The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Judson Brodie. Brodie was born on 28 February 1922 in Aiken County, South Carolina. He grew up during the Depression and enlisted in the Navy in June 1940, attending boot camp in Norfolk, Virginia. After training he attended Aviation Machinist School. He graduated in March 1941, and was assigned to VS-41, a scouting squadron attached to the USS Ranger (CV-4). He changed his rating to Aviation Ordnanceman in June 1941 and was assigned to VF-42, a squadron of F4F-3 Wildcats on USS Yorktown (CV-5). After Pearl Harbor, the ship left Norfolk and sailed through the Panama Canal. The Yorktown then took part in the first carrier raid of the Marshall and Gilbert Islands. Brodie was aboard Yorktown for raids on the Solomon Islands and during the Battle of the Coral Sea. He saw the Lexington sink after the crew abandoned ship. Brodie describes the action during the Battle of Midway, including the fatal attack on Yorktown by Japanese planes. He returned to Pearl Harbor in late June 1942. He returned to the Mainland and enrolled in the V-12 Program at a small college in Missouri hoping to become …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Judson Brodie. Brodie was born on 28 February 1922 in Aiken County, South Carolina. He grew up during the Depression and enlisted in the Navy in June 1940, attending boot camp in Norfolk, Virginia. After training he attended Aviation Machinist School. He graduated in March 1941, and was assigned to VS-41, a scouting squadron attached to the USS Ranger (CV-4). He changed his rating to Aviation Ordnanceman in June 1941 and was assigned to VF-42, a squadron of F4F-3 Wildcats on USS Yorktown (CV-5). After Pearl Harbor, the ship left Norfolk and sailed through the Panama Canal. The Yorktown then took part in the first carrier raid of the Marshall and Gilbert Islands. Brodie was aboard Yorktown for raids on the Solomon Islands and during the Battle of the Coral Sea. He saw the Lexington sink after the crew abandoned ship. Brodie describes the action during the Battle of Midway, including the fatal attack on Yorktown by Japanese planes. He returned to Pearl Harbor in late June 1942. He returned to the Mainland and enrolled in the V-12 Program at a small college in Missouri hoping to become …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Richard Paine. Paine joined the Navy Reserves soon after 7 December 1941. He served as a photographer’s mate in charge of a photo printing lab in Washington DC. Paine briefly discusses the equipment he used. He was discharged in 1944 when he contracted a serious case of tuberculosis and took several years to recover.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Richard Paine. Paine joined the Navy Reserves soon after 7 December 1941. He served as a photographer’s mate in charge of a photo printing lab in Washington DC. Paine briefly discusses the equipment he used. He was discharged in 1944 when he contracted a serious case of tuberculosis and took several years to recover.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Richard Redfearn. Redfearn joined the Navy in September 1939 and received basic training and gunner’s mate training in San Diego. Upon completion, he was assigned to Scouting Squadron 3 (VS-3). Redfearn describes creative offensive and defensive techniques employed by SBD crewmen in combat with Zeroes, such as luring a Japanese plane closer by pretending to have run out of ammunition. After completing missions at Guadalcanal with the USS Saratoga (CV-3), Redfearn returned to the States to attend the University of Texas under the V-12 program. He did not get along well with other students and felt that failing out of school was his only path to reassignment. When professors passed him anyway, thinking they were doing him a favor by keeping him in school, he had to convince them to lower his grades so that he could return to duty. He was then reassigned along with former Saratoga crewmen to the base at Patuxent and was soon promoted to chief. At the end of the war, he returned to Honolulu and oversaw the construction of military housing.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Richard Redfearn. Redfearn joined the Navy in September 1939 and received basic training and gunner’s mate training in San Diego. Upon completion, he was assigned to Scouting Squadron 3 (VS-3). Redfearn describes creative offensive and defensive techniques employed by SBD crewmen in combat with Zeroes, such as luring a Japanese plane closer by pretending to have run out of ammunition. After completing missions at Guadalcanal with the USS Saratoga (CV-3), Redfearn returned to the States to attend the University of Texas under the V-12 program. He did not get along well with other students and felt that failing out of school was his only path to reassignment. When professors passed him anyway, thinking they were doing him a favor by keeping him in school, he had to convince them to lower his grades so that he could return to duty. He was then reassigned along with former Saratoga crewmen to the base at Patuxent and was soon promoted to chief. At the end of the war, he returned to Honolulu and oversaw the construction of military housing.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Theodore Gruhn. Gruhn joined the Navy in September 1941 after working as a carpenter. He was en route to Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked. Once at Hawaii, Gruhn did shore patrol for a year until he was assigned to the USS Farenholt (DD-491) as a carpenter's mate in December 1942. In May, 1944, Gruhn transferred to the USS Abercrombie (DE-343). When the war ended, Gruhn had enough points to be discharged in October, 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Theodore Gruhn. Gruhn joined the Navy in September 1941 after working as a carpenter. He was en route to Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked. Once at Hawaii, Gruhn did shore patrol for a year until he was assigned to the USS Farenholt (DD-491) as a carpenter's mate in December 1942. In May, 1944, Gruhn transferred to the USS Abercrombie (DE-343). When the war ended, Gruhn had enough points to be discharged in October, 1945.