The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Richard K Rohde. Rohde describes growing up during the Great Depression. He joined the Navy around 1943 and provides details of basic training. He completed Navy Radio School and served as a radioman. Rohde was assigned to the USS Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413), beginning January of 1944. They traveled to Hawaii, Eniwetok Atoll, Manus in the Admiralty Islands and participated in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Rohde provides details of his travels, life aboard the Roberts and the sinking of the ship in October of 1944 off Samar. After traveling through numerous hospitals, and receiving multiple treatments, Rohde was honorably discharged in October of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Hugh Story. Story finished college and immediately went into the Navy to train as an officer at the Midshipman School at Columbia University in January 1943. He volunteered for submarine duty and was assigned to USS Bluegill (SS-242). They started war patrols off New Guinea in April 1944. Story was aboard for 5 out of 6 war patrols and provides details about each: attacking ships with torpedoes and enduring depth charge attacks. When the war ended Story was in Chicago. He remained in the Reserves.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James E. Wilson. Wilson was born in Walker County, Alabama on 31 December 1920 and enlisted in the Marine Corps on 5 January 1942. He was sent to boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina. He describes in detail his experiences and the conditions at Parris Island, and later, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, where he was assigned to a Rifle Platoon in the 2nd Battalion, First Marines, G Company. He then boarded the USS George F. Elliott (AP-105) and sailed to Wellington, New Zealand in June 1942. There they spent a month practicing disembarking into landing craft, before sailing to Guadalcanal and participating in the invasion in August 1942. He recalls defending the airstrip being shelled day and night before his platoon moved to meet Japanese infantry coming to take back the airfield. During the encounter, he describes his helmet being hit by a shell and throwing off shrapnel that lodged into his back, paralyzing him from the waist down. He recalls being evacuated on a stretcher down to the beach and onto a waiting ship, which then sailed to a hospital at Espiritu Santo. He regained feeling …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Abe Santos. Santos joined the Navy in November of 1939. He served as a Fireman aboard the USS Astoria (CA-34). They participated in the battles of the Coral Sea, Midway and Savo Island, where the ship was sunk. He traveled back to Pearl Harbor aboard the USS Wharton (AP-7). Santos was placed on tugboat duty for six months, then transferred to Johnston Island as a Second-Class Machinist’s Mate. He assisted with airstrip construction. He later transferred back to headquarters at Pearl Harbor, and worked on staff for Admiral Robert L. Ghormley. He continued his service after the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Richard K Rohde. Rohde describes growing up during the Great Depression. He joined the Navy around 1943 and provides details of basic training. He completed Navy Radio School and served as a radioman. Rohde was assigned to the USS Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413), beginning January of 1944. They traveled to Hawaii, Eniwetok Atoll, Manus in the Admiralty Islands and participated in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Rohde provides details of his travels, life aboard the Roberts and the sinking of the ship in October of 1944 off Samar. After traveling through numerous hospitals, and receiving multiple treatments, Rohde was honorably discharged in October of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Hugh Story. Story finished college and immediately went into the Navy to train as an officer at the Midshipman School at Columbia University in January 1943. He volunteered for submarine duty and was assigned to USS Bluegill (SS-242). They started war patrols off New Guinea in April 1944. Story was aboard for 5 out of 6 war patrols and provides details about each: attacking ships with torpedoes and enduring depth charge attacks. When the war ended Story was in Chicago. He remained in the Reserves.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James E. Wilson. Wilson was born in Walker County, Alabama on 31 December 1920 and enlisted in the Marine Corps on 5 January 1942. He was sent to boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina. He describes in detail his experiences and the conditions at Parris Island, and later, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, where he was assigned to a Rifle Platoon in the 2nd Battalion, First Marines, G Company. He then boarded the USS George F. Elliott (AP-105) and sailed to Wellington, New Zealand in June 1942. There they spent a month practicing disembarking into landing craft, before sailing to Guadalcanal and participating in the invasion in August 1942. He recalls defending the airstrip being shelled day and night before his platoon moved to meet Japanese infantry coming to take back the airfield. During the encounter, he describes his helmet being hit by a shell and throwing off shrapnel that lodged into his back, paralyzing him from the waist down. He recalls being evacuated on a stretcher down to the beach and onto a waiting ship, which then sailed to a hospital at Espiritu Santo. He regained feeling …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Abe Santos. Santos joined the Navy in November of 1939. He served as a Fireman aboard the USS Astoria (CA-34). They participated in the battles of the Coral Sea, Midway and Savo Island, where the ship was sunk. He traveled back to Pearl Harbor aboard the USS Wharton (AP-7). Santos was placed on tugboat duty for six months, then transferred to Johnston Island as a Second-Class Machinist’s Mate. He assisted with airstrip construction. He later transferred back to headquarters at Pearl Harbor, and worked on staff for Admiral Robert L. Ghormley. He continued his service after the war ended.