The National Museum of the Pacific War presents a commentary by Joe Kruzel. Born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania 17 February 1918, Kruzel attended the University of Scranton and graduated majoring in pre-med. Joining the Army Air Corps, he attended flight school at Randolph and Kelly fields in Texas. Soon after receiving his commission, he volunteered to go to the Philippine Islands. Upon arrival he was assigned to the 17th Pursuit Squadron under command of Colonel Boyd “Buzz” Wagner. He flew combat missions in P-35s and P-40s in the Philippines and Java for eleven months before being sent to the United States. He was next assigned to the 361st Fighter Group as executive officer in December 1942. In March 1943 the squadron went to Bottisham, England. Kruzel describes a number of missions in detail. In September 1944, he assumed command of the fighter group, which flew P-51s. He provides several anecdotes concerning various pilots and notes that one of his pilots shot down two M-262 German jets during one mission. He also comments on one of his most memorable flights and tells of the satisfaction derived when escorting crippled bombers back to England. He provides complementary comments about the ground crews and …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Otto Schwarz. Schwarz joined the Navy in 1940 after spending some time in the Civilian Conservation Corps. After training at San Diego, he went to Pearl Harbor and was assigned to the USS Lark (AM-21). Once in the Philippines, he was transferred to the USS Houston (CA-30) in June 1941. He remained aboard the Houston until she was sunk in March, 1942 off the Java coast. His battle station was in the powder magazine in the first turret. Schwarz remembers leaving his battle station and abandoning the ship. Toward dawn, Schwarz was picked up by a barge and taken ashore where he gathered with other survivors. They stayed in a civilian jail on Java for five or six weeks before going to Bicycle Camp in Batavia (Jakarta today). In October, Schwarz left Java aboard the Dai Nichi Maru bound for the POW camp Changi, Singapore. From there, he shipped to Burma and went to work on the railway to Thailand starting at the 14 Kilo Camp. During the construction, he suffered from tropical ulcers, malaria, beriberi, dysentery and dengue fever. When the railroad was completed, Schwarz went to …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Alton Warner about his experiences leading up to and during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents a monologue by Irvin Strobing. Strobing joined the Army Air Corps in July of 1939. He completed Army Signal School at Fort Monmouth and worked as a radio operator. He traveled to Manila, Philippines in May of 1940 and joined the 10th Signal Service Company. He shares his experiences as an apprentice, working and general life in the Philippines. Following the surrender on Bataan, Corregidor became the focus of Japanese forces. Strobing had an operating position in one of Corregidor’s network of tunnels. He speaks on Lt. Gen. Jonathan Wainwright surrendering the Corregidor garrison to the Japanese on 6 May 1942. Strobing provides vivid recollections of his experiences through his capture and imprisonment at Bilibid and later Cabanatuan. Strobing shares details of his time in prison, the living and food accommodations, work, illness, death, interactions with the Japanese guards and their liberation from the camp. He rejoined his family in the States in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James and John Bowen, Earl Steele, and Don Stoll. The Bowen brothers and Earl Steele share their experiences aboard USS South Dakota (BB-57) during WWII. The brothers served aboard the ship together. They were still aboard when the ship was deployed to the Atlantic. Ingram interviews Don Stoll on 3 December 1989. Stoll served as an engineer on the captain’s gig aboard USS South Dakota. He was aboard from 1943 through 1946. Stoll was injured severely in a bomb blast.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Frank Beardsley. Beardsley provides two interviews, one in 1990 and the other in 1998. Both focus on his career in the Navy. Beardsley joined the Navy in 1941 and earned a commission in January 1942. He served aboard the USS Big Horn (AO-45) for a while before commanding USS PC-1140 in 1944. After further anti-submarine warfare training, Beardsley commanded USS PCE(R)-858. He was on his way to the invasion of Japan when the war ended. He was discharged in 1946, but stayed in the reserves until 1964.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents a monologue by Jim Woods. Woods joined the Marine Corps in January of 1943. He served with the 3rd Marine Raider Battalion, participating in the Bougainville Campaign in November of 1943, the Battle of Guam in 1944, landing on Emirau Island, the Okinawa Campaign in April of 1945 and landing on Japan on 30 August 1945. After Bougainville, the Raiders were disbanded and Woods joined the 4th Marine Regiment for the remainder of his service. He provides vivid details of his combat missions with fellow servicemen, anecdotal stories from his squad and witnessed heavy casualties at Okinawa. Woods was discharged in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Donald R. Witmer where he discusses his early life, enlisting in the Navy and going through bootcamp. Witmer describes his experiences as a torpedo man in the Pacific Theatre during World War Two.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Chaplain Vernon Hanks. Hanks was born in Sterling, Kansas on 21 November 1908. He joined the National Guard doing drills with horse-drawn caissons and French 75s while attending Sterling College in Kansas. He graduated in 1931 and then attended the Iliff School of Theology in Denver, graduating in 1940 with a Master of Theology. Hanks joined the Navy after Pearl Harbor and received orders for Naval Chaplains School (NCS), Norfolk, Virginia, in August 1942. He was stationed at MCAS Cherry Point in North Carolina where he remembers counseling a distraught young Marine pilot who had been shot down during the Battle of Midway. Shortly afterward he was assigned to Bunker Hill Naval Air Station where he counseled Marines and Navy personnel. He facilitated a free circus performance at Christmastime. On 5 June 1943 he was assigned to the USS Wright (AV-1), a seaplane tender, for duty in the South Pacific. Hanks was on the Wright at Bougainville, the Admiralties and during the Battle for Leyte Gulf. In February 1945, USS Wright was renamed USS San Clemente (AG-79) and served as communications center for the 7th Fleet. Hanks returned …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with George Charland. Charland initially provides details of his family history and growing up. He joined the Marine Corps in 1939. He completed boot camp at Camp Elliott in California and provides details of his training. In June of 1941 he was assigned to the 3rd Marine Defense Battalion, H & S Company in Hawaii. He was serving guard detail at Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, 7 miles west of Pearl Harbor on the morning of 7 December 1941. Charland provides vivid details of his experiences through the attack. For the next month he and his sergeant went through the harbor in the captain’s gig picking up survivors and the dead. In August of 1942 he was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, E Company, 2nd Marines, 2nd Marine Division in New Zealand. In November of 1943 he participated in the Battle of Tarawa. Upon getting wounded he boarded the USS Comfort (AH-6) and went back to Hawaii, where Admiral Chester Nimitz awarded him a Purple Heart. He was then assigned to the 4th Marine Division in February of 1944 and supported the infantry during the battles of Saipan, Tinian and …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ramon Villa. Villa joined the Army in April of 1941. He served with the 200th Coast Artillery. In September, he deployed to the Philippines, and was assigned at Clark Field. After the Japanese landed on Luzon, Villa helped defend Bataan and Corregidor, surrendering to the Japanese in April of 1942. He was captured and held a prisoner of war at Camp O’Donnell, Cabanatuan Camp #3, Las Piñas Camp #4, and in Japan. In 1944, he survived transport aboard the Haro Maru to Taiwan, to work as slave labor on a sugar plantation. He was liberated after the war ended, and returned to the US in October of 1945, receiving an honorable discharge in February of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Lawrence Dibb. Dibb joined the Navy in September of 1941. Beginning January of 1942, he served aboard USS Maryland (BB-46) as a Fireman in damage control, fire and rescue, and diving repair. They traveled to Midway and Fiji Island. They participated in the battles of Tarawa, Saipan, Leyte Gulf and Okinawa. Dibb was discharged in October of 1945.

The National Museum of the pacific War presents an interview with William Bates. Bates joined the Navy Reserves in late 1939 as an aviation cadet. He was in primary flight training at Corpus Christi when the war started. He opted to quit flying and went instead to Midshipmen’s School at northwestern and earned a commission and was assigned to the USS APc-21. He describes his journey down the East Coast, through the Panama Canal and on to Australia and the Southwest Pacific. Once there, his vessel would escort LCTs and LSTs provisioning the ground forces in New Guinea. He was aboard the APc-21 when it was bombed and sunk. After returning to the US and some leave, Bates was assigned to the USS ATR-22. He then transferred to the USS Unadilla (ATA-182). He shares a few anecdotes about being at the Panama Canal and experiencing typhoons off the Philippines. Bates returned to the US in early 1946 and was discharged in September.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Henry Wertz and Russell Wheeler. Both Wertz and Wheeler served in the Navy aboard the USS Hornet (CV-12). Wertz enlisted in the Navy in January of 1940 and Wheeler enlisted around 1942. Wertz served aboard the Hornet as Boatswain Mate 2nd Class and Wheeler served as Seaman 1st Class. Both men were in the 3rd Division, 40mm guns, which Wertz had charge over. Considering that Wheeler was only 15 years old when he joined, Wertz took extra care of him while aboard the Hornet. They traveled through the Panama Canal. They helped qualify fighter squadrons for the Pacific Fleet, and transported Marines to various islands. Their ship operated around Formosa, Guam, New Caledonia, Iwo Jima and the Aleutian Islands. They share various incidents aboard the ship, including kamikaze plane attacks, air raids, memorable landings and takeoffs from their carrier and life in general aboard the Hornet.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Szymanski. Szymanski joined the Navy in October of 1942. He served as an aviation machinist mate aboard the USS Hornet (CV-12). During the invasion of Hollandia, New Guinea, Szymanski’s job was to help mine the anchorage in Palau so the Japanese could not sail their fleet ships. He shares details of his experiences through the Battles of the Philippine Sea, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He was honorably discharged in September of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Spires and Murdock Walley. Both Spires and Walley joined the Navy in 1943 and served aboard the USS Hornet (CV-12). Spires worked as a 3rd Class Fireman. Walley worked in damage control in the ship repair division, as well as fire fighting in the pump room and as a plumber. They both boarded the ship around October of 1943, and speak on the 3 skippers they worked under, including Captain Browning, Captain Sample and Captain Doyle. Spires and Walley speak on their individual work aboard the ship, comradery between shipmates, transporting a Marine detachment, qualifying fighter squadrons for the Pacific Fleet, traveling to Kwajalein, New Guinea and Hollandia and life in general aboard the Hornet.

Transcript of an oral interview with Cliff Robertson. Robertson was a crewman on a small, old freighter (SS Admiral Cole) about 150 miles out of Iloilo (in the vicinity of Philippines Islands) when his ship was bombed by a Japanese 4-engine amphibious plane - the same time Pearl Harbor was being bombed. Although their ship was damaged by the bombs, they got to Zamboanga and then were in the China Sea when the USS Houston (CA-30) was sunk. They finally got out down through Tora Straits and then out along the Great Barrier Reef to Sidney, Australia. They went to New Zealand for repairs and then sailed for San Francisco, California which is where they had started. Robertson signed off the ship. He went off to Antioch College and worked for the Springfield Daily News in Springfield, Ohio at the same time. Robertson wanted to fly but his eyesight wasn't good enough so he went into the Merchant Marine. After training on Catalina Island, he was assigned to a tanker. The other ships he remembered being on were SS Craig and SS Jonathan. Robertson made several trips to the South Pacific and contracted malaria on one. Later on, he went …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Wallace Pickard. Pickard was born in New York City on 2 August 1919. In 1940 he was accepted into the US Army Air Corps and tells of the various aircraft in which he trained and the different air fields to which he was assigned. In September 1941 he was assigned to Reconnaissance Squadron Four at Hickam Field, Hawaii. He was awakened by the sounds of explosions on 7 December 1941 as the Japanese launched their attack on Pearl Harbor. During the attack, Pickard received shell fragment wounds to his hand, back and hip. He was transported to Tripler Hospital for treatment. While preparations were being made to amputate his hand a visiting trauma surgeon took interest in his case and ultimately saved it. In February 1942 he was sent to Letterman General Hospital, then to Walter Reed Hospital for treatment. He underwent twenty-two operations for his injuries. In June 1942 he was assigned as aide to General George Marshall. He tells of the circumstances that precluded his assignment and describes his duties. In 1944 he was discharged for medical reasons but was recalled and became an executive officer …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Karl Williams. Williams joined the Navy in April of 1942, as a 3rd Class Yeoman. He completed training at San Diego and provides details of his training experiences, uniforms and general life at camp. While waiting on a ship assignment, Williams was transferred to Tiburon, California, making submarine harbor nets by hand. From June to October of 1942 he volunteered to attend school for additional Yeoman training in Bloomington, Indiana. He was transferred to Miami to complete further training through the middle of 1943. He then served as 2nd Class Yeoman aboard a submarine chaser. They were sent to Panama in August of 1943. He did not have any contact with enemy submarines during his service. They traveled to New Caledonia and Guadalcanal, where they were stationed through August of 1944, serving as a patrol ship around the island. They were sent to the Mariana Islands where they remained until the war ended. He was discharged in October of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ivan Brown. Brown joined the Army in 1942. He joined the 3rd Chemical Mortar Battalion. His job was working with the 4.2-inch mortar and poison gas. In April of 1943, they deployed to Oran, North Africa. They participated in the allied invasions of Sicily, Italy and southern France, and the Battle of the Ardennes. Brown was discharged in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Harrison Gunter. Gunter joined the Navy in June, 1942 as an aviation cadet. He trained in Georgia and Texas before receiving his commission. He then opted to transfer to the Marine Corps. He was retained as a flight instructor. In January, 1945, Gunter was sent to Guam and flew C-47s hauling personnel all over the Pacific. His squadron was VMR-952. When the war ended, his unit went to occupation duty in Japan. Gunter was discharged in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jamie Davis. Davis joined the Marine Corps in July of 1944. He served with a replacement draft for the 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Regiment. They deployed in mid-December to Pavuvu Island in the Solomons. He completed additional training between Pavuvu and Guadalcanal via LSTs and LCVPs. They participated in the Battle of Okinawa, where Davis served as a forward observer, coordinating naval gunfire to enemy positions. After the war ended, they served as occupational troops in Tientsin, China, and returned to the US in December of 1945. Davis was discharged in July of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with David Mackay. Mackay joined the Army in June of 1942. Beginning in the spring of 1943, he deployed to Brisbane, Australia and served with the 32nd Infantry Division. He completed patrol work and additional training on Hollandia, New Guinea. From early 1944 through early 1945, Mackay participated in the landing at Saidor, the Battle of Leyte and the Battle of Luzon. He returned to the US and was discharged in October of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Kenneth Mahaffey. Mahaffey joined the Marine Corps in May 1943, after training as a Navy pilot. He received dive bombing training in Florida and upon completion was assigned to an SBD squadron. His first assignment was in early 1944, doing search and rescue operations and tracking submarines at Midway. He was then sent to the Gilbert and Marshall Islands, stationed there for bombing missions. After hitting his target, Mahaffey, piloting the only plane in his squadron outfitted with photographic equipment, waited for the smoke to clear before photographing the area to assess the damage. He recalls one mission on which Lindberg joined his squadron to demonstrate that their planes could carry an extra thousand pounds of ammunition. Mahaffey returned to the States in November 1944 to serve as a fire tactics instructor at Corpus Christi. One evening, he flew to Laredo to visit his brother, an orderly corporal in the Army Air Forces. When the tower prohibited his takeoff, he flew straight over it and performed a barrel roll. His brother tore up the only report of the incident. Mahaffey was discharged in 1946 but reenlisted four years …