The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ray Essig. Essig joined the Army in 1943. He received basic training at Camp Hahn and advanced training in the Mojave Desert. He was pulled out of the Army Specialized Training Program early in 1944 and assigned to the 42nd Infantry Division. While fighting in Europe he was captured by Germans and sent to Stalag IVB, near Dresden. He found Kurt Vonnegut’s depiction of life as a prisoner of war to be extremely accurate. Essig returned home safely, but his time as a prisoner left him with lifelong PTSD. He felt that it was socially unacceptable to have been captured rather than killed; therefore, he never spoke openly about his experience or sought treatment.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ray Essig. Essig joined the Army in 1943. He received basic training at Camp Hahn and advanced training in the Mojave Desert. He was pulled out of the Army Specialized Training Program early in 1944 and assigned to the 42nd Infantry Division. While fighting in Europe he was captured by Germans and sent to Stalag IVB, near Dresden. He found Kurt Vonnegut’s depiction of life as a prisoner of war to be extremely accurate. Essig returned home safely, but his time as a prisoner left him with lifelong PTSD. He felt that it was socially unacceptable to have been captured rather than killed; therefore, he never spoke openly about his experience or sought treatment.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lloyd Travis. Travis joined the Marine Corps in 1942 and received basic training at Parris Island and further training at Camp Lejeune. Upon completion, he was assigned to the 6th Marine Division and sent to the Pacific. He fought on the north end of Okinawa for more than two weeks. Rather than sleep in a wet foxhole, he stayed in caves that were used as burial sites in peacetime. He left the island on 21 June and awaited further orders on Guam. Travis finished his tour of duty in Tsingtao as recreation coordinator for his unit. He was discharged in 1946 and returned to his job as a geologist with Exxon Mobil. He worked there until 1981 and then ran his own consulting firm, retiring at the age of 88.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lloyd Travis. Travis joined the Marine Corps in 1942 and received basic training at Parris Island and further training at Camp Lejeune. Upon completion, he was assigned to the 6th Marine Division and sent to the Pacific. He fought on the north end of Okinawa for more than two weeks. Rather than sleep in a wet foxhole, he stayed in caves that were used as burial sites in peacetime. He left the island on 21 June and awaited further orders on Guam. Travis finished his tour of duty in Tsingtao as recreation coordinator for his unit. He was discharged in 1946 and returned to his job as a geologist with Exxon Mobil. He worked there until 1981 and then ran his own consulting firm, retiring at the age of 88.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Joe White. White joined the Navy in June, 1944 and was assigned to the amphibious forces. He became a coxswain on an LCVP. In addition to hauling Marines to the beaches on Okinawa, White spent a lot of time running supplies from ship to shore to support the invasion. White has several anecdotes about his experiences like trading the Seabees beer for showers at his camp and being caught in a typhoon. White returned to the US and was discharged in June, 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Joe White. White joined the Navy in June, 1944 and was assigned to the amphibious forces. He became a coxswain on an LCVP. In addition to hauling Marines to the beaches on Okinawa, White spent a lot of time running supplies from ship to shore to support the invasion. White has several anecdotes about his experiences like trading the Seabees beer for showers at his camp and being caught in a typhoon. White returned to the US and was discharged in June, 1946.