Interview with J.L. Summers, U.S. Army veteran (2nd Battalion, 131st Field Artillery, Texas National Guard) and a member of the "Lost Battalion," concerning his experiences as a prisoner-of-war of the Japanese during World War II. Summers discusses the fall of Java and his capture, Bicycle Camp in Batavia (1942), Changi Prison Camp in Singapore (1942), building the Burma-Thailand Death Railway (1942-1944), Kanchanaburi and Tamarkan, Thailand (1944), railway maintenance work in Burma (1944), Phet Buri, Thailand (1944-1945), Bangkok (1945), and his liberation. The Appendix includes photocopies of various documents provided by Mr. Summers [13 p.].

Interview with Elmer Wulf, businessman and U.S. Army Air Forces WWII veteran (535th Squadron, 381st Bomb Group, 1st Air Division, 8th Air Force), about his experiences as a B-17 pilot in the European Theater during World War II. Appendix includes two photocopies from an unknown book and two photocopies giving information on the B-17.

Interview with Leonard Bock, a Navy veteran (PC-1135 and PC-1128), concerning his experiences in the Pacific Theater during World War II.

Transcript of an interview with James G. Turner, Marine Corps veteran (Regimental Headquarters Company, 14th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division), concerning his experiences on Saipan in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Turner discusses his decision to join the Marine Corps, December 7, 1942; boot camp, Parris Island; formation of the 4th Marine Division at Camp Pendleton, California, 1943; preparations on Maui for the invasion of Saipan; the amphibious landings on Saipan, June 15, 1945; his duties with the Motor Transport Section and Headquarters Company; return to Maui.

Transcript of an interview with Donald W. Peters, Army veteran (C Company, 83rd Chemical Mortar Battalion), concerning his experiences in the Italian Campaign and experiences as a prisoner-of-war of the Germans in the European Theater during World War II. Peters discusses his entry into the Army and basic training, 1943; transit across the Atlantic to North Africa and then to Naples; assignment as a replacement to the 83rd Chemical Mortar Battalion; Monte Cassino; Anzio landing and being wounded by shrapnel when his ship sank; recuperation in Naples and return to his unit; murder of German POWs; Rome-Arno Campaign, 1944; invasion of southern France, 1944; transfer of the unit to the French Alps and his capture, 1944; initial incarceration in Torino (Turin); permanent POW camp at Stalag VII-A in Moosburg, Germany; POW life at Stalag VII-A; liberation; and postwar adjustments to civilian life.

Interview with General Robert E. Galer, a Marine Corps veteran (VMF-224) and recipient of the Medal of Honor, concerning his experiences concerning the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941; the Guadalcanal Campaign as commander of VMF-224; and as head of the 584 Radar units during the campaigns for the Philippines, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. Navy ROTC at the University of Washington, 1931-35; pilot training at Sand Point, Pensacola, and Quantico, 1935-38; assignment to amphibian squadron on Saint Thomas, Virgin Islands, 1938-40, and his minor role in the "destroyers-for-bases" deal with Great Britain, 1940; assignment as commander of VMF-224, 1942; description of the Grumman Wildcat fighter plane; assignment to Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, 1942; episodes involving aerial combat against the Japanese; aerial combat tactics; living conditions at Henderson Field; shot down for the first time on September 12, 1942; shot down for a second time on October 2, 1942; personnel problems with dysentery and malaria; reassignment to COMAIRPAC, November, 1943; Command and Staff College, 1943; awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for twenty-nine consecutive days of combat and eleven-and-one-half kills; meeting President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the Oval Office; development of the 584 Radar for close-air support; Iwo Jima, …

Transcript of an interview with Harry C. Strawn, Army Air Forces veteran (31st Fighter Group, 12th Air Force; and 413th Fighter Group, 14th Air Force), concerning his experiences as a fighter pilot in the European, Mediterranean, and Pacific Theaters during World War II. Appendix includes the introduction to "In a now forgotten sky: the 31st fighter group in WW2" by Dennis C. Kucera.

Transcript of an interview with Caleb H. Canby, III, a Marine Corps veteran (Scout-Bomber 243, 1st Marine Air Wing), concerning experiences in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Canby discusses his family background and education; decision to join the Marine Corps, 1942; boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina; advanced training at Quantico, Virginia, 1943-44; assignment to Scout-Bomber Squadron 243 at Emirau, Solomon Islands, 1944-45; his work in the flight department processing pilots' flight logs; transfer to Mangaldan, Luzon, 1945; assignment to Mindanao in March, 1945; contraction of hepatitis and return to the U. S.

Interview with John Hargrove, a Army Air Corps WWII veteran from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Hargrove discusses growing up and his family background, being drafted into the Air Corps, training, assignment to the 18th Reconnaissance Squadron, 22nd Bomb Group at Langley Field as a radio operator, life and work at Langley, transition to the B-26, the start of the war, submarine patrol, deployment to Townsville, Australia via Hawaii, flying his first mission, liberty and recreation, bombing and close air support missions, the crew being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, losses, returning to the US, work as a radio instructor, meeting his wife, postwar service, and reflections on the atomic bomb. In appendix is a manuscript for an autobiography written by Hargrove, an addendum to the interview, and a letter to Ron Marcello making corrections to the interview.

Interview with Kenneth Poff, a Army WWII veteran from Wrightsville, Pennsylvania, who served with the 1913th Engineer Aviation Battalion. Poff discusses his early life, being drafted and training, shipping out to Townsville, Australia, and landing on New Guinea, fighting attached to the 1st Marine Division for the Cape Gloucester and Hollandia campaigns, constructing and maintaining an airstrip, the Lingayan Gulf campaign in the Philippines, the atomic bomb and VJ-Day, and returning home.

Interview with William Smeltzer, a Army WWII veteran and Navy contractor from Wrightsville, Pennsylvania. Smeltzer discusses quitting high school and moving to California in 1940, experiences working at Mare and Pearl Harbor Navy Yards as a civilian contractor before and after the start of the war, the raising of the sunken USS Oklahoma (BB-37), being drafted into the Army and infantry training, assignment to the 45th Infantry Division and participating in the drive into Germany, the end of the war and demobilization, and his career afterwards. In appendix are a photo of the insignia for the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard and two photos of the capsized Oklahoma.

Interview with Glenn C. Blouse, a Army WWII veteran from Long Level, Pennsylvania. Blouse discusses his family life, being drafted, basic training, deployment to the European Theater via North Africa, assignment to the 135th Infantry, 34th Infantry Division in Italy, duties as a machine gunner, first combat experiences, fighting on the Monte Cassino front, foxhole life, shelling, tactics, taking prisoners, Italian civilians, the Anzio landing, assaulting a hill, liberating Rome, the Apennines Campaign, nightwatch and a firefight which earned him the Bronze Star, breaking into the Po Valley, Mussolini's corpse, the end of the war. In appendix is Blouse's Bronze Star citation.