on patrol off the coast of Japan. He describes the living conditions on the submarine. He shares an anecdote about celebrating the end of the war on the way back to the U.S. with a concoction of alcohol called depth charge rum. He was discharged in May 1946. He shares an anecdote about hitchhiking home to Ohio from California. The conning tower of the Pintado is on display at the National Museum of the Pacific War.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dorothy Rufi. Mrs. Rufi’s maiden name is Roehning. She arrived in Washington D.C. to work at the Coast Guard headquarters in 1942. She was assigned to a secretarial pool of four women who worked for Rear Admiral Harvey F. Johnson. She mentions blackouts and an air raid drill. She returned to her home to Minnesota in 1944.

Transcript of an oral interview with Norman Apelt. He discusses his service in the US Army Air Corps as an airplane mechanic in Pampa, Texas. After the war ended, Apelt was assigned duty in occupied Japan.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Sybil Bale. Bale was born in Clovis, New Mexico in 1920. In 1940 she went to Washington, D.C. to work for the Lend Lease Program as a secretary. She tells of seeing the program grow from a staff of four with four secretaries to over 750 employees when she left in 1941. Returning to New Mexico, Sybil was employed by the Selective Service Draft Board as an auditor and tells of the work it entailed. She describes the classification process of civilians including those who worked on the Manhattan Project. She tells of getting married in 1952 to a career Marine and of her life married to a World War II veteran who also served in Korea and Vietnam.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ken Cook. Born in Dallas, Texas on January 19, 1927, he joined the Navy in October 1943 and attended boot camp in San Diego. Upon completing boot camp, he was ordered to engineering school in Gulfport, Mississippi and was assigned to the USS Sigourney (DD-643) for the duration of the war. He reported aboard Sigourney in May 1944 as a Fireman Striker, but after serving a stint as Mess Cook, changed his rating to Cook Striker. He recounts being aboard the vessel during July 1945 in San Pedro, California, when the crew was ordered to stand by for inspection due to a reported "theft of articles from a sailor's locker." Liberty was cancelled, the inspection was never conducted, and the ship got underway after embarking a mysterious individual dressed in a Chief's uniform. He recalls that the "Chief" soon changed into civilian clothes and, to his knowledge, spoke to almost no one during the ensuing days as the vessel sailed north to the Alaskan coast and a rendezvous with the USS Washington (BB-56). The Sigourney pulled alongside the Washington, which had the ship's band turned out and playing, …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Edward Nielsen. Nielsen joined the Army in January, 1941 and trained at Fort Knox. He was a good driver and was used to instruct other recruits in how to drive tanks. He discusses his experiences during the Louisiana Maneuvers prior to the war. When the war started, he headed for England with the 1st Armored Division be fore shipping to North Africa. Nielsen describes fighting in tanks in North Africa. Nielsen was captured by the Germans in February 1943. He was eventually evacuated through Tunis to a POW camp near Munich. He escaped with a friend only to be captured again after a few days. When the war ended, he had been liberated and was in American hands, waiting to go back to the US. When he returned, he was discharged in the fall of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bert Cooper. Upon graduation from high school in February 1944 he joined the Navy as a Hospital Corpsman and was assigned to the First Marine Division. In transit to the division, his ship encountered a Japanese submarine off Okinawa, which was driven off or sunk by depth charges. Upon arrival at Okinawa several days after the initial invasion he recalls an incident when hundreds of Marines were attacked by a Japanese kamikaze while disembarking down cargo nets. He recounts being picked up by ten wheeler trucks on the beach driven by African American Army soldiers. During that time he tended to the wounded and recounts several stories involving badly wounded and dying Marines. In two instances, the dying Marine despaired that no one would remember them, and Cooper emphatically stated that "I will remember you my entire life." He next recalls reenlisting to go to Korea where he served on the hospital ship USS Haven (AH-12) during the invasion of Inchon, Korea. Cooper recalls severe casualties from frostbite. By this time the service had been integrated and he recalls the heroism of the African American troops and instances …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dr. Patrick H. McKay. Born in San Antonio, Texas in 1924, he discusses the hard times experienced by his family during the Depression. He joined Army ROTC in high school. After graduating, he was inducted into the Army in September 1943. He was sent on the USS West Point (AP-23) to Papua, New Guinea. He describes his experiences and training during the transit. He describes his time at Milne Bay, as a Private assigned to the 158th Regimental Combat Team, known as the" Bushmasters." He describes his unit's attack on a small island off the coast of New Guinea. His regiment's next action was at Noemfoor Island, New Guinea in July and August 1944. He recalls Tokyo Rose saying before the landing that "the blood-thirsty Bushmasters are going to meet a wall of steel.” He recalls several banzai attacks during the battle. His unit next made an assault on Lingayen Gulf in Luzon, Philippines. Their objective was the headquarters for the 17th Japanese Army unit under the command of General Tomoyuki Yamashita in Baguio. Next, his unit was sent to fight its way through the outskirts of Manila. …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Mike Rubin. Rubin discussed his father, M. J. Rubin. M. J. Rubin was born in Amarillo, Texas in the 1920s. He joined the Navy as a Corpsman shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Upon finishing boot camp in San Diego, California he was transferred to the Second Marine Division and sent to New Zealand. His first action was at Tarawa. He was then sent to Pearl Harbor where the Second Marine Division was reconstituted. Following the reconstitution he was sent to Saipan where he was wounded by mortar fire and suffered battle fatigue and returned to the States. He received three Silver Stars during his four years overseas.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lester Wilson. Wilson was born on 11 April 1916 in Helix, Oregon. Upon graduating from high school in 1933, he enrolled at Indiana University and later transferred to the University of Arizona. In 1942 he enlisted in the US Navy. After six weeks of boot training he was sent to Range Finders School. Completing school, he traveled by troop train to Pier 92 in New York City. He then reported aboard the newly commissioned USS Earle (DD-635) at Charlestown Navy Yard, New York. He tells of experiences while escorting troop ships to North Africa and during the invasion of Sicily. He also recalls being part of a divisionary force during the Normandy invasion. Returning to the United States in 1945, the ship was converted to a Destroyer Mine Sweeper (DSM-42). The ship was on a shakedown cruise when Japan surrendered. Wilson was discharged soon thereafter.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Allender. Allender was born in Oskaloosa, Iowa 21 November 1925 and enlisted in the Navy after graduating from high school in 1943. He qualified for sonar school while in boot camp and went to San Diego. Upon graduating from the school, he was sent to duty aboard the USS YMS-387, an auxiliary motor minesweeper. He describes his time on the YMS, engaged in coastal minesweeping and training prospective minesweeper crews. He left the minesweeper in December 1944 and was assigned to the commissioning crew of a coastal patrol craft in Portland, Oregon in the spring of 1945. He describes convoy duty between Pearl Harbor and the South Pacific, and operations near Eniwetok, Saipan, Guam and Ulithi. He recalls that following the Japanese surrender, his patrol craft was sent to Yap to accept the surrender of the Japanese garrison. The ship left Ulithi in November 1945 and returned to Charleston, South Carolina for decommissioning. He was discharged from the Navy in April 1946.

Transcript of an oral interview with Garvin Kowalke. He discusses joining the Army Air Corps, going to Air Cadet training to become a pilot, training on various aircraft (AT-17, UC-78, P-36, P-33, T-6, BT-13, B-17, B-29) before becoming a B-29 pilot. He shipped out to Guam and flew standard and fire bombing runs over Japan. He discusses having to ditch the plane on the way back to Guam once when the engines failed, seeing another B-29 crew have to bail out over Toyko Bay and get picked up by a US submarine that was in the Bay, getting pulled down to the fires when they were trying to hide in the smoke to avoid Japanese fighter planes, getting caught in a storm by Mount Fujiyama, collecting data such wind direction, speed and temperature over Hiroshima for future bombing runs, which turned out to be for the bombers who dropped the atomic bomb, then flying over the city two days after the bombing and gauging how high the radiation levels were at different altitudes. He also talks about being in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, becoming a B-57 pilot, and adopting a baby boy from Germany after the war, then a …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James A. Laux. Born in 1925, he was drafted into the Navy in 1943. He was accepted into the submarine service. He describes his training at sub school. He reached New Guinea in 1944 and was assigned to his first submarine, the USS Pintado (SS-387), in 1945. He served as a 3rd Class Motor Machinist Mate. He describes sinking two floating mines while off the coast of Java as well as a near-miss with depth charges dropped by Japanese planes. They also rescued downed American pilots while on patrol off the coast of Japan. He describes the living conditions on the submarine. He shares an anecdote about celebrating the end of the war on the way back to the U.S. with a concoction of alcohol called depth charge rum. He was discharged in May 1946. He shares an anecdote about hitchhiking home to Ohio from California. The conning tower of the Pintado is on display at the National Museum of the Pacific War.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dorothy Rufi. Mrs. Rufi’s maiden name is Roehning. She arrived in Washington D.C. to work at the Coast Guard headquarters in 1942. She was assigned to a secretarial pool of four women who worked for Rear Admiral Harvey F. Johnson. She mentions blackouts and an air raid drill. She returned to her home to Minnesota in 1944.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lester Wilson. Wilson was born on 11 April 1916 in Helix, Oregon. Upon graduating from high school in 1933, he enrolled at Indiana University and later transferred to the University of Arizona. In 1942 he enlisted in the US Navy. After six weeks of boot training he was sent to Range Finders School. Completing school, he traveled by troop train to Pier 92 in New York City. He then reported aboard the newly commissioned USS Earle (DD-635) at Charlestown Navy Yard, New York. He tells of experiences while escorting troop ships to North Africa and during the invasion of Sicily. He also recalls being part of a divisionary force during the Normandy invasion. Returning to the United States in 1945, the ship was converted to a Destroyer Mine Sweeper (DSM-42). The ship was on a shakedown cruise when Japan surrendered. Wilson was discharged soon thereafter.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Will Scott. Scott joined the Navy in May of 1941. He served as a Gunner’s Mate aboard the USS Utah (BB-31). He shares his experiences living at sea, his work and general life aboard the Utah. Scott also provides details of the attack while berthed in Pearl Harbor. After the Utah was sunk, Scott was assigned to the USS Honolulu (CL-48) for ten months, and then transferred to the USS Denver (CL-58) for two and half years. From there he served aboard the USS Harold J. Ellison (DD-864) until the war ended. During his service he traveled to the Aleutian Islands, Guadalcanal and Leyte Gulf.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Allender. Allender was born in Oskaloosa, Iowa 21 November 1925 and enlisted in the Navy after graduating from high school in 1943. He qualified for sonar school while in boot camp and went to San Diego. Upon graduating from the school, he was sent to duty aboard the USS YMS-387, an auxiliary motor minesweeper. He describes his time on the YMS, engaged in coastal minesweeping and training prospective minesweeper crews. He left the minesweeper in December 1944 and was assigned to the commissioning crew of a coastal patrol craft in Portland, Oregon in the spring of 1945. He describes convoy duty between Pearl Harbor and the South Pacific, and operations near Eniwetok, Saipan, Guam and Ulithi. He recalls that following the Japanese surrender, his patrol craft was sent to Yap to accept the surrender of the Japanese garrison. The ship left Ulithi in November 1945 and returned to Charleston, South Carolina for decommissioning. He was discharged from the Navy in April 1946.

Transcript of an oral interview with Norman Apelt. He discusses his service in the US Army Air Corps as an airplane mechanic in Pampa, Texas. After the war ended, Apelt was assigned duty in occupied Japan.