The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William R. Hamilton. Born in 1927, he enlisted in the Navy with his twin brother, Bob, in early 1945. He shares an anecdote about their selection for submarine school and the subsequent change in their orders. He also tells about how they came to be assigned to the USS Pomfret (SS-391). They served together on the submarine for forty-two months. He served as an electrician while Bob was a gunner. Hamilton describes the guns on the submarine. He discusses searching for and destroying mines at sea. Both Hamilton and his brother completed the submarine qualification process and were awarded the dolphin insignia. He recounts an incident in which the submarine was erroneously targeted by an American destroyer with Hedgehogs and depth charges. He describes sinking Japanese ships with torpedoes at Eniwetok. He was discharged at Treasure Island Naval Base after serving forty-four months in the Navy. He describes the shellback initiation; living conditions on the submarine; charging submarine batteries; and conditions in Japan after the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Preston Allen. Allen was born in Columbus, Indiana on 6 January 1926. Upon enlisting in the Navy, he went to Great Lakes Naval Training Station for boot training. After graduation, he was assigned to the USS New York (BB-34). He made several trips across the Atlantic aboard the New York before requesting submarine duty. He then went to submarine school in New London, Connecticut. From there he attended diesel school at Groton, Connecticut. Upon graduating as a motor machinist, he was assigned to the USS Perch (SS-313). After conducting sea trials the boat departed to Pearl Harbor via the Panama Canal. On their first patrol they sunk a Japanese tanker and were subjected to depth charge attack by destroyers. The next day they sank a Japanese patrol boat with gun fire. On their second patrol one of their main engines required major repairs. The engine room crew worked seventy-two hours straight to get it repaired. As the boat returned to Midway, a PBY dropped a bomb inflicting no to the boat. Allen suffered a ruptured eardrum from the explosion. After the Perch returned to Pearl Harbor, Allen was …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles Schaub. He was born on 10 October 1928 in Washington, Pennsylvania and enlisted into the Navy in October 1945. Immediately after enlisting, he was sent to Camp Perry, a Seabee training base in Virginia. He describes the conditions in the camp and his experiences while undergoing eight weeks of basic training. Due to his aptitude with the Morse Code, he was sent to radio school in Bainbridge, Maryland for five months. Schaub graduated in May 1946, and volunteered for Submarine School for advanced training in radio, sonar and radar in Groton, Connecticut. In December 1946 he was sent to the USS Greenfish (SS-351), and following a short cruise to the Caribbean, he was transferred to the Brooklyn Naval Receiving Station in April 1947 to decommission USS LST-506. In September 1947 he was transferred to the USS Steinaker (DD-863) for two years. During his second cruise he was transferred to the USS Cone (DD-866), where he served as a radio operator. In August 1949 he reenlisted and was transferred to the USS Cobbler (SS-344). In June 1950 he was transferred to the USS Sea Leopard (SS-483) where he …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Arthur Schott. Schott joined the Army in January of 1942. He completed Quartermaster training. In mid to late 1942 he traveled to Brisbane, Australia and New Guinea, serving with the Sixth Army Headquarters. In 1944 Schott was stationed in the Philippines, during the Battle of Leyte. His job was graves registration. He remained in the Philippines through early 1945. He returned to the US and was discharged in August.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with David Lustig. Lustig was born in August 1927 in Walden, New York. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942 and went to Midland, Texas for basic training. His first assignment was as an operations clerk at Pampa Airfield, Texas. He attended Army radio school in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and gunnery school in Yuma, Arizona. At Dyersburg, Tennessee, Lustig was assigned to a B-17 crew, which flew to Grafton Underwood, England, and was assigned to the 384th Bomb Group, 547th Squadron. He flew in twenty combat missions over Germany and describes elements of several sorties. He recalls one mission during which his crew heard on BBC radio of a pending air raid on Skoda Armament Works in Pilsen, Czechoslovakia while on the way to bomb that target. Lustig tells of the grueling flights and extreme weather encountered during these flights. He returned home on HMS Queen Mary in December 1945, signed up for the 52-20 program upon discharge, and joined the Air Force Reserves where he retired as a lieutenant colonel in 1982.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ralph O. McClain. McClain was born in Lone Wolf, Oklahoma 30 June 1925. He joined the Navy in March 1943 and went to San Diego for boot training. From there, he was sent to Honolulu. He tells of going aboard the Japanese midget submarine HA-19, which was tied along the dock. He comments on seeing it again during his visit to the National Museum of the Pacific War. After undergoing some training related to submarine duty he was sent to Midway and assigned to the USS Aspro (SS-309). On night watch during his first war patrol McClain sighted a silhouette and reported it to the captain. It was the Japanese submarine I-43 which was engaged and sunk by torpedoes from the Aspro in February 1944. McLain made five more patrols while on board the boat and he tells of some actions, including life guard duty, which involved picking up downed flyers. He was discharged soon after returning to the United States following the surrender of Japan.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Wiley Davis. Davis was born in Gainesville, Texas 13 April 1925. Enlisting in the Navy in 1942, he was sent directly to Iowa State College for six months training in electrical engineering. He volunteered for submarine service in January 1943. After attending various schools, he reported to Portsmouth, New Hampshire and was assigned to the USS Batfish (SS-310), which was under construction. After commissioning and a successful shakedown cruise, the Batfish headed for the Pacific Ocean. Davis was assigned as fireman in the after engine room. Refueled and resupplied at Pearl Harbor, the Batfish proceeded to Midway, where more fuel and additional torpedoes were taken on board. He recalls the first combat mission, lasting 52 days, where they sank several sampans with their deck gun, as well as a destroyer escort and a tanker with torpedoes. On one patrol, the Batfish encountered severe weather and did not locate any Japanese ships. On another, she received damage from a bomb erroneously dropped by an American plane. They went to Brisbane, Australia for repairs. Davis comments on other patrols including the sixth when Batfish sank three Japanese submarines. Davis remembered …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Preston Allen. Allen was born in Columbus, Indiana on 6 January 1926. Upon enlisting in the Navy, he went to Great Lakes Naval Training Station for boot training. After graduation, he was assigned to the USS New York (BB-34). He made several trips across the Atlantic aboard the New York before requesting submarine duty. He then went to submarine school in New London, Connecticut. From there he attended diesel school at Groton, Connecticut. Upon graduating as a motor machinist, he was assigned to the USS Perch (SS-313). After conducting sea trials the boat departed to Pearl Harbor via the Panama Canal. On their first patrol they sunk a Japanese tanker and were subjected to depth charge attack by destroyers. The next day they sank a Japanese patrol boat with gun fire. On their second patrol one of their main engines required major repairs. The engine room crew worked seventy-two hours straight to get it repaired. As the boat returned to Midway, a PBY dropped a bomb inflicting no to the boat. Allen suffered a ruptured eardrum from the explosion. After the Perch returned to Pearl Harbor, Allen was …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles Schaub. He was born on 10 October 1928 in Washington, Pennsylvania and enlisted into the Navy in October 1945. Immediately after enlisting, he was sent to Camp Perry, a Seabee training base in Virginia. He describes the conditions in the camp and his experiences while undergoing eight weeks of basic training. Due to his aptitude with the Morse Code, he was sent to radio school in Bainbridge, Maryland for five months. Schaub graduated in May 1946, and volunteered for Submarine School for advanced training in radio, sonar and radar in Groton, Connecticut. In December 1946 he was sent to the USS Greenfish (SS-351), and following a short cruise to the Caribbean, he was transferred to the Brooklyn Naval Receiving Station in April 1947 to decommission USS LST-506. In September 1947 he was transferred to the USS Steinaker (DD-863) for two years. During his second cruise he was transferred to the USS Cone (DD-866), where he served as a radio operator. In August 1949 he reenlisted and was transferred to the USS Cobbler (SS-344). In June 1950 he was transferred to the USS Sea Leopard (SS-483) where he …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Arthur Schott. Schott joined the Army in January of 1942. He completed Quartermaster training. In mid to late 1942 he traveled to Brisbane, Australia and New Guinea, serving with the Sixth Army Headquarters. In 1944 Schott was stationed in the Philippines, during the Battle of Leyte. His job was graves registration. He remained in the Philippines through early 1945. He returned to the US and was discharged in August.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William R. Hamilton. Born in 1927, he enlisted in the Navy with his twin brother, Bob, in early 1945. He shares an anecdote about their selection for submarine school and the subsequent change in their orders. He also tells about how they came to be assigned to the USS Pomfret (SS-391). They served together on the submarine for forty-two months. He served as an electrician while Bob was a gunner. Hamilton describes the guns on the submarine. He discusses searching for and destroying mines at sea. Both Hamilton and his brother completed the submarine qualification process and were awarded the dolphin insignia. He recounts an incident in which the submarine was erroneously targeted by an American destroyer with Hedgehogs and depth charges. He describes sinking Japanese ships with torpedoes at Eniwetok. He was discharged at Treasure Island Naval Base after serving forty-four months in the Navy. He describes the shellback initiation; living conditions on the submarine; charging submarine batteries; and conditions in Japan after the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with David Lustig. Lustig was born in August 1927 in Walden, New York. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942 and went to Midland, Texas for basic training. His first assignment was as an operations clerk at Pampa Airfield, Texas. He attended Army radio school in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and gunnery school in Yuma, Arizona. At Dyersburg, Tennessee, Lustig was assigned to a B-17 crew, which flew to Grafton Underwood, England, and was assigned to the 384th Bomb Group, 547th Squadron. He flew in twenty combat missions over Germany and describes elements of several sorties. He recalls one mission during which his crew heard on BBC radio of a pending air raid on Skoda Armament Works in Pilsen, Czechoslovakia while on the way to bomb that target. Lustig tells of the grueling flights and extreme weather encountered during these flights. He returned home on HMS Queen Mary in December 1945, signed up for the 52-20 program upon discharge, and joined the Air Force Reserves where he retired as a lieutenant colonel in 1982.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ralph O. McClain. McClain was born in Lone Wolf, Oklahoma 30 June 1925. He joined the Navy in March 1943 and went to San Diego for boot training. From there, he was sent to Honolulu. He tells of going aboard the Japanese midget submarine HA-19, which was tied along the dock. He comments on seeing it again during his visit to the National Museum of the Pacific War. After undergoing some training related to submarine duty he was sent to Midway and assigned to the USS Aspro (SS-309). On night watch during his first war patrol McClain sighted a silhouette and reported it to the captain. It was the Japanese submarine I-43 which was engaged and sunk by torpedoes from the Aspro in February 1944. McLain made five more patrols while on board the boat and he tells of some actions, including life guard duty, which involved picking up downed flyers. He was discharged soon after returning to the United States following the surrender of Japan.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Wiley Davis. Davis was born in Gainesville, Texas 13 April 1925. Enlisting in the Navy in 1942, he was sent directly to Iowa State College for six months training in electrical engineering. He volunteered for submarine service in January 1943. After attending various schools, he reported to Portsmouth, New Hampshire and was assigned to the USS Batfish (SS-310), which was under construction. After commissioning and a successful shakedown cruise, the Batfish headed for the Pacific Ocean. Davis was assigned as fireman in the after engine room. Refueled and resupplied at Pearl Harbor, the Batfish proceeded to Midway, where more fuel and additional torpedoes were taken on board. He recalls the first combat mission, lasting 52 days, where they sank several sampans with their deck gun, as well as a destroyer escort and a tanker with torpedoes. On one patrol, the Batfish encountered severe weather and did not locate any Japanese ships. On another, she received damage from a bomb erroneously dropped by an American plane. They went to Brisbane, Australia for repairs. Davis comments on other patrols including the sixth when Batfish sank three Japanese submarines. Davis remembered …