National Museum of the Pacific War Oral History Collection - 73 Matching Results

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transcript

Oral History Interview with Nila Jackson Alderson, April 23, 2007

Description: Transcript of an oral interview with Nila Jackson Alderson. Born in 1925, Alderson describes life before and during the war in rural Texas as well as in the town of Burnet, Texas . Her husband, Joe Alderson, served in the military in Europe. They both discuss the mail service during the war. The interview includes information about her parents and siblings.
Date: April 23, 2007
Duration: 54 minutes 20 seconds
Creator: Alderson, Nila Jackson
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
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Oral History Interview with Robert Allender, September 23, 2001

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Allender. Allender was born in Oskaloosa, Iowa 21 November 1925 and enlisted in the Navy after graduating from high school in 1943. He qualified for sonar school while in boot camp and went to San Diego. Upon graduating from the school, he was sent to duty aboard the USS YMS-387, an auxiliary motor minesweeper. He describes his time on the YMS, engaged in coastal minesweeping and training prospective minesweeper crews… more
Date: September 23, 2001
Duration: 1 hour 33 minutes 58 seconds
Creator: Allender, Robert
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
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Oral History Interview with Norman Apelt, September 23, 2001

Description: Transcript of an oral interview with Norman Apelt. He discusses his service in the US Army Air Corps as an airplane mechanic in Pampa, Texas. After the war ended, Apelt was assigned duty in occupied Japan.
Date: September 23, 2001
Duration: 1 hour 34 minutes 01 second
Creator: Apelt, Norman
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
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Oral History Interview with James Arquette, June 23, 2000

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Arquette. Arquette joined the Navy in February of 1942. He completed flight training, and was assigned to a fighter squadron. Beginning November of 1942, he served as a pilot aboard USS Lexington (CV-16). He participated in raids on Wake Island and the Gilbert Islands. He later transferred to USS Randolph (CV-15), participating in the Okinawa invasion. He returned to the US and was discharged in October of 1945. Arquette co… more
Date: June 23, 2000
Duration: 1 hour 50 minutes 09 seconds
Creator: Arquette, James
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
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Oral History Interview with James Atkinson, March 23, 2006

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James E. Atkinson. Atkinson was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas in 1921. His younger brother was killed in Europe during the war. Atkinson attended Vanderbilt University with a football scholarship in 1940. In 1942 he joined the Navy Reserves and entered the V-12 Navy College Training Program. Soon afterwards, he entered Midshipman’s school at Notre Dame. Upon graduating 20 June 1944, he was commissioned an ensign. He then ente… more
Date: March 23, 2006
Duration: 2 hours 27 minutes 28 seconds
Creator: Atkinson, James
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
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Oral History Interview with Sybil Bale, September 23, 2001

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Sybil Bale. Bale was born in Clovis, New Mexico in 1920. In 1940 she went to Washington, D.C. to work for the Lend Lease Program as a secretary. She tells of seeing the program grow from a staff of four with four secretaries to over 750 employees when she left in 1941. Returning to New Mexico, Sybil was employed by the Selective Service Draft Board as an auditor and tells of the work it entailed. She describes the classifica… more
Date: September 23, 2001
Duration: 1 hour 20 minutes 19 seconds
Creator: Bale, Sybil
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
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Oral History Interview with R. Y. Bowers, October 23, 2004

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with R.Y. Bowers. Bowers was born in Lancaster, South Carolina in 1922. Upon joining the Marines in 1931, he was sent to Parris Island, South Carolina for four weeks of boot training. In June 1943, he was assigned to 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, VMSB- 331. He briefly tells of his twelve months of training in radio and gunnery. When his training was completed he went by troop train to San Diego. There he was trained in the use of pla… more
Date: October 23, 2004
Duration: 36 minutes 45 seconds
Creator: Bowers, R. Y.
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
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Oral History Interview with Norman Apelt, September 23, 2001

Description: Interview with with Norman Apelt, an airplane mechanic during World War II. He discusses his service in the US Army Air Corps as an airplane mechanic in Pampa, Texas. After the war ended, Apelt was assigned duty in occupied Japan.
Date: September 23, 2001
Duration: 1 hour 32 minutes 56 seconds
Creator: Bryk, Clarence & Apelt, Norman
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
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Oral History Interview with Ralph Byler, March 23, 2004

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ralph Byler. Byler joined the Army in early 1941. He served as the Commanding Officer of the 965th Field Artillery Battalion, in the European Theater, during the Invasion of Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge, where he was wounded. Byler was discharged in March of 1946.
Date: March 23, 2004
Duration: 1 hour 41 minutes 33 seconds
Creator: Byler, Ralph
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
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Oral History Interview with Robert Carey, March 23, 2004

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Carey. Carey joined the Marine Corps in an officer candidate class in November of 1942. In July of 1943 he was transferred to the Navy V-12 Program, completing midshipman and landing craft school. He was stationed aboard the USS Venango (AKA-82) beginning June of 1944. In the spring of 1945 they transported cargo for the impending assault on Okinawa, carrying troops, landing craft vehicles and gear of the Army’s 82nd Signa… more
Date: March 23, 2004
Duration: 1 hour 20 minutes 26 seconds
Creator: Carey, Robert
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
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Oral History Interview with Ken Cook, September 23, 2001

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ken Cook. Born in Dallas, Texas on January 19, 1927, he joined the Navy in October 1943 and attended boot camp in San Diego. Upon completing boot camp, he was ordered to engineering school in Gulfport, Mississippi and was assigned to the USS Sigourney (DD-643) for the duration of the war. He reported aboard Sigourney in May 1944 as a Fireman Striker, but after serving a stint as Mess Cook, changed his rating to Cook Striker.… more
Date: September 23, 2001
Duration: 54 minutes 32 seconds
Creator: Cook, Ken
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
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Oral History Interview with Bert Cooper, November 23, 2001

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bert Cooper. Upon graduation from high school in February 1944 he joined the Navy as a Hospital Corpsman and was assigned to the First Marine Division. In transit to the division, his ship encountered a Japanese submarine off Okinawa, which was driven off or sunk by depth charges. Upon arrival at Okinawa several days after the initial invasion he recalls an incident when hundreds of Marines were attacked by a Japanese kamika… more
Date: November 23, 2001
Duration: 43 minutes 27 seconds
Creator: Cooper, Bert
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
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Oral History Interview with Garvin Kowalke, January 23, 2001

Description: Interview with Garvin Kowalke, a pilot during World War II. He discusses joining the Army Air Corps, going to Air Cadet training to become a pilot, and training on various aircraft (AT-17, UC-78, P-36, P-33, T-6, BT-13, B-17, B-29) before becoming a B-29 pilot; he shipped out to Guam and flew standard and fire bombing runs over Japan. He discusses having to ditch the plane on the way back to Guam once when the engines failed, seeing another B-29 crew have to bail out over Toyko Bay and get pic… more
Date: January 23, 2001
Duration: 1 hour 46 minutes 10 seconds
Creator: Cox, Floyd & Kowalke, Garvin
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
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Oral History Interview with George Cross, January 23, 2004

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with George Cross. Cross joined the Navy in August of 1944. He was trained as a yeoman. Cross served on a destroyer in the Atlantic. He describes how his ship screened convoys by disrupting an air attack by German planes and depth charging a suspected submarine. Cross also talks about his duties as a phone talker during general quarters and the type of work performed by a yeoman. He was discharged soon after he returned to the US. more
Date: January 23, 2004
Duration: 1 hour 21 minutes 31 seconds
Creator: Cross, George
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
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Oral History Interview with Robert Custer, December 23, 2003

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Custer. Custer joined the Army Air Corps in December, 1942. He attended aerial gunnery school before shipping to England.
Date: December 23, 2003
Duration: 1 hour 57 minutes 28 seconds
Creator: Custer, Robert
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
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Oral History Interview with Albert Day, February 23, 2004

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Albert Day. Day was born in Olney, Texas 23 September 1921 and graduated from high school in Vivian, Louisiana in 1942. Upon joining the Navy 4 June 1942, he was sent to The Great Lakes Naval Training Station for boot training. Afterwards, Day was assigned to the Amphibious Forces at Solomons, Maryland for training where he learned navigation and signal communications. Completing the course in October 1942 he went to Redwood… more
Date: February 23, 2004
Duration: 1 hour 34 minutes 34 seconds
Creator: Day, Albert
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
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Oral History Interview with Ronald DeWitt, September 23, 2008

Description: Transcript of an oral interview with Ronald DeWitt. In 1943, he joined the Navy when he was 17. He went to Newport, Rhode Island for basic training and then went to radar operator school at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. From there, he was assigned to Port Hueneme, California for more radar training. He evetually volunteered for sea duty and was posted to the USS Algol (AKA-54) in August, 1944 as a radar man. He describes the function of and gear aboard the attack cargo ship; being the ranking r… more
Date: September 23, 2008
Duration: 1 hour 2 minutes 11 seconds
Creator: DeWitt, Ronald
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
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Oral History Interview with Lewis Ferguson, April 23, 2009

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lewis Ferguson. Ferguson joined the Navy in 1942 under the V-7 Program. After graduating, he received basic training in San Diego. He was then sent to Radar Operator School in Norfolk. Upon completion, he was assigned to the USS Cooper (DD-695). He received further training at Radar Materiel School in Pearl Harbor and was transferred to the USS Massey (DD-778). At the invasion of Okinawa, Ferguson tracked bogeys as far as 20… more
Date: April 23, 2009
Duration: 33 minutes 46 seconds
Creator: Ferguson, Lewis
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
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Oral History Interview with Bob Floyd, October 23, 2007

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bob Floyd. Floyd was on track to become as a ship builder, but was drafted into the Navy before graduating from high school. He was assigned to the USS Midway (CVE-63), which was renamed the USS St. Lo (CVE-63) one year later, without the sailors even knowing it. Floyd’s early voyages were to Australia and Pearl Harbor, and he recounts becoming a shellback. Upon joining a large task force at Pearl Harbor, he sailed to Saipan… more
Date: October 23, 2007
Duration: 1 hour 16 minutes 17 seconds
Creator: Floyd, Bob
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
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Oral History Interview with Walden Franzen, October 23, 2003

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Walden Franzen. Franzen joined the Navy in 1937. He became a plane captain with VB-3 and served on the USS Saratoga (CV-3) and the USS Ranger (CV-4). Franzen mentions life on board ship and the difference between the two carriers. He went on to serve as a crew chief on a PBY in the Caribbean and later as a maintenance supervisor for a utility squadron that served along the East Coast. Franzen remained in the Navy after the w… more
Date: October 23, 2003
Duration: 23 minutes 13 seconds
Creator: Franzen, Walden
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
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Oral History Interview with William Gill, October 23, 2003

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William A. Gill. Gill was born on 6 April 1921 in Newark, New Jersey and enlisted in the Navy in April 1942. He relates several anecdotes from his time in Great Lakes, Illinois where he attended basic training and quartermaster school. He volunteered for motor torpedo boat training in Melville, Rhode Island. Upon completing his training he was assigned to the commissioning crew of PT-166, which was part of Motor Torpedo Boat… more
Date: October 23, 2003
Duration: 1 hour 34 minutes 11 seconds
Creator: Gill, William A.
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
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Oral History Interview with Roy Goedeke, October 23, 2007

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Roy Goedeke. Goedeke joined the Navy in 1940. Beginning September of 1941, he was assigned to the deck force aboard the USS Fulton (AS-11), a submarine tender. They were in Panama on 7 December 1941. Their ship transported aviation gasoline to Nicaragua and Ecuador, where they built seaplane bases. In early 1942 they worked in Pearl Harbor assisting with asbestos clean-up. Goedeke describes the damage on the island. In July of 19… more
Date: October 23, 2007
Duration: 1 hour 29 minutes 16 seconds
Creator: Goedeke, Roy
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
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Oral History Interview with Bob Goeser, October 23, 2004

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Bob Goeser. Goeser joined the Marine Corps in October of 1942, and was assigned to the air arm. He completed Radio Navigation School. He served as an air crewman in the Philippines and China, completed over 50 combat missions and received the Distinguished Flying Cross, and a Silver Star. He was discharged in December of 1945.
Date: October 23, 2004
Duration: 31 minutes 16 seconds
Creator: Goeser, Bob
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with Fred Graziano, October 23, 2007

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Fred Graziano. Graziano was drafted by the Navy in October of 1943. He was immediately assigned to the USS Dennis (DE-405), beginning in December. They traveled to Hawaii for gunnery practice and prepared for engagements. Their first engagements were off of New Guinea and Australia. They escorted a carrier to the Marshall Islands. In 1944 they participated in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Graziano provides vivid details of this battl… more
Date: October 23, 2007
Duration: 50 minutes 40 seconds
Creator: Graziano, Fred
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
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