The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Tom Krauska. Krauska was born 15 December 1919 in St. Louis, Missouri and attended high school in Cleveland, Missouri. He graduated from the University of St. Louis with a Law degree. He was drafted into the United States Army and assigned to the 329th Infantry at Shelby, Mississippi. After basic training, he was assigned to menial tasks such as kitchen police and guard duty. He was soon selected for the Aviation Cadet Training program and sent to a civilian flying school in Fort Worth, Texas. From there, he went to bombardier school at Midland, Texas. Krauska describes methods used to train bombardiers and the use of the Norden bombsight. Upon completion of this training he was sent to Casper, Wyoming for crew training in a B-24 Liberator. His crew was then sent to Langley Field, Virginia for training in low altitude bombing, which consisted of using radar and performing submarine search missions off of the east coast of the United States. Eventually, the crew picked up a new B-24 and flew it to Hawaii where they were assigned to the 11th Bomb Group, 425th Bomb Squadron. They went …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles W. Kunkler. Kunkler was born in Los Angeles on 5 August 1925. He joined the Navy and was sent to Farragut, Idaho for six weeks of boot training. He was then sent to Pearl Harbor. Upon his arrival he was one of five seaman selected by Commander Hal Lamar to serve on the Admiral Nimitz’s barge. After serving for a period of time in Pearl Harbor the crew was assigned to a newly constructed barge that was sent to Admiral Nimitz’s new headquarters on Guam. Kunkler tells of the purpose of the barge and describes his assigned duties. He also comments on the personalities of Commander Lamar and of Admiral Nimitz. Following his leave after returning to the United States in 1945, he was placed in a hospital in Rhode Island for treatment of an injury he received en route to Guam. Soon after being discharged from the hospital, he was discharged from the Navy.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Joe Fields. He was born in Benton, Kentucky on 29 June 1926. Upon graduation from high school in May, 1944, he enlisted in the Navy and was sent to basic training at Great Lakes, Illinois. Fields describes several of his experiences while in boot camp. He attended Radio Operator’s School and was assigned as a member of the commissioning crew of USS LSM-96. The vessel sailed to Pearl Harbor, embarked a radar intercept squadron (8th Air Warning Squadron) and landed them on a small island off of Okinawa on 1 April 1945. He describes the efforts made by his crew in assisting several American ships in distress over the ensuing days, including evacuating patients from the hospital ship USS Pinkney (APH-2), which had been hit by a kamikaze. Fields’ ship remained in the area over the ensuing months preparing for the invasion of Japan. In September 1945, his ship was diverted to northern China to deliver two companies of Marines and returned in March 1946 to Portland, Oregon where the vessel was decommissioned. He changed his rating from Radioman Second Class to Radarman Second Class near the end …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Cecil Young. Young was born in Bowie, Texas on 2 October 1919. After graduating from high school in 1937, he attended Abilene Christian College on a football scholarship. After graduating from college in June 1941, he began a coaching career. He entered the Navy in June 1942 as a Chief Petty Officer and went to Norfolk, Virginia for two weeks of boot training. He then went to Little Creek, Virginia for three months of amphibious training. Upon completion of the training he boarded a ship bound for Algiers. He spent one year as a member of the staff preparing for the invasion of Italy. At this time Young received notification of promotion to ensign and reported to New York to attend a school. At the end of three weeks he was sent to the University of Arizona for training in communications. Upon completion of the course, he was sent to Coronado, California where he trained in the operation of LCVP landing craft. In August 1944 he boarded the USS Carteret (APA-70) carrying eight LCVPs and combat troops for the invasion of Iwo Jima. He describes combat and observed …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles Allen. Mr Allen went into the Marine Corps in September 1942, took boot camp in San Diego, and then was stationed in Santa Anna at the lighter-than-air base as a guard. In September 1943, he was sent to Noumea, New Caledonia and from there to New Guinea where he was put in the First Marine Division, HQ Company, 1st Battalion. His first introduction to combat was when they landed on the southern tip of New Britain. Allen provides a good description of the fighting and the conditions on New Britain; they were wet and in the swamps. It took them about four months to go through New Britain. They had a brief respite on Johnson Islands before they landed on Peleliu. Allen talks about shooting their 75mm guns, point-blank at the steel and concrete doors the Japanese had built. He states that Peleliu was real rough. After going to a camp on Pavuvu, they went to Okinawa. He describes the day that Lt Gen Buckner was killed, by a sniper. Allen also talks about the Japanese using women and children as shields. He states that Ernie Pyle …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Louis Glist. Mr Glist enlisted in the military November 3, 1942; the War Department, Ordnance Section which became a part of the U. S. Army. He didn't really go to boot camp because the ordnance department had specific technical assignments. Glist's first duty assignment was in medium maintenance (through 37mm weapons). Then, they sent him to school at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, he came back, took a test and ended up going to the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP). He was shipped to Oregon State College where he spent ten months studying to be a mechanical engineer. After that he went back to Aberdeen where he went to OCS, graduating as a 2nd Lieutenant. From there he went to Wilmington, California where he went aboard the General Morton, a troop transport, which sailed on February 8, 1945; going over as a casualty replacement. They were on their way to Calcutta; it took them forty days and nights. He was assigned to the Chinese Combat Command. The mission of the Chinese Combat Command was to act as liaison between the Chinese Army and the American Army. They were to ensure …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Warren Wells. Wells joined the Navy in November of 1942. He served as the Electronic Field Service Group lieutenant aboard 11 different combat vessels. The Navy sent him to Harvard and MIT to receive advanced Radar training, where 3-coordinate radar was developed to combat kamikaze attacks on the US fleet in the Pacific. Wells was discharged in October of 1946.

The National Museum of the pacific War presents an interview with Wilbur Trinen. Trinen was drafted into the Army in January 1943. After training, he was assigned to the 29th Engineer Topographic Battalion. He went overseas to the Philippines. Trinen and the interviewer review several photographs and comment thereon. They also examine and comment on maps.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Lacouture. Lacouture graduated from the Naval Academy in 1940 and was aboard the USS Blue at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked. He was still aboard when the Blue sank off Guadalcanal in August, 1942. Lacouture then went to flight school, earning his wings in May 1943. He then served as the executive officer of Fighter Squadron 5 (VF-5) aboard the USS Franklin (CV-13). After the war, he remained in the Navy and continued to fly.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Tom Krauska. Krauska was born 15 December 1919 in St. Louis, Missouri and attended high school in Cleveland, Missouri. He graduated from the University of St. Louis with a Law degree. He was drafted into the United States Army and assigned to the 329th Infantry at Shelby, Mississippi. After basic training, he was assigned to menial tasks such as kitchen police and guard duty. He was soon selected for the Aviation Cadet Training program and sent to a civilian flying school in Fort Worth, Texas. From there, he went to bombardier school at Midland, Texas. Krauska describes methods used to train bombardiers and the use of the Norden bombsight. Upon completion of this training he was sent to Casper, Wyoming for crew training in a B-24 Liberator. His crew was then sent to Langley Field, Virginia for training in low altitude bombing, which consisted of using radar and performing submarine search missions off of the east coast of the United States. Eventually, the crew picked up a new B-24 and flew it to Hawaii where they were assigned to the 11th Bomb Group, 425th Bomb Squadron. They went …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles W. Kunkler. Kunkler was born in Los Angeles on 5 August 1925. He joined the Navy and was sent to Farragut, Idaho for six weeks of boot training. He was then sent to Pearl Harbor. Upon his arrival he was one of five seaman selected by Commander Hal Lamar to serve on the Admiral Nimitz’s barge. After serving for a period of time in Pearl Harbor the crew was assigned to a newly constructed barge that was sent to Admiral Nimitz’s new headquarters on Guam. Kunkler tells of the purpose of the barge and describes his assigned duties. He also comments on the personalities of Commander Lamar and of Admiral Nimitz. Following his leave after returning to the United States in 1945, he was placed in a hospital in Rhode Island for treatment of an injury he received en route to Guam. Soon after being discharged from the hospital, he was discharged from the Navy.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Joe Fields. He was born in Benton, Kentucky on 29 June 1926. Upon graduation from high school in May, 1944, he enlisted in the Navy and was sent to basic training at Great Lakes, Illinois. Fields describes several of his experiences while in boot camp. He attended Radio Operator’s School and was assigned as a member of the commissioning crew of USS LSM-96. The vessel sailed to Pearl Harbor, embarked a radar intercept squadron (8th Air Warning Squadron) and landed them on a small island off of Okinawa on 1 April 1945. He describes the efforts made by his crew in assisting several American ships in distress over the ensuing days, including evacuating patients from the hospital ship USS Pinkney (APH-2), which had been hit by a kamikaze. Fields’ ship remained in the area over the ensuing months preparing for the invasion of Japan. In September 1945, his ship was diverted to northern China to deliver two companies of Marines and returned in March 1946 to Portland, Oregon where the vessel was decommissioned. He changed his rating from Radioman Second Class to Radarman Second Class near the end …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Cecil Young. Young was born in Bowie, Texas on 2 October 1919. After graduating from high school in 1937, he attended Abilene Christian College on a football scholarship. After graduating from college in June 1941, he began a coaching career. He entered the Navy in June 1942 as a Chief Petty Officer and went to Norfolk, Virginia for two weeks of boot training. He then went to Little Creek, Virginia for three months of amphibious training. Upon completion of the training he boarded a ship bound for Algiers. He spent one year as a member of the staff preparing for the invasion of Italy. At this time Young received notification of promotion to ensign and reported to New York to attend a school. At the end of three weeks he was sent to the University of Arizona for training in communications. Upon completion of the course, he was sent to Coronado, California where he trained in the operation of LCVP landing craft. In August 1944 he boarded the USS Carteret (APA-70) carrying eight LCVPs and combat troops for the invasion of Iwo Jima. He describes combat and observed …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles Allen. Mr Allen went into the Marine Corps in September 1942, took boot camp in San Diego, and then was stationed in Santa Anna at the lighter-than-air base as a guard. In September 1943, he was sent to Noumea, New Caledonia and from there to New Guinea where he was put in the First Marine Division, HQ Company, 1st Battalion. His first introduction to combat was when they landed on the southern tip of New Britain. Allen provides a good description of the fighting and the conditions on New Britain; they were wet and in the swamps. It took them about four months to go through New Britain. They had a brief respite on Johnson Islands before they landed on Peleliu. Allen talks about shooting their 75mm guns, point-blank at the steel and concrete doors the Japanese had built. He states that Peleliu was real rough. After going to a camp on Pavuvu, they went to Okinawa. He describes the day that Lt Gen Buckner was killed, by a sniper. Allen also talks about the Japanese using women and children as shields. He states that Ernie Pyle …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Louis Glist. Mr Glist enlisted in the military November 3, 1942; the War Department, Ordnance Section which became a part of the U. S. Army. He didn't really go to boot camp because the ordnance department had specific technical assignments. Glist's first duty assignment was in medium maintenance (through 37mm weapons). Then, they sent him to school at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, he came back, took a test and ended up going to the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP). He was shipped to Oregon State College where he spent ten months studying to be a mechanical engineer. After that he went back to Aberdeen where he went to OCS, graduating as a 2nd Lieutenant. From there he went to Wilmington, California where he went aboard the General Morton, a troop transport, which sailed on February 8, 1945; going over as a casualty replacement. They were on their way to Calcutta; it took them forty days and nights. He was assigned to the Chinese Combat Command. The mission of the Chinese Combat Command was to act as liaison between the Chinese Army and the American Army. They were to ensure …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Warren Wells. Wells joined the Navy in November of 1942. He served as the Electronic Field Service Group lieutenant aboard 11 different combat vessels. The Navy sent him to Harvard and MIT to receive advanced Radar training, where 3-coordinate radar was developed to combat kamikaze attacks on the US fleet in the Pacific. Wells was discharged in October of 1946.