The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jim Teague. Teague was drafted into the Navy during his freshman year of college. Upon completion of aviation radio school, he was assigned to a torpedo bomber crew with Carrier Air Group Five (CVG-5). In late 1944, he boarded the USS Franklin (CV-13) and headed toward southern Japan to eliminate kamikaze bases. Teague’s particular task was to jam radar-controlled guns, which were rumored to have been acquired from Nazi Germany. After finding the right frequency, he watched the gun’s aim drift away. During one mission, while in the middle of a dive, his plane was hit in the wing. His aircraft moved to the front of the landing order, allowing them to return safely. After some overnight repairs, the plane was back in action. When the Franklin was hit by two 500-pound bombs, Teague was blown overboard. He was one of a dozen survivors of the hundreds of men in his air group, many of whom were close friends. Teague was sent to Lake Tahoe for R&R and was interviewed extensively by mental health specialists. As the war wound to a close, he passed up the opportunity to …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Lee. Lee joined the Navy in 1944 and received basic training in New York. He joined the Seabees and received further training at Camp Endicott. At Port Hueneme he completed combat training. His first assignment was on Guam, where he enjoyed snorkeling in his free time. His main duty was at the warehouse as a forklift driver, or finger lift driver, as he calls it. His unit endured two typhoons, securing their Quonset huts to bulldozers. On V-J Day, Lee was awakened by sirens in the middle of the night, signaling the start of a great celebration. His trip back to the States was colder than he was dressed for, and food supplies were scarce. Lee developed pneumonia and was hospitalized in New York. Upon recovery he was discharged and attended college on the GI Bill.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jim Teague. Teague was drafted into the Navy during his freshman year of college. Upon completion of aviation radio school, he was assigned to a torpedo bomber crew with Carrier Air Group Five (CVG-5). In late 1944, he boarded the USS Franklin (CV-13) and headed toward southern Japan to eliminate kamikaze bases. Teague’s particular task was to jam radar-controlled guns, which were rumored to have been acquired from Nazi Germany. After finding the right frequency, he watched the gun’s aim drift away. During one mission, while in the middle of a dive, his plane was hit in the wing. His aircraft moved to the front of the landing order, allowing them to return safely. After some overnight repairs, the plane was back in action. When the Franklin was hit by two 500-pound bombs, Teague was blown overboard. He was one of a dozen survivors of the hundreds of men in his air group, many of whom were close friends. Teague was sent to Lake Tahoe for R&R and was interviewed extensively by mental health specialists. As the war wound to a close, he passed up the opportunity to …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Lee. Lee joined the Navy in 1944 and received basic training in New York. He joined the Seabees and received further training at Camp Endicott. At Port Hueneme he completed combat training. His first assignment was on Guam, where he enjoyed snorkeling in his free time. His main duty was at the warehouse as a forklift driver, or finger lift driver, as he calls it. His unit endured two typhoons, securing their Quonset huts to bulldozers. On V-J Day, Lee was awakened by sirens in the middle of the night, signaling the start of a great celebration. His trip back to the States was colder than he was dressed for, and food supplies were scarce. Lee developed pneumonia and was hospitalized in New York. Upon recovery he was discharged and attended college on the GI Bill.