[Letter from Chester W. Nimitz to William Nimitz, August 17, 1903] (open access)

[Letter from Chester W. Nimitz to William Nimitz, August 17, 1903]

Handwritten letter from Chester Nimitz to his father in Kerrville. Nimitz, writing from aboard the USS Hartford, shares the itinerary for the rest of the cruise. Nimitz decides to stay at the Academy for some time in September as he does not have the funds to travel to Kerrville.
Date: August 17, 1903
Creator: Nimitz, Chester W. (Chester William), 1885-1966
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Transcript of Letter from Chester W. Nimitz to William Nimitz, August 17, 1903] (open access)

[Transcript of Letter from Chester W. Nimitz to William Nimitz, August 17, 1903]

Transcription of letter from Chester Nimitz to his father in Kerrville. Nimitz, writing from aboard the USS Hartford, shares the itinerary for the rest of the cruise. Nimitz decides to stay at the Academy for some time in September as he does not have the funds to travel to Kerrville.
Date: August 17, 1903
Creator: Nimitz, Chester W. (Chester William), 1885-1966
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from Harriett Coggeshall to Cecelia McKie - May 17, 1943] (open access)

[Letter from Harriett Coggeshall to Cecelia McKie - May 17, 1943]

Letter sent from Harriett Coggeshall to Cecelia McKie thanking her for the message from her son and stating that's it's been nearly two years since she heard from him. Envelope addressed to Mrs. William L. McKie, Sacramento, California from Mrs. C. J. Coggeshall, Hollywood, California. Envelope is postmarked Los Angeles, California.
Date: May 17, 1943
Creator: Coggeshall, Harriett
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Postal Card from Basil B. Brooks to Cecelia McKie - May 17, 1943] (open access)

[Postal Card from Basil B. Brooks to Cecelia McKie - May 17, 1943]

Letter sent from Basil B. Brooks, Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, to Cecelia McKie thanking her for the message from his brother. Envelope addressed to Mrs. W. L. McKie, Sacramento, California. Envelope postmarked from Wellsboro, Pennsylvania. Reverse side of envelope has been removed by creator.
Date: May 17, 1943
Creator: Brooks, Basil B.
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Postal Card from William H. Bonn and Effie M. Bonn to Cecelia McKie - May 17, 1943] (open access)

[Postal Card from William H. Bonn and Effie M. Bonn to Cecelia McKie - May 17, 1943]

Postcard sent from William H. Bonn and Effie M. Bonn, Westwood New Jersey, to Cecelia McKie, Sacramento, California, thanking her for the message and stating that they have received 34 other messages. They state that Edward and Marion (Marian) are missionaries in Manila.
Date: May 17, 1943
Creator: Bonn, William H. & Bonn, Effie M.
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz and Captain Robert T. S. Keith Aboard the U.S.S. Missouri]

Photograph of Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz standing with Captain Robert T. S. Keith aboard the U.S.S. Missouri. On the left Flt. Adm. Nimitz is wearing a dark Navy uniform with a white undershirt, a tie, a brimmed hat with the Navy's emblem, and four stripes with a band and single star on the sleeves. He is holding a pair of gloves in front of him. Capt. Keith stands on the right in a dark Navy uniform with a white undershirt, a tie, six buttons on the front, ribbon bars above his pocket, a brimmed hat with the Navy's emblem, three stripes and a star on his sleeves. Both of his arms are hanging by his side, and he grips a dark pair of gloves in one hand. In front of them are some chain dividers, and behind them two cranes can be seen in the port.
Date: September 17, 1954
Creator: United States. Navy
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Robert W. Pratt, August 17, 2016 transcript

Oral History Interview with Robert W. Pratt, August 17, 2016

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert W. Pratt. He discusses his family and his childhood growing up during the great depression. He describes his time in midshipmen's school and his experiences fighting in the Pacific Theatre of World War Two.
Date: August 17, 2016
Creator: Pratt, Robert W. & Misenhimer, Richard
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Henry Kalinofsky, February 17, 2001 transcript

Oral History Interview with Henry Kalinofsky, February 17, 2001

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Henry Kalinofsky of Annapolis, Maryland. He discusses when he was first inducted into the Navy and being a plank owner aboard DE 581. USS MCNULTY. He also discusses his time aboard the USS LSM(R) 198 manning the 40mm Twin Mount and loading rockets in Okinawa, Japan, after the invasion of Normandy. Mr. Kalinofsky describes an attack he was involved in off the coast of Okinawa.
Date: February 17, 2001
Creator: Kalinofsky, Henry
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Robert W. Pratt, August 17, 2016 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Robert W. Pratt, August 17, 2016

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert W. Pratt. He discusses his family and his childhood growing up during the great depression. He describes his time in midshipmen's school and his experiences fighting in the Pacific Theatre of World War Two.
Date: August 17, 2016
Creator: Pratt, Robert W. & Misenhimer, Richard
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Henry Kalinofsky, February 17, 2001 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Henry Kalinofsky, February 17, 2001

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Henry Kalinofsky of Annapolis, Maryland. He discusses when he was first inducted into the Navy and being a plank owner aboard DE 581. USS MCNULTY. He also discusses his time aboard the USS LSM(R) 198 manning the 40mm Twin Mount and loading rockets in Okinawa, Japan, after the invasion of Normandy. Mr. Kalinofsky describes an attack he was involved in off the coast of Okinawa.
Date: February 17, 2001
Creator: Kalinofsky, Henry
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with John East, May 17, 2021 transcript

Oral History Interview with John East, May 17, 2021

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John L. East. East was born in central Texas in 1920. After graduation from high school in 1937 he worked in the rice fields. He entered the Army Air Forces in 1942, and, following training at various airfields, served as a B-17 co-pilot. In 1944, he was assigned to the 379th Bomb Group at Kimbolton, England. He tells of some of the tactics he used to thwart German fighter attacks as the pilot of a B-17 bomber. He completed missions over Germany and France. East flew thirty missions before returning to the United States. He retired from the Air Force in 1964.
Date: May 17, 2021
Creator: East, John
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Don Pickard, September 17, 2020 transcript

Oral History Interview with Don Pickard, September 17, 2020

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Don Pickard. Pickard was in high school when the war started and recalls a few anecdotes from childhood before joining the Navy in mid-1944. Once in the Navy, Pickard was assigned to the Amphibious Force. He served as a signalman aboard USS Bergen (APA-150). On his first voyage, they delivered ammunition to Ulithi. Pickard also went to Okinawa and describes typhoons. After the war ended, his ship carried parts of the First Marine Division to China. Upon returning to the US, Pickard received his discharge in mid-1946.
Date: September 17, 2020
Creator: Pickard, Don
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with William Most, December 17, 2019 transcript

Oral History Interview with William Most, December 17, 2019

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William Most. Most joined the Marine Corps in late 1944 and went to basic training at Parris Island. After further training in North Carolina, he shipped overseas to Guam where he joined replacements fro the 22nd Marine Regiment, 6th Marine Division. He joined them in time for their move from Okinawa to China after he war ended. While in CHina on occupation duty, Most was made a clerk typist. he remained in that postition until he was discharged in November 1946.
Date: December 17, 2019
Creator: Most, William
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Francis Kellems, October 17, 2019 transcript

Oral History Interview with Francis Kellems, October 17, 2019

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Francis Kellems. Kellems joined the Navy in September 1943. After boot camp, he was assigned to USS Hubbard (DE-211). He served as a baker aboard the ship and recalls antisubmarine partols in the Atlantic.
Date: October 17, 2019
Creator: Kellems, Francis
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Clyde Covey, July 17, 2019 transcript

Oral History Interview with Clyde Covey, July 17, 2019

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Clyde Covey. Covey joined the Navy in October of 1945. He served as a Fireman aboard the patrol craft escort, the PCE-870, in Hawaii, completing patrols around Pearl Harbor, and in between the equator and the Aleutians. They had about nine different posts, where they would send up weather balloons with transmitters, radioing weather information back to Pearl Harbor. Covey later completed motor machinist school, and was assigned to PCE-852 at the Underwater Sound Laboratories in New London, Connecticut, developing underwater communication. He received his discharge in December of 1948.
Date: July 17, 2019
Creator: Covey, Clyde
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Clarence Bohanan, January 17, 2018 transcript

Oral History Interview with Clarence Bohanan, January 17, 2018

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Clarence Bohanan. Bohanan joined the Army in December, 1943 and trained in San Antonio. Once he was assigned to the 724th Railway Operating Battalion, his unit was rushed to France after the invasion of Normandy. He shares several anecdotes about his time in France. He also recalls operating during the Battle of the Bulge and after the war during the occupation. Bohanan was discharged in April 1946 and stayed in Germany working for a decade.
Date: January 17, 2018
Creator: Bohanan, Clarence
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with John Scott, November 17, 2017 transcript

Oral History Interview with John Scott, November 17, 2017

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Scott. Scott joined the Marine Corps in October 1943 and trained at San Diego. In February 1944, he shipped to Hawaii and the 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division at Camp Tarawa. He was on a 75mm pack howitzer at Saipan and recalls details about the invasion. Scott share several anecdotes from his experiences on Saipan. He was at Okinawa, but his unit remained in reserve without going ashore. He also recalls details about the occupation of Japan, where he remained until the end of the year. Scott returned to the US and was discharged in January 1946.
Date: November 17, 2017
Creator: Scott, John
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Sara Ella Kurth, October 17, 2017 transcript

Oral History Interview with Sara Ella Kurth, October 17, 2017

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Sara-Ella Kurth. Kurth was born in October 1928 in Huntsville, Texas. She graduated high school in 1945. She describes hearing the news about the attack on Pearl Harbor, and how this affected her family. She had two first cousins aboard the USS New Orleans (CL/CA-32) who participated in the attack and describes their experiences. She describes how her family bought the savings stamps and bonds at school and participated in drives to raise money. Her family actively collected materials, rationed and had a Victory Garden to help with the efforts. She provides detail of the two German POW camps near Lufkin, Texas. Kurth served in the Central Intelligence Agency, and was shipped to an Air Force camp in Japan, from 1957 through 1960.
Date: October 17, 2017
Creator: Kurth, Sara Ella
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Dale Mitchell, August 17, 2017 transcript

Oral History Interview with Dale Mitchell, August 17, 2017

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dale Mitchell. Mitchell joined the Army in 1944. He went to Fort Knox, Kentucky. He learned how to drive a tank and had weapons training. He served as an instructor and assisted with training new recruits in Germany. He came home from Europe and was discharged in December 1945. He got married and made his life’s work on the 1200-acre family farm.
Date: August 17, 2017
Creator: Mitchell, Dale
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Peter Schultheiss, July 17, 2017 transcript

Oral History Interview with Peter Schultheiss, July 17, 2017

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Peter Schultheiss. Schultheiss grew up in Germany and was a student when the war started. He recasll details about being in a national youth orgaization: Deutsches Jungvolk (the 10-14 year-old branch of the Hitler Youth). Before he finished school, he was recruited to serve within an antiaircraft battery in Halle in 1944. He served on an 88mm gun. In January, 1945, Shultheiss began serving as a horse messenger to German infantry units at the front an was wounded during and artillery barrage. He then wandered just behind German front lines until the war ended. When the war ended, he found work on a farm briefly caring for horses before moving east i nan attempt to get home. When he had to cross over to the Soviet side, he was robbed of everything he had. Schultheiss made his way back home to Erfurt and reunited with his mother and father. They soon fled to the American Zone in Berlin to escape the Russian communists. He studied engineering and in 1955 moved to the US.
Date: July 17, 2017
Creator: Schultheiss, Peter
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Arthur Downard, May 17, 2017 transcript

Oral History Interview with Arthur Downard, May 17, 2017

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Arthur Downard. Downard was drafted in November 1942. He was sent to Camp Dodge in Des Moines, Iowa for basic training and then on to Fresno, California. From there he was sent to Denver, Colorado for Air Corps administrative school, where he became an instructor of officers until November 1944. In January 1945 he received orders to go to the Pacific and serve as administrator to the lab technicians and photo interpreters of aerial photography. He served with the 4th Photographic Procurement Detachment. He had thirty enlisted men and six officers he worked with. His group was sent to Fort McKinley in Manila, Philippines to make an aerial map of the southeastern third of China. Their job was to develop the film and make the map. He describes life in Manila. He was there until April 1946 to complete the map, and was discharged in Denver.
Date: May 17, 2017
Creator: Downard, Arthur
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Justin Bible, March 17, 2017 transcript

Oral History Interview with Justin Bible, March 17, 2017

The National Museum of the pacific War presents an oral interview with Justin Bible. Bible joined the Army and went to radio school in California before being assigned to the 593rd Joint Assault Signal Company (JASCO). He landed in the Philippines (Leyte and Luzon) with the unit and shares a few anecdotes. He also went to Okinawa. Bible returned to the US in late 1945.
Date: March 17, 2017
Creator: Bible, Justin
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with William Lozano, November 17, 2016 transcript

Oral History Interview with William Lozano, November 17, 2016

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Lozano. Lozano joined the Navy in January 1944 and trained at San Diego. From there he also attended radar school at Point Loma before reporting aboard the USS Washington (BB-56). He shares several anecdotes and provides much detail of his life aboard ship during WWII. He was discharged in May 1946.
Date: November 17, 2016
Creator: Lozano, William
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Robert Pratt, August 17, 2016 transcript

Oral History Interview with Robert Pratt, August 17, 2016

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Pratt. Pratt joined the Navy while in college and was finally called to active duty in July 1943. Then he went to midshipman school at Northwestern University, finishing in May 1944 with a commission. His first assignment was to USS LST-781, being assembled in Pittsburgh. Pratt tells several stories about being aboard USS LST-781 and going down the Mississippi River, through the Panama Canal and through several islands in the Pacific. Pratt was discharged in August, 1946.
Date: August 17, 2016
Creator: Pratt, Robert
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History