The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Travis Smith. Smith joined the Army Air Forces in September 1942. He qualified as a pilot trainee and began training in San Antonio. In May, 1944, he graduated and received his commission. Smith went overseas to the Philippines, arriving in March, 1945. Later, he moved to Okinawa and flew bomber escort for bombing missions to China and Japan. He flew over 50 combat missions before the war ended and then went to japan on occupation duty. Smith was discharged in 1946, but stayed in the reserves.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Arthur Griffin. Griffin joined the Navy in late 1942. He served as an aircraft navigator in the Pacific Theater. He volunteered for the Marine Corps and became a second lieutenant. He was assigned to a 5-man squadron and a C-47 at an airfield in La Tontouta, New Caledonia. They were part of the South Pacific Combat Air Transport Command (SCAT). SCAT provided rapid transport of personnel and cargo, including munitions, food, replacement parts, and medical supplies to forward areas. From La Tontouta, they flew to the Solomon Islands, Australia, New Zealand, Espiritu Santo, Guadalcanal and Emirau Island. Griffin speaks of his work as a navigator, and overall life in the military. He returned to the US in May of 1944 and was stationed in El Centro, California. He completed 700 flight hours during his service. Griffin received his discharge in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Dwayne Kendall Jose. Jose joined the Army Air Forces in 1942. He received his wings in 1943, and served as a B-26 bomber pilot with the 17th Bomb Group, 12th Air Force. Beginning in mid-1944, he traveled to North Africa, and completed 50 missions over Italy and Germany. They participated in the Italian Campaign and the Battle of the Bulge, bombing air fields, refineries and bridges. He shares vivid details of combat. Jose returned to the U.S. and received his discharge in 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Edward Morrissey. Morrissey joined the Navy in 1942. He served as Chief Commissary Steward aboard the USS LST-661. Around mid-1944, they traveled to Saipan, then to the Palau Islands during the Invasion of Peleliu, and to Okinawa in 1945. He recalls the battle at Peleliu. They transported soldiers from island to island. He recalls interactions with the Pacific Islander natives. He continued his service after the war ended, receiving his discharge on January 2, 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Warren Gilmour. Gilmour was born in 1932 and was 8 years old when the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred. He recalls his relatives who were in World War II, including an aunt and uncle. He also shares what he remembers as a child growing up during wartime, including collecting rubber and metals as well as rationing gasoline. He recalls living in fear during brownouts and watching for planes overhead. Gilmour joined the Navy in January of 1951. He served as gunner’s mate aboard the USS Black Warrior River (LSMR-404) beginning May of that same year. In October his group traveled to Korea, participating in coastal bombings, blockade force and protecting small islands on the west coast of Korea. He provides some details of the Landing Ship Medium Rocket, and its use in World War II and during the Korean War. Gilmour was discharged in August of 1954.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Samuel Cole. Cole joined the Army Air Forces in January of 1943. He completed schooling for navigation, and was commissioned in August of 1944. He was then sent to Florida for radar operator training. He flew in a B-29 with the 41st Bomb Squadron, 501st Bombardment Group, 315th Bomb Wing, 20th Air Force. In 1945 they flew 10 missions, bombing oil refineries in Japan. He returned to the US and was discharged in April of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Joseph Catenazzo. Catenazzo joined the Civilian Conservation Corps in July of 1938. He joined the Navy in February of 1940. When at port, Catenazzo was a boat engineer and at sea he worked with the boilers to make drinking water. He served aboard the USS Bridge (AF-1) and the USS Detroit (CL-8), which he was aboard during the attack on Pearl Harbor in December of 1941. He provides great detail of their maneuvers on that fateful day. During the war, they brought a number of wounded sailors and Marines back to San Francisco. He was transferred to the USS McKee (DD-575) which he served aboard 1 year in the Southwest Pacific. They traveled to Guadalcanal, Guam, Tinian and Saipan. Upon crossing the equator, he became a shellback and describes his initiation. He was discharged in December of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Benjamin Nicks. Nicks enlisted in the Army Air Forces in January of 1941. He received his wings in April of 1942. Nicks was in the 120th Observation Squadron in the 130th Field Artillery Squadron. He flew border patrol missions for a year between Mexico and the United States. He was assigned to Mountain Home Air Base, Idaho to serve as a B-25 instructor until the spring of 1944. He was then transferred in May of 1944 in McCook, Nebraska as a B-29 instructor. He was in the 1st Squadron, 9th Bomb Group, 313th Wing of the 20th Air Force at McCook, Nebraska. Their outfit was sent to Kwajalein, Tinian, Iwo Jima and Japan to name a few. Nicks flew a total of 35 missions. He provides great detail of their missions. He was discharged in January of 1946 with the Distinguished Flying Cross.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Kenneth Matthews. Matthews entered the Marine Corps in 1943. He went to Parris Island, South Carolina for boot camp. In 1944 he went to Officer Candidates School. He was assigned to the 1st Marines, 1st Division. In April 1945 he was flown into Okinawa, and served as a regimental intelligence officer. His primary job was to take orders from the major and hand them out to the different company commanders. He also fought in combat. He provides some detail of the fighting with the Japanese. After Japan surrendered, he came back to the States. He was discharged in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Clyde Day. Day finished college and was commissioned in the Navy in June 1942. He received more training at in armaments and gunnery before being assigned to USS Boston (CA-69) in January 1943 while still under construction. He served as a fire control officer aboard the Boston. Day recalls supporting the landings at the MArshall Islands, Iwo Jima and elsewehere in the Pacific. He describes the circular battle formation. Day also recalls a near collision with a carrier while bombarding Japan and several other anecdtoes from his time abaord the Boston. He also shares stories from his time during the occupation of Japan after the war ended.

The National Museum of the pacific War presents an oral interview with Ivan Bishop. Bishop attended electrician school prior to joining the Army. He served in the Signal Corps in the 727th Signal Aircraft Warning Company. Bishop participated in the invasion of Leyte and Okinawa operating a radar warning system for invasion forces. Bishop shares several anecdotes about his experiences in the service during the war.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with J L Wood. Wood completed two years of military school at the New Mexico Military Institute, then enrolled in the University of Texas Navy V-12 program, graduating in 1943. He then completed Midshipman’s School at Notre Dame and Cornell University, graduating in July of 1945. Wood served as a lieutenant aboard the USS Kaskaskia (AO-27). They conducted fueling operations at Okinawa and Japan and supplied the minesweepers. He shares his experiences living and working aboard the ship. Wood returned to the US and was discharged in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Arthur Scharlau. Scharlau joined the Navy in January of 1945. He completed basic training in Bainbridge, Maryland. In January of 1946, he was transferred to the Naval operating base on Guam and served as Seaman Second-Class in the Disbursing Office. Scharlau shares a number of stories of living and working on Guam. He returned to the US and received his discharge in July of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ray Whitfield. Whitfield joined the Army Air Forces and served as a B-29 pilot flying off of Guam in the last few months of the war. He describes some of his missions and what it was like to fly a bomber. Whitfield stayed in the service after the war and flew B-36 bombers. He describes an incident where he had to make an emergency drop of three atomic bomb casings. Whitfield left the Air Force after serving for ten years.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Goodman. Goodman graduated from Virginia Military Institute in May of 1942 in Electrical Engineering. He served as a Communications Officer with the Signal Corps Company. Goodman traveled to Hawaii, New Zealand, Australia, India and Iran. In Iran, his job was to establish a link between the US and Russia in preparation for a supply route. Working with Morse Code, he encoded and decoded messages in a radio room. His was a technical group, not a fighting group. Goodman returned to the US and received his discharge in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles Huffman. Huffman joined the Navy in March of 1944. He completed Midshipman’s School in mid-1945, and was completing Advanced-Line Officers School in Florida, when the atomic bomb was dropped. He continued his service after the war ended, traveling to Naval Supply Depots in the Pacific, processing supply requests. Huffman returned to the US in August of 1946, though remained in the reserves through May of 1958.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William Otis Williams. Williams joined the Navy V-6 Program around October of 1944. He was transferred to the Naval Air Technical Training Center, Millington, Tennessee, and completed Radio and Radar schools. Williams then transferred to Opa-locka, Florida for Gunnery School and operations training with carrier aircraft. He completed training around February of 1946. Williams was assigned to the 75th Bombing Squadron. He continued his service after the war ended, with his final ranking status of Aviation Radioman Third-Class. Williams was discharged on 29 June 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Bains. Bains joined the Army around early 1942. He completed Signal Corps training. Bains deployed to England and served with the 66th Infantry Division, 566th Signal Corps Company. The 66th was primarily involved with destroying the Germany troops left behind by the retreat from Northern France. Bains traveled through central Europe, Germany and France. He returned to the US and received his discharge in late 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Charles Herlin. Herlin joined the Navy in the fall of 1942. Beginning in late 1943, he served as a Radioman First Class with Composite Squadron Twelve (VC-12) aboard the USS Kadashan Bay (CVE-76). He later transferred to the USS Card (CVE-11). Herlin served with the hunter-killer groups completing offensive operations against German submarines in the Atlantic and North Africa. He continued his service after the war ended through early 1954.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Joseph Nix. Nix joined the Army Air Forces around early 1942. He served as a CG-4A glider pilot with the 29th Troop Carrier Squadron. They worked from base 464 in England. They dropped paratroopers in the invasion of Italy and during Operation Market Garden. He received his discharge around late 1945, though remained in the reserve until 1978.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Sheldon Graham. Graham joined the Army in mid-1944. He completed Officer Candidate School just as the war ended. Graham continued his service, joining the 6th Infantry Division, 20th Infantry Regiment, and served with occupation forces in Korea. He returned to the US and received his discharge in October of 1946. Graham remained in the reserves, retiring as a colonel in 1979.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Judson Martin. Martin joined the Army in February of 1943. He completed language school as part of the Army Specialized Training Program. He trained as a German interpreter, and served with the 104th Infantry Division, 413th Infantry Regiment. Around September of 1944, they deployed to France and participated in combat through Belgium, Germany and the Siegfried Line. Martin returned to the US and received his discharge in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Irene Johnson. Johnson was born in 1917 in Iowa. She speaks of life during the Great Depression. Johnson graduated from high school around 1935, and attended one year of college in Kansas. Around 1939, she moved to Dallas, and worked in the office of a construction company, building housing for training pilots. After the war began, she joined the Women’s Army Corps. Johnson provides details of her service, including uniforms, housing and her office work completed at an airfield, tracking locations of pilots.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Harley Wright. Wright volunteered for service in the Army Air Forces in January 1942. He trained in Wichita Falls as an aircraft mechanic and then served as an instructor after aircraft engine specialist school. Eventually, Wright was assigned to Lowry Field in Denver where he became the base aircraft inspector. He spent the rest of the war there and recalls several experiences. He was discharged in December, 1945. After the war, Wright wrote technical manuals and extension course books for Air University and other entities.