A senior recital presented at the UNT College of Music Recital Hall in partial fulfillment of the Bachelor of Music (BM) degree

Lecture given Saturday, June 26, 2004 at Abilene Christian University

Concert presented at the UNT College of Music Winspear Hall.

Guest artist recital performed at the UNT College of Music Concert Hall.

Interview tith Dr. Thomas S. Matney discussing his youth, family, education, and career at MD Anderson. He begins the interview by talking about growing up in Texas and attending Trinity University of his bachelor's and master's degrees. He discusses his early career at MD Anderson and his research into bacteria and genetics.

Concert Choir and Colleyville Heritage High School Chorale performance at the UNT College of Music Winspear Performance Hall.

Concert Choir, Women's Chorus, Canticum Novum, Men's Chorus, and A Cappella Choir perform at the UNT Winspear Performance Hall.

Concert performed at UNT Murchison Performing Arts Center Winspear Hall.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Frank Mace. Mace was born in Carseland, Alberta, Canada on 27 May 1917 and graduated from high school in Washington 1937. In 1940, he joined Morrison-Knudsen, Inc. as a construction worker and group chaplain on Wake Island arriving on 9 January 1941. He began constructing runways and buildings. Mace tells of the Japanese invasion of the island, of the combat and of the casualties taken prior to surrender. He tells of the starvation and inhumane treatment while a captive. He describes the manufacturing process and the method of sabotage that the slave laborers employed while working in an Osaka, Japan shipyard and also of disrupting production while working in an iron smelting plant. He relates how a plane dropped a message that the war was over and how food and supplies were dropped by air. Upon liberation, he was put on board the USS Rescue (AH-18) and taken to Letterman General Hospital for recovery.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Anita Borchers. Borchers speaks on behalf of her late husband, Eddie Borchers, in regards to his military involvement in World War II. Beginning in 1941, Eddie worked in Civil Service at Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio, as a Logistic Command Officer. He completed schooling in automatic pilot work, which he worked in during the war. Anita shares pictures of Eddie at Kelly Field in November of 1945, and describes the airplanes pictured with him, including the B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator. After the war ended, Eddie’s job was to disassemble the planes and remove secret items. He would also photograph the nose art on each plane, before disassembling them, which Anita has in her photo collection. Anita describes the German prisoners still held at the base after the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Merle Ainley. Ainley joined the Navy in September of 1944. He completed Radar School in Hawaii, and served as a Radar Specialist and navigator aboard USS Finch (DE-328). They traveled to Guam, Leyte and maneuvered along the China Coast, with a carrier task force. They transported prisoners-of-war from Taiwan and Formosa to Manila. They traveled to Saipan and completed occupation duty in Hong Kong, completing air sea rescue and charting harbors. He returned to the US and was discharged in June of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jack Kaney. Kaney joined the Navy in 1942. He completed Fleet Sonar School. He served as operator of sonar equipment for anti-submarine warfare activities aboard USS Finch (DE-328). They traveled to Algiers, North Africa, and escorted ships to Naples, Italy for Operation Dragoon. Kaney was later reassigned to USS Charles S. Sperry (DD-697), where he remained through the end of the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Coleman Harrington. Harrington joined the Navy in 1944. He completed Communications School, and stevedore training. He traveled to Okinawa, offloading supplies from ship to shore, where he remained through the end of the war. He traveled to Hong Kong. Harrington returned to the US and was discharged in January of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jack Thurmond. Thurmond joined the Navy around 1942. Beginning in December of 1943, he served as an Electrician’s Mate aboard the USS Finch (DE-328). He served in both the European and Pacific theaters. They escorted convoys to Africa, Britain, Pearl Harbor, Guam, Saipan and the Philippines. After the war ended, they transported former POWs from Formosa to Manila. He returned to the US and was discharged in the fall of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Larry Pangan. Pangan was born in Arayat, Pampanga in September of 1919. He moved to Manila in 1938 to attend business college. He joined the US Army Philippine Scouts in March 1941 and was assigned to the 57th Infantry Regiment. He survived the Bataan Death March and incarceration at Camp O'Donnell. Although seriously ill with malaria, dysentery, beriberi and malnutrition, Pangan was able to escape. Upon regaining his health, he joined an American-led guerrilla group in central Luzon. He continued his service after the war ended, retiring from the Army in 1961.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Horace H. Cook. Cook was born in San Antonio, Texas 12 February 1918 and graduated from Texas A & I University in Kingsville in 1939. Drafted into the US Army in July 1942 he was sent to Camp Barkley, Texas where he trained as a medic for five weeks before being assigned to the Medical Training Replacement Center located there. He recalls that, while there, he worked with Lew Ayers a noted radio and movie personality. In 1943 he was sent to Ohio State University for nine months of Spanish language training. In 1944 he was assigned to the Signal Corps and trained as a telephone lineman for seven months. Upon completion of the training he went to Camp Crowder, Missouri where he became a company clerk. He then became an administrative assistant in Philadelphia until his discharge 6 January 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Foley. Foley joined the Marine Corps in September of 1942. He completed Scout Sniper School, and provides details of his training. Foley served with the 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division. He was deployed to Auckland, New Zealand, where he continued combat training, in preparation for operations. Foley’s first battle action was at Guadalcanal. He subsequently participated in three major beach landings, during the battles of Bougainville, Guam and Iwo Jima. He was discharged in September of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles Link. Link joined the Navy in March of 1939. He served as an electrician aboard a ship, though does not note the name. It is deduced that he was aboard USS California (BB-44), and stationed at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked. In March of 1942, Link boarded USS Lexington (CV-2), and participated in the Battle of the Coral Sea when the ship was sunk. He later served aboard USS YP-518 and Whipstock (YO-49). He was discharged in 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Alva B. Sampson. Sampson was born in May 1926 in Columbus, Ohio. He entered the Army in September 1944 and took basic training at Ft. Knox, Kentucky. Upon completion, he went aboard RMS Queen Mary, disembarking at Glasgow, Scotland. Sampson tells of being assigned to the 4th Armored Division, 37th Tank Battalion even though he had no experience in tanks. He was assigned as a replacement in a light tank. He describes what he saw as his unit liberated several concentration camps. He recalls being in Czechoslovakia when an estimated 20,000 Germans surrendered to his unit rather than the Russians. Three tanks were assigned to guard the prisoners. Sampson remembers the captives were turned over to the Russian Army as they were ordered to do. After the surrender of Germany, he was assigned to a military police unit in Lorch, Germany, until he returned to the United States.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ernest Dege. Dege joined the Navy in 1940. He was stationed on Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked. Shortly after the attack, Dege was transferred to Philadelphia to complete schooling on super-heated boilers. Beginning April of 1944, he served as a Fireman aboard USS Wisconsin (BB-64). They traveled to Australia, Guadalcanal and Tulagi.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Ellis. Ellis was born 17 December 1917 in Chillicothe, Ohio. After graduating from high school in 1935, he attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. While there he joined the Marine Corps Reserve and entered into platoon leader classes. Upon graduating from college in 1939, he was commissioned a second lieutenant and went to Philadelphia for advanced courses. Upon completion, he reported to San Diego where he was assigned as battalion communications officer for the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines. During October 1941, he attended the battalion regimental communications officer course at Fort Benning, Georgia. In 1942 he went to American Samoa aboard the USS Zeilin (APA-3). In January 1944 he was ordered to return to Camp Pendleton to establish and command the 3rd Joint Assault Signal Company (JASCO). On 10 April 1944 the unit boarded the USS Algorab (AKA-8) and sailed for Guadalcanal, where they began training for the invasion of Guam. The day after going ashore during the invasion of Guam, Ellis was wounded by shell fragments. He returned after being treated aboard an LST offshore. After Guam was secured the unit began preparing for the invasion …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Alvin Kendzora. Kendzora enlisted in the Army Air Forces in April 1944 and trained at Sheppard Field in Texas. After basic training, he qualified to train as a radio operator. He departed for overseas in May 1945. He stopped at New Guinea for a month or two before heading for Leyte in the Philippines. He was attached to a headquarters squadron in the Fifth Air Force and was there when the war ended. He was tasked with hauling supplies to Japan and recalls some details of his experiences in Japan. He also managed to travel some in Shanghai as well as Korea. He shares several anecdotes about his experiences overseas and was discharged in May 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Archie Norman. Norman was drafted into the Army soon after high school. He was sent to the 32nd Infantry Division and traveled to New Guinea. Norman then took part in battle for Leyte and describes surviving a nearby explosion and a time when he shot a Japanese soldier. He also discusses how he was wounded when a rifle was accidently discharged in camp. Norman describes his treatment and evacuation back to the US. He was discharged after his recovery in December 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Andrew Firm. Firm joined the Navy in June 1942 and only received 28 days of training before boarding the light cruiser USS Montpelier (CL-57). As a gunner’s mate, his first duty was greasing the guns while the Montpelier patrolled The Slot around Guadalcanal. During island bombardments, he added special tips to shells that would clear trees from the beachheads. In the blazing heat of the Marianas, he was stunned to see a warmly dressed Japanese corpse float by. Returning home in September 1944, Firm transferred to the USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107), where he maintained a quad-40mm and a 5-inch gun. At the end of the war, he sailed to Okinawa and Tokyo Bay, ultimately leaving the service with six battle stars and a Good Conduct Medal.