The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Herman L. Bell. Bell worked in a shipyard in California at the beginning of the war and describes his duties as a welder. He joined the Navy in April 1943 and discusses his time in boot camp at Farragut, Idaho and the additional training that he received as a firefighter. Bell was sent to the USS Independence (CVL-22). He describes his duties and some of the work he performed. Bell discusses when his ship was hit with a torpedo off Tarawa and the damage control work he performed including how he helped save a trapped sailor. He also discusses an incident when emergency repairs were performed during a typhoon and another when a large bomb broke free from its restraints. Bell also discusses seeing the massive flyover during the surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay. He left the service in November 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Marshall Harris. Harris provides his family???s experiences through the Great Depression. Harris joined the Marine Corps in July of 1943. He completed radio school and volunteered to work with amphibious tanks. He was assigned to the 2nd Armored Amphibious Tank Battalion, driving the LVT-A4. He provides details of the LVT. They traveled to Hawaii, where he trained and played on a baseball team. In June of 1944 they participated in the Battle of Saipan, then the Battle of Tinian in July. He served as a radioman and machine gunner. In February of 1945 they participated in the Battle of Iwo Jima. He provides vivid details of his experiences through each of these battles. Harris was discharged in November of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Richard Hockensmith. Hockensmith was drafted in the Army in 1942. He was assigned to the 626th Military Police Battalion in Camp Beauregard, Louisiana. They patrolled the streets and served as auxiliary police. He was then assigned to the 394th Military Police Escort Guard Company in Fort Bliss, Texas. They were trained to handle prisoners of war. He also received instruction on personnel management. He was then transferred to a little town about 35 miles east of Waco where a POW camp was established. In 1943 he went by troop ship to North Africa to pick up African and German prisoners from the Afrika Korps to transfer back to a POW camp in Mexia, Texas. He describes the work of a POW at the camp. From Mexia, Hockensmith was transferred to another POW camp in Camp Swift, Texas. He was then transferred into the personnel section of the Medical Corps and was shipped out to the Pacific in late 1944. They traveled to Okinawa, then to Kadena Airfield and remained in this area until January of 1946. He was discharged in early 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Herman L. Bell. Bell worked in a shipyard in California at the beginning of the war and describes his duties as a welder. He joined the Navy in April 1943 and discusses his time in boot camp at Farragut, Idaho and the additional training that he received as a firefighter. Bell was sent to the USS Independence (CVL-22). He describes his duties and some of the work he performed. Bell discusses when his ship was hit with a torpedo off Tarawa and the damage control work he performed including how he helped save a trapped sailor. He also discusses an incident when emergency repairs were performed during a typhoon and another when a large bomb broke free from its restraints. Bell also discusses seeing the massive flyover during the surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay. He left the service in November 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Marshall Harris. Harris provides his family???s experiences through the Great Depression. Harris joined the Marine Corps in July of 1943. He completed radio school and volunteered to work with amphibious tanks. He was assigned to the 2nd Armored Amphibious Tank Battalion, driving the LVT-A4. He provides details of the LVT. They traveled to Hawaii, where he trained and played on a baseball team. In June of 1944 they participated in the Battle of Saipan, then the Battle of Tinian in July. He served as a radioman and machine gunner. In February of 1945 they participated in the Battle of Iwo Jima. He provides vivid details of his experiences through each of these battles. Harris was discharged in November of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Richard Hockensmith. Hockensmith was drafted in the Army in 1942. He was assigned to the 626th Military Police Battalion in Camp Beauregard, Louisiana. They patrolled the streets and served as auxiliary police. He was then assigned to the 394th Military Police Escort Guard Company in Fort Bliss, Texas. They were trained to handle prisoners of war. He also received instruction on personnel management. He was then transferred to a little town about 35 miles east of Waco where a POW camp was established. In 1943 he went by troop ship to North Africa to pick up African and German prisoners from the Afrika Korps to transfer back to a POW camp in Mexia, Texas. He describes the work of a POW at the camp. From Mexia, Hockensmith was transferred to another POW camp in Camp Swift, Texas. He was then transferred into the personnel section of the Medical Corps and was shipped out to the Pacific in late 1944. They traveled to Okinawa, then to Kadena Airfield and remained in this area until January of 1946. He was discharged in early 1946.