The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Cwalino. Cwalino joined the Navy in 1943. He served as a Gunner’s Mate aboard USS David W. Taylor (DD-551) through the ship’s decommissioning in August of 1946. They traveled to Iwo Jima, Tarawa and to the Philippines, escorting carriers and covering landings with naval gunfire. Cwalino was discharged in late 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Strehle. Strehle joined the Navy in November 1942. He was sent to school to become a torpedoman and then joined the commissioning crew of USS David W. Taylor (DD-551). Strehle describes depth charging and sinking a Japanese submarine. He describes how depth charges functioned and how they were deployed. Strehle discusses the ship hitting a mine and the damage control performed. He volunteered to go into the damaged area to remove ammunition and recover the bodies of four shipmates. Strehle took part in the occupation of Japan and was discharged in January 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Vincent J. Colan. Born in 1914, he joined the Naval Militia in New York in 1932 on his eighteenth birthday. In January 1941, he was transferred to a destroyer, the USS J. Fred Talbott (DD-156), which was part of the Banana Fleet that protected the Panama Canal. He shares an anecdote about learning of the attack on Pearl Harbor while on liberty in Panama. For eleven months, the destroyer escorted ships from Guantanamo to Panama without the benefit of radar or sonar. He shares the story of how he became an ensign. In 1944, he was transferred to the USS David W. Taylor (DD-551). He shares an anecdote about his cancelled liberty in New Orleans, Louisiana on New Year?s Eve, 1944. After the destroyer escorted a convoy to Panama, it was sent to Pearl Harbor to become part of the anti-submarine screen for oil tankers and, later, for the Pacific Fleet. He recounts his actions as Damage Control Officer when the ship struck a mine. He comments on the importance of the extensive emergency drilling. He describes the role he and his Damage Control party played in aiding …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Larry Caid. Caid joined the Army in September of 1944. He served as a light machine gun specialist with the 33rd Infantry Division. He arrived in the Philippines in February of 1945, participating in the Battle of Luzon and the liberation of the islands. He served on occupation duty in Honshu, Japan after the war ended. He was discharged in 1946, though continued his service in the Reserves, retiring as a colonel in the Field Artillery in 1974.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Dillon. Dillon entered the Navy in April 1942 before finishing high school. After basic training in Rhode Island, he went to radio operator school in New York City. From there, Dillon volunteered for submarines and headed for training in Connecticut. He was then assigned to the USS Sailfish (SS-192) in January 1943. Dillon shares several anecdotes of his time aboard the Sailfish during various war patrols with a lot of detail about daily life aboard a submarine. Dillon served in the communications department, monitoring the radio, radar and sonar.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Ward. Ward joined the Navy in June of 1940. He served aboard USS President Adams (APA-19) as a Higgins Boat Coxswain. They deployed to Guadalcanal, landing Marine forces ashore. He later served in a boat pool ashore in the vicinity of Henderson Field. In September of 1942, Ward served in the Gunnery Department aboard USS Saratoga (CV-3), working as a hot shell man. Ward was aboard the Saratoga during the Guadalcanal Campaign, the Battle of the Eastern Solomons, the New Georgia Campaign, the invasion of Bougainville, the Gilbert and Marshall Islands Campaign and the Battle of Iwo Jima. In May of 1945, Ward was transferred to a repair base in San Diego for shore duty. He was discharged in October of 1947.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Cyril Conn. Conn joined the Army Air Forces in May of 1942. He served as an aircraft mechanic with the 27th Air Depot Group. From May of 1943 through the fall of 1945, he was stationed in New Guinea. Conn was discharged in November of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles Spangler. Spangler joined the Marine Corps in January 1942. He went through basic training at Paris Island and describes his experiences. Spangler was sent to radio school and joined an artillery unit. He deployed to Guadalcanal and operated a Pack 75mm howitzer. Spangler discusses receiving Thanksgiving during the battle for Bougainville. He also talks about his experiences during the invasion of Guam including an overview of the landing operation, the artillery firing star shells at night, and seeing war dogs. Spangler also describes seeing his first African-American Marine unit. He returned to the U.S. in November 1944 and joined a V-12 program. Spangler describes going to Times Square to celebrate VJ day. He was discharged in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Wilhelm. Wilhelm joined the Navy in April of 1944. He served as a Gunner’s Mate aboard USS El Dorado (AGC-11) from August of 1944 through August 1945. They served as a communications ship through the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Wilhelm was discharged in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Salvatore Rascati. Rascati was born in New Haven, Connecticut on 12 May 1925. Entering the Navy in 1943 he attended boot camp at Sampson, New York. He then attended electrical school for four months followed by several months of training at the motion picture technical school in Brooklyn, New York. He was then assigned to the USS El Dorado (AGC-11). In 1944 the ship went to Guam at which time Vice Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner came on board with his staff. Rascati tells of the ship participating in the invasion of Iwo Jima and taking many of the Marine casualties on board. He also tells of the ship participating in the invasion of Okinawa and General Simon Bucker and Ernie Pyle being on board. Following the Okinawa operation the ship went to Manila. While there they heard about the atomic bomb attack. The ship returned to the United States soon after the Japanese surrender.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Alex Grosse. Grosse finished high school and joined the Navy in 1942 and served as an ordnanceman loading munitions on planes in New Jersey and Virginia. Grosse shares several anecdotes about his experiences. He worked in a Carrier Air Service Unit (CASU) but never mentioned any number designation.

The National Museum of the pacific War presents an interview with Neil Stiles. Stiles joined the Marine Corps in September 1941. After his first assignment at Norfolk, Stiles volunteered for training with the Fourth Raider Battalion. He shipped overseas with them in late 1943 to Espiritu Santo. He participated in the invasion of New Georgia. When the Raiders were reorganized, Stiles was assigned to the 4th Marines. He also recalls combat anecdotes from Guam and Okinawa. At Okinawa, Stiles was wounded. Stiles was discharged in November 1945. A few years later, he rejoined and went to Korea and Vietnam.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Alex Grosse. Grosse finished high school and joined the Navy in 1942 and served as an ordnanceman loading munitions on planes in New Jersey and Virginia. Grosse shares several anecdotes about his experiences. He worked in a Carrier Air Service Unit (CASU) but never mentioned any number designation.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles Spangler. Spangler joined the Marine Corps in January 1942. He went through basic training at Paris Island and describes his experiences. Spangler was sent to radio school and joined an artillery unit. He deployed to Guadalcanal and operated a Pack 75mm howitzer. Spangler discusses receiving Thanksgiving during the battle for Bougainville. He also talks about his experiences during the invasion of Guam including an overview of the landing operation, the artillery firing star shells at night, and seeing war dogs. Spangler also describes seeing his first African-American Marine unit. He returned to the U.S. in November 1944 and joined a V-12 program. Spangler describes going to Times Square to celebrate VJ day. He was discharged in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Wilhelm. Wilhelm joined the Navy in April of 1944. He served as a Gunner’s Mate aboard USS El Dorado (AGC-11) from August of 1944 through August 1945. They served as a communications ship through the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Wilhelm was discharged in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Salvatore Rascati. Rascati was born in New Haven, Connecticut on 12 May 1925. Entering the Navy in 1943 he attended boot camp at Sampson, New York. He then attended electrical school for four months followed by several months of training at the motion picture technical school in Brooklyn, New York. He was then assigned to the USS El Dorado (AGC-11). In 1944 the ship went to Guam at which time Vice Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner came on board with his staff. Rascati tells of the ship participating in the invasion of Iwo Jima and taking many of the Marine casualties on board. He also tells of the ship participating in the invasion of Okinawa and General Simon Bucker and Ernie Pyle being on board. Following the Okinawa operation the ship went to Manila. While there they heard about the atomic bomb attack. The ship returned to the United States soon after the Japanese surrender.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Cyril Conn. Conn joined the Army Air Forces in May of 1942. He served as an aircraft mechanic with the 27th Air Depot Group. From May of 1943 through the fall of 1945, he was stationed in New Guinea. Conn was discharged in November of 1945.

The National Museum of the pacific War presents an interview with Neil Stiles. Stiles joined the Marine Corps in September 1941. After his first assignment at Norfolk, Stiles volunteered for training with the Fourth Raider Battalion. He shipped overseas with them in late 1943 to Espiritu Santo. He participated in the invasion of New Georgia. When the Raiders were reorganized, Stiles was assigned to the 4th Marines. He also recalls combat anecdotes from Guam and Okinawa. At Okinawa, Stiles was wounded. Stiles was discharged in November 1945. A few years later, he rejoined and went to Korea and Vietnam.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Cwalino. Cwalino joined the Navy in 1943. He served as a Gunner’s Mate aboard USS David W. Taylor (DD-551) through the ship’s decommissioning in August of 1946. They traveled to Iwo Jima, Tarawa and to the Philippines, escorting carriers and covering landings with naval gunfire. Cwalino was discharged in late 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Strehle. Strehle joined the Navy in November 1942. He was sent to school to become a torpedoman and then joined the commissioning crew of USS David W. Taylor (DD-551). Strehle describes depth charging and sinking a Japanese submarine. He describes how depth charges functioned and how they were deployed. Strehle discusses the ship hitting a mine and the damage control performed. He volunteered to go into the damaged area to remove ammunition and recover the bodies of four shipmates. Strehle took part in the occupation of Japan and was discharged in January 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Vincent J. Colan. Born in 1914, he joined the Naval Militia in New York in 1932 on his eighteenth birthday. In January 1941, he was transferred to a destroyer, the USS J. Fred Talbott (DD-156), which was part of the Banana Fleet that protected the Panama Canal. He shares an anecdote about learning of the attack on Pearl Harbor while on liberty in Panama. For eleven months, the destroyer escorted ships from Guantanamo to Panama without the benefit of radar or sonar. He shares the story of how he became an ensign. In 1944, he was transferred to the USS David W. Taylor (DD-551). He shares an anecdote about his cancelled liberty in New Orleans, Louisiana on New Year?s Eve, 1944. After the destroyer escorted a convoy to Panama, it was sent to Pearl Harbor to become part of the anti-submarine screen for oil tankers and, later, for the Pacific Fleet. He recounts his actions as Damage Control Officer when the ship struck a mine. He comments on the importance of the extensive emergency drilling. He describes the role he and his Damage Control party played in aiding …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Larry Caid. Caid joined the Army in September of 1944. He served as a light machine gun specialist with the 33rd Infantry Division. He arrived in the Philippines in February of 1945, participating in the Battle of Luzon and the liberation of the islands. He served on occupation duty in Honshu, Japan after the war ended. He was discharged in 1946, though continued his service in the Reserves, retiring as a colonel in the Field Artillery in 1974.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Dillon. Dillon entered the Navy in April 1942 before finishing high school. After basic training in Rhode Island, he went to radio operator school in New York City. From there, Dillon volunteered for submarines and headed for training in Connecticut. He was then assigned to the USS Sailfish (SS-192) in January 1943. Dillon shares several anecdotes of his time aboard the Sailfish during various war patrols with a lot of detail about daily life aboard a submarine. Dillon served in the communications department, monitoring the radio, radar and sonar.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Ward. Ward joined the Navy in June of 1940. He served aboard USS President Adams (APA-19) as a Higgins Boat Coxswain. They deployed to Guadalcanal, landing Marine forces ashore. He later served in a boat pool ashore in the vicinity of Henderson Field. In September of 1942, Ward served in the Gunnery Department aboard USS Saratoga (CV-3), working as a hot shell man. Ward was aboard the Saratoga during the Guadalcanal Campaign, the Battle of the Eastern Solomons, the New Georgia Campaign, the invasion of Bougainville, the Gilbert and Marshall Islands Campaign and the Battle of Iwo Jima. In May of 1945, Ward was transferred to a repair base in San Diego for shore duty. He was discharged in October of 1947.