The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James Bond. Bond joined the Navy in early 1943 and received basic training in San Diego. Upon completion, he was assigned to USS Callaghan (DD-792), where he ran the handling room, sending ammunition up the hoist. He also was coxswain of a 26-foot gig that would be sent out from the main ship periodically. On night voyages he would communicate with the ship using a bell. He endured a perilous typhoon in the China Sea that lasted three days and caused the ship to roll 62 degrees. At Okinawa he traveled 40 miles in heavy fog to retrieve mail; when he returned, the ship was gone, and he had no choice but to wait for its return. He captured prisoners of war from a sunken Japanese patrol boat; upon returning to the Callaghan, Bond placed the prisoners in a mail bag and sent them across a line to USS Ticonderoga (CV-14). Within an hour of the Callaghan’s anticipated departure for the United States, the ship was damaged irreparably by a kamikaze attack. Bond leapt overboard and was rescued by USS Prichett (DD-561). He suffered extensive injuries from the …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James Bond. Bond joined the Navy in early 1943 and received basic training in San Diego. Upon completion, he was assigned to USS Callaghan (DD-792), where he ran the handling room, sending ammunition up the hoist. He also was coxswain of a 26-foot gig that would be sent out from the main ship periodically. On night voyages he would communicate with the ship using a bell. He endured a perilous typhoon in the China Sea that lasted three days and caused the ship to roll 62 degrees. At Okinawa he traveled 40 miles in heavy fog to retrieve mail; when he returned, the ship was gone, and he had no choice but to wait for its return. He captured prisoners of war from a sunken Japanese patrol boat; upon returning to the Callaghan, Bond placed the prisoners in a mail bag and sent them across a line to USS Ticonderoga (CV-14). Within an hour of the Callaghan’s anticipated departure for the United States, the ship was damaged irreparably by a kamikaze attack. Bond leapt overboard and was rescued by USS Prichett (DD-561). He suffered extensive injuries from the …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Cooper. Cooper was drafted into the Navy in 1943. He served aboard the USS Callaghan (DD-792) as an electrician. He describes life aboard the destroyer. They participated in the Battle of the Philippine Sea in June of 1944, and he describes his experiences through this event. They were in Task Force 39.3 and traveled throughout the Pacific. In October of 1944 they participated in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. He describes going through a typhoon and the overall morale amongst the captain and crew. In early 1945 the Callaghan screened carrier strikes shelling Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and the Tokyo area and Cooper provides some detail of these events, including rescuing seven Japanese off a sunken boat, shooting down kamikazes and picking up a Japanese officer. The officer, named Hasegawa, became a prisoner in the Hawaiian Islands and Cooper provides some detail of this officer???s experiences and their meeting at a 50-year reunion. In July of 1945, the Callaghan was struck by an enemy aircraft and sank. Cooper provides some details of this fateful event. He was discharged in January of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Cooper. Cooper was drafted into the Navy in 1943. He served aboard the USS Callaghan (DD-792) as an electrician. He describes life aboard the destroyer. They participated in the Battle of the Philippine Sea in June of 1944, and he describes his experiences through this event. They were in Task Force 39.3 and traveled throughout the Pacific. In October of 1944 they participated in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. He describes going through a typhoon and the overall morale amongst the captain and crew. In early 1945 the Callaghan screened carrier strikes shelling Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and the Tokyo area and Cooper provides some detail of these events, including rescuing seven Japanese off a sunken boat, shooting down kamikazes and picking up a Japanese officer. The officer, named Hasegawa, became a prisoner in the Hawaiian Islands and Cooper provides some detail of this officer???s experiences and their meeting at a 50-year reunion. In July of 1945, the Callaghan was struck by an enemy aircraft and sank. Cooper provides some details of this fateful event. He was discharged in January of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ronald Jones. Jones joined the Navy in 1943 and received basic training in Illinois. He received advanced sonar training in San Diego and preliminary radar training at Mare Island, in case he would be needed as a replacement aboard ship. Upon completion, he was assigned to the USS Callaghan (DD-792) as the captain’s talker. His ship provided fire support at the Marshall Islands, Saipan, and Guam, protecting against enemy submarines and airplanes, and also firing at Japanese positions on land. He recalls running short on supplies when taking over the patrol of a damaged sister ship, and that the food shortage wasn’t remedied until there was a change of command some months later. At Okinawa his ship was sunk by a kamikaze, and Jones was nearly sucked into the propellers of the rescue ship, which fortunately reversed its propellers and washed him out at the last minute. While he was in the Philippines awaiting new orders, the atomic bombs were dropped. Jones returned home and was discharged in 1946. Jones returned home and was discharged in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ronald Jones. Jones joined the Navy in 1943 and received basic training in Illinois. He received advanced sonar training in San Diego and preliminary radar training at Mare Island, in case he would be needed as a replacement aboard ship. Upon completion, he was assigned to the USS Callaghan (DD-792) as the captain’s talker. His ship provided fire support at the Marshall Islands, Saipan, and Guam, protecting against enemy submarines and airplanes, and also firing at Japanese positions on land. He recalls running short on supplies when taking over the patrol of a damaged sister ship, and that the food shortage wasn’t remedied until there was a change of command some months later. At Okinawa his ship was sunk by a kamikaze, and Jones was nearly sucked into the propellers of the rescue ship, which fortunately reversed its propellers and washed him out at the last minute. While he was in the Philippines awaiting new orders, the atomic bombs were dropped. Jones returned home and was discharged in 1946. Jones returned home and was discharged in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Wallace Brunton. Brunton was born in Glouster, Ohio in 1924. Drafted at age 18, he went into the Navy and attended boot camp at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center. He was then selected for training in sonar. Upon completion of the sound school he received training in both surface and air search radar. He tells of going aboard the USS Callaghan (DD-792) and being seasick during four days of the shakedown cruise. He recalls the ship being involved in bombarding Okinawa in early 1945, where it fought off a kamikaze attack. Brunton also tells of a Japanese two-man submarine surfacing and being destroyed by the guns of the Callahan. During July 1945 the ship was on picket station off Okinawa when it was hit by a kamikaze and sunk. He was picked up by the USS Crescent City (APA-125) and eventually returned home on the USS Warren (APA-53). He was discharged 17 December 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Wallace Brunton. Brunton was born in Glouster, Ohio in 1924. Drafted at age 18, he went into the Navy and attended boot camp at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center. He was then selected for training in sonar. Upon completion of the sound school he received training in both surface and air search radar. He tells of going aboard the USS Callaghan (DD-792) and being seasick during four days of the shakedown cruise. He recalls the ship being involved in bombarding Okinawa in early 1945, where it fought off a kamikaze attack. Brunton also tells of a Japanese two-man submarine surfacing and being destroyed by the guns of the Callahan. During July 1945 the ship was on picket station off Okinawa when it was hit by a kamikaze and sunk. He was picked up by the USS Crescent City (APA-125) and eventually returned home on the USS Warren (APA-53). He was discharged 17 December 1945.