The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Blaise LePre. LePre dropped out of high school and then joined the Navy in 1943. After basic training in New York and an engineering course in Minnesota, LePre headed west to Washington and was assigned to the USS West Virginia (BB-48). He was aboard the ship during the Battle of Surigao Strait. His duty station was in the boiler rooms. After some repairs at a floating drydock, the West Virginia headed for Iwo Jima to bombard. LePre was also present for the bombardments of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. LePre was aboard when a kamikaze struck the West Virginia. He was discharged in May 1946.