The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with George Steiger. Born in 1924, Steiger joined the Marines in 1943. He received artillery training as well as DUKW (also referred to as a Duck (an amphibios vehicle)), radio, and telephone training. He was an assistant gunner with the Fifth Marine Division. He describes his role in invasion of Iwo Jima as well as seeing the first American flag raised on Mount Suribachi. At the end of the war, he was sent to Sasebo, Japan as part of the occupation force. He discusses disarming kamikaze boats. He was transferred to the Second Marine Division stationed in Nagasaki, Japan. He describes the area that was hit by the atomic bomb as well as interactions with the local citizens. He returned to the United States in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Thomas Kenney. When Kenney finished high school in 1941 in Houston, Texas, he went to work for a railroad company before volunteering for service in the Navy. He trained in San Diego before going to signal school. After signal school, Kenney was assigned to the Armed Guard. He was assigned to an oil tanker that the Merchant Marines operated. He spent 18 months aboard the vessel hauling oil from points in teh Carribean to points in the Pacific for the fleet oilers stationed there. Kenney also recalls serving aboard a victory ship, the SS Paducah Victory (1945), and hauling ammunition aboard it to Okinawa. Kenney describes the methods and procedures of signalling between ships in a convoy. Kenney also describes life aboard a tanker as a signalman.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Andrew Bofinger. Bofinger joined the Naval Reserves in October of 1941, and was called to active duty on 15 December 1941. He served as Boatswain’s Mate Second Class, and worked on the offshore patrol in sailing vessels searching for Japanese subs. In June of 1943 he received a direct commission as ensign, and was assigned as Skipper aboard the minesweeper, YMS-93. In early 1944 they traveled to Hawaii, then the Marshall Islands conducting patrols, search and rescue missions and maintenance sweeping. In March of 1945 they swept mines on the east coast of Okinawa and rescued crewman from the USS England (DE-635). Bofinger was discharged in February of 1946.

The National Museum of the pacific War presents an interview with James Harward. Harward joined the Army in October, 1944. When he arrived in France, he was assigned to B Company, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division in time to participate in combat in Germany. He describes his combat experiences and shares anecdotes about his occupation duty as well. When Harward returned to the US, he was discharged after a 30 day furlough.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Pierre Kennedy. Kennedy was born in France 20 February 1923. He graduated from high school in Massachusetts in 1940. He was called into active service in January 1943 at Brigantine Field, New Jersey. Upon completing basic training he went to the University of Pittsburg as an aviation cadet. After washing out, he went to Tyndall Field, Florida to attend gunnery school. He then was assigned as the tail gunner on a B-24. In August 1944 the crew flew a new B-24 to Foggia, Italy. Upon arrival the crew was assigned to the 781st Bomb Squadron, 465th Bomb Group (H). On 13 October 1944, after flying eighteen combat missions, Kennedy replaced the tail gunner on another B-24. During a bomb run over an oil refinery, Kennedy’s plane was damaged by flak and he bailed out. He was captured by German soldiers and was taken to Dulag Luft, near Frankfort, for interrogation. He was then taken by train to Stalag Luft IV where he stayed until 6 February 1945. Before the advancing Russian Army, the prisoners began a forced march that lasted eighty-six days and covered 500 miles. Kennedy describes …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with George Redman. Redman joined the Navy in May of 1941. He served on the deck force aboard the USS Mississippi (BB-41). From May to 7 December, they escorted convoys back and forth across the North Atlantic. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, they transferred to the Pacific Fleet. Redman completed diving school and worked with the ship’s pumps. He became Seaman First Class, Coxswain, and later became head diver and Gun Captain. Aboard the Mississippi, Redman participated in shelling Japanese forces during the Gilbert and Marshall Islands and the Philippines campaigns and the invasions of Peleliu and Okinawa. He also served in the Battle of Surigao Strait. Redman was discharged around December of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Alison. Alsion was born in Florida in 1912 and graduated from the University of Florida. Soon after graduation he was accepted into the Army Flying School at Randolph Field, Texas. After competing primary flight training he moved to Kelly Field, Texas for advanced training and was selected to fly fighters. Upon receiving his wings in 1937 he was ordered to report to Langley Field, Virginia where he was assigned to the 8th Pursuit Group flying the PB2A pursuit plane. In 1940 the group moved to Mitchell, Field, New York and the 57th Pursuit Group was formed. Alison was named squadron commander of the 66th Pursuit Squadron. He was directed to demonstrate the Curtis P-40 fighter to General Claire Chennault and a group of Chinese generals. He describes his flight demonstration and the obvious satisfaction of shown by all concerned. In April 1941, he went to England with the Hubert Zemke to assist the Royal Air Force in the integration of the P-40 into the RAF. While there, he was selected to accompany American Ambassador Harry Hopkins as a military attaché of the US Embassy in Moscow. He …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Carey. Carey joined the Marine Corps in an officer candidate class in November of 1942. In July of 1943 he was transferred to the Navy V-12 Program, completing midshipman and landing craft school. He was stationed aboard the USS Venango (AKA-82) beginning June of 1944. In the spring of 1945 they transported cargo for the impending assault on Okinawa, carrying troops, landing craft vehicles and gear of the Army’s 82nd Signal Construction Battalion. Carey was aboard when they participated in the Battle of Okinawa, returning to the US in November of 1945. He was discharged in March of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James E. Atkinson. Atkinson was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas in 1921. His younger brother was killed in Europe during the war. Atkinson attended Vanderbilt University with a football scholarship in 1940. In 1942 he joined the Navy Reserves and entered the V-12 Navy College Training Program. Soon afterwards, he entered Midshipman’s school at Notre Dame. Upon graduating 20 June 1944, he was commissioned an ensign. He then entered submarine school at New London, Connecticut. He describes the characteristics of a fleet submarine. After completing four months of school, he flew to Brisbane, Australia and reported aboard the USS Flasher (SS-249). Atkinson served during the boat’s fourth, fifth and sixth combat patrols. He describes sinking two Japanese destroyers and four tankers. On the sixth combat patrol, they sank two Japanese ships and returned to Pearl Harbor for overhaul in April 1945. Afterwards, the boat was at sea bound for Guam when the atomic bombs were dropped on Japan. Returning to New London, Connecticut, the crew decommissioned the boat.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John W. Griffing. Griffing was born on 31 December 1915 on a farm near Hubbard, Texas. After graduating from high school in 1932, he was drafted in April 1941. He entered the 200th Coast Artillery and underwent basic training at Fort Bliss, Texas. In August of 1941 he went to Fort Stotsenberg, in the Philippines. In December 1941 the Japanese invaded the Philippines and Griffing recalls surrendering. His group was put into trucks and taken to Camp O’Donnell. After four months he was sent to Cabanatuan. After three months, he volunteered for a work detail on an airfield at Lipa, Batangas until March 1944. He tells of being at Camp Murphy and Bilibid prison until October 1944 when he went aboard the Hell ship Haro Maru bound for Japan. After spending thirty-nine days on the ship they landed on Formosa on 9 November 1944. After two months he was sent to Moji, Japan and assigned to work in the zinc mines. On 20 August 1945 the prisoners were notified that the war was over and B-29s soon began dropping food and clothing to the prisoners. On 12 September …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Lansford. Lansford joined the navy in January 1941. His first duty station was at Kaneohe Naval Air Station on Oahu. He was an electrician and kept crash boat batteries operating. Lansford recalls the Japanese attack on Kaneohe. He remained at Kaneohe for the rest of the war at the air station serving as an electrician.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Tom D. Ellison. Ellison was born 14 August 1925 in Sierra Blanca, Texas. He joined the Navy in September 1942. After 12 weeks of boot camp at the Farragut Naval Training Center, Idaho, he went for 21 weeks of aircraft maintenance training in Norman, Oklahoma, and 4 weeks of air gunnery training in Purcel, Oklahoma. This was followed by more maintenance and gunnery training at NAS Jacksonville. Next it was to NAS Oceana, Virginia working on and flying in PB4Y patrol planes. Ellison then sailed to England on the USS Matagorda (AVP-22). He spent from December 1943 to August 1945 at Dunkeswell Airfield in Devon. His squadron, VP-105, performed anti-submarine patrols in the English Channel and the North Sea. Following the German surrender, Ellison went to San Diego, Guam, Japan, and finally Shanghai, China to join a PBM Mariner squadron operating from a seaplane tender in the Whangpoo River. They provided passenger, mail, and air-sea rescue services in the area. Having advanced to AMM 1/C, Ellison was discharged from the Navy in San Diego.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with McGehee Word.. Word enlisted in the Army Air Corps flying cadet program in 1940 when he was 26 years old. Along the way, he was trained as a B-17 pilot and was sent overseas to England, via Africa, and was assigned to the 92nd Bomb Group, 326th Bomb Squadron. While stationed in England, Word had an encounter with J. Frank Dobie. Word returned to the US in November, 1944 after 32 missions. He was training in B-29 bombers when the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ralph Byler. Byler joined the Army in early 1941. He served as the Commanding Officer of the 965th Field Artillery Battalion, in the European Theater, during the Invasion of Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge, where he was wounded. Byler was discharged in March of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Eli Escobar. Escobar was drafted into the Army in May 1944. When Escobar arrived in France in November, 1944, he joined Company K, 242nd Infantry Regiment, 42nd Infantry Division. In January, 1945, Escobar got captured by German troops near Haguenau. He spent the remainder of the war as a prisoner of war. He was liberated in late April and returned to the US. Escobar was discharged in November, 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Richard Fabian. Fabian joined the Navy in November of 1943. He completed schooling in Engineering, Diesel and Grey Marine Engines. Beginning November of 1944, Fabian served as Fireman First-Class aboard USS LSM-96. From 28 March to 30 June 1945, they participated in the Battle of Okinawa. After the war ended, they traveled to China and participated with the occupation forces. In December, Fabian was transferred to USS LSM-285 and remained in China through January of 1946. He returned to the US and was discharged in May.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with George Haggerty. Haggerty was employed as a civilian contractor with the US Army when WWII started. When his contract expired, he enlisted in the Marine Corps in December 1942. By June, 1943, Haggerty had been through basic training at Parris Island and was commissioned a second lieutenant after officer candidate school at Quantico. When Haggerty went overseas, he boarded the SS Extavia (1941) for a trip through the Panama Canal to New Caledonia. He was in charge of training a navy construction battalion at Noumea before he was assigned to the First Marine Division and left to join them at Pavuvu. When he arrived on Pavuvu, Chesty Puller assigned him to the 1st Regiment. There they trained for the Peleliu invasion. At Peleliu, Haggerty served as a platoon leader. He recalls the fighting on the day he landed and the Japanese counterattack with tanks and infantry near the airfield. Haggerty was wounded by a shell fragment and evacuated to a transport ship serving as a hospital. He recovered and returned to Peleliu the next day. After reducing a Japanese position, Haggerty was again wounded and evacuated. This time, …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Hazael R. Olivares. Olivares dropped out of high school and decided to join the Navy right after hearing about the attack on Pearl Harbor. He took his 16 week basic training course at Great Lakes in Illinois where he learned how to fire various guns and recognize aircraft. After basic training, he was assigned to the Algiers, Louisiana where he learned how to weld. Aboard the USS Bordelon (DD-881), he served as a Ship Fitter in the damage control department. After WWII, he remained in the reserves and was called up for duty in Korea. He served aboard the USS Sitkoh Bay (CVE-86). After Korea, he worked as a civilian for he Army Corps of Engineers as an oiler on a dredge; then served in the Merchant Marines hauling refined petroleum products from South America to North America. He also speaks of going into French Indochina up the Saigon River in a merchant vessel.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with J. M. Taylor. Taylor joined the Army Air Forces in September, 1942 as an aviation cadet. After flight training, he graduated and received his commission in December, 1943. He flew P-40s. He went overseas aboard the USS General H.W. Butner (APA-113) to India. After a while, Taylor flew a P-40 over the Himalaya Mountains to China where he was assigned to the 75th Fighter Squadron in September, 1944. Later that fall, Taylor was shot down over a Japanese airfield he was attacking and was captured. After several months, he was transferred to a POW facility near Kiangwan, outside of Shanghai. In May, he was transported to the Japanese home islands. Taylor was around Sapporo when the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Walter Varnum. Varnum joined the Navy in May, 1943 and was trained at Farragut, Idaho. After that, he went to the University of Illinois for diesel engine training. From there, Varnum headed for Little Creek, Virginia to amphibious training as a diesel engineer. He was assigned to an LCVP that had rocket attachments on the side and describes his trip across the Atlantic aboard an LST to Scotland, arriving in March 1944. Then they went to Portsmouth to train for the Normandy invasion. In England, Varnum was transferred to a different boat that relayed messages between ships. He travelled across the English Channel to Normandy aboard her. His boat was tied up to the USS Ancon (AGC-4) and he stayed aboard the Ancon until time to perform his message traffic duties. During the invasion of Southern France Varnum was back aboard a rocket boat. His sank. He returned to the US and was assigned to UST LST-1049 at Pittsburgh. He rode it down river to the Gulf of Mexico and took it to San Diego. Once in the Pacific, Varnum went to the Mariana Islands, the Philippines and …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Bennie Whitley. Whitley joined the Army and served as sergeant in the motor pool in Battery A, 57th Field Artillery, 7th Infantry Division. He participated in the Battle of Okinawa. Whitley continued his service after the war ended, receiving his discharge in 1947.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Richard Wilshusen. Wilshusen joined the Army Air Forces in January of 1943. He served as a B-29 Navigator with the 316th Bombardment Wing, 333rd Bombardment Group, 460th Bombardment Squadron. He traveled to Tinian, Kwajalein, Guam and Okinawa, ferrying allied prisoners of war from Japan to the Philippines. Wilshusen continued his service after the war ended, receiving his discharge around August of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Waite Higgins. Higgins joined the Navy in late 1943. Beginning in 1944, he served with the deck force aboard a carrier. They traveled throughout the Pacific Islands, and he recalls burials at sea. Higgins recalls participating in the Battle of Okinawa. In August of 1945, they traveled to Tokyo Bay in Japan. He returned to the US and was discharged in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James Walker. Walker finished high school in 1942, then joined the Navy. He was trained as a pharmacist's mate and went to Guadalcanal in February 1943 and stayed until October. He was evacuated with a few illnesses. Once he recovered, he was assigned to USS Rixey (APH-3). He went to officer candidate school in Kansas in August, 1944. He finished the war there and elected to stay for the education to become an officer rather than return to the Fleet as a first class petty officer. When he finished school and received his commission, he was assigned to USS Ashtabula (AO-51) in 1948 and headed for Japan and other ports. Walker resigned his commission in 1951.