Recital presented at the UNT College of Music Recital Hall.

Interview with James H. Gilbert, a member of the 1st Airborne Cavalry, 82nd Airborne Division during the Vietnam War. Gilbert gives lengthy answers and descriptions concerning his time in Vietnam, action he saw, weaponry, etc. Gilbert also shares some memorable stories, and his feelings towards the war as it was happening and in hindsight.

Concert presented at the UNT College of Music Kenton Hall.

Recital performed at UNT College of Music Concert Hall on March 4, 2004 at 8:00 pm.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Callanan. Callanan begins with some anecdotes about his family. He was working for General Electric and eschewed his deferment and joined the Navy in March, 1943. Once in the Navy, he went to radio school. Without having gone to submarine school, Callanan was assigned to the USS Sailfish (SS-192) in July 1944. After some patrolling, he was transferred to the USS Proteus (AS-19). Then he went aboard the USS Batfish (SS-310) and did more patrolling. He shares a few anecdotes about being on patrol and attacking Japanese shipping, including other submarines. When the war ended, he took his discharge and returned to GE.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Paul Barbee. Barbee joined the Navy in February of 1944. He completed submarine school. Beginning January of 1945, Barbee served as Third-Class Electrician aboard USS Steelhead (SS-280). They completed war patrols at Pearl Harbor, Midway Island and Japan, and helped with rescue missions of downed pilots and crews. Barbee continued his service after the war ended, and received his discharge in May of 1946.

Interview with Dr. Charles A. LeMaistre, beginning with the story about how he met his wife, Joyce Trapp LeMaistre. This story intermingles with his early career that lead him to his role as Chancellor at the University of Texas in Austin. Dr. LeMaistre offers insight into the effect desegregation had on the University of Texas campus and M. D. Anderson’s faculty diversity. He recounts how he was offered the presidential position at M. D. Anderson, the transition in administrative procedures, and growth of the institution. Dr. LeMaistre shares his wife’s personal fight with cancer and uses it as an example of how effective the institution’s policies and procedures. Dr. LeMaistre’s modesty in his administrative accomplishments shine a light on the high regard he had for his team and institutional family. The interview concludes with Dr. LeMaistre crediting members of the University Cancer Foundation Board of Visitors and donors.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jesus Godines. Godines joined the Army in 1940. and was assigned to the 15th Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division. His unit landed at Normandy one after the invasion. His unit also fought in the Battle of the Bulge. Godines was discharged in October, 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Fred Chupp. Chupp joined the Army in November of 1942. He served with the 197th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion, A Battery. He provides details of his military training, including amphibious training in Virginia. In January of 1944, Chupp traveled to Camp Upton Lovell in Codford, England, where they prepared for the invasion of Normandy. They landed on Omaha Beach the afternoon of 6 June 1944. They also participated in Operation Market Garden and the Battle of the Bulge. His outfit guarded ammunition and fuel dumps, as well as ammunition and fuel convoys. Chupp was discharged in December of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Arthur Patcke. Patcke was born in born in Chicago, Illinois on 13 July 1927 and was drafted into the Marine Corps in September, 1945. He describes some of his experiences at boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina. He was sent overseas to Tsingtao, China in the middle of 1946, and describes a typhoon that his ship experienced during the transit. He was assigned to a communications company in the 15th Marine Regiment, which was part of the Sixth Marines at the time. He provides details of his experiences in Tsingtao and recalls that he was discharged in the fall of 1946 after 50 weeks active duty.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Barry Crites. Crites was born in Osage City, Kansas on 7 July 1928. After completing high school, he joined the Marine Corps in February 1946. Following boot camp in San Diego, he was sent to Camp Pendleton as part of the 104th replacement draft. He embarked on the troopship USS General J. C. Breckenridge (AP-176) in June 1946 and sailed to Tsingtao, China. He provides a description of his experiences during the transit. He says that Tsingtao was the headquarters of the Sixth Marine Division which was soon disbanded, and he was assigned to the First Division as a sales clerk at the local Post Exchange in Chinwangtao, China. Crites provides several anecdotes from his experiences in Tsingtao and Chinwangtao. He returned to the United States in January 1947 and was discharged at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station in California.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles Tierney. Tierney joined the Marine Corps and trained in communications. He was sent to China for occupation duty as a replacement in the 1st Marine Division. Tierney served as a guard on trains to prevent delays caused by Chinese communists and describes the tactics that were employed. Tierney describes conflict between Nationalist and communist forces. He returned to the US in October of 1946 and was discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ed De la Torres. De la Torres joined the Marines around 1945. He traveled to Pearl Harbor, and upon completing basic training, the atomic bombs were dropped on Japan in August of 1945. They traveled to Guam and De la Torres served as a rifleman. He worked to get remaining Japanese off the island. From there he went to Chinwangtao in China and joined an Allied tank unit. Working with the Merchant Marines, De la Torres helped bring in food for the civilian population. He returned home and was discharged in the spring of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Edward Jacot. Jacot joined the Marine Corps in January of 1945. He served with the 6th Marine Division as a field artillery crewman in the Occupation of North China from 1945 to 1946. He was discharged in 1947.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Elbert Dixon. Dixon joined the Marine Corps in November of 1944. He completed radio school. In April of 1945 he went overseas as a replacement. He traveled to Pearl Harbor, and worked as a guard in the brig. They traveled on to Eniwetok, Truk, Kwajalein, Saipan and Guam. Dixon and his unit participated in the Battle of Okinawa, where he served as a radioman with Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines. Dixon was discharged in August of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Eugene Zanck. Zanck was born in Chicago, Illinois on 2 May 1927. Upon joining the Marine Corps in early 1945, he took a troop train to Paris Island, South Carolina. He witnessed his first case of racial prejudice during the trip. Upon competing boot training, he was sent to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina for two months of infantry training. He then went to Marine Corps engineering school where he was trained in demolition, bridge building, and heavy equipment operation. In January 1946, he boarded the SS Young America (1943) and arrived in China as a member of the 7th Marine Regiment occupation forces. He tells of guarding the roads and railways to prevent destruction by the Chinese communist forces. In November 1946, he flew from Tsingtao, China to Hawaii aboard a Military Air Transport Service plane. He then went by boat to San Diego, where he received his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Joseph Blum. Blum quit school, lied about his age and joined the Marines in December, 1943. He trained as an artilleryman and was deployed overseas to Okinawa. His artillery unit was deactivated and Blum then volunteered for service in the 5th Marine Regiment. After the war, Blum went to China on occupation duty in Beijing. He recalls several incidents involving repatriating Japanese soldiers and skirmishes with Chinese communists.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Joseph Smrt. Smrt joined the Army in late 1942 and was trained as a combat engineer and assigned to the 319th Combat Engineers, 94th Infantry Division. He arrived in France after the Normandy invasion and participated in the Battle of the Bulge. He was still in Europe when the war ended and participated in the occupation.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Louis Weller. Weller was born in Fowler, Michigan on 3 January 1925. In 1943 he joined the US Marine Corps and reported to San Diego for boot camp. Upon completing boot training, he was assigned to the motor pool in Marine Photographic Squadron 154 (VMD-154) at Kearney Naval Air Station, California. In September 1945 he boarded a transport for Zamboanga, Philippines. Upon his arrival he was assigned to VMB-443. After a short period of time he returned to Zamboanga where he joined VMF-115 of Marine Air Group 12. On 13 October 1945, the squadron went aboard the USS Hydrus (AKA-28) and set sail for Taku, China. Arriving there, the equipment was off loaded and moved to Beijing. In the spring of 1946 the squadron was transferred into Marine Air Group 24 and moved to Nanfang Airfield, China. In July 1946, Weller went aboard the USS General J.C. Breckinridge (AP-176) and returned to the United States. He was discharged soon thereafter.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Richard Hamilton. Hamilton joined the Marine Corps in July of 1945. In January of 1946 he was sent overseas as a replacement. He traveled to Tangku in North China, where he remained for the duration of his service. He worked on bridge guard duty, ensuring the bridges remained open. He shares his experiences living and working in China after the war. Hamilton was sent home and discharged in September of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Farneth. Farneth joined the Marine Corps in 1943. He trained as an ordnanceman, and joined fighter squadrons VMF-523 and VMF-524, training pilots to go overseas. In 1945 he joined the 22nd Marine Regiment, 6th Marine Division. They traveled to Guam and trained for the invasion of the mainland of Japan. After the bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki their mission ceased. Farneth was then sent to China to complete his final year of service. He helped repatriate the Japanese from the Chinese mainland. He was discharged in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Kovar. Kovar joined the Marine Corps in the spring of 1945. In February of 1946 he traveled to China aboard the USS President Adams (APA-19). Kovar served as a combat engineer with the 1st Marine Division, 1st Engineer Battalion, Charlie Company 1st Engineers. He worked as an engineer throughout 1946, including building and blowing up structures, making roads and building bridges. They were also responsible for transporting coal to keep the trains running, and assisting with the disarming of the Japanese Army and shipping them back to Japan. Kovar returned to the US in June of 1947, and continued his service with the Marines for 28 years.

Recital performed at UNT College of Music Recital Hall on October 4, 2004 at 8:00 pm.

Concert performed at UNT Murchison Performing Arts Center, Winspear Hall on November 4, 2004 at 7:30 pm.