Oral History Interview with Stanley Robertson, November 30, 2001 transcript

Oral History Interview with Stanley Robertson, November 30, 2001

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Stanley Robertson. Robertson entered the Army Air Forces as a cadet in May 1943 and graduated as a pilot and earned his commission in August, 1944. He started training on B-17 bombers before being assigned to B-29s. He arrived at Tinian in late April 1945 and started combat missions over Japan with the 398th Bomb Squadron, 504th Bomb Group. He names and discusses several missions over various Japanese cities. Robertson returned to the US and was discharged in November 1945.
Date: November 30, 2001
Creator: Robertson, Stanley
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with William Webb, April 30, 2001 transcript

Oral History Interview with William Webb, April 30, 2001

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Webb. Webb was born in Houston, Texas on 11 March 1923. He participated in the Civilian Pilot Training Program while attending Sam Houston State University. Upon earning his pilot’s license in 1942, he entered into the Navy Flying Cadet program. After three months of primary flight training at Lambert Field, Missouri he went to Corpus Christi Naval Air Station in Texas for the final phase of training. Upon graduating, he elected to go into the US Marines and was sent to Opa Loca, Florida to begin training in fighters. He was then sent to Santa Barbara, California where he joined VMF-112. After a year of carrier training, VMF-112 was assigned to the USS Bennington (CV-20) where Webb flew F4U fighter planes. He recalls flying missions over Japan as well as participating in the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He also recalls shooting down a Japanese plane. He also cites the experience of crashing into the sea soon after takeoff and being rescued and transferred back to his carrier by a Breeches Buoy. The Bennington went to the Philippines for repair after being damaged during a typhoon …
Date: April 30, 2001
Creator: Webb, William
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Archie Clark, July 30, 2001 transcript

Oral History Interview with Archie Clark, July 30, 2001

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Archie Clark. Clark was born May 19, 1920 in Pulaski County, Indiana, drafted into the Army on July 17, 1942 and was transferred to the 80th Infantry Division. In July 1944 he was shipped across the Atlantic on the Queen Mary with 22,000 other people on the ship. The battalion eventually landed at Utah Beach, 58 days following D-Day. His platoon's first engagement was with the retreating Germans at the Battle of the Falaise Pocket, in Argentan, France. His division was part of Patton's Third Army. During a three day pass to Paris, he recalls the MPs informing members of the 101st Airborne to return to camp, where they headed out for Bastogne, Belgium. When he rejoined the 80th, they were already on their way to Bastogne. He recalls several experiences during the siege, including losing 33 of the 39 men in his platoon, and his Battalion being reduced to 96 men. He recalls that, after Bastogne, his unit advanced into Germany, where he was wounded by an artillery shell. After recovering, he rejoined his unit in Vöcklabruck, Austria, where they were tasked with accepting the surrender 200,000 …
Date: July 30, 2001
Creator: Clark, Archie
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Ralph Bissett, August 30, 2001 transcript

Oral History Interview with Ralph Bissett, August 30, 2001

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral history with Ralph Bissett. Bissett grew up in California and joined the Navy at 18 in 1943. He trained at Farragut, Idaho. He was assigned aboard the USS Cahaba (AO-82) as a gunner’s mate striker just before the ship headed for duty in the Pacific. Bissett describes the mechanics of refueling ships at sea. He also shares a few anecdotes of his time aboard the Cahaba.
Date: August 30, 2001
Creator: Bissett, Ralph I.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Ralph Bissett, August 30, 2001 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Ralph Bissett, August 30, 2001

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral history with Ralph Bissett. Bissett grew up in California and joined the Navy at 18 in 1943. He trained at Farragut, Idaho. He was assigned aboard the USS Cahaba (AO-82) as a gunner’s mate striker just before the ship headed for duty in the Pacific. Bissett describes the mechanics of refueling ships at sea. He also shares a few anecdotes of his time aboard the Cahaba.
Date: August 30, 2001
Creator: Bissett, Ralph I.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Archie Clark, July 30, 2001 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Archie Clark, July 30, 2001

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Archie Clark. Clark was born May 19, 1920 in Pulaski County, Indiana, drafted into the Army on July 17, 1942 and was transferred to the 80th Infantry Division. In July 1944 he was shipped across the Atlantic on the Queen Mary with 22,000 other people on the ship. The battalion eventually landed at Utah Beach, 58 days following D-Day. His platoon's first engagement was with the retreating Germans at the Battle of the Falaise Pocket, in Argentan, France. His division was part of Patton's Third Army. During a three day pass to Paris, he recalls the MPs informing members of the 101st Airborne to return to camp, where they headed out for Bastogne, Belgium. When he rejoined the 80th, they were already on their way to Bastogne. He recalls several experiences during the siege, including losing 33 of the 39 men in his platoon, and his Battalion being reduced to 96 men. He recalls that, after Bastogne, his unit advanced into Germany, where he was wounded by an artillery shell. After recovering, he rejoined his unit in Vöcklabruck, Austria, where they were tasked with accepting the surrender 200,000 …
Date: July 30, 2001
Creator: Clark, Archie
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Stanley Robertson, November 30, 2001 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Stanley Robertson, November 30, 2001

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Stanley Robertson. Robertson entered the Army Air Forces as a cadet in May 1943 and graduated as a pilot and earned his commission in August, 1944. He started training on B-17 bombers before being assigned to B-29s. He arrived at Tinian in late April 1945 and started combat missions over Japan with the 398th Bomb Squadron, 504th Bomb Group. He names and discusses several missions over various Japanese cities. Robertson returned to the US and was discharged in November 1945.
Date: November 30, 2001
Creator: Robertson, Stanley
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with William Webb, April 30, 2001 (open access)

Oral History Interview with William Webb, April 30, 2001

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Webb. Webb was born in Houston, Texas on 11 March 1923. He participated in the Civilian Pilot Training Program while attending Sam Houston State University. Upon earning his pilot’s license in 1942, he entered into the Navy Flying Cadet program. After three months of primary flight training at Lambert Field, Missouri he went to Corpus Christi Naval Air Station in Texas for the final phase of training. Upon graduating, he elected to go into the US Marines and was sent to Opa Loca, Florida to begin training in fighters. He was then sent to Santa Barbara, California where he joined VMF-112. After a year of carrier training, VMF-112 was assigned to the USS Bennington (CV-20) where Webb flew F4U fighter planes. He recalls flying missions over Japan as well as participating in the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He also recalls shooting down a Japanese plane. He also cites the experience of crashing into the sea soon after takeoff and being rescued and transferred back to his carrier by a Breeches Buoy. The Bennington went to the Philippines for repair after being damaged during a typhoon …
Date: April 30, 2001
Creator: Webb, William
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History