The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Cook. Cook joined the Navy in November of 1939, and completed submarine school. Beginning April of 1942, he served as a fireman aboard the USS Silversides (SS-236). He traveled to Japan and Truk participating in 2 successful war patrols. From November of 1944 through April of 1945 he was assigned to the USS Flasher (SS-249), traveling to the South China Sea and completing war patrols five and six, sinking two Japanese destroyers, Kishinami and Iwanami. After the war ended, Cook enlisted in the Army, when he was discharged as Chief Petty Officer in August of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with L.C. Finger. Finger was born in Garner, Texas. Drafted into the Army in 1943, he was sent to Camp Wolters, Texas for three weeks of basic training. He was then sent to Camp Mackall, North Carolina where he joined the 11th Airborne Division, volunteering for parachute training. He made five practice jumps before deploying overseas. Arriving at Leyte in June 1944 they made three practice jumps and conducted routine patrols. He recalls in December a Japanese force came out of the jungles and attacked an airfield and an engineering group killing many Americans. Elements of Finger’s division searched and were successful in finding and destroying the enemy force. That evening the Japanese dropped paratroopers to take the local airfield and he tells of seeing them come down, highlighted by white parachutes, enabling the Americans to kill many of them as they landed. The division retook the airfield the next day. While participating in the action, Finger was seriously wounded by a Japanese sniper. He was taken to an aid station and then to a field hospital where doctors removed his right leg. He was taken to Biak, New …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Everett E Knebel. Knebel joined the Navy in January 1942 as an experienced carpenter. He received basic training at Great Lakes and was among the first Seabees to be deployed in the war. When his unit left the island, Knebel stayed behind to have an appendectomy. He returned to duty on the island, climbing 40 feet in the air to construct a parachute drying tower, and operating the backhoe to install a sewage system. His working hours were ordinary and regular, just as in civilian life, only he would pause to make way for Polynesian natives whenever they held a traditional burial ceremony. He describes their singing in the procession, carrying a body wrapped in yellow on their shoulders. After two years, Knebel returned to the States. He was stationed at Port Hueneme when the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Fred Haschel. Haschel was born in Winamac, Indiana in 1918 and grew up during the Depression. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the Navy in September 1941. Upon completing basic training at Great Lakes, he was assigned to the USS Honolulu (CL-48) a few days following the Japanese attack. The Honolulu was damaged in the attack and went to Mare Island for repairs. Over the following months he describes the Honolulu serving as a convoy escort for troop ships sailing back and forth from Pearl Harbor to New Caledonia and Fiji. Next, the ship sailed to the Aleutians in mid-1942 for gunfire support followed by a transit to Espiritu Santo, where the Honolulu provided escort duty for Marine and Army troops landing on Guadalcanal. Haschel recalls the night of 30 November when the Honolulu, with the USS Northampton (CG-26) and other vessels, disrupted an attempt to resupply Japanese troops on Guadalcanal during the Battle of Tassafaronga. His next assignment was shore duty in Miami training sub chaser and patrol boat crews. He was transferred to the USS Augusta (CA-31) in 1945. Haschel was aboard when the …

Transcript of a presentation by Forrest Biard. Biard grew up in Texas and attended the Naval Academy, graduating in 1934. Biard learned Japanese in Japan from 1939 to 1941. The training was rigorous. He describes interactions with the local women. Biard also traveled in Japan. He describes how sentiment gradually changed in Japan after the Japanese Army invaded China. He also describes how more and more Germans started traveling to Japan. Biard relates that the U.S. was warned that Japan would attack Pearl Harbor by the Peruvian ambassador but ignored it. He also mentions meeting Richard Sorge. He also talks about being followed everywhere by two plainclothes police officers, who at one point even searched his bags. He arrived in Pearl Harbor shortly before it was bombed. Biard was immediately assigned to be a cryptologist to break Japanese code under Commander Joe Rochefort, without any instruction. He describes working on breaking JN-25. He also identifies the 3 code-breaking sites as Washington DC, Corregidor, and Pearl Harbor. He describes in detail how many warnings and mistakes happened prior to Pearl Harbor. He was also on the USS Yorktown and describes difficulties when trying to warn Admiral Fletcher about an attack. Next, …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Kurt Muller. Muller joined the Marine Corps soon after 7 December 1941. He describes his training as an officer candidate. Muller was sent to the 2nd Marine Division as a replacement and landed on Saipan and Tinian. He describes the brutal combat including a large scale banzai charge on Saipan. Muller was sent to Nagasaki as a part of the occupation and describes the damage caused by the atomic bomb.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with L.T. Tracy. Tracy completed Machinist School prior to entering the service. Tracy joined the Navy in December of 1940 and immediately went aboard the USS Lexington (CV-2). He participated as a gunner in the Battle of the Coral Sea. His spine was injured during this battle. In late 1942 Tracy was assigned to the USS Nevada (BB-36). They participated in the invasions of Attu and Kiska, as well as supporting the Normandy and Marseilles landings. Tracy was then transferred to the USS Texas (BB-35). They provided gunfire support during the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He was discharged for medical reasons in January of 1947.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Fred Haschel. Haschel was born in Winamac, Indiana in 1918 and grew up during the Depression. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the Navy in September 1941. Upon completing basic training at Great Lakes, he was assigned to the USS Honolulu (CL-48) a few days following the Japanese attack. The Honolulu was damaged in the attack and went to Mare Island for repairs. Over the following months he describes the Honolulu serving as a convoy escort for troop ships sailing back and forth from Pearl Harbor to New Caledonia and Fiji. Next, the ship sailed to the Aleutians in mid-1942 for gunfire support followed by a transit to Espiritu Santo, where the Honolulu provided escort duty for Marine and Army troops landing on Guadalcanal. Haschel recalls the night of 30 November when the Honolulu, with the USS Northampton (CG-26) and other vessels, disrupted an attempt to resupply Japanese troops on Guadalcanal during the Battle of Tassafaronga. His next assignment was shore duty in Miami training sub chaser and patrol boat crews. He was transferred to the USS Augusta (CA-31) in 1945. Haschel was aboard when the …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Everett E Knebel. Knebel joined the Navy in January 1942 as an experienced carpenter. He received basic training at Great Lakes and was among the first Seabees to be deployed in the war. When his unit left the island, Knebel stayed behind to have an appendectomy. He returned to duty on the island, climbing 40 feet in the air to construct a parachute drying tower, and operating the backhoe to install a sewage system. His working hours were ordinary and regular, just as in civilian life, only he would pause to make way for Polynesian natives whenever they held a traditional burial ceremony. He describes their singing in the procession, carrying a body wrapped in yellow on their shoulders. After two years, Knebel returned to the States. He was stationed at Port Hueneme when the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Cook. Cook joined the Navy in November of 1939, and completed submarine school. Beginning April of 1942, he served as a fireman aboard the USS Silversides (SS-236). He traveled to Japan and Truk participating in 2 successful war patrols. From November of 1944 through April of 1945 he was assigned to the USS Flasher (SS-249), traveling to the South China Sea and completing war patrols five and six, sinking two Japanese destroyers, Kishinami and Iwanami. After the war ended, Cook enlisted in the Army, when he was discharged as Chief Petty Officer in August of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with L.C. Finger. Finger was born in Garner, Texas. Drafted into the Army in 1943, he was sent to Camp Wolters, Texas for three weeks of basic training. He was then sent to Camp Mackall, North Carolina where he joined the 11th Airborne Division, volunteering for parachute training. He made five practice jumps before deploying overseas. Arriving at Leyte in June 1944 they made three practice jumps and conducted routine patrols. He recalls in December a Japanese force came out of the jungles and attacked an airfield and an engineering group killing many Americans. Elements of Finger’s division searched and were successful in finding and destroying the enemy force. That evening the Japanese dropped paratroopers to take the local airfield and he tells of seeing them come down, highlighted by white parachutes, enabling the Americans to kill many of them as they landed. The division retook the airfield the next day. While participating in the action, Finger was seriously wounded by a Japanese sniper. He was taken to an aid station and then to a field hospital where doctors removed his right leg. He was taken to Biak, New …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Donald Hair. Hair was drafted into the Navy when he was 18 years old. During boot camp he learned Morse Code, and how to serve as a signal flagman, helmsman and loader on a 5-inch gun. He worked aboard the USS Aulick (DD-569), which joined Admiral Kinkaid???s 7th Fleet. He provides some details of his job aboard and the ship in general. They traveled to Guam, Guadalcanal, the Solomon Islands, Leyte Gulf and the Philippines. In November of 1944 at Leyte Gulf their destroyer was attacked by 6 Japanese planes, which Hair describes and received shrapnel in his back. He was transferred to a hospital ship and then to a hospital on New Caledonia. He provides some information on the US Fleet Hospital 105 in New York. Once healed he joined a Seabee construction unit. He traveled back to the States around May of 1945 aboard the USS Rixey (APH-3). He describes his experiences aboard, including going through a typhoon. He was later assigned to the USS Adirondack (AGC-15), where he oversaw 6 men stationed on the large bridge. He served a total of 5 years in the Navy.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Kurt Muller. Muller joined the Marine Corps soon after 7 December 1941. He describes his training as an officer candidate. Muller was sent to the 2nd Marine Division as a replacement and landed on Saipan and Tinian. He describes the brutal combat including a large scale banzai charge on Saipan. Muller was sent to Nagasaki as a part of the occupation and describes the damage caused by the atomic bomb.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with L.T. Tracy. Tracy completed Machinist School prior to entering the service. Tracy joined the Navy in December of 1940 and immediately went aboard the USS Lexington (CV-2). He participated as a gunner in the Battle of the Coral Sea. His spine was injured during this battle. In late 1942 Tracy was assigned to the USS Nevada (BB-36). They participated in the invasions of Attu and Kiska, as well as supporting the Normandy and Marseilles landings. Tracy was then transferred to the USS Texas (BB-35). They provided gunfire support during the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He was discharged for medical reasons in January of 1947.

Transcript of a presentation by Forrest Biard. Biard grew up in Texas and attended the Naval Academy, graduating in 1934. Biard learned Japanese in Japan from 1939 to 1941. The training was rigorous. He describes interactions with the local women. Biard also traveled in Japan. He describes how sentiment gradually changed in Japan after the Japanese Army invaded China. He also describes how more and more Germans started traveling to Japan. Biard relates that the U.S. was warned that Japan would attack Pearl Harbor by the Peruvian ambassador but ignored it. He also mentions meeting Richard Sorge. He also talks about being followed everywhere by two plainclothes police officers, who at one point even searched his bags. He arrived in Pearl Harbor shortly before it was bombed. Biard was immediately assigned to be a cryptologist to break Japanese code under Commander Joe Rochefort, without any instruction. He describes working on breaking JN-25. He also identifies the 3 code-breaking sites as Washington DC, Corregidor, and Pearl Harbor. He describes in detail how many warnings and mistakes happened prior to Pearl Harbor. He was also on the USS Yorktown and describes difficulties when trying to warn Admiral Fletcher about an attack. Next, …