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Oral History Interview with Charles Clevenger, July 16, 2001 transcript

Oral History Interview with Charles Clevenger, July 16, 2001

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles Clevenger. Clevenger was born in Fulton County, Indiana in May 1925 and enlisted in the Marine Corps in March 1944. Following boot camp and communications training in January 1945, he embarked aboard the USS Meriwether (APA-203) in San Diego and sailed to Pearl Harbor. He boarded another troopship in Hawaii and sailed to Saipan. Clevenger then boarded USS LST-641 bound for Okinawa. During that transit the LST sailed through a typhoon. He was assigned to the 1st Provisional Anti-aircraft Artillery Group of III Amphibious Corps and landed on Okinawa on 5 April 1945. His group operated 90mm artillery and he describes the features of the radar system. His duties included communicating by radio and telephone with other anti-aircraft batteries on the island. He frequently heard Tokyo Rose broadcasting American music. He had several close calls with Japanese bombers and was on Okinawa when Japan surrendered. He was transferred to the First Marine Division and embarked on the USS Randall (APA-224) on 30 September bound for China. His convoy encountered nearly 1,000 mines in the Yellow Sea. He was badly burned while in China, but soon recovered and …
Date: July 16, 2001
Creator: Clevenger, Charles
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Wendell Leon Stewart, July 16, 2001 transcript

Oral History Interview with Wendell Leon Stewart, July 16, 2001

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Wendell Leon Stewart. Stewart joined the Navy in February of 1944. He completed gunnery school and served the remainder of the war as Shipfitter 3rd Class in Boat Pool 15-1 in Cavite, Philippines. He completed large welding repair jobs on ships. Stewart returned to the US and was discharged in May of 1946.
Date: July 16, 2001
Creator: Stewart, Wendell Leon
System: The Portal to Texas History