The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Foster. Foster received an agriculture deferment for two years afer he finished high school in 1942. He was drafted into the Army and trained in Florida before being shipped overseas to Hawaii, then Saipan, and finally Okinawa where he joined the 382nd Infantry Regiment, 96th Infantry Division as a replacement. He shares several anecdotes about his experiences fighting on Okinawa. Toward the end of the war, Foster was reassigned to the 86th Infantry Division in the philippoines and was there when the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ernest Harper. Harper joined the Navy in April of 1944. He did not train in any specific Navy schooling prior to going to sea. Beginning around mid-1944, Harper served as Steward’s Mate aboard USS Cowpens (CVL-25), working in storerooms, resupplying various areas of the ship and cleaning. Additionally, he assisted on the deck during combat, transporting supplies and ammunition to the gunners. Harper recalls combat experiences through Guam, Ulithi and Saipan during the Marianas operation, participating in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, attack missions against Luzon, and making supporting raids on Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He was discharged in February of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Frederick Valentine. Valentine graduated from high school in 1940. He worked as a mechanic for the General Aviation Company in Canton, Massachusetts. In early 1942, he joined the Army Air Forces, and served as a chief instructor at the Aviation Company’s civilian mechanics school and was in the reserve. The company began manufacturing parts for the CG-4 Glider, and he worked on the production line training welders. In April of 1944, Valentine was called to active duty and sent to Greensboro, North Carolina for basic. He describes playing on the baseball team with Charles Ruffing and Joe DiMaggio. He was later transferred to Pollock Field, Louisiana. In December of 1945, he was deployed to France, then to Wiesbaden, Germany, where Valentine completed parts inspections and repairs of various types of aircraft. He returned to the US in June of 1946 and received his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Frank Chalke. Chalke joined the Navy in June of 1944. Beginning in March of 1945, he was assigned as Radioman 3rd Class aboard the landing craft repair ship USS Pandemus (ARL-18). They traveled to Okinawa, Guam, Saipan, Philippine Islands and China servicing landing and small craft. They encountered kamikaze planes and a typhoon during their travels. They returned to the US in December of 1945. Chalke was discharged in May of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Thomas Killian. Killian joined the Army in April of 1945, at the young age of 14 years old. He was assigned to the 29th Regimental Combat Team, 10th Army. He traveled to Okinawa, arriving 26 June 1945, participating in the invasion of the island. They traveled south on the island, towards Naha, and helped with cleanup, and had some direct combat with the Japanese. By August the bombs had been dropped and the war was over. Killian remained on the island until 26 August. He returned to the US and was discharged in May of 1948. In August of 1949, Killian rejoined, and by June of 1950 he was back in Okinawa. From there, he participated in the Korean War with E Company, 7th Cavalry. He was wounded and discharged in July of 1951.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Maurice Clark. Clark joined the Army Air Forces in April of 1943. He served with as a Radio Operator and 2nd Navigator with the 93rd Bomb Squadron, 19th Bomb Group, 20th Air Force, aboard the B-29 the crew named Lil’ Butch. From February through August of 1945 they were stationed in Guam, and completed bombing missions over Japan, to destroy their war-making capabilities. They bombed targets on the Caroline Islands, Marianas and Northeast Tokyo. Clark returned home and was discharged in November of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ernest Harper. Harper joined the Navy in April of 1944. He did not train in any specific Navy schooling prior to going to sea. Beginning around mid-1944, Harper served as Steward’s Mate aboard USS Cowpens (CVL-25), working in storerooms, resupplying various areas of the ship and cleaning. Additionally, he assisted on the deck during combat, transporting supplies and ammunition to the gunners. Harper recalls combat experiences through Guam, Ulithi and Saipan during the Marianas operation, participating in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, attack missions against Luzon, and making supporting raids on Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He was discharged in February of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Frank Chalke. Chalke joined the Navy in June of 1944. Beginning in March of 1945, he was assigned as Radioman 3rd Class aboard the landing craft repair ship USS Pandemus (ARL-18). They traveled to Okinawa, Guam, Saipan, Philippine Islands and China servicing landing and small craft. They encountered kamikaze planes and a typhoon during their travels. They returned to the US in December of 1945. Chalke was discharged in May of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Maurice Clark. Clark joined the Army Air Forces in April of 1943. He served with as a Radio Operator and 2nd Navigator with the 93rd Bomb Squadron, 19th Bomb Group, 20th Air Force, aboard the B-29 the crew named Lil’ Butch. From February through August of 1945 they were stationed in Guam, and completed bombing missions over Japan, to destroy their war-making capabilities. They bombed targets on the Caroline Islands, Marianas and Northeast Tokyo. Clark returned home and was discharged in November of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Thomas Killian. Killian joined the Army in April of 1945, at the young age of 14 years old. He was assigned to the 29th Regimental Combat Team, 10th Army. He traveled to Okinawa, arriving 26 June 1945, participating in the invasion of the island. They traveled south on the island, towards Naha, and helped with cleanup, and had some direct combat with the Japanese. By August the bombs had been dropped and the war was over. Killian remained on the island until 26 August. He returned to the US and was discharged in May of 1948. In August of 1949, Killian rejoined, and by June of 1950 he was back in Okinawa. From there, he participated in the Korean War with E Company, 7th Cavalry. He was wounded and discharged in July of 1951.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Foster. Foster received an agriculture deferment for two years afer he finished high school in 1942. He was drafted into the Army and trained in Florida before being shipped overseas to Hawaii, then Saipan, and finally Okinawa where he joined the 382nd Infantry Regiment, 96th Infantry Division as a replacement. He shares several anecdotes about his experiences fighting on Okinawa. Toward the end of the war, Foster was reassigned to the 86th Infantry Division in the philippoines and was there when the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Frederick Valentine. Valentine graduated from high school in 1940. He worked as a mechanic for the General Aviation Company in Canton, Massachusetts. In early 1942, he joined the Army Air Forces, and served as a chief instructor at the Aviation Company’s civilian mechanics school and was in the reserve. The company began manufacturing parts for the CG-4 Glider, and he worked on the production line training welders. In April of 1944, Valentine was called to active duty and sent to Greensboro, North Carolina for basic. He describes playing on the baseball team with Charles Ruffing and Joe DiMaggio. He was later transferred to Pollock Field, Louisiana. In December of 1945, he was deployed to France, then to Wiesbaden, Germany, where Valentine completed parts inspections and repairs of various types of aircraft. He returned to the US in June of 1946 and received his discharge.