The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William Huffman. Huffman joined the Army Air Forces in 1943. He served as a B-24 Navigator, stationed in Virginia. He flew throughout the US during the war, and did not go overseas. Huffman received his discharge in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Beverly Bagley of Fullerton, California. She discusses where she was when Pearl Harbor was bombed and recalls hearing President Roosevelt's speech about the incident. Mrs. Bagley also talks about how her father wanted to volunteer for the military, but her mother refused to sign off on it, so he was barred from joining the war. Mrs. Bagley recalls having to save everything from aluminum cans to chewing gum wrappers and the war time rationing that occurred. She also recounts her time spent in the hospital during the war, in 1943, due to Polio. Mrs. Bagley tells the interviewer that there was no celebration when Germany surrendered, but there was one when the bombs were dropped over Japan and the peace treaty signed, signifying the real end of World War 2. She also talks about her cousins and her husband who were enlisted in the U.S. Navy.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jack M. Lyons. He discusses his childhood and growing up during the Great Depression and what led him to join the Us Naval Aviation program. He describes his experiences in flight school, basic training and fighting in the Pacific Theatre during World War Two.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Marvin Lee Dunlap. He discusses his family and childhood growing up during the Great Depression and what led him to join the US Navy. He describes his experiences in bootcamp and fighting in the Pacific Theatre on the USS Duluth during World War Two.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Beverly Bagley of Fullerton, California. She discusses where she was when Pearl Harbor was bombed and recalls hearing President Roosevelt's speech about the incident. Mrs. Bagley also talks about how her father wanted to volunteer for the military, but her mother refused to sign off on it, so he was barred from joining the war. Mrs. Bagley recalls having to save everything from aluminum cans to chewing gum wrappers and the war time rationing that occurred. She also recounts her time spent in the hospital during the war, in 1943, due to Polio. Mrs. Bagley tells the interviewer that there was no celebration when Germany surrendered, but there was one when the bombs were dropped over Japan and the peace treaty signed, signifying the real end of World War 2. She also talks about her cousins and her husband who were enlisted in the U.S. Navy.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jack M. Lyons. He discusses his childhood and growing up during the Great Depression and what led him to join the Us Naval Aviation program. He describes his experiences in flight school, basic training and fighting in the Pacific Theatre during World War Two.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Marvin Lee Dunlap. He discusses his family and childhood growing up during the Great Depression and what led him to join the US Navy. He describes his experiences in bootcamp and fighting in the Pacific Theatre on the USS Duluth during World War Two.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William Huffman. Huffman joined the Army Air Forces in 1943. He served as a B-24 Navigator, stationed in Virginia. He flew throughout the US during the war, and did not go overseas. Huffman received his discharge in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Clifford Staffenbeck. Staffenbeck was born in Galveston, Texas on 24 February 1926. In 1944, he was drafted into the United States Navy. Upon completing boot camp at San Diego, he was trained as a Gunner’s Mate. He was sent to the Philippines and assigned to crash boat 26635, nicknamed Bug Bunny. He describes the boat and the crew and tells of his experiences while aboard the boat. Following the end of the war, he was assigned as a Shore Patrolman and he tells of some of his experiences. He was discharged soon after his return to the United States.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ernest Harper. Harper joined the Navy in April of 1944. He did not train in any specific Navy schooling prior to going to sea. Beginning around mid-1944, Harper served as Steward’s Mate aboard USS Cowpens (CVL-25), working in storerooms, resupplying various areas of the ship and cleaning. Additionally, he assisted on the deck during combat, transporting supplies and ammunition to the gunners. Harper recalls combat experiences through Guam, Ulithi and Saipan during the Marianas operation, participating in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, attack missions against Luzon, and making supporting raids on Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He was discharged in February of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Foster. Foster received an agriculture deferment for two years afer he finished high school in 1942. He was drafted into the Army and trained in Florida before being shipped overseas to Hawaii, then Saipan, and finally Okinawa where he joined the 382nd Infantry Regiment, 96th Infantry Division as a replacement. He shares several anecdotes about his experiences fighting on Okinawa. Toward the end of the war, Foster was reassigned to the 86th Infantry Division in the philippoines and was there when the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Kenneth Doolittle. Doolittle was born in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1930. His father was a doctor at the Queen’s Medical Center. He was an 11-year-old boy, living with his family in Hawaii when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Doolittle shares details of his experiences through that fateful day, and his life in general living on the island before, during and after the war. He graduated high school in 1948 and served in the Army with the 101st Airborne Division.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jack Bacastow. Bacastow joined the Navy in March of 1943. He completed Aviation Ordnance School. He assisted with setting up an air base in the South Pacific to service carriers. He joined the Aviation Construction Ordnance Repair Navy 28 (ACORN 28) unit, serving in the Admiralty Islands from March through October of 1944. Bacastow was transferred to the USS Kitkun Bay (CVE-71), where he served through the battles of Leyte Gulf and Luzon. He continued his service after the war ended, receiving his discharge in March of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Clinton Langstaff. Langstaff joined the Navy in early 1943 and qualified for the V-12 program and received college instruction in pre – med in Montana, then at Northwestern University. Upon commissioning and some anti-submarine warfare officer training, Langstaff was scheduled to go aboard a vessel when the war ended. He stayed in the reserves and was eventually discharged in the 1950s.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Odd Aarstad. Aarstad joined the Navy in August 1944 and trained to be a corpsman. Upon completion of training, Aarstad reported to the Annapolis Naval Hospital where he served and treated wounded and sick patients. Eventually, Aarstad worked on artificial limbs for amputees. He also served at a rehabilitation station in Philadelphia where people were being fitted for prosthetic legs. Aarstad was discharged in October 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James O., Cotton, Knight. Knight joined the Army in July of 1943. He served as Technician Fourth-Class with the 3197th Engineer Pipeline Detachment, Combat Engineers. They were deployed to New Caledonia, Guadalcanal, operating a tank farm that pumped gasoline for military planes and vehicles. He then served on Emirau Island for 13 months, where their job was to cut the supply line of the Japanese base located 80 miles from their base. In early 1945, they traveled to Leyte to work a tank farm. where they were located when the war ended. Knight returned to the U.S. in January of 1946 and received his discharge in February.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James Norman. Norman graduated from Rice University in February 1944 and then attended midshipman school at Notre Dame. Once commissioned, he went to North Carolina for diesel engineering school finishing that in December 1944. He was assigned to the submarine tender USS Aegir (AS-23) as an engineering officer in February 1945 at Midway Island. When the war ended, he was assigned to a minesweeper, USS Sprig (AM-384), in Japanese waters. Norman was discharged in August, 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Edwin Stewart. Stewart joined the Navy in November of 1943. He completed sonar school in mid-1944, and served as Sonar Man Third Class aboard the USS Wyman (DE-38). They conducted anti-submarine warfare through Saipan, where Stewart recalls sinking Japanese submarines. They also conducted escort duty of their fleet ships between Ulithi and the Philippines. In early to mid-1945, they supported the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Stewart returned to the US and received his discharge in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Don Stinson. Stinson was born in 1923 and briefly tells of his childhood. He joined the Army Air Forces in October 1942. He was selected for flight training and tells of the various air fields and aircraft on which he learned to fly. After receiving his commission in 1943, he was assigned to the 2nd Combat Cargo Group. Stinson describes the difficulty in piloting a C-47 due to his size. Soon after organizing, the group was outfitted with new C-46s. In 1944, the group flew to New Guinea where they underwent jungle survival training. In the Philippines, they retrieved a group of nurses who had been prisoners of war for over four years, then transported them to a hospital on the island of Biak. The group was sent to Okinawa, where they were attacked by a kamikaze. Stinson witnessed the Japanese planes, painted white with a green cross, carrying the Japanese surrender delegation to the Philippines. He served in the occupation of Japan, and returned to the US in January of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Diefenderfer. Diefenderfer joined the Army in March of 1943. He completed the Army Specialized Training Program, and joined the 1299th Engineer Combat Battalion. In June of 1945 they traveled to Manila, Philippines and Tokyo, Japan. He worked as a surveyor and for an officer, transporting him for various tasks during the Japanese occupation. He shares a number of anecdotal stories regarding his time overseas. Diefenderfer returned to the US and was discharged in 1949.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with George Fortmeyer. Fortmeyer joined the Navy in February of 1945. He served as Fireman First Class aboard the USS Chickasaw (AT-83). They conducted salvage and rescue operations around Wake Island, the Hawaiian Islands, and along the coast of the United States. Fortmeyer continued his service after the war ended, receiving his discharge in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Bart Semerero. Semerero joined the Army Air Forces in 1943. He completed bombardier training. Beginning in April of 1944, he served aboard a B-17 with the 326th Base Unit. He was transferred to Florida to completed additional training, where he was stationed when the war ended. He continued his service after the war ended, serving with occupying forces in Germany, receiving his discharge in 1947.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William Crook. Upon enlisting into the US Navy in 1944, Crook went to the Great Lakes Naval Training Station for boot camp. Crook then attended a basic engineering course. Following this, he received training in large propulsion engines. He was on board a troop ship bound for the Philippines when the atomic bomb was dropped. Upon his arrival at Leyte, he was assigned to USS LSM-294. He recalls an incident on the high seas that resulted in the loss of several LCTs that his ship was escorting. Crook returned to the US in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with George Barbier. Barbier joined the Navy in June 1941. He went to boot camp in San Diego, California. Upon graduating, he was assigned as a gunner’s mate aboard USS Louisville (CA-26) at Pearl Harbor. The Louisville was involved in the Battle of Leyte Gulf at Surigao Strait and then at Lingayen Gulf. He survived damage caused by a number of kamikaze attacks, one of which claimed the life of Admiral Theodore Chandler. Barbier notes that Admiral William McCarty took over the Louisville. After the war ended, Barbier served in the military occupation of Japan, and remained in the Reserves for 10 years.