The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Martin Allday. Allday was drafted into the Army in August, 1944. On 1 May 1945, he landed on Okinawa as a replacement in the 96th Infantry Division. Allday describes his experiences in combat at Okinawa. Allday was wounded on 11 May and returned to duty the day the island was declared secure. When the war ended, Allday was transferred to the 81st Infantry Division and went to the Philippines. Allday returned to the US in September, 1946 and enrolled in college.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ben Blaz. Blaz was born on Guam in 1928 and recalls aspects of his education on the island prior to World War II. He then recounts the arrival of the Japanese forces in December, 1941 and how they treated the Chamorro people. His family fled Agana to some property in the hills outside of town and raised crops during the war years. Blaz was recruited to help build and maintain airfields for the Japanese. He describes his life on GUma during WWII and then recalls the return of the Americans and being liberated. In 1947, Blaz went to Notre Dame University and then joined the Marine Corps in 1951, retiring in 1980.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with David Braden. Braden was called to active duty in the Army Air Forces from his university’s ROTC program in February 1943 and went to Sheppard Field in Wichita Falls, Texas. He trained to be a navigator. In January 1945, he flew to Saipan and joined the 870th Bomb Squadron, 497th Bomb Group. He flew combat missions against the home islands of Japan and comments on the initial poor results. He also describes an incident in which they had to ditch their plane in the ocean. He also mentions the low altitude incendiary attacks on Tokyo. Braden returned to the US and was discharged in September, 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bob Layher. Layher was a member of the first squadron of the American Volunteer Group (AVG), nicknamed the Flying Tigers. While stationed in Rangoon in January 1942, the group sent Pete Wright into the air to scare off an enemy bomber. Wright's plane malfunctioned on the approach, and he veered off the runway, killing a captain. On 5 March 1942, Layher nearly lost control of his own plane during a close formation drill. The group had been asked to escort Chiang Kai-shek and to perform a slow roll. Being at the tail end of the formation, Layher was unable to fly fast enough to perform the maneuver safely. By the time he recovered and rejoined the formation, their leader had dropped out due to an equipment malfunction. So, Pappy Boyington led the group, taking them off course and expending more fuel than anticipated. Layher crash-landed on a remote trail and was discovered by unfriendly natives. Not having worn his blood chit that day, he narrowly escaped execution and was eventually reunited with his group.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bob Layher. Layher was a member of the first squadron of the American Volunteer Group (AVG), nicknamed the Flying Tigers. While stationed in Rangoon in January 1942, the group sent Pete Wright into the air to scare off an enemy bomber. Wright's plane malfunctioned on the approach, and he veered off the runway, killing a captain. On 5 March 1942, Layher nearly lost control of his own plane during a close formation drill. The group had been asked to escort Chiang Kai-shek and to perform a slow roll. Being at the tail end of the formation, Layher was unable to fly fast enough to perform the maneuver safely. By the time he recovered and rejoined the formation, their leader had dropped out due to an equipment malfunction. So, Pappy Boyington led the group, taking them off course and expending more fuel than anticipated. Layher crash-landed on a remote trail and was discovered by unfriendly natives. Not having worn his blood chit that day, he narrowly escaped execution and was eventually reunited with his group.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with E. B. Potter. Potter was attached to the Intelligence Section of the 14th Naval District in Oahu during World War II. He graduated with an English degree from the University of Richmond in 1929. He completed an advanced degree in English at the University of Chicago, and during this time the war broke out in Europe. He applied for and received a commission in the Navy. Potter was sent to the Naval Academy as a reservist to teach college-level European and naval history. After 7 December 1941 he went to communications school. From there he went to Pearl Harbor in November of 1943. Potter worked in the Registered Publications Issuing Office (RPIO), distributing codes and ciphers to ships of the fleet. He provides a vivid description of his work. Potter became second-in-command of RPIO. He talks some of Commander Joseph Rochefort’s operation and code breaking. He discusses briefly working on the biography of Admiral Chester Nimitz, and some of Admiral Bill Halsey’s actions during the war. Potter was later assigned as executive officer to the 14th Naval District and provides stories of his experiences. In 1945 he returned to …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with E. B. Potter. Potter was attached to the Intelligence Section of the 14th Naval District in Oahu during World War II. He graduated with an English degree from the University of Richmond in 1929. He completed an advanced degree in English at the University of Chicago, and during this time the war broke out in Europe. He applied for and received a commission in the Navy. Potter was sent to the Naval Academy as a reservist to teach college-level European and naval history. After 7 December 1941 he went to communications school. From there he went to Pearl Harbor in November of 1943. Potter worked in the Registered Publications Issuing Office (RPIO), distributing codes and ciphers to ships of the fleet. He provides a vivid description of his work. Potter became second-in-command of RPIO. He talks some of Commander Joseph Rochefort’s operation and code breaking. He discusses briefly working on the biography of Admiral Chester Nimitz, and some of Admiral Bill Halsey’s actions during the war. Potter was later assigned as executive officer to the 14th Naval District and provides stories of his experiences. In 1945 he returned to …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Manual Sablan. Sablan was born in Saipan and became a messenger for the Japanese police when he was a teenager. Japanese troops had occupied his family home by that time. To remain safe during bombardments, Sablan lived in a manmade cave behind the police station. He recalls seeing six American prisoners of war in the jail. When the bombing became very heavy, Sablan went to look for his mother, but fires blocked his way. Without caves to hide in, he used a machete to fashion wooden shovels for digging foxholes. He was hiding near Talofofo, having eaten nothing but sugar cane for two weeks, when he surrendered to Americans. Sablan was sent to Camp Susupe, where conditions were terrible. Eventually he was given a job at the 369th Station Hospital in San Vicente, where badly wounded soldiers from Iwo Jima and Okinawa were given medical treatment. He became a police officer in 1951 and participated in the capture of a Japanese soldier who was discovered in a cave in 1952. He became the sheriff of Saipan and then the director of public safety for the Trust Territory.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Manual Sablan. Sablan was born in Saipan and became a messenger for the Japanese police when he was a teenager. Japanese troops had occupied his family home by that time. To remain safe during bombardments, Sablan lived in a manmade cave behind the police station. He recalls seeing six American prisoners of war in the jail. When the bombing became very heavy, Sablan went to look for his mother, but fires blocked his way. Without caves to hide in, he used a machete to fashion wooden shovels for digging foxholes. He was hiding near Talofofo, having eaten nothing but sugar cane for two weeks, when he surrendered to Americans. Sablan was sent to Camp Susupe, where conditions were terrible. Eventually he was given a job at the 369th Station Hospital in San Vicente, where badly wounded soldiers from Iwo Jima and Okinawa were given medical treatment. He became a police officer in 1951 and participated in the capture of a Japanese soldier who was discovered in a cave in 1952. He became the sheriff of Saipan and then the director of public safety for the Trust Territory.