The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with A K Sheffield. Sheffield joined the Navy in late 1943. He completed Armed Guard School in San Diego. He served with the Navy Armed Guard aboard a transport ship, and traveled to the Philippine Islands. In May of 1944, Sheffield was aboard the SS Henry Bergh when it ran aground on the Farallon Islands, and shares details of those events. He traveled through the Pacific Islands, to Japan and throughout the Atlantic. Sheffield does not speak of participating in any battles or combat. He returned home aboard USS Iowa (BB-61) after the war ended in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Albert Machaud. Machaud joined the Army Air Forces on 27 June 1946. He served as a control tower operator with the 128th Army Airways Communication System Squadron. He traveled throughout the Pacific, including Johnston Island, Wake Island, Kwajalein, Okinawa and into Tokyo by January of 1947, directing aircraft on new airstrips that had hastily been built during the war. He speaks of his experiences during his 2 years in occupied Japan. Machaud was discharged on 26 June 1949.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Alfred Lehmann. Lehmann was drafted in the US Army in 1943. He completed 6 weeks of boot camp in Little Rock, Arkansas, then was deployed overseas as an infantryman. He served with the 148th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Division. Lehmann served in the Philippine Islands, and shares his experiences in the Bougainville Campaign, the Battle of Luzon and freeing prisoners in Manila. Lehmann returned to the US in December of 1945 and received his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Allen Cates. Cates joined the Army in 1944. He completed basic training at Camp Wolters, Texas, and paratrooper training off Dog Island, Florida. In December he deployed to New Guinea and served with the 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 11th Airborne Division. In mid-February 1945, they landed on Corregidor to liberate the island from occupying Japanese forces. From there he was assigned as a combat engineer with the 11th, working with demolition, traveling through Manila, Luzon and Okinawa. In late August, they landed at Atsugi Airfield in Japan, then traveled to Hokkaido in December where he served with the occupation through late 1946. He returned to the US and received his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Alton Frost. Frost joined the Navy in September 1942 after finishing high school. He went to flight school and switched to the Marine Corps so he could fly single engine planes. He then was assigned to fly dive bombers in Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 241 (VMSB-241). Frost joined the squadron in the Solomon Islands in time to go to the Philippines. He shares a few anecdotes of his combat flight experiences. When the war ended, Frost elected to serve in the Reserves but was not recalled for the Jorean War. He left the Reserves and resigned his commission.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Archie Roberts. Roberts joined the Army in 1943. He was trained on the 240mm howitzer, and worked in the command center of the artillery operation in the 270th Field Artillery Battalion. They deployed to England, and participated in the pre-invasion of Normandy in June of 1944. They advanced into Belgium, participating in the Battle of the Bulge. Roberts returned to the US and was discharged in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Arlie Ray Horn. Horn was drafted into the Army in July 1943 and trained at Camp Wolters before being shipped overseas to England where he trained with the Special Forces and was attached to the 29th Infantry Division. He landed at Omaha Beach on 6 June 1944 (D-Day). Horn was wounded three different times. After the war ended, Horn returned to the US in October, 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Arthur Scharlau. Scharlau joined the Navy in January of 1945. He completed basic training in Bainbridge, Maryland. In January of 1946, he was transferred to the Naval operating base on Guam and served as Seaman Second-Class in the Disbursing Office. Scharlau shares a number of stories of living and working on Guam. He returned to the US and received his discharge in July of 1946.

The National Museum of the pacific War presents an interview with Arthur Wages. Wages joined the Navy in February 1943 and trained at Great Lakes and then attended quartermaster school in Rhode Island. When he got overseas to New Caledonia, he was assigned to the USS Washington (BB-56) in late 1943. He was aboard when the Washington was involved in a collision at sea. After a brief home leave and repairs, Wages returned to the ship and participated in the action at the Mariana Islands, the Palaus, the Philippines and others. He was aboard when the war ended and was discharged in February, 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Barbara Burton. Upon graduation from high school, Burton completed nursing school in 1947 at the University of California. Burton gives detail of civilian life during World War II. She talks about being in Los Angeles on August 15th and the celebration in the streets. After college she became a civilian Navy employee and took a position in the Aleutian Islands in 1947, working for the dispersing officer in the supply department. She provides details of her experiences there. Burton completed her work in 1950. Towards the end of her interview she gives much information about her husband’s experiences in World War II and 32 years in the Navy, James Fred Imlay.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bill Marten. Marten joined the Merchant Marine in November 1943. He started as a fireman working as a water tender in the engine room. Marten describes some of his service on tankers crossing the Atlantic. He details an incident where he witnesses another tanker in his convoy explode after it was hit by a torpedo. Marten took part in 12 voyages and eventually left the Merchant Marine in 1948.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bruce Greig. Greig enlisted in the reserves and was called to active duty with the Army Air Forces in February 1943. He was sent to radio school and then radar school. Greig served stateside before being sent to Saipan as a part of a service group for the 73rd Bomb Wing. He describes the conditions on Saipan and how the airbase grew. Greig describes how he worked in a shop and specialized in a black box that was a part of early airplane radar units. He was then sent to Guam and eventually back to the US where he was discharged in February 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Caramello Stramer. Stramer joined the Navy in February of 1942. He completed boot camp at Great Lakes, Illinois, and he completed training in New London, Connecticut to serve aboard submarines. Stramer provides details on his experiences at both training locations. He served aboard the USS Puffer (SS-268) beginning April of 1943, as the motor machinist mate. He was stationed in the aft engine room, overseeing diesel engines. They went to Brisbane, Australia for additional training and repairs. In September 1943 they made their first patrol in the Makassar Straits. He goes into great detail of torpedoing a ship, coming under attack by the Japanese and other experiences through the Strait. Stramer discusses their other patrols through the South China Sea and around Singapore. Stramer also served aboard the USS Ray (SS-271) beginning July of 1944. He was discharged in December of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Carl Stevens. Stevens joined the U.S. Army Air Forces Aviation Cadet College Reserve April 1943. He was in the Air Training Command. He served as an Aviation Cadet. He went to Kessler Field in Mississippi for training, then on to Memphis State College for college training. Then he moved on to Scott Field, Illinois to learn radio operator mechanics. He moved on and while in the middle of B-29 flight engineer school the war in the Pacific ended. Overall he was either in training or served as an instructor. The day after the war ended he applied for resignation and resigned November of 1945. He joined the Tennessee Air Guard, serving as their Special Service Officer and later as an aide-de-camp to the commanding general. He was transferred in April of 1951 to Texas. He served with the Guard in Texas as a first lieutenant and aid to the commanding general. He utilized his G.I. Bill at Vanderbilt University.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles Baldwin. Baldwin was learning to fly through the Civilian Pilot Training program when he was called to active duty in January, 1943. After basic training, he went to flight training. He graduated and was commissioned in March, 1944. Baldwin was sent to France in November, 1944 and attached to the 36th Fighter Group, 23rd Fighter Squadron and began flying combat missions in a P-47. He flew 51 combat missions before the war ended and shares several anecdotes about his experiences. Baldwin was discharged in December 1945, but stayed in the Reserves until 1982.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles Harter. Harter was drafted in December of 1942 into the Army Ordnance Corps. He went to the Ordnance station in Aberdeen, Maryland. His outfit was the 534th Ordnance, Heavy Tank Company. From there they went to Indio, California, and practiced tank maneuvers in the desert. He went to Normandy, where his outfit’s job was to put devices on front of the tanks so they could go through hedgerows so the infantry could follow them. They travelled behind the direction of General Patton. Harter’s unit also served in Nancy, France. He provides great detail of his time in France and his unit’s responsibilities under Patton’s command during the Battle of the Bulge. He was discharged December of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles Herlin. Herlin joined the Navy in the fall of 1942. Beginning in late 1943, he served as a Radioman First Class with Composite Squadron Twelve (VC-12) aboard the USS Kadashan Bay (CVE-76). He later transferred to the USS Card (CVE-11). Herlin served with the hunter-killer groups completing offensive operations against German submarines in the Atlantic and North Africa. He continued his service after the war ended through early 1954.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles Huffman. Huffman joined the Navy in March of 1944. He completed Midshipman’s School in mid-1945, and was completing Advanced-Line Officers School in Florida, when the atomic bomb was dropped. He continued his service after the war ended, traveling to Naval Supply Depots in the Pacific, processing supply requests. Huffman returned to the US in August of 1946, though remained in the reserves through May of 1958.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles Mazoch. Mazoch was drafted into the Army in August, 1942 and was attached to the 127th Infantry Regiment, 32nd Infantry Division. He joined the unit on New Guinea after the Battle of Buna. He also participated in the invasion of the Philippines. Mazoch has considerable help relating his story from his daughter.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles Thorney. Thorney was in the NROTC at Northwestern University when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. He was commissioned in September 1944, a year early, and sent to Florida for training in antisubmarine warfare. He was eventually assigned as the executive officer aboard USS PGM-2, a motorized patrol gunboat, in the Solomon Islands. Thorney recalls operating mostly at night around the Rabaul area interdicting Japanese supply efforts when he initally joined PGM-2. When the war ended, Thorney was at Okinawa still with PGM-2. They then wento to China to sweep mines from the Yangtze River.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles White. White joined the Navy in June, 1945 and went to Great Lakes for basic training. He caught his ship, the USS Pawnee (ATF-74) at Okinawa in August, 1945 and began pulling ships off the beach after a typhoon. They also tugged barges around Japan for a few weeks after the surrender, the Philippines, too. White returned to the US and was discharged in August, 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles William Wiley. Wiley joined the Navy in 1944. He completed basic training in Samson, New York, and worked in Naval Intelligence at an airfield in Anacostia, near Washington DC. He helped make propaganda and training films, and worked security on the base. In early 1945, he was assigned to USS LST-950 in the Pacific and participated in the assault and occupation of Okinawa. From September through early November, they performed occupation duty in Japan. In mid-1946, they assisted in relocating natives off of Bikini Island to other islands, for the United States nuclear testing. Wiley returned to the US in late 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles Wray. Wray entered the Navy in 1942. He completed flight training in Kansas, California, and Texas. He was commissioned in August 1943 and sent to Opa-Locka, Florida to fly a Brewster Buffalo and completed various gunnery missions and field carrier landings. He joined the Composite Squadron 75 (VC-75) flying the FM2 and the F4F. His squadron was sent to Kaneohe, Hawaii and boarded the USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79). They worked with Thomas Kincaid’s fleet, escorting troops up to Palau. They also supported troops in the Solomon Islands. He was in the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944, escorting troops. He was aboard the Ommaney Bay when it was struck by a kamikaze. He abandoned ship and was picked up by the USS Patterson (DD-392), then transferred to the USS New Mexico (BB-40) and was aboard during the invasion of Lingayen Gulf in January 1945. He was transported back to California in 1945. The Navy then sent him to Daytona Beach Naval Air Station as an instructor. He was discharged in 1946 and joined the Naval Reserves.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Cletus Ernster. Ernster went to Conrad Flying School in Winona, Minnesota in 1939. He joined the Army Air Forces in 1942 and was commissioned as a service pilot. He was assigned to Wilmington, Delaware to deliver planes throughout the United States and overseas. He discusses the various planes that he flew and the locations he delivered planes to. He was assigned to Chanyi, China in September of 1944, where he spent the remainder of his service. He was in the 1342nd Army Air Forces Base Unit in China. He gives detail of flying missions and transporting Chinese soldiers from one battle area to the next. He was discharged in November of 1945.