Oral History Interview with William Todd, February 1, 2011 (open access)

Oral History Interview with William Todd, February 1, 2011

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Todd. Todd joined the Marine Corps on 10 December 1941. He was sent to Bougainville as a member of a heavy weapons squad. Todd mentions a patrol narrowly escaping getting cut off by the Japanese. He then took part in the invasion of Guam and describes following the tanks through the jungle and forming a defensive line at night. Todd discusses the equipment including the .50 caliber heavy machine gun, 37mm anti-tank gun, and 1-ton trucks. His unit was held in reserve at Iwo Jima and landed after 4 days. Todd describes driving his truck off of a landing craft and immediately becoming stuck. He was wounded after four days in battle and evacuated to Guam for surgery. Todd was sent back to the US for duty and remained there until the war ended. He was discharged September 1945.
Date: February 1, 2011
Creator: Todd, William
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Frank E. Cook, February 1, 2013 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Frank E. Cook, February 1, 2013

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert L. Cook, speaking for his deceased brother Frank E. Cook. Cook served with the National Guard. He was assigned to Panama working as a patrol boat guard. In early 1943, Cook served as Executive Officer aboard PT-170 in Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 10. While traveling from Panama to Noumea, on 3 August 1943, Frank and his crew were caught in a crossfire with the Japanese and Frank died 5 August.
Date: February 1, 2013
Creator: Cook, Frank E
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Robin Meece, February 1, 2015 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Robin Meece, February 1, 2015

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robin Meece. Meece was born in Middletown, Ohio on 7 October 1926. When called into the Navy in 1944, he went to the San Diego Naval Training Station for boot training. Upon completion of boot training, he was assigned to the USS Mobile (CL-63) for on-the-job training (striker) as a radar operator. He briefly describes his job and several actions in which the ship was involved. After the surrender of Japan, he was a member of the occupation forces and discovered a cave with eight Japanese submarines hidden in it. He also went to a prisoner of war camp to aid in the release of the Allied POWs. In January 1946 the Mobile went to Seattle, where it was decommissioned. Meece was assigned to shore patrol duties upon his return to the US and served in this capacity until his discharge in 1946. He concludes the interview telling of his employment as an electrical engineer with Rockwell/Boeing, working with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) after receiving a college degree through the G.I. Bill.
Date: February 1, 2015
Creator: Meece, Robin
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Bruce Greig, February 1, 2016 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Bruce Greig, February 1, 2016

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bruce Greig. Greig enlisted in the reserves and was called to active duty with the Army Air Forces in February 1943. He was sent to radio school and then radar school. Greig served stateside before being sent to Saipan as a part of a service group for the 73rd Bomb Wing. He describes the conditions on Saipan and how the airbase grew. Greig describes how he worked in a shop and specialized in a black box that was a part of early airplane radar units. He was then sent to Guam and eventually back to the US where he was discharged in February 1946.
Date: February 1, 2016
Creator: Greig, Bruce
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Joe Gage, February 1, 2016 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Joe Gage, February 1, 2016

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Joe Gage. Gage joined the Navy during the war and was trained as a pharmacist’s mate. He was stationed in North Carolina and was then assigned to LCI-1074. Gage describes the journey from Michigan, down the Mississippi River, and on to New Guinea. He took part in landings at Leyte with Filipino guerillas. Gage also discusses landing Australian troops in Borneo. He describes how an LCI would beach and then extract itself. Gage left the service in December 1945.
Date: February 1, 2016
Creator: Gage, Joe
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with William Todd, February 1, 2011 transcript

Oral History Interview with William Todd, February 1, 2011

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Todd. Todd joined the Marine Corps on 10 December 1941. He was sent to Bougainville as a member of a heavy weapons squad. Todd mentions a patrol narrowly escaping getting cut off by the Japanese. He then took part in the invasion of Guam and describes following the tanks through the jungle and forming a defensive line at night. Todd discusses the equipment including the .50 caliber heavy machine gun, 37mm anti-tank gun, and 1-ton trucks. His unit was held in reserve at Iwo Jima and landed after 4 days. Todd describes driving his truck off of a landing craft and immediately becoming stuck. He was wounded after four days in battle and evacuated to Guam for surgery. Todd was sent back to the US for duty and remained there until the war ended. He was discharged September 1945.
Date: February 1, 2011
Creator: Todd, William
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Frank E. Cook, February 1, 2013 transcript

Oral History Interview with Frank E. Cook, February 1, 2013

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert L. Cook, speaking for his deceased brother Frank E. Cook. Cook served with the National Guard. He was assigned to Panama working as a patrol boat guard. In early 1943, Cook served as Executive Officer aboard PT-170 in Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 10. While traveling from Panama to Noumea, on 3 August 1943, Frank and his crew were caught in a crossfire with the Japanese and Frank died 5 August.
Date: February 1, 2013
Creator: Cook, Frank E
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Robin Meece, February 1, 2015 transcript

Oral History Interview with Robin Meece, February 1, 2015

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robin Meece. Meece was born in Middletown, Ohio on 7 October 1926. When called into the Navy in 1944, he went to the San Diego Naval Training Station for boot training. Upon completion of boot training, he was assigned to the USS Mobile (CL-63) for on-the-job training (striker) as a radar operator. He briefly describes his job and several actions in which the ship was involved. After the surrender of Japan, he was a member of the occupation forces and discovered a cave with eight Japanese submarines hidden in it. He also went to a prisoner of war camp to aid in the release of the Allied POWs. In January 1946 the Mobile went to Seattle, where it was decommissioned. Meece was assigned to shore patrol duties upon his return to the US and served in this capacity until his discharge in 1946. He concludes the interview telling of his employment as an electrical engineer with Rockwell/Boeing, working with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) after receiving a college degree through the G.I. Bill.
Date: February 1, 2015
Creator: Meece, Robin
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Bruce Greig, February 1, 2016 transcript

Oral History Interview with Bruce Greig, February 1, 2016

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bruce Greig. Greig enlisted in the reserves and was called to active duty with the Army Air Forces in February 1943. He was sent to radio school and then radar school. Greig served stateside before being sent to Saipan as a part of a service group for the 73rd Bomb Wing. He describes the conditions on Saipan and how the airbase grew. Greig describes how he worked in a shop and specialized in a black box that was a part of early airplane radar units. He was then sent to Guam and eventually back to the US where he was discharged in February 1946.
Date: February 1, 2016
Creator: Greig, Bruce
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Joe Gage, February 1, 2016 transcript

Oral History Interview with Joe Gage, February 1, 2016

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Joe Gage. Gage joined the Navy during the war and was trained as a pharmacist’s mate. He was stationed in North Carolina and was then assigned to LCI-1074. Gage describes the journey from Michigan, down the Mississippi River, and on to New Guinea. He took part in landings at Leyte with Filipino guerillas. Gage also discusses landing Australian troops in Borneo. He describes how an LCI would beach and then extract itself. Gage left the service in December 1945.
Date: February 1, 2016
Creator: Gage, Joe
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History