The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Tina Burnham. Burnham was born in Sulpher Springs, Texas and graduated from high school in 1940. She attended a trade school in Texarkana, Texas to become a riveter. She was then employed at Spartan Aircraft Industries in Tulsa, Oklahoma as a riveter. On this job she manufactured wings on Grumman Wildcat aircraft. In January 1944 she joined the Coast Guard Women’s Reserve (SPARS) and went to Palm Beach, Florida for six weeks of intensive training. She describes the clothing she was issued and the training she received. Upon completion of boot camp she went to Philadelphia working as a pharmacist’s mate in the St. Agnes Hospital. She was then selected to attend the College of Pharmacy at Columbia University. She graduated 31 December 1944. After spending a short time in the SPARS barracks sick bay in Norfolk, Virginia she was transferred to the Marine Hospital in Norfolk. While at the hospital she rotated through the various departments. She states that surgery was her favorite. She was then sent to the Elizabeth City, North Carolina, Coast Guard Air Station where she served until being discharged 20 May 1946.