The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with L.V. Ruffin. Ruffin joined the Army Air Forces on 21 June 1941. After boot camp he worked as an Athletic Instructor at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona. He completed Primary Flying School in Stamford, Texas and Advanced Flying School in Lubbock, Texas. He provides some details of his flight training. In November of 1942 he flew to Sookerating, India. He provides details of flying over The Hump more than one hundred times in a C-46, and life in general at the base. He returned to the U.S. in July of 1944. In late 1944 through 1945 he completed Instrument School and transported injured soldiers within the U.S. He was discharged in December of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Frank Lowry. Lowry attended Northern Illinois University until August 1942, when he enlisted in the Coast Guard. He was initially stationed in Baltimore as an apprentice seaman, where he guarded foreign merchant ships overnight, armed only with an empty pistol. He later attended Duke University through the Navy College Training Program. After small boats training, he was assigned to the patrol craft USS PC-819 in Adak. As the communications officer, he supervised the radio shack and decoded messages while the patrol craft searched for submarines, but he often felt that both he and his crew were woefully inexperienced. Amidst a revolving door of five different captains within two years, Lowry quickly made engineering officer, executive officer, and finally captain, which was a lonely job. When the war ended, Lowry turned down an opportunity for full lieutenancy, choosing instead to return to school.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Lawrence Sykora. Sykora joined the Army Air Forces in May of 1943. He completed schooling in Radio, Mechanics and Aerial Gunnery by February of 1944. He was assigned to the 14th Air Force, 308th Bomb Group, 374th Bomb Squadron. He deployed to China, serving as a radio operator and top turret gunner aboard B-24s. They made numerous trips over the Himalaya Mountains. They supported Chinese ground forces by attacking airfields, coal yards, docks, oil refineries and fuel dumps in French Indochina and Burma. Sykora completed 39 missions, returned to the US and was discharged in late September 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lee Young. Young joined the Army Air Forces in March 1943. Upon completion of pilot training he was assigned to the 95th Bombardment Group, Eighth Air Force. Stationed in England, he enjoyed good relations with the British. As pilot of a B-17, he felt vulnerable in combat, yet he carries great remorse for the civilian casualties he caused in Dresden. In Berlin, he faced a barrage of antiaircraft fire and was hit in the wing by a shell that missed the supercharger. Young managed to land in England despite the resulting fuel leak. On his next mission, a raid on Nuremberg, engine damage from antiaircraft fire caused him to crash-land in Belgium. The crew received assistance from the local mayor to reach American forces. Young endured 28 combat missions, earning multiple medals. He continued his military career to become highly decorated for his service in the Korean War. He retired from the Air Force as a colonel, having been awarded the Legion of Merit.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with David McFaddin. McFaddin was born in Mount Gilead, Ohio on 15 August 1922 into a family of eight children. In 1941 he was inducted into the Marine Corps and placed into the V-12 Navy College Training Program. He went to Paris Island, South Carolina for boot training in 1943 followed by advanced training at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He then attended Officer Candidate School at Quantico, Virginia for three months, graduating as a second lieutenant. He was ordered to San Diego where he boarded a troop ship to Guadalcanal. Upon his arrival, he was assigned to the 6th Marine Division. On 1 April 1945, he landed on Green Beach on Okinawa as a platoon leader assigned to Company B, 22nd Marine Regiment, 1st Battalion. He recalls being in the battle for Sugar Loaf Hill. He was wounded by shell fragments and was flown to Guam for treatment in the hospital. He tells a humorous story involving him and another patient, former football All-American Alex Agase. After McFaddin recovered, he rejoined his unit while it was preparing for the invasion of Japan. Soon after Japan surrendered, the 22nd Marines …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Gordon Hurd. Hurd joined the Army in January of 1944. He was assigned to the 124th Cavalry Regiment as a second lieutenant in the China India Burma campaign. They deployed to India in August of 1944, and operated as dismounted cavalry alongside Chinese troops. He participated in battles with the Japanese to recapture sections of the Burma Road, and helped train Chinese troops to take over after the Japanese surrendered. Hurd was discharged in September of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with David McFaddin. McFaddin was born in Mount Gilead, Ohio on 15 August 1922 into a family of eight children. In 1941 he was inducted into the Marine Corps and placed into the V-12 Navy College Training Program. He went to Paris Island, South Carolina for boot training in 1943 followed by advanced training at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He then attended Officer Candidate School at Quantico, Virginia for three months, graduating as a second lieutenant. He was ordered to San Diego where he boarded a troop ship to Guadalcanal. Upon his arrival, he was assigned to the 6th Marine Division. On 1 April 1945, he landed on Green Beach on Okinawa as a platoon leader assigned to Company B, 22nd Marine Regiment, 1st Battalion. He recalls being in the battle for Sugar Loaf Hill. He was wounded by shell fragments and was flown to Guam for treatment in the hospital. He tells a humorous story involving him and another patient, former football All-American Alex Agase. After McFaddin recovered, he rejoined his unit while it was preparing for the invasion of Japan. Soon after Japan surrendered, the 22nd Marines …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lee Young. Young joined the Army Air Forces in March 1943. Upon completion of pilot training he was assigned to the 95th Bombardment Group, Eighth Air Force. Stationed in England, he enjoyed good relations with the British. As pilot of a B-17, he felt vulnerable in combat, yet he carries great remorse for the civilian casualties he caused in Dresden. In Berlin, he faced a barrage of antiaircraft fire and was hit in the wing by a shell that missed the supercharger. Young managed to land in England despite the resulting fuel leak. On his next mission, a raid on Nuremberg, engine damage from antiaircraft fire caused him to crash-land in Belgium. The crew received assistance from the local mayor to reach American forces. Young endured 28 combat missions, earning multiple medals. He continued his military career to become highly decorated for his service in the Korean War. He retired from the Air Force as a colonel, having been awarded the Legion of Merit.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Gordon Hurd. Hurd joined the Army in January of 1944. He was assigned to the 124th Cavalry Regiment as a second lieutenant in the China India Burma campaign. They deployed to India in August of 1944, and operated as dismounted cavalry alongside Chinese troops. He participated in battles with the Japanese to recapture sections of the Burma Road, and helped train Chinese troops to take over after the Japanese surrendered. Hurd was discharged in September of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with L.V. Ruffin. Ruffin joined the Army Air Forces on 21 June 1941. After boot camp he worked as an Athletic Instructor at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona. He completed Primary Flying School in Stamford, Texas and Advanced Flying School in Lubbock, Texas. He provides some details of his flight training. In November of 1942 he flew to Sookerating, India. He provides details of flying over The Hump more than one hundred times in a C-46, and life in general at the base. He returned to the U.S. in July of 1944. In late 1944 through 1945 he completed Instrument School and transported injured soldiers within the U.S. He was discharged in December of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Frank Lowry. Lowry attended Northern Illinois University until August 1942, when he enlisted in the Coast Guard. He was initially stationed in Baltimore as an apprentice seaman, where he guarded foreign merchant ships overnight, armed only with an empty pistol. He later attended Duke University through the Navy College Training Program. After small boats training, he was assigned to the patrol craft USS PC-819 in Adak. As the communications officer, he supervised the radio shack and decoded messages while the patrol craft searched for submarines, but he often felt that both he and his crew were woefully inexperienced. Amidst a revolving door of five different captains within two years, Lowry quickly made engineering officer, executive officer, and finally captain, which was a lonely job. When the war ended, Lowry turned down an opportunity for full lieutenancy, choosing instead to return to school.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Lawrence Sykora. Sykora joined the Army Air Forces in May of 1943. He completed schooling in Radio, Mechanics and Aerial Gunnery by February of 1944. He was assigned to the 14th Air Force, 308th Bomb Group, 374th Bomb Squadron. He deployed to China, serving as a radio operator and top turret gunner aboard B-24s. They made numerous trips over the Himalaya Mountains. They supported Chinese ground forces by attacking airfields, coal yards, docks, oil refineries and fuel dumps in French Indochina and Burma. Sykora completed 39 missions, returned to the US and was discharged in late September 1945.