The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Margaret Heartfield. Upon high school graduation in 1939 she completed 3 years of nurse training in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at Allegheny General Hospital. She joined the Army as a nurse in January 1943. She completed basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky and Fort Polk, Louisiana. Heartfield provides detail on her issued Army uniform. She was transported overseas to England on a troop ship in January 1944. She remained in Manchester for one year, volunteering in a British civilian hospital. Her unit was the 101st Evacuation Hospital unit in Patton’s Third Army. After the Battle of Normandy she was moved to the Cherbourg Peninsula in France, and for the remainder of the war assisted in surgeries. She describes her M.A.S.H.-like unit in detail. From there her unit went to Luxembourg, and was involved in the Battle of the Bulge. Her outfit returned to the states November 1945. She married, started a family and went to work for Mobil Oil in 1948 as an Occupational Health Nurse.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Wadsack. Wadsack joined the Army Air Corps in 1940 after graduating from Washington University, earning a commission through the ROTC Coast Artillery Corps. He was assigned to Chanute Field as a supply officer, providing planes and tools for mechanics in training. His 50-man crew retrieved and repaired damaged aircraft, and stayed up to date on technology so as to provide appropriate tech orders to the students. When the school was expanded to include other locations, Wadsack went to Seymour Johnson Field to conduct similar work. As the war wound down, his unit came under command of the First Air Force and Wadsack was promoted to director of supply for the entire field. In addition to warehouse inventory, he managed the distribution of gasoline rations to civilian employees. After a brief post at Lake Charles Army Air Force Base, he was discharged into the reserves in December 1945. In his sixties, he retired from the reserves as a captain.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Russ Mallonee. Mallonee joined the Army in 1942. He served with the 43rd Infantry Division, fighting in the Guadalcanal Campaign in early 1943. He provides vivid details of combat on the island, and how he was severely wounded by mortar fire. Mallonee returned to the US to recover in a San Antonio hospital, then he was shipped to Maryland to serve in an administrative role, issuing clothes and ammunition. He continued his service after the war ended, receiving his discharge in January 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Thomas Nixon. Nixon joined the Marine Corps shortly after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. He trained at San Diego and was assigned as a ground crewman in Marine Bombing Squadron 611 (VMB-611). He went with the squadron to the Philippines and shares several anecdotes of his time among the pilots and crew, and of repairing aircraft.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents and oral interview with Arthur Monaghan. Monaghan was born in Houston in 1922. After attending boot camp, he was assigned to Torpedo school in San Diego. He relates the various aspects of training he underwent and tells of being assigned to the Motor Torpedo Base 16. In 1943 his unit boarded a ship and he tells of the living conditions on board. He relates incidents that occurred while stationed on several island of the Philippines as well as one of the Russell Islands, including the introduction of the Mark 13 Torpedo. He also recalls one of his officers falling victim to monkey fever, which lead to his death. Monaghan was discharged soon after his return to the US in 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Walter Oweiss. Oweiss joined the Army in March 1943 and trained in Virginia. His first stop was in the Army Specialized Training Program until he transferred to a flight school. The Army had too many pilot trainees,so oweiss was tranferred to a parachute infantry training and became a paratrooper attached to the 127th Airborne Engineers, 11th Airborne Division. He shipped overseas t oLuzon, Philippine Islands, with them. He also went with the unit to Okinawa. He also shares anecdotes about occupation duty in Japan. After returning to the US, Oweiss was discharged in February 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Arthur Powell. Powell was born in Enid, Oklahoma, on 3 November 1924. Upon graduating from high school he entered the US Army. After completing basic training in Amarillo, Texas, he was selected to enter flight training at Cedar City, Utah. In the middle of his training, the program was cancelled. Boarding USS Mitchell (APA-114) he spent thirty-nine days at sea before arriving at Bombay, India. There he was assigned to the 148th Replacement Battalion where he participated in the processing of troops to and from the China-Burma-India Theater. He returned to the United States in 1946 aboard the merchant ship, Marine Cardinal, and was discharged shortly after his return to the US.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Joseph Lawrence. Lawrence was born November 6, 1924. He joined the Army Air Forces in late 1942. He completed Cryptography School at Chanute Field, Illinois. Around 1944, he traveled to India to the Assam Valley, then describes his trip to China in February 1945, over the Himalaya Mountains. Lawrence was assigned to an Army Airways Communications System Unit at a base 9 miles from Kunming, China. After the war ended, he was reassigned to a tactical team in Nanking, preparing an air field for Chinese troops to occupy and take control of the area. Lawrence returned to the US after the war and received his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Kelly. Kelly joined the Army Air Forces in June of 1943. He completed training as a diesel mechanic at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. In December of 1944, he traveled to Calcutta, India. He recalls flying in a C-46 over the Himalaya Mountains, referred to as the Hump, transporting supplies to Chaotung, China. Kelly maintained Onan generators at an airfield in order to keep radios in operation. He was later transferred to Kunming, completing similar work. Kelly shares numerous stories of his time living and working in China. After the war ended, he continued his service at the airfield. Kelly returned to the US to receive his discharge in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with August Hodde. Hodde joined the Navy in July 1943. He completed gunnery school, and served as a 40mm gun instructor through early 1944. Around November, Hodde served as a gunner’s mate aboard USS Hugh W Hadley (DD-774). At battle stations, he was gun captain on the portside twin 40mm. Beginning February of 1945, the Hadley escorted HMS Ranee (D03). Hodde describes their role during the Battle of Okinawa in April, helping protect against submarines and aircraft as the Japanese made final attempts to stop the invasion. He provides details of their 11 May attack by the Japanese, receiving bomb hits and downing numerous kamikazes. Hodde remained aboard as the torn Hadley was towed back to the US. He continued his service after the war, receiving his discharge in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Benjamin Ostrofsky. Ostrofsky joined the Army Air Forces in January of 1943 as an Aviation Cadet. He completed Navigation School that same year. He then went through a College Training Detachment at the University of Massachusetts to study algebra and physics. In 1944, Ostrofsky completed pre-flight training as part of his navigation training at Maxwell Air Force Base, and received additional navigation training at Ellington Air Force Base, graduating January of 1945. While waiting for assignment with a B-29 combat crew headed for the Pacific, the war ended. He shares numerous details of his training experiences. He served in the Reserves in the Korean War, and was discharged around late 1953.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Edmond Ward. Ward joined the Army in 1942. He served with the 1st Infantry Division, 18th Infantry Regiment. He participated with the Omaha Beach landing forces during the Invasion of Normandy and served in the Battle of the Bulge. Ward returned to the US and received his discharge in November of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Holmes. Holmes was born 21 August 1925. He joined the Army in 1943. He served with the 87th Infantry Division, 3rd Army. They were deployed to the European Theater in October of 1944. Arrived Le Havre, France in late November 1944 and into Germany in December, participating in the Battle of the Bulge. They crossed the Rhine in March of 1945, and into Czechoslovakia by the end of the war. Holmes shares a number of his combat experiences, and with the Browning automatic rifle. They returned to the US in late 1945 and Holmes received his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with George Riddle. Riddle joined the Navy in March of 1943. He served as a Radarman, completing training in radio design, electronics, communications, and on a magnetic air detection system to locate submarines. Riddle was stationed in Florida, training pilots and other operators in radar systems. He was stationed in the US throughout the duration of the war, receiving a discharge in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Richard Overton. Overton joined the Army in 1942. He served with the 1887th Engineer Aviation Battalion, an all-black unit that served on various islands in the Pacific. They participated in the Palau Campaign and the Battle of Okinawa. Their battalion assisted in building an airfield. He returned to the US and was discharged in 1945. He gained fame as the oldest living WWII veteran until his death in 2018.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Carthon Phillips. Phillips was born in Vera, Texas on 17 April 1920 and grew up during the Depression. Soon after joining the Army Air Corps in 1941, he attended the Aviation School of Medicine in San Antonio. Upon completing the course, he qualified as a flight surgeon assistant assigned to the 7th Bomb Squadron and boarded USS Republic (AP-33) bound for Australia. He tells of being assigned to Cloncurry, Australia and graphically describes a combat mission he flew in a B-17 involving the use of Thermite bombs. Returning to the United States in 1942, he commenced flight training and he tells of the various aircraft he flew. Phillips also relates his experiences as a ground control approach instructor and his involvement in the Berlin Airlift. He retired after twenty-eight years of service.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Sidney Duerr. Duerr enlisted in the navy in June, 1945 and trained at Great Lakes. Upon completion, he joined the company aboard the USS Baltimore (CA-68) and worked with the aviation unit and as a gunner. Duerr shares several anecdotes about his time in occupied Japan. He visited Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He was discharged in June 1946 and decided to use the GI Bill to go to college.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Guadalupe R. Davila. Davila was born in Brownsville, Texas on 27 February 1923 and worked at a Civilian Conservation Camp in Stafford, Arizona after graduating from high school. He joined the Navy in October 1943 and went to boot camp in Kingsville, Texas where he describes working on various aircraft in addition to the basic training. Upon completing his basic training, he was transferred to Treasure Island, California where he describes working as a longshoreman loading and unloading ships. He provides other details of his time there, including attending several USO shows. He was discharged in December 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Keener. Keener finished high school and headed for Norfolk, Virginia and worked as a welder in a shipyard. As a result, he could not enlist in the Army. He joined the Navy instead in 1941 and trained as a pilot in Florida. He was transferred to Pearl Harbor in February, 1942 and went aboard the USS Lexington (CV-2) and flew torpedo bombers. After the Battle of the Coral Sea, he was transferred to the USS Essex (CV-9). He was grounded and sent to Station HYPO at Pearl Harbor where he worked in Naval intelligence. His intelligence work took him from Tarawa during the invasion to trying figure out how Tokyo Rose got her information, to Japan during the occupation where he broke up an assassination attempt on MacArthur. Admiral Nimitz also selected him to go with a team on a special intelligence gathering mission to Kwajalein prior to the invasion. After the war, Keener took his discharge in May 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Thomas Warneke. Warneke joined the Navy in December of 1942. He completed Torpedo School and beginning January of 1944, Warneke served as Torpedoman aboard the USS Wesson (DE-184). They traveled to Pearl Harbor, the Philippines, Iwo Jima and Okinawa, supporting invasions. He recalls his experiences through a kamikaze attack on their ship. Warneke continued his service after the war ended, receiving his discharge in early 1948.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Corbisiero. Corbisiero was a freshman on Notre Dame's national champion football team when he was drafted, in 1944. With draft board approval, he joined the Merchant Marine Officer Training School at Alameda, where he was welcomed by officers who would become professional football stars. After running the academy's football team, Corbisiero boarded the SS Clovis Victory (1944), in the spring of 1945. As an engineer cadet, he answered directional commands, maintained the engine log, and operated the captain's gig. At Okinawa, he laid smokescreens, ever alert to the sound of suicide boats. At times, Corbisiero assisted the gun crew in fending off kamikazes. When it seemed safe to go ashore, Corbisiero went on a souvenir-hunting exhibition but soon found himself under enemy fire. With the help of Marines, he made it safely to his ship and soon received orders to return to the academy, at the request of its football coaching staff.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Clinton Shoppe. Shoppe joined the Navy in 1943. In early 1944 he served on the deck force and the 14-inch guns aboard the USS California (BB-44). They traveled to Pearl Harbor, and participated in bombardments during the Mariana and Palau Islands campaign, the Philippines Campaign, and the Battles of Leyte Gulf and Lingayen Gulf. Shoppe shares his experiences through a kamikaze attack on the California. He returned to the US and received his discharge in December of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Harold Heist. Heist joined the Army Air Forces in January of 1943. He completed navigation school and received his wings and commission in July of 1944. He was assigned to the 15th Air Force, 376th Bomb Group, 514th Bomb Squadron, and served as a navigator aboard a B-24. He also navigated the position of a Victory Ship in a convoy for a 28-day trip across the Atlantic, working with the radio system, arriving in Oran, Africa in October of 1944. He met up with the 376th Bomb Group in Italy. He flew his first mission on 6 December 1944 over Hungary and completed a total of 47 missions. Heist provides details of his experiences through several of his missions over Germany and Italy. Their bomb group was known for their precision bombing, keeping enemy viaducts, roads and rail lines destroyed and useless. After the war, he served in the Reserves and then was released from active duty and assigned to the Voluntary Air Reserve Training Unit (VARTU). He retired in 1973 from the Air Force.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Russell Santora. Santora was born in Bronx, New York on 4 October 1927. Upon joining the US Merchant Marine in July 1944, he attended boot camp at the US Maritime Training Station. When the training was completed he was sent to Oakland, California. There, he joined the Marine Fireman, Oilers and Water Tenders Union and received his Permit Book and was assigned to a merchant ship. He tells of his duties aboard the various ships to which he was assigned and recalls various trips he made to Iwo Jima, Okinawa and Japan.