Oral History Interview with Ray William Rouch, September 5, 2012
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Oral History Interview with Ray William Rouch, September 5, 2012 (Sound)
The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Roy William Rouch. Born in 1924, he joined the Marine Corps in July, 1942. He describes boot camp in San Diego, California. He was assigned to the 2nd Marine Division. He describes the conditions on board ship en route to Camp Pakarariki, New Zealand. The Division was transported to Guadalcanal in January 1943. He talks about the deplorable living conditions on Guadalcanal and the Battle of the Tenaru River. He describes landing as part of the second wave on Tarawa and how the fighting was up close and personal. He explains how the BAR squads were used and reorganized following Guadalcanal and Tarawa. He also shares a story of the LCTs and LSTs being sunk off of Hawaii during night maneuvers before leaving for Saipan. He then describes the street fighting and banzai charges the 2nd Marine Division endured on Saipan during the Battles of Garapan and Charan Kanoa. He shares an anecdote of being injured on Tinian and his family being informed when in fact it was another Rouch who was injured during the battle. Following his discharge from the Marine Corps in July of 1946, he enlisted in the Air Force where he became a fighter pilot and flew P-51s, F-80s and F-86s during the Korean War. He flew on a medical waiver after a accident and was later discharged from the Air Force.
Oral History Interview with Ray William Rouch, September 5, 2012 - ark:/67531/metapth1610115
Oral History Interview with Ray William Rouch, September 5, 2012, text, September 5, 2012; Fredericksburg, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1606349/: accessed July 10, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation.