The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Alfred Schmitz. He was born on August 28, 1925 in Austin, Texas. He enlisted in the Navy in June 1944 and upon graduation from basic training and Fireman "A" School, he was assigned to the USS La Prade (DE-409) and sailed to Pearl Harbor. He next sailed in September 1944 with a hunter-killer task group during the Palau Islands invasion. He recalls the ship being involved in a joint attack on a Japanese midget submarine in the entrance to Kossol Roads Harbor, where the sub was destroyed with depth charges. In addition, he describes the ship's participation in the invasion of Okinawa servings as part of a submarine screen between the battleships and the beach and on rotating picket ship duty with other smaller vessels. After Okinawa he recalls that the ship joined the Japan occupation forces at Sasebo on September 23, 1945. During this period he recalls being sent to Nagasaki immediately after the atomic bomb was dropped to pick up Navy Seabees. He recalls that the ship returned to San Diego where he was part of the decommissioning crew until May 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jay Kopkey. Kopkey was born in Winamac, Indiana on 20 June 1920, and graduated from high school there in 1938. He joined the United States Coast Guard in June 1942 and was sent to Curtis Bay, Maryland to boot camp for seven weeks. Upon completion of boot camp he was sent to San Hill Barracks, Michigan for anti-aircraft gun training. After completion of this training he was assigned as a guard on an ore carrier on the Great Lakes. After several months he was selected to attend Police and Fire school in Baltimore, Maryland in 1943. After completing the seven week course, Kopkey was assigned to a fireboat patrolling the Maumee River (in Ohio and Indiana). He recounts an incident involving his fire boat putting out a fire on an oil tanker on the river. After four months of this duty he was sent to Camp Lejeune for amphibious landing craft training. Kopkey was then selected to go to Juneau, Alaska for port security work. He returned to the US in November 1945 and was discharged later that month.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral history with Arthur Aicklen. Aicklen joined the Navy in 1940. He served as a machinist. He was also stationed on Padre Island, Texas before being assigned to a fleet oiler, the USS Taluga (AO-62). They transited the Panama Canal on their way to Honolulu and other points in the Pacific. When the war ended, Aicklen visited Yokahama during the occupation. He also describes the kamikaze attack off Okinawa.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Hylan. Hylan joined the Marine Corps in February of 1943. He completed Radio Operator School in June. In November, he deployed to New Caledonia with a replacement battalion. He served with the 1st 155mm Howitzer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, and later the 3rd Marine Artillery Regiment. He conducted patrol duty and survey work. In April of 1944 he traveled to Tinian and Saipan. In July he participated in the Battle of Guam. He also participated in the Battle of Okinawa. Hylan returned to the US in October and was discharged in January of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jeanne Gardiner Lindsey. Lindsey went to Galveston Island, Texas, with her husband (Walter Lee Booth) in 1940, as Lee was assigned to Ft. Crockett. When her husband went overseas, she went to live with her mother on a plantation in Louisiana. She speaks of how rationing had little impact on them at the farm.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Gustave Sembritzky. Sembritzky joined the Navy in March of 1940. Beginning September, he served as Aviation Chief Electrician’s Mate aboard USS Lexington (CV-2). In December 1941 they reinforced the base at Midway. In February of 1942 they participated in the Salamaua–Lae raid. In May, during the Battle of the Coral Sea, their ship was critically damaged and sunk. In the fall of 1942, Sembritzky was transferred to USS Altamaha (CVE-18). In 1943 he was assigned to USS White Plains (CVE-66) and participated in the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October of 1944. He returned to the US and was discharged in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Homer Dean. Dean completed law school in 1940 at Baylor University. He joined the Texas State Defense Guard in 1941. Right after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Dean served as a contracting officer with the US Army Ordnance Department at Rock Island Arsenal in Davenport, Iowa. He was assigned to tour various Arsenals around the US. He was inducted into the Army as a private in San Antonio in January of 1943 and assigned to serve as an instructor in the repair, assembly and disassembly of the 75mm Pack Howitzer. He graduated Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia in November of 1944. He was then assigned to an Infantry Replacement Training Center in Fort McClellan, Alabama, instructing servicemen how to use the Browning Automatic Rifle and prosecuting soldiers who had committed various infractions. Dean was then sent to the University of Beijing in California to learn Chinese. He did not make it overseas before the war ended. He was discharged in December of 1945, though continued his service in the Reserves until 1970.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Floyd Mumme. He discusses boot camp, being on Saipan, Japanese trying to steal food, working in the Army Medical Corps and treating wounds in combat.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Marvin Prochnow. Prochnow joined the Aviation Cadet Program in February of 1943. He graduated, received his wings and was commissioned in February of 1944. He completed additional training in the B-17 and joined the 8th Air Force, 385th Bomb Group. From their base in England, he completed 35 missions over London, Germany and France, beginning August of 1944 through May of 1945. Prochnow then served in the Air Force for 27 years, retiring around 1971.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Alfred Schmitz. He was born on August 28, 1925 in Austin, Texas. He enlisted in the Navy in June 1944 and upon graduation from basic training and Fireman "A" School, he was assigned to the USS La Prade (DE-409) and sailed to Pearl Harbor. He next sailed in September 1944 with a hunter-killer task group during the Palau Islands invasion. He recalls the ship being involved in a joint attack on a Japanese midget submarine in the entrance to Kossol Roads Harbor, where the sub was destroyed with depth charges. In addition, he describes the ship's participation in the invasion of Okinawa servings as part of a submarine screen between the battleships and the beach and on rotating picket ship duty with other smaller vessels. After Okinawa he recalls that the ship joined the Japan occupation forces at Sasebo on September 23, 1945. During this period he recalls being sent to Nagasaki immediately after the atomic bomb was dropped to pick up Navy Seabees. He recalls that the ship returned to San Diego where he was part of the decommissioning crew until May 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jay Kopkey. Kopkey was born in Winamac, Indiana on 20 June 1920, and graduated from high school there in 1938. He joined the United States Coast Guard in June 1942 and was sent to Curtis Bay, Maryland to boot camp for seven weeks. Upon completion of boot camp he was sent to San Hill Barracks, Michigan for anti-aircraft gun training. After completion of this training he was assigned as a guard on an ore carrier on the Great Lakes. After several months he was selected to attend Police and Fire school in Baltimore, Maryland in 1943. After completing the seven week course, Kopkey was assigned to a fireboat patrolling the Maumee River (in Ohio and Indiana). He recounts an incident involving his fire boat putting out a fire on an oil tanker on the river. After four months of this duty he was sent to Camp Lejeune for amphibious landing craft training. Kopkey was then selected to go to Juneau, Alaska for port security work. He returned to the US in November 1945 and was discharged later that month.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral history with Arthur Aicklen. Aicklen joined the Navy in 1940. He served as a machinist. He was also stationed on Padre Island, Texas before being assigned to a fleet oiler, the USS Taluga (AO-62). They transited the Panama Canal on their way to Honolulu and other points in the Pacific. When the war ended, Aicklen visited Yokahama during the occupation. He also describes the kamikaze attack off Okinawa.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Hylan. Hylan joined the Marine Corps in February of 1943. He completed Radio Operator School in June. In November, he deployed to New Caledonia with a replacement battalion. He served with the 1st 155mm Howitzer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, and later the 3rd Marine Artillery Regiment. He conducted patrol duty and survey work. In April of 1944 he traveled to Tinian and Saipan. In July he participated in the Battle of Guam. He also participated in the Battle of Okinawa. Hylan returned to the US in October and was discharged in January of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jeanne Gardiner Lindsey. Lindsey went to Galveston Island, Texas, with her husband (Walter Lee Booth) in 1940, as Lee was assigned to Ft. Crockett. When her husband went overseas, she went to live with her mother on a plantation in Louisiana. She speaks of how rationing had little impact on them at the farm.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Gustave Sembritzky. Sembritzky joined the Navy in March of 1940. Beginning September, he served as Aviation Chief Electrician’s Mate aboard USS Lexington (CV-2). In December 1941 they reinforced the base at Midway. In February of 1942 they participated in the Salamaua–Lae raid. In May, during the Battle of the Coral Sea, their ship was critically damaged and sunk. In the fall of 1942, Sembritzky was transferred to USS Altamaha (CVE-18). In 1943 he was assigned to USS White Plains (CVE-66) and participated in the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October of 1944. He returned to the US and was discharged in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Homer Dean. Dean completed law school in 1940 at Baylor University. He joined the Texas State Defense Guard in 1941. Right after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Dean served as a contracting officer with the US Army Ordnance Department at Rock Island Arsenal in Davenport, Iowa. He was assigned to tour various Arsenals around the US. He was inducted into the Army as a private in San Antonio in January of 1943 and assigned to serve as an instructor in the repair, assembly and disassembly of the 75mm Pack Howitzer. He graduated Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia in November of 1944. He was then assigned to an Infantry Replacement Training Center in Fort McClellan, Alabama, instructing servicemen how to use the Browning Automatic Rifle and prosecuting soldiers who had committed various infractions. Dean was then sent to the University of Beijing in California to learn Chinese. He did not make it overseas before the war ended. He was discharged in December of 1945, though continued his service in the Reserves until 1970.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Floyd Mumme. He discusses boot camp, being on Saipan, Japanese trying to steal food, working in the Army Medical Corps and treating wounds in combat.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Marvin Prochnow. Prochnow joined the Aviation Cadet Program in February of 1943. He graduated, received his wings and was commissioned in February of 1944. He completed additional training in the B-17 and joined the 8th Air Force, 385th Bomb Group. From their base in England, he completed 35 missions over London, Germany and France, beginning August of 1944 through May of 1945. Prochnow then served in the Air Force for 27 years, retiring around 1971.

Interview with Floyd Mumme, a medic during World War II. He discusses boot camp, being deployed to Saipan, Japanese trying to steal food, working in the Army Medical Corps, and treating wounds in combat.