Interview with Carl Peltier, a U. S Marine during World War II. He begins by discussing his reaction to the attack on Pearl Harbor. He then joined the Marines when he was old enough. He trained in San Diego before shipping out to Hawaii where he joined the 2nd Marine Division. Further training included heavy weapons and mortars. Later, he landed on Saipan and describes his small arms and rations. He witnessed General Simon Buckner getting killed on Okinawa. He was later wounded on Okinawa. After the war ended, Peltier served in the Pentagon during the Korean War.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Warren Deciores. Deciores was born in1909 and joined the Navy in 1928. He completed Hospital Corpsman School, graduating in June of 1929. He worked in the operating room of a hospital on Mare Island for his basic training duty. He later moved into administration. From 1935 through 1937, Deciores completed two years of medical work on Guam, including providing care to the island natives. He would pick up supplies in China for his work on the island. In 1941, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Deciores was stationed at the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, in Virginia. He additionally served aboard the hospital ships, USS Refuge (AH-11) and USS Relief (AH-1). He traveled through both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. He continued his service after the war ended and retired in February of 1959.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ed Kirshenmann. Kirshenmann joined the Navy in 1939 and upon completion of basic training was assigned to USS Saratoga (CV-3), which his brother was already aboard. Kirshenmann worked in fire room, the evaporator room, the engine room, and the pump room (M Division). He lost three firemen when the Saratoga was torpedoed off Wake Island. When the Saratoga was torpedoed again, off Guadalcanal, Kirshenmann saved his brother’s life by ordering him out of the fire room just seconds before impact. In February 1943 Kirshenmann was transferred to USS Bushnell (AS-15) as a machinist’s mate, first class. He was promoted to chief in 1943 but lost his rank after getting into a fight. He was transferred to USS Howard W. Gilmore (AS-16) and stayed in Subic Bay until the end of the war. His time there was peaceful, and he umpired officers’ baseball games, but he heard rumors that sometimes a Japanese soldier would come out of their sequestered posts and kill an American. Upon returning to the States, Kirshenmann was assigned to the Gilmore until he was discharged in 1948. He retired in 1979 as a stationary engineer, …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Carl Peltier. He begins by discussing his reaction to the attack on Pearl Harbor and then joining the Marines when he was old enough. He trained in San Diego before shipping out to Hawaii where he joined the 2nd Marine Division. Further training included heavy weapons - mortars. Later, he landed on Saipan and describes his small arms and rations. He witnessed General Simon Buckner getting killed on Okinawa. He was later wounded on Okinawa. After the war ended, Peltier served in the Petagon during the Korean War.

Transcript of an oral interview with Kay Clementson. Mr Clementson was born in 1926 and volunteered for the Navy just before he turned eighteen. He was sent to boot camp in San Diego, California in September 1944. After boot camp, he was assigned to USS LSM (Landing Ship, Medium) 96 which was in San Diego. Seven LSMs sailed for Pearl Harbor. At Pearl Harbor, they unloaded their cargo (telephone poles) and loaded a company of Marines who were in a radar group. After stops at Eniwetok, Ulithi, Lingayen and Leyte they landed the radar group on a little island off the coast of Okinawa two days before the main invasion. Their LSM got stranded on the beach due to miscalculating the tides so they had to spend the night on the beach; they were strafed by a couple Zero's and two marines were killed. During the battle for Okinawa, USS LSM-96 was used as a fire-fighting ship. They went to the aid of two ships, an AKA that had been converted to a hospital ship and a LST. Clementson provides a nice description of the kamikazes attacking the fleet off Okinawa. He also describes being in two typhoons during this …

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 Katherine Ream Sobeck. Sobeck was born in Manila. She was a twelve-year old student at Baguio when the Japanese attacked Luzon. When Baguio was captured, the Japanese Army moved the civilians to Camp John Hay. From there, a large group of civilian internees was moved to Camp Holmes. Sobeck gives details of daily life as experienced by the internees including organizing their camp, education, entertainment and medical care. In December, 1944, Sobeck and her entire camp were moved to Manila. When the Americans arrived in Maila, Sobeck and her people were liberated from Bilibid. From the Philippines, Sobeck went to San Francisco with her family. They settled in the Bay Area and Sobeck went to school in the fall.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Carl Peltier. He begins by discussing his reaction to the attack on Pearl Harbor and then joining the Marines when he was old enough. He trained in San Diego before shipping out to Hawaii where he joined the 2nd Marine Division. Further training included heavy weapons - mortars. Later, he landed on Saipan and describes his small arms and rations. He witnessed General Simon Buckner getting killed on Okinawa. He was later wounded on Okinawa. After the war ended, Peltier served in the Petagon during the Korean War.

Transcript of an oral interview with Kay Clementson. Mr Clementson was born in 1926 and volunteered for the Navy just before he turned eighteen. He was sent to boot camp in San Diego, California in September 1944. After boot camp, he was assigned to USS LSM (Landing Ship, Medium) 96 which was in San Diego. Seven LSMs sailed for Pearl Harbor. At Pearl Harbor, they unloaded their cargo (telephone poles) and loaded a company of Marines who were in a radar group. After stops at Eniwetok, Ulithi, Lingayen and Leyte they landed the radar group on a little island off the coast of Okinawa two days before the main invasion. Their LSM got stranded on the beach due to miscalculating the tides so they had to spend the night on the beach; they were strafed by a couple Zero's and two marines were killed. During the battle for Okinawa, USS LSM-96 was used as a fire-fighting ship. They went to the aid of two ships, an AKA that had been converted to a hospital ship and a LST. Clementson provides a nice description of the kamikazes attacking the fleet off Okinawa. He also describes being in two typhoons during this …

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 Katherine Ream Sobeck. Sobeck was born in Manila. She was a twelve-year old student at Baguio when the Japanese attacked Luzon. When Baguio was captured, the Japanese Army moved the civilians to Camp John Hay. From there, a large group of civilian internees was moved to Camp Holmes. Sobeck gives details of daily life as experienced by the internees including organizing their camp, education, entertainment and medical care. In December, 1944, Sobeck and her entire camp were moved to Manila. When the Americans arrived in Maila, Sobeck and her people were liberated from Bilibid. From the Philippines, Sobeck went to San Francisco with her family. They settled in the Bay Area and Sobeck went to school in the fall.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Warren Deciores. Deciores was born in1909 and joined the Navy in 1928. He completed Hospital Corpsman School, graduating in June of 1929. He worked in the operating room of a hospital on Mare Island for his basic training duty. He later moved into administration. From 1935 through 1937, Deciores completed two years of medical work on Guam, including providing care to the island natives. He would pick up supplies in China for his work on the island. In 1941, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Deciores was stationed at the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, in Virginia. He additionally served aboard the hospital ships, USS Refuge (AH-11) and USS Relief (AH-1). He traveled through both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. He continued his service after the war ended and retired in February of 1959.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ed Kirshenmann. Kirshenmann joined the Navy in 1939 and upon completion of basic training was assigned to USS Saratoga (CV-3), which his brother was already aboard. Kirshenmann worked in fire room, the evaporator room, the engine room, and the pump room (M Division). He lost three firemen when the Saratoga was torpedoed off Wake Island. When the Saratoga was torpedoed again, off Guadalcanal, Kirshenmann saved his brother’s life by ordering him out of the fire room just seconds before impact. In February 1943 Kirshenmann was transferred to USS Bushnell (AS-15) as a machinist’s mate, first class. He was promoted to chief in 1943 but lost his rank after getting into a fight. He was transferred to USS Howard W. Gilmore (AS-16) and stayed in Subic Bay until the end of the war. His time there was peaceful, and he umpired officers’ baseball games, but he heard rumors that sometimes a Japanese soldier would come out of their sequestered posts and kill an American. Upon returning to the States, Kirshenmann was assigned to the Gilmore until he was discharged in 1948. He retired in 1979 as a stationary engineer, …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Orlyn Master discussing his childhood and education and what led him jo joining the US Military. He describes his experiences flying planes over Europe and of being a Prisoner of War after getting captured by the Germans.