The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jack Christensen. Christensen joined the Marine Corps in June of 1941. He joined Carlson's Raiders and later joined Edson’s Raiders. They trained through early 1942. He participated in the Guadalcanal Campaign beginning in August of 1942, including Carlson’s Long Patrol. He also served in the Battle of Guam in 1944. He traveled through the Solomon Islands and fought in the Bougainville Campaign. Christensen experienced much combat and provides some details of his experiences. He returned to the U.S. from the Pacific in 1946. His wife shares some of his experiences in Japan. He later served in the Vietnam War and retired from the military in 1969.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents and oral interview with Marshall Clapp. Clapp joined the Oklahoma National Guard at age 17. Called up in 1943, he participated in building Quonset huts throughout the Island of Attu. After returning to the US due to medical reasons, he joined the 120th Combat Engineers at Remagen, Germany and tells of the construction of Bailey Bridges used to cross the Rhine River. Upon returning to the US, he went into the Inactive Reserves. After a short period of time, he was reactivated and ultimately received a commission. He briefly tells of undergoing parachute training and being assigned to the 82nd Airborne. He concluded his Army career as a lieutenant colonel in the Medical Service Corps.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jack Schaffer. Schaffer went into the Marine Corps at 17 in August, 1942 and trained at San Diego. When basic training ended, Schaffer trained with the Raiders and was assigned to the 4th Marine Raider Battalion. He went overseas to the New Hebrides, then Guadalcanal for more training prior to participating in the campaign for the Solomon Islands at New Georgia. After some combat experience, Schaffer was sent back to the US and attend university. When he finished school, he went for officer training at Parris Island after the war ended. He also attended flight school and earned his wings. He was assigned to Marine Fighter Squadron 122 (VMF-122) for a cruise in the Mediterranean. He also flew in Korea before resigning in 1953. Schaffer interacted with James Roosevelt during and after World War II.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Mark Clement. Clement was born 20 February 1925, graduated from high school in 1941, and joined the Marine Corps at age seventeen. He completed the Special Operations Capability Specialist (SOCS) training, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in mid-1944. Clement served with the 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, and participated in the Battle of Iwo Jima. He shares vivid details of his combat experiences. Clement returned to the US and received his discharge around 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Sarah Kay Dukote. Dukote decided to become a neruse after having her appendix removed when she was a teenager. She finished high school in 1938 and went to nursing school in Kentucky, completing the course in September 1941. She joined the Army the day after he attack on Pearl Harbor. Her first assignment was at Fort Knox in the tuberculosis ward and the venereal disease ward. In late 1942, Dukote was transferred to a hospital in Hawaii at Schofield Barracks. She stayed there a few years and returned to the US just before the war ended. SHe opted for discharge when the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Hawley. Hawley graduated from Culver Military Academy, Indiana, and joined the Navy in July of 1944. He completed Quartermaster School. In early 1945, he served aboard a yard oiler, YOG-33 and traveled to the Russell Islands, Guadalcanal, the Cook Islands, the Fiji Islands, replenishing oil as needed. He continued his service after the war ended, receiving his discharge in July of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Lester Harrell. Harrell joined the Navy in 1942. In 1943, he completed Midshipman School. In 1944, Harrell served on the starboard anti-aircraft guns aboard USS New Mexico (BB-40). He later served as an ensign in the plotting room aboard USS Canberra (CA-70), where he was stationed when the ship was torpedoed in October of 1944. His next assignment was on a Landing Ship Medium (LSM). He returned to the US and received his discharge in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Roy Beck. Beck was drafted into the Army in September, 1943 and went to basic training in Missouri. From there, he went to a trade school in New York to become an electrician. His first assignment was in the Aleutian Islands at Amchitka where he worked as an electrician rigging wiring and working on poles. He also went to Attu and helped build a landing strip on Shemya Island before returning to the US and being discharged in June 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Thomas Pugh. Pugh joined the Marine Corps in August, 1941 and trained at San Diego. In October, he was assigned to a headquarters and service company in the 2nd Engineer Battalion, Fleet Marine Force. He went to Hawaii briefly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, but broke his wrist and returned to San Diego to go to scout sniper school. Then he was assigned to another H & S company in the 19th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division. He went overseas with them and helped build docks and roads on Guadalcanal and Bougainville. He also was at Guam for the invasion in July, 1944. Thomas received some leave and returned to the US in May, 1945. He was discharged later in September and surprised his mother upon his homecoming.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lawrence Huet. Huet joined the Navy in late 1942 and trained at Great Lakes. With training complete, he was assigned to USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) in May 1943 and served as flight deck crewman. In 1944, after some leave, Huet was assigned to the USS Flint (CL-97). Huet was discharged in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Everett Smiley. Smiley volunteered for service in the Army Air Forces in January 1943 and trained as a pilot. He earned a commission and his wings in December. After flight training, he reported for duty in Hobbs, New Mexico to learn to fly B-17s. Once he was stationed in Italy in July, 1944, he flew 51 combat missions before returning to the US in May. Smiley flew missions over Italy, Austria, Germany and other points in Europe and shares anecdotes about his experiences.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Forest Hill. Hill joined the Army Air Forces in early 1943. He completed Link Trainer School in Illinois, and served as an instructor at cadet training facilities in Greenville, Brady, and San Antonio, Texas. Around late 1944, Hill was assigned to administrative duties on Mindoro Island, with an A-26 bomber group. In August of 1945, they traveled to Okinawa. He then served with occupation forces in Tokyo, Japan where he oversaw a small library and shared radio news with the troops. He returned to the US and received his discharge in January of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jack Hanks. Hanks joined the Army Air Forces in 1942. He received his wings in February of 1944. Hanks was assigned to Malden, Missouri to teach troop carrier training, where he served as a pilot instructor for the remainder of the war. He was discharged around February of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William Berger. Berger joined the Army in July of 1942. He served with the Service Company of the 377th Infantry Regiment, 95th Infantry Division, completing administrative work and ensuring the regiment had adequate supplies. He then served as Warrant Officer Junior Grade, working with ammunitions supplies. Berger later joined the 543rd Field Artillery Battalion, and traveled to Hawaii, conducting routine training. He later traveled to Leyte aboard an LST, supplying ammunition and other supplies to troops, where he was located when the war ended. Berger then served with occupation forces in Sapporo, Japan, working in the Inspector General’s office. He returned to the US and received his discharge in February of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert R. Bridges. Bridges joined the Marine Corps in January of 1942. He completed Officer Candidate School in October of 1943. He served with the 2nd Marine Division, 18th Marine Regiment during the battles of Tarawa, Saipan and Tinian. He returned to Saipan for preparations to invade Japan, where he remained through the end of the war. Bridges received his discharge in January of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Andrew Bardagjy. Bardagjy joined the Army in 1943. He served as a mortarman with the 103rd Infantry Division, 411th Infantry Regiment. He deployed to France in September of 1944. They battled through France, capturing St. Dié, and into Germany by December. Bardagjy was captured by the Germans and placed into a prisoner of war camp near Fallingbostel, where he remained through April of 1945. He shares details of his experiences in the camp. He returned to the US and received his discharge in December of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Edward Havorka. Havorka was born 24 April 1923, graduated from high school in 1940, then joined the Marine Corps in 1943. He completed boot camp in San Diego. He completed Telephone School and learned how to work a switchboard. He served as an instructor in the school into 1944. He then completed Officer Candidate School at Oberlin College, Ohio. Havorka was then transferred to an infantry unit at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, where he remained until the end of the war and was discharged.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with C B Slaughter. Slaughter was born in 1920, and joined the US Army Air Forces in January of 1942. He served as a C-47 pilot in the 5th Air Force in Townsville, Australia. He was transferred to the Air Transport Command. He made flights between Australia and New Guinea and New Caledonia. He returned to the US in mid-1944, and was assigned to a glider unit at Bergstrom Field, Austin, Texas, where he remained through the end of the war. Slaughter continued his service as a career Air Force officer and combat veteran of World War II, Korea and Vietnam, retiring as a colonel in 1971.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with E Grover Pearson. Pearson joined the Navy in mid-1942. He completed training as an aviation gunner and radioman. He served for one year in the submarine patrol off the West Coast. Beginning September of 1944, Pearson served as a flight aviation radioman aboard USS San Francisco (CA-38). Catapulting off the cruiser, he and his flight crew participated in the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, providing air cover for the first group of Marines invading Okinawa. After the war ended, his ship was assigned show-of-force duty along the east coast of Asia. Pearson received an honorable discharge in January of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James Rose. Rose joined the Navy in July 1942 out of a desire to fly Corsairs. After being selected as an aviation cadet, he ultimately landed at an advanced fighter training base at Kingsville. Upon completion of flight training he became an instructor. After qualifying in carrier landings, he was transferred to Attack and Bombing Squadron 98 (VBF-98) at Los Alamitos Naval Air Station. After spotting a Corsair at fleet repair, he offered them his services as a test pilot, which soon became his primary duty. After the war, he earned a college degree and later joined the reserves. Rose was rather unique in that he accumulated hundreds of hours in various WWII aircraft. As such, he was later interviewed for a documentary for the aircraft museum in Seattle. As such, he was later interviewed for a documentary for the aircraft museum in Seattle.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles Hutton. Hutton joined the Navy in late 1943. After basic training, Hutton went to hospital corpsman school, all at Great Lakes. He then went to Sampson Navy Hospital to serve as a neuropsychiatric technician. He then went to Guam before being assigned to the USS Relief (AH-1). He went to China aboard the ship with the First Marine Division after the war ended. On the return trip, Hutton had several liberated POWs as patients. He was discharged in May, 1946. LuCretea Hutton, his wife, joined the conversation and mentioned her work with the Federal Bureau of Investigation during the war. She worked in the fingerprint ID lab in Washington.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Axworthy. Axworthy was drafted into the Army in April, 1944. He broke his foot in basic training. Once healed, he went overseas and landed on Leyte during the invasion. Because of a high score on an aptitude test, Axworthy was transferred from the infantry to the signal section in MacArthur’s General Headquarters on Leyte. When the war ended, he travelled to Tokyo with GHQ. He recalls an anecdote where he ran into General MacArthur and knocked him over. Axworthy returned to the US and was discharged in May 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Neil McBride. McBride was born in Crossingville, Pennsylvania on 20 November 1920. Graduating from high school in 1938, he attended the University of Oklahoma for two years before joining the Navy. After completing five weeks of boot training at Great Lakes Naval Training Station, Illinois he was sent to Pier 92 in New York City where he remained until the USS PC-470 was launched in June 1942. Following the shakedown cruise, the vessel went to the Banana River, Florida dry dock for repairs to the gun mounts. McBride recalls the crew’s attempts to locate a German submarine that had torpedoed a ship in an Atlantic convoy the PC-470 escorting. After spending thirty months based in Panama, PC-470 participated in the invasion of Leyte during which the boat was hit by shelling from a Japanese shore battery. There were several crewmembers wounded as a result. McBride returned to the United States on leave. He was then assigned to the landing craft repair ship USS Achelous (ARL-1), on which he continued to service until he was discharged November 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Thomas Goffe. Goffe joined the Army Air Forces in February 1943 and trained as a parachute rigger. He was assigned to the 434th Troop Carrier Group and shipped to England in October. He recalls the preparations ahead of the Normandy invasion and delivering gasoline to units in the field during the Battle of the Bulge. When the war ended, Goffe returned to the US in November and was discharged.