The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert W. Conner. Conner was born in Pennsylvania on 8 September 1914. He attended Duke University prior to joining the 93rd Construction Battalion in 1941. Initial training began in Williamsburg, Virginia, after which the unit moved to California where they were trained in the use of arms. The unit was then transported to Green Island where they built two airstrips and support buildings. He tells of his admiration for the New Zealand people who were also stationed on the island. Following the surrender of Japan Conner’s unit returned to the United States and he discusses the joyous reception upon their arrival in Portland, Oregon.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles Juliussen. Juliussen joined the Navy Seabees in March of 1943. He completed boot camp, gunnery school and additional Seabees training at Port Hueneme in California. Juliussen served with the 33rd Naval Construction Battalion. They traveled by freighter to the Russell Islands and had a Shellback initiation when they crossed the equator. They helped load an LST, and invaded the Green Islands, where they were attacked by Japanese Zeros. Their job was to build airstrips on the island, where Juliussen worked in the heavy equipment shop and in the crane and shovel repair group. From there they traveled to Hollandia, the Solomon Islands and Tacloban in the Philippines. They completed 4 airstrips and 1 Navy base. He provides vivid details of his work, the camaraderie with fellow servicemen and attacks made by the Japanese. He was discharged shortly after the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Art Rankin. Rankin was born in 1924 and joined the Navy after he graduated high school, around 1942. He completed boot camp at Camp Perry in Ohio. In the fall of 1943 he traveled to Noumea, New Caledonia and Russell Islands, off Guadalcanal. Rankin continued on to Green Islands where he was assigned to sanitation details and mess cook duty. He traveled on to Leyte Gulf, Samar and Guiuan in the Philippines. His unit built an airstrip and a sawmill. Rankin had numerous encounters with the Japanese, and saw active combat in the Solomon Islands, the Bismarck Archipelago, New Guinea and the Philippines. He shares many anecdotes of his time in the service and interaction with natives on the various islands he visited. He was discharged in late 1945 as a carpenter’s mate, third class.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Harold Collins. Collins was born in Driftwood, Pennsylvania on 24 September 1920. In 1943 he joined the United States Navy and was sent to Camp Peary for eight weeks of boot training. He then went to Camp Parks, California where he was assigned to Company A, 93rd Construction Battalion. In October 1943 the unit boarded the USAT Perida, arriving at Noumea, New Caledonia on 1 November 1943. Just as the ship anchored in the harbor, Collins witnessed an ammunition ship explode at the docks. The accident resulted in many deaths. The battalion went to Banika Island where they built a hospital. They then went to Green Island Atoll where they built two air strips and a hospital. In January 1945, the battalion boarded the USS Cape Johnson (AP-172) and sailed to Samar, Philippines. He describes being under attack by Japanese aircraft. While on Samar, Collins’ unit constructed airstrips and warehouses. During October 1945, Collins returned to the United States and was assigned to the Philadelphia Navy Yard. He had developed a serious ear infection while overseas and was sent to a naval hospital. After receiving treatment for two …

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.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Joe Tacker. Tacker was born in Cornith, Mississippi on 6 November 1924. Enlisting in the US Navy in January 1943 he underwent boot camp at San Diego, California. He then attended quartermaster school. In August 1943 he was assigned to the USS Buchanan (DD-484). He recalls cruising off the coast of Bougainville when the ship was subjected to shelling by Japanese shore batteries resulting in casualties. He tells of going aboard the USS Hazelwood as the helmsman soon after it was hit severely damaged by kamikazes and describes the death and destruction he observed. Tacker recalls being in the typhoon during which the USS Spence, USS Monahan and USS Hull were sunk. After the war, he stayed in the Navy and underwent flight training earning his wings in 1947.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Floyd Loomis. Loomis joined the Navy in March of 1940. He served as Fireman Second-Class aboard the USS West Virginia (BB-48) and deployed to Pearl Harbor. He then transferred to the USS New Orleans (CA-32). They were moored in Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked. In February of 1942, he was transferred to Treasure Island, in California, placing a converted yacht into commission. They completed patrol missions between Diamond Head and Barber’s Point in Hawaii. He later went aboard USS Mamo YT-325, a yard tugboat, towing barges around Johnston Island and Midway Island. Loomis was discharged in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Rudolph David. David was born in Orange, Texas on 19 January 1918 and graduated from high school in 1937. In 1939 he entered Southwestern Louisiana University and in June 1941, was drafted into the US Army. He went to Camp Shelby, Mississippi for basic training and Camp Callan in Torrey Pines, California for training field artillery training. Assigned to the 31st Infantry Regiment, he went to Manila, Philippines aboard the USS President Coolidge (1931). He recalls that following the fall of Bataan, he went to Corregidor where he remained until the Allied forces surrendered. As a prisoner of war, he was taken to Bilibid in Manila. During December 1942, he was taken to Osaka, Japan where he was made to do various jobs as a slave laborer. He also performed forced labor jobs at Kanagawa and Kobe, Japan. After the surrender of Japan, he was sent to Letterman Army Hospital, San Francisco, California. He also spent recovery time in Northington General Hospital in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. David remained in the Army and retired after thirty years of service.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jack Lent. He was born in Denison, Texas on September 14, 1920 and enlisted in the Marine Corps on August 15, 1941. Upon completing boot camp in San Diego in November, 1941, he was transferred to the Second Marine Division for duties as an Intelligence Specialist. He recalls that in July 1942 he was sent to a small island off Espiritu Santo in the Vanuatu Islands for a secret mission that involved mapping the island for the contingency of installing an air strip. He recalls his next experience during the landing of the Second Marine Division at Tarawa, when he spent ten hours under a pier evading Japanese machine gunners before finally reaching the beach and locating his Commanding Officer, Colonel David M. Shoup. He recalls the intensitiy of the firefight and being temporarily knocked uncnscious by a round that hit his helmet. He remembers that he transferred to an Air Observer Squadron, and after training in Honolulu, embarked aboard USS St. Lo (CVE-63) enroute to Saipan. He recalls several kamikaze raids during the transit. He recalls being launched off the carrier, flying over Saipan and landing at …

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.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Tom Krauska. Krauska was born 15 December 1919 in St. Louis, Missouri and attended high school in Cleveland, Missouri. He graduated from the University of St. Louis with a Law degree. He was drafted into the United States Army and assigned to the 329th Infantry at Shelby, Mississippi. After basic training, he was assigned to menial tasks such as kitchen police and guard duty. He was soon selected for the Aviation Cadet Training program and sent to a civilian flying school in Fort Worth, Texas. From there, he went to bombardier school at Midland, Texas. Krauska describes methods used to train bombardiers and the use of the Norden bombsight. Upon completion of this training he was sent to Casper, Wyoming for crew training in a B-24 Liberator. His crew was then sent to Langley Field, Virginia for training in low altitude bombing, which consisted of using radar and performing submarine search missions off of the east coast of the United States. Eventually, the crew picked up a new B-24 and flew it to Hawaii where they were assigned to the 11th Bomb Group, 425th Bomb Squadron. They went …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Leonard Frame and William Houseworth. Both Frame and Houseworth were P-39 pilots in the Pacific during the war. Houseworth completed the Flying Cadet program in November of 1940, and received his wings and commission in the Army Air Corps in July of 1941. He remained in the US during the war as a tactical instructor for the training program. He was discharged in late 1945, and later participated in the Korean War, retiring in January of 1955. He continued in the Reserves. Leonard Frame joined the Army Air Corps in March of 1941, and graduated from flight school in October. He was assigned to the 35th Fighter Group, and served in Fiji and Guadalcanal for 22 months. After several assignments within the US and the Caribbean, Frame was discharged in 1945. He served in the Air Force Reserve and retired in 1976.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James McClanahan. McClanahan completed the Civilian Pilot Training program in the summer of 1940. He had received his wings and commission when the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred. He served with the Army Air Forces 35th Fighter Group. McClanahan primarily served in Fiji, Guadalcanal and New Caledonia, as a P-39 fighter pilot. He returned to the US and was discharged in September of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Douglas Canning. Canning was born in Wayne, Nebraska 4 July 1919. He attended Nebraska State Teachers College where he participated in the Civilian Pilot Training program. Graduating in 1940, he entered the Army Air Corps, training in various aircraft prior to being assigned to the 70th Fighter Squadron flying P-40 fighters. After gunnery training, the squadron boarded the USS President Monroe (AP-104) bound for Fiji. Upon arriving, the group was given instructions for flying P-39s. Canning was one of 14 pilots selected by Major John Mitchell to go to the 67th Squadron to Henderson Field from which he flew strafing and bombing missions. He tells of the primitive living conditions and the daily harassment by long-range Japanese Artillery and frequent bombardment by Japanese ships. On one occasion he flew divisionary tactics over a group of nine Japanese destroyers allowing accompanying TBF and SBD’s to attack and sink six of them. He witnessed the actions of a P-70 night fighter shooting down a Japanese bomber. Being selected as a member of Operation Vengeance, he tells of the detailed planning of the flight by Captain John Mitchell and the special …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jack Lent. He was born in Denison, Texas on September 14, 1920 and enlisted in the Marine Corps on August 15, 1941. Upon completing boot camp in San Diego in November, 1941, he was transferred to the Second Marine Division for duties as an Intelligence Specialist. He recalls that in July 1942 he was sent to a small island off Espiritu Santo in the Vanuatu Islands for a secret mission that involved mapping the island for the contingency of installing an air strip. He recalls his next experience during the landing of the Second Marine Division at Tarawa, when he spent ten hours under a pier evading Japanese machine gunners before finally reaching the beach and locating his Commanding Officer, Colonel David M. Shoup. He recalls the intensitiy of the firefight and being temporarily knocked uncnscious by a round that hit his helmet. He remembers that he transferred to an Air Observer Squadron, and after training in Honolulu, embarked aboard USS St. Lo (CVE-63) enroute to Saipan. He recalls several kamikaze raids during the transit. He recalls being launched off the carrier, flying over Saipan and landing at …

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.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Tom Krauska. Krauska was born 15 December 1919 in St. Louis, Missouri and attended high school in Cleveland, Missouri. He graduated from the University of St. Louis with a Law degree. He was drafted into the United States Army and assigned to the 329th Infantry at Shelby, Mississippi. After basic training, he was assigned to menial tasks such as kitchen police and guard duty. He was soon selected for the Aviation Cadet Training program and sent to a civilian flying school in Fort Worth, Texas. From there, he went to bombardier school at Midland, Texas. Krauska describes methods used to train bombardiers and the use of the Norden bombsight. Upon completion of this training he was sent to Casper, Wyoming for crew training in a B-24 Liberator. His crew was then sent to Langley Field, Virginia for training in low altitude bombing, which consisted of using radar and performing submarine search missions off of the east coast of the United States. Eventually, the crew picked up a new B-24 and flew it to Hawaii where they were assigned to the 11th Bomb Group, 425th Bomb Squadron. They went …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Leonard Frame and William Houseworth. Both Frame and Houseworth were P-39 pilots in the Pacific during the war. Houseworth completed the Flying Cadet program in November of 1940, and received his wings and commission in the Army Air Corps in July of 1941. He remained in the US during the war as a tactical instructor for the training program. He was discharged in late 1945, and later participated in the Korean War, retiring in January of 1955. He continued in the Reserves. Leonard Frame joined the Army Air Corps in March of 1941, and graduated from flight school in October. He was assigned to the 35th Fighter Group, and served in Fiji and Guadalcanal for 22 months. After several assignments within the US and the Caribbean, Frame was discharged in 1945. He served in the Air Force Reserve and retired in 1976.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James McClanahan. McClanahan completed the Civilian Pilot Training program in the summer of 1940. He had received his wings and commission when the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred. He served with the Army Air Forces 35th Fighter Group. McClanahan primarily served in Fiji, Guadalcanal and New Caledonia, as a P-39 fighter pilot. He returned to the US and was discharged in September of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Douglas Canning. Canning was born in Wayne, Nebraska 4 July 1919. He attended Nebraska State Teachers College where he participated in the Civilian Pilot Training program. Graduating in 1940, he entered the Army Air Corps, training in various aircraft prior to being assigned to the 70th Fighter Squadron flying P-40 fighters. After gunnery training, the squadron boarded the USS President Monroe (AP-104) bound for Fiji. Upon arriving, the group was given instructions for flying P-39s. Canning was one of 14 pilots selected by Major John Mitchell to go to the 67th Squadron to Henderson Field from which he flew strafing and bombing missions. He tells of the primitive living conditions and the daily harassment by long-range Japanese Artillery and frequent bombardment by Japanese ships. On one occasion he flew divisionary tactics over a group of nine Japanese destroyers allowing accompanying TBF and SBD’s to attack and sink six of them. He witnessed the actions of a P-70 night fighter shooting down a Japanese bomber. Being selected as a member of Operation Vengeance, he tells of the detailed planning of the flight by Captain John Mitchell and the special …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert W. Conner. Conner was born in Pennsylvania on 8 September 1914. He attended Duke University prior to joining the 93rd Construction Battalion in 1941. Initial training began in Williamsburg, Virginia, after which the unit moved to California where they were trained in the use of arms. The unit was then transported to Green Island where they built two airstrips and support buildings. He tells of his admiration for the New Zealand people who were also stationed on the island. Following the surrender of Japan Conner’s unit returned to the United States and he discusses the joyous reception upon their arrival in Portland, Oregon.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles Juliussen. Juliussen joined the Navy Seabees in March of 1943. He completed boot camp, gunnery school and additional Seabees training at Port Hueneme in California. Juliussen served with the 33rd Naval Construction Battalion. They traveled by freighter to the Russell Islands and had a Shellback initiation when they crossed the equator. They helped load an LST, and invaded the Green Islands, where they were attacked by Japanese Zeros. Their job was to build airstrips on the island, where Juliussen worked in the heavy equipment shop and in the crane and shovel repair group. From there they traveled to Hollandia, the Solomon Islands and Tacloban in the Philippines. They completed 4 airstrips and 1 Navy base. He provides vivid details of his work, the camaraderie with fellow servicemen and attacks made by the Japanese. He was discharged shortly after the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Art Rankin. Rankin was born in 1924 and joined the Navy after he graduated high school, around 1942. He completed boot camp at Camp Perry in Ohio. In the fall of 1943 he traveled to Noumea, New Caledonia and Russell Islands, off Guadalcanal. Rankin continued on to Green Islands where he was assigned to sanitation details and mess cook duty. He traveled on to Leyte Gulf, Samar and Guiuan in the Philippines. His unit built an airstrip and a sawmill. Rankin had numerous encounters with the Japanese, and saw active combat in the Solomon Islands, the Bismarck Archipelago, New Guinea and the Philippines. He shares many anecdotes of his time in the service and interaction with natives on the various islands he visited. He was discharged in late 1945 as a carpenter’s mate, third class.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Harold Collins. Collins was born in Driftwood, Pennsylvania on 24 September 1920. In 1943 he joined the United States Navy and was sent to Camp Peary for eight weeks of boot training. He then went to Camp Parks, California where he was assigned to Company A, 93rd Construction Battalion. In October 1943 the unit boarded the USAT Perida, arriving at Noumea, New Caledonia on 1 November 1943. Just as the ship anchored in the harbor, Collins witnessed an ammunition ship explode at the docks. The accident resulted in many deaths. The battalion went to Banika Island where they built a hospital. They then went to Green Island Atoll where they built two air strips and a hospital. In January 1945, the battalion boarded the USS Cape Johnson (AP-172) and sailed to Samar, Philippines. He describes being under attack by Japanese aircraft. While on Samar, Collins’ unit constructed airstrips and warehouses. During October 1945, Collins returned to the United States and was assigned to the Philadelphia Navy Yard. He had developed a serious ear infection while overseas and was sent to a naval hospital. After receiving treatment for two …