Transcript of an oral interview with Ralph H. Ketcham. Born in 1923, he joined the Marine Corps in September, 1942. He describes boot camp in San Diego, California. He was assigned to the 3rd Division, 19th Marine Regiment, 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion. He describes conditions aboard the MS Bloemfontein en route to New Zealand. He was transported on the USS President Polk (AP-103) to Guadalcanal where he constructed roads and unloaded ammunition. He talks about the fire at the Hell’s Point Ammunition Dump. He describes landing as part of the first wave in the battle for Guam. He shares stories about the time he spent on both Guadalcanal and Guam. He also describes landing and fighting on Iwo Jima. He discusses the use of spider holes and antiaircraft guns by the Japanese. He also describes the weather, terrain, and living conditions on Guam and Iwo Jima. He was hospitalized due to the shock of explosions from 155mm shells. After his hospitalization, he was discharged in July, 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Maurice Thoresen. Thoresen joined the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1938. He joined the Coast Guard around late 1939, working shore duty. In the summer of 1941 Thoresen went aboard the USCGC Taney (WHEC-37), serving in the ship’s radio shack. In July they traveled to Honolulu, where they were stationed when the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred in December. After 7 December and into 1942, the Taney conducted many depth charge attacks on suspected submarines. Thoresen was later transferred to the island of Samoa, setting up LORAN stations, long range navigation equipment. He returned to the US and was discharged.

Transcript of an oral interview with George S. Mixell. Mixell dropped out of high school and joined the Army in November, 1940 at York, Pennsylvania. He was assigned to a heavy weapons company in the 158th Infantry Regiment (Bushmasters) in Panama. Mixell shares several anecdotes about jungle training in Panama, quelling a riot in Panama City, and patrolling around the canal. He was in Panama one year before shipping out to Australia. From Australia, Mixell and the Bushmasters went to New Guinea. He worked along the Kokoda Trail in the Owen Stanley Mountains training with horses. He mentions listening to Tokyo Rose on the radio and being entertained by her. Mixell's job in New Guinea was to provide security for the officers in the Headquarters Company and he located seven Japanese snipers. He had a brief encounter with General MacArthur. Mixell also mentions he spent time in the hospital suffering with malaria and jungle rot. Finally, he shares a few incidents about his life after he was discharged from the service.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dean R. Kreek. Kreek joined the Navy in July 1940. He became a musician who played the trumpet in various Navy bands throughout World War II. Kreek was on board the USS Nevada (BB-36) during the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was playing morning colors when the attack began. Kreek describes the Nevada getting underway and taking damage. After the attack he was transferred to Yard Tug 142 and later to USS New Mexico (BB-40), which traveled to the Aleutians. Kreek was then sent stateside until he became a member of the first band for the USS Kearsarge (CV-33). He was discharged in July 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William S. Emerson. Emerson joined the Navy in May 1942. He trained as a Naval Aviation Cadet and learned to fly dive-bombers. Emerson joined VB-19 and was attached to the USS Lexington (CV-16) in 1944. He flew missions over Guam and the Philippines and took part in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Emerson was shot down during a mission to bomb an airfield on Iwo Jima. He was rescued by a submarine and rejoined his unit on the Lexington. Emerson was wounded when the Lexington was struck by a kamikaze. After he recovered he became a flight instructor for the remainder of the war. Emerson stayed in the Navy through the Korean War and retired after 25 years.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Eugene Cameron. Cameron began training as a Marine Corps aviator in 1942. He was trained as a fighter pilot and was sent to VMF 221 to fly Corsairs. Cameron describes his training and several incidents that took place during that period. His squadron flew off of the USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) and flew combat air patrol (CAP) missions and ground support over Iwo Jima, and for an extended period over Okinawa and Japan. Cameron describes several combat missions that he participated in and life aboard ship. He was in the air when the Bunker Hill was badly damaged and landed on the Enterprise. Cameron returned to the US and remained in the Marines after the end of the war. He served in Korea and later became a helicopter pilot.

Transcript of an oral interview with Kevin V. Kerin. Born in Australia in 1925, he joined the Royal Australian Air Force in June, 1943. He received radio training in Ballarat, Victoria. He attended gunnery school in West Sale, Victoria. In East Sale, Victoria he was assigned to an aircraft crew and received operational training. He describes the Beaufort aircraft, the crew configuration, and the training process. In spring 1944 he became a radio operator in Number 7 Squadron and was sent to Higgins Field on the Cape York Peninsula of Australia. He participated in anti-submarine patrols over the Gulf of Carpentaria. His squadron was later moved to Tadji, New Guinea to fly low-altitude bombing and strafing missions to eliminate the remaining Japanese force hidden in the tall grass. He was discharged in early 1946. He studied law at Adelaide University as part of the Commonwealth Reconstruction Training Program (CRTS), an educational program for veterans.

Transcript of an oral interview with Ralph H. Ketcham. Born in 1923, he joined the Marine Corps in September, 1942. He describes boot camp in San Diego, California. He was assigned to the 3rd Division, 19th Marine Regiment, 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion. He describes conditions aboard the MS Bloemfontein en route to New Zealand. He was transported on the USS President Polk (AP-103) to Guadalcanal where he constructed roads and unloaded ammunition. He talks about the fire at the Hell’s Point Ammunition Dump. He describes landing as part of the first wave in the battle for Guam. He shares stories about the time he spent on both Guadalcanal and Guam. He also describes landing and fighting on Iwo Jima. He discusses the use of spider holes and antiaircraft guns by the Japanese. He also describes the weather, terrain, and living conditions on Guam and Iwo Jima. He was hospitalized due to the shock of explosions from 155mm shells. After his hospitalization, he was discharged in July, 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Maurice Thoresen. Thoresen joined the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1938. He joined the Coast Guard around late 1939, working shore duty. In the summer of 1941 Thoresen went aboard the USCGC Taney (WHEC-37), serving in the ship’s radio shack. In July they traveled to Honolulu, where they were stationed when the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred in December. After 7 December and into 1942, the Taney conducted many depth charge attacks on suspected submarines. Thoresen was later transferred to the island of Samoa, setting up LORAN stations, long range navigation equipment. He returned to the US and was discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dean R. Kreek. Kreek joined the Navy in July 1940. He became a musician who played the trumpet in various Navy bands throughout World War II. Kreek was on board the USS Nevada (BB-36) during the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was playing morning colors when the attack began. Kreek describes the Nevada getting underway and taking damage. After the attack he was transferred to Yard Tug 142 and later to USS New Mexico (BB-40), which traveled to the Aleutians. Kreek was then sent stateside until he became a member of the first band for the USS Kearsarge (CV-33). He was discharged in July 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William S. Emerson. Emerson joined the Navy in May 1942. He trained as a Naval Aviation Cadet and learned to fly dive-bombers. Emerson joined VB-19 and was attached to the USS Lexington (CV-16) in 1944. He flew missions over Guam and the Philippines and took part in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Emerson was shot down during a mission to bomb an airfield on Iwo Jima. He was rescued by a submarine and rejoined his unit on the Lexington. Emerson was wounded when the Lexington was struck by a kamikaze. After he recovered he became a flight instructor for the remainder of the war. Emerson stayed in the Navy through the Korean War and retired after 25 years.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Eugene Cameron. Cameron began training as a Marine Corps aviator in 1942. He was trained as a fighter pilot and was sent to VMF 221 to fly Corsairs. Cameron describes his training and several incidents that took place during that period. His squadron flew off of the USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) and flew combat air patrol (CAP) missions and ground support over Iwo Jima, and for an extended period over Okinawa and Japan. Cameron describes several combat missions that he participated in and life aboard ship. He was in the air when the Bunker Hill was badly damaged and landed on the Enterprise. Cameron returned to the US and remained in the Marines after the end of the war. He served in Korea and later became a helicopter pilot.

Transcript of an oral interview with Kevin V. Kerin. Born in Australia in 1925, he joined the Royal Australian Air Force in June, 1943. He received radio training in Ballarat, Victoria. He attended gunnery school in West Sale, Victoria. In East Sale, Victoria he was assigned to an aircraft crew and received operational training. He describes the Beaufort aircraft, the crew configuration, and the training process. In spring 1944 he became a radio operator in Number 7 Squadron and was sent to Higgins Field on the Cape York Peninsula of Australia. He participated in anti-submarine patrols over the Gulf of Carpentaria. His squadron was later moved to Tadji, New Guinea to fly low-altitude bombing and strafing missions to eliminate the remaining Japanese force hidden in the tall grass. He was discharged in early 1946. He studied law at Adelaide University as part of the Commonwealth Reconstruction Training Program (CRTS), an educational program for veterans.

Transcript of an oral interview with George S. Mixell. Mixell dropped out of high school and joined the Army in November, 1940 at York, Pennsylvania. He was assigned to a heavy weapons company in the 158th Infantry Regiment (Bushmasters) in Panama. Mixell shares several anecdotes about jungle training in Panama, quelling a riot in Panama City, and patrolling around the canal. He was in Panama one year before shipping out to Australia. From Australia, Mixell and the Bushmasters went to New Guinea. He worked along the Kokoda Trail in the Owen Stanley Mountains training with horses. He mentions listening to Tokyo Rose on the radio and being entertained by her. Mixell's job in New Guinea was to provide security for the officers in the Headquarters Company and he located seven Japanese snipers. He had a brief encounter with General MacArthur. Mixell also mentions he spent time in the hospital suffering with malaria and jungle rot. Finally, he shares a few incidents about his life after he was discharged from the service.