Transcript of an oral interview with John Underwood. Underwood joined the Navy in November 1942 and went to boot camp at Jacksonville Naval Air Station, Florida. Finishing in the top of his class, he had his choice of trade schools and went to aviation radio school in Jacksonville. From there Underwood went to aviation radar school and then to aerial gunnery school in Alameda, California. His gunnery officer was Robert Stack, the actor. After survival school and learning how to jump, he was assigned to a torpedo bomber. The pilots were coming in as well as planes and eventually he was assigned to a crew and Air Group 19 on August 15, 1943; he was 18 years old. After much training in their TBMs in and around California, the group reported to the USS Lexington at Alameda Naval Air Station which sailed solo to Hawaii. After docking in Pearl Harbor, the air group went to Maui where they trained to be a night air group but they never flew a night combat mission as it turned out. While on Maui, they trained firing rockets at night with radar. From there they went back to Pearl Harbor and were loaded aboard …

Transcript of an oral interview with Robert J. Rabbitt. He discusses going to boot camp in Mississippi as part of the 69th Division, then shipping out to France via Scotland and England. He entered France through Omaha Beach in late July 1944, and was part of later Normandy Invasion action before being transferred to the 3058th Graves Registration Company where he served until fall of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Vaughn Attaway. Attaway was married and living on the farm when he was drafted into the Army in October, 1944. After training, Attaway was shipped to Luzon and attached to the 161st Infantry Battlaion, 25th Infantry Division. Attaway describes varoius patrols he conducted in the hills on Luzon. When the war ended, Attaway's unit began training for the invasion of Japan. When the war ended, Attaway was assigned occupation duty in Japan. Attaway shares a few anecdotes about occupation duty. Attaway returned to the US and was discharged in August, 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dr. Walter N. Burnette. Burnette mentions being involved in the mafia and gaining permission to leave that life. From there, he went to West Point in 1940. His graduation was accelerated due to the war. He graduated in 1943 and was commissioned in the Army Air Forces. General Hap Armold pinned his wings on him. He was originally slated to fly B-25s or B-17s, but was too small to fly medium or heavy bombers so he transitioned to flying A-20s instead. After completing training, Burnette and six other A-20s were ordered to Casa Blanca. Burnette describes the trip to North Africa. Burnette was assigned to the 47th Bomb Goup, 12th Air Force and found his unit in Italy. He mentions seeing the Tuskegee Airmen. Burnette carried an Army infantry captain in the nose of his aircraft on a bombing mission and was then invited to visit the infantry on the front lines, which he did. He went on a dawn patrol and got close to the German lines. Burnette also describes attacking Monte Cassino. When Burnette finished 50 missions he was assigned to the 5th Air Force to …

Transcript of an oral interview with John Underwood. Underwood joined the Navy in November 1942 and went to boot camp at Jacksonville Naval Air Station, Florida. Finishing in the top of his class, he had his choice of trade schools and went to aviation radio school in Jacksonville. From there Underwood went to aviation radar school and then to aerial gunnery school in Alameda, California. His gunnery officer was Robert Stack, the actor. After survival school and learning how to jump, he was assigned to a torpedo bomber. The pilots were coming in as well as planes and eventually he was assigned to a crew and Air Group 19 on August 15, 1943; he was 18 years old. After much training in their TBMs in and around California, the group reported to the USS Lexington at Alameda Naval Air Station which sailed solo to Hawaii. After docking in Pearl Harbor, the air group went to Maui where they trained to be a night air group but they never flew a night combat mission as it turned out. While on Maui, they trained firing rockets at night with radar. From there they went back to Pearl Harbor and were loaded aboard …

Transcript of an oral interview with Robert J. Rabbitt. He discusses going to boot camp in Mississippi as part of the 69th Division, then shipping out to France via Scotland and England. He entered France through Omaha Beach in late July 1944, and was part of later Normandy Invasion action before being transferred to the 3058th Graves Registration Company where he served until fall of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Vaughn Attaway. Attaway was married and living on the farm when he was drafted into the Army in October, 1944. After training, Attaway was shipped to Luzon and attached to the 161st Infantry Battlaion, 25th Infantry Division. Attaway describes varoius patrols he conducted in the hills on Luzon. When the war ended, Attaway's unit began training for the invasion of Japan. When the war ended, Attaway was assigned occupation duty in Japan. Attaway shares a few anecdotes about occupation duty. Attaway returned to the US and was discharged in August, 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dr. Walter N. Burnette. Burnette mentions being involved in the mafia and gaining permission to leave that life. From there, he went to West Point in 1940. His graduation was accelerated due to the war. He graduated in 1943 and was commissioned in the Army Air Forces. General Hap Armold pinned his wings on him. He was originally slated to fly B-25s or B-17s, but was too small to fly medium or heavy bombers so he transitioned to flying A-20s instead. After completing training, Burnette and six other A-20s were ordered to Casa Blanca. Burnette describes the trip to North Africa. Burnette was assigned to the 47th Bomb Goup, 12th Air Force and found his unit in Italy. He mentions seeing the Tuskegee Airmen. Burnette carried an Army infantry captain in the nose of his aircraft on a bombing mission and was then invited to visit the infantry on the front lines, which he did. He went on a dawn patrol and got close to the German lines. Burnette also describes attacking Monte Cassino. When Burnette finished 50 missions he was assigned to the 5th Air Force to …