The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Willis Gathright. Gathright was born on 3 December 1924 and graduated from high school in 1942. Upon being drafted in June 1943 he went to eight weeks of boot training at the US Naval Training Station in San Diego. This was followed by twelve weeks of sonar training at the West Coast Sound School at Point Loma, California. He describes how a sonar unit works. After graduating from the sonar school and receiving gunnery training at in Algiers, Louisiana, Gathright was assigned to Patrol Craft Escort 849. On 18 June 1944, the ship arrived at Brisbane, Australia where Army radio equipment was placed on board manned by a crew of ten Army soldiers. Gathright recalls the ship being part of the fleet during the invasion of Leyte acting as the radio relay between the USS Blue Ridge (AGC-2) and General McArthur’s headquarters in Australia. After participating in the invasion of Lingayen Gulf at Luzon, the ship remained in Manila until February 1945 when they were ordered to Morotai, where they joined the Australian Fleet for the invasion of Tarakan, Borneo on 1 May 1945. Gathright describes the ship …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Bargsley. Bargsley joined the Navy in February of 1942. He completed communication school and served as radioman aboard the USS Fowler (DE-222), beginning in May of 1944. Bargsley describes life aboard the ship, as they made numerous voyages between New York, Africa and England escorting convoys. They delivered men and supplies for the operations in Italy and Southern France. In February of 1945 he was transferred to the USS Bassett (APD-73) for duty in the Pacific Theater. They picked up Navy frogmen in San Diego and traveled to Hawaii for training in preparation for the planned invasion of Japan later that year. In August of 1945 they rescued survivors from the USS Indianapolis (CA-35). He provides details of this rescue. Bargsley was discharged in December of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Loyd Oakes. Oakes was born in Corpus Christi, Texas and enlisted in the Army Air Forces on 9 February 1943 and was sent to Kelly Field for training. He qualified as bombardier and went to Laredo, Texas for ten weeks of gunnery training followed by three weeks of bombardier training in Midland, Texas. He graduated as a second lieutenant on 4 December 1943. Following his B-24 training, he flew with his crew to Darwin, Australia. In Darwin he was assigned to the 528th Bomb Squadron of the 380th Bomb Group, operating as a unit of 5th Air Force and was flying under Australian control. He also trained of Royal Australian Air Force pilots in the B-24. He describes several missions bombing Japanese airfields in the East Indies and Philippines. He provides several anecdotes of his time in Australia, including the time that Tokyo Rose broadcast that the Japanese were sending planes to bomb Darwin, which did not occur. His group moved to Mindoro Island, Philippines in February 1945 from where he describes flying missions over China, New Guinea and the Philippines. He recalls embarking on a troopship in …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Thomas B. Dabney. Dabney wanted to go to the Naval Academy, but was denied entry as a second alternate. Undaunted, he enlisted in the Navy, working toward receiving an appointment to the Academy from the ranks, which he achieved in May 1932, after serving aboard the USS Texas (BB-35). He graduated from the Academy in 1936 and served aboard surface ships: USS New York (BB-34), USS Chester (CA-27), USS Indianapolis (CA-35). During this period, Dabney befriended Joe Rochefort. In May, 1940, he was transferred to the USS Bernadou (DD-153) and began escorting supplies across the Atlantic to Iceland. Dabney was assigned to submarine school in September, 1941 and was graduated early after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He joined the Pacific Fleet in January 1942. At first, he was assigned to the USS Pompano (SS-181), but was in the hospital when it sailed. He instead boarded the USS Plunger (SS-179) and describes some of its war patrols while he was aboard. In May, 1944, Dabney was assigned to the USS Becuna (SS-319) before being called to command the USS Guitarro (SS-363) in December in Fremantle, Australia. After the …

Transcript of an oral interview with John Hamilton. Hamilton was drafted into the Army in early 1943. After training, Hamilton was assigned to the 87th Infantry Division at Fort McCain, Mississippi. In the fall of 1944, Hamilton was shipped overseas with the 87th to England. From there, his unit went to the continent and was on the line in Belgium when the Battle of the Bulge began in December, 1944. Hamilton speaks of the conditions he faced during the battle.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Thomas B. Dabney. Dabney wanted to go to the Naval Academy, but was denied entry as a second alternate. Undaunted, he enlisted in the Navy, working toward receiving an appointment to the Academy from the ranks, which he achieved in May 1932, after serving aboard the USS Texas (BB-35). He graduated from the Academy in 1936 and served aboard surface ships: USS New York (BB-34), USS Chester (CA-27), USS Indianapolis (CA-35). During this period, Dabney befriended Joe Rochefort. In May, 1940, he was transferred to the USS Bernadou (DD-153) and began escorting supplies across the Atlantic to Iceland. Dabney was assigned to submarine school in September, 1941 and was graduated early after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He joined the Pacific Fleet in January 1942. At first, he was assigned to the USS Pompano (SS-181), but was in the hospital when it sailed. He instead boarded the USS Plunger (SS-179) and describes some of its war patrols while he was aboard. In May, 1944, Dabney was assigned to the USS Becuna (SS-319) before being called to command the USS Guitarro (SS-363) in December in Fremantle, Australia. After the …

Transcript of an oral interview with John Hamilton. Hamilton was drafted into the Army in early 1943. After training, Hamilton was assigned to the 87th Infantry Division at Fort McCain, Mississippi. In the fall of 1944, Hamilton was shipped overseas with the 87th to England. From there, his unit went to the continent and was on the line in Belgium when the Battle of the Bulge began in December, 1944. Hamilton speaks of the conditions he faced during the battle.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Bargsley. Bargsley joined the Navy in February of 1942. He completed communication school and served as radioman aboard the USS Fowler (DE-222), beginning in May of 1944. Bargsley describes life aboard the ship, as they made numerous voyages between New York, Africa and England escorting convoys. They delivered men and supplies for the operations in Italy and Southern France. In February of 1945 he was transferred to the USS Bassett (APD-73) for duty in the Pacific Theater. They picked up Navy frogmen in San Diego and traveled to Hawaii for training in preparation for the planned invasion of Japan later that year. In August of 1945 they rescued survivors from the USS Indianapolis (CA-35). He provides details of this rescue. Bargsley was discharged in December of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Loyd Oakes. Oakes was born in Corpus Christi, Texas and enlisted in the Army Air Forces on 9 February 1943 and was sent to Kelly Field for training. He qualified as bombardier and went to Laredo, Texas for ten weeks of gunnery training followed by three weeks of bombardier training in Midland, Texas. He graduated as a second lieutenant on 4 December 1943. Following his B-24 training, he flew with his crew to Darwin, Australia. In Darwin he was assigned to the 528th Bomb Squadron of the 380th Bomb Group, operating as a unit of 5th Air Force and was flying under Australian control. He also trained of Royal Australian Air Force pilots in the B-24. He describes several missions bombing Japanese airfields in the East Indies and Philippines. He provides several anecdotes of his time in Australia, including the time that Tokyo Rose broadcast that the Japanese were sending planes to bomb Darwin, which did not occur. His group moved to Mindoro Island, Philippines in February 1945 from where he describes flying missions over China, New Guinea and the Philippines. He recalls embarking on a troopship in …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Willis Gathright. Gathright was born on 3 December 1924 and graduated from high school in 1942. Upon being drafted in June 1943 he went to eight weeks of boot training at the US Naval Training Station in San Diego. This was followed by twelve weeks of sonar training at the West Coast Sound School at Point Loma, California. He describes how a sonar unit works. After graduating from the sonar school and receiving gunnery training at in Algiers, Louisiana, Gathright was assigned to Patrol Craft Escort 849. On 18 June 1944, the ship arrived at Brisbane, Australia where Army radio equipment was placed on board manned by a crew of ten Army soldiers. Gathright recalls the ship being part of the fleet during the invasion of Leyte acting as the radio relay between the USS Blue Ridge (AGC-2) and General McArthur’s headquarters in Australia. After participating in the invasion of Lingayen Gulf at Luzon, the ship remained in Manila until February 1945 when they were ordered to Morotai, where they joined the Australian Fleet for the invasion of Tarakan, Borneo on 1 May 1945. Gathright describes the ship …