National Museum of the Pacific War Oral History Collection - 444 Matching Results

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Oral History Interview with Jack Hensel, July 21, 2022

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jack Hensel. Hensel was drafted into the Navy in June 1943. He trained as an aerial gunner and was eventually assigned to a crew aboard an Avenger. In early 1945, he went aboard USS Franklin (CV-13). In March, when the Franklin was attacked, Hensel was blown overboard and eventually made it onto a raft before being rescued by USS Hickox (DD-673). He went to a hospital at Ulithi to recover from burns before heading back to the US.… more
Date: September 1, 2022
Creator: Metzler, Ed
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Zayda Baron, September 29, 2020

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Zayda Baron. Baron was born in 1933 in the Philippines. Her father, Leon Oreonez, was the captain of a guerrilla unit. When the Japanese came to her home looking for her father, she fled and was separated from her parents for some time. Eventually, her older brothers worked at resisting the Japanese. When the war ended, Baron returned to school. She comments on the conditions of the Filipino populace during the Japanese occu… more
Date: September 29, 2020
Creator: Baron, Zayda
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Donald Bishop, September 25, 2020

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Donald Bishop. Bishop joined the Marines late December 1942. He served with K Company, Third Battalion, First Marines. He shares his experiences through the Guadalcanal, New Britain and Peleliu campaigns. He was injured at Peleliu and returned to the US in late 1944. He assisted at West Point and Annapolis, teaching beach landings. He continued his service after the war ended, receiving his discharge on 22 January 1946.
Date: September 25, 2020
Creator: Bishop, Donald
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Don Pickard, September 17, 2020

Description: 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… more
Date: September 17, 2020
Creator: Pickard, Don
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Henley Bennett, September 27, 2019

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Henley Bennett. Bennett joined the Navy in December 1943 and trained in San Diego. Upon completion he was assigned to USS Long Island (CVE-1) and went to the Marshall Islands. He was also stationed on Guam for a while. He served with utility Squadrons 7 and 17 while overseas. When the war ended, Bennett was discharged in June 1946.
Date: September 27, 2019
Creator: Bennett, Henley
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Robert Miller, September 27, 2019

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Miller. Miller joined the Junior Naval Reserves around 1936, at the age of 13. He joined the Navy in 1940, and served aboard USS Wyoming (BB-32) as an Aviation Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class. Shortly after the war started, he was transferred to USS Raven (AM-55) as a gunner. He recalls spotting and shooting at German U-boats along Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. In early 1942, they escorted tankers along the east coast, up to N… more
Date: September 27, 2019
Creator: Miller, Robert
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with John Neece, September 16, 2019

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Neece. Neece was drafted into the Army in July, 1943 and had basic training in New Orleans. After basic training, Neece went to Illinois for radio school, then to Florida for radar school. He was then sent to the Pacific and joined the 864th Bomb Squadron as a radar operator. He flew out of Saipan and Okinawa prior to the war's end. When it was over, he spent a little while in Japan before going bakc to the US and being disc… more
Date: September 16, 2019
Creator: Neece, John
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Orville Schwanger, September 27, 2018

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Orville Schwanger. Schwanger joined the Army Signal Corps around 1942. He completed radio repair training. From 1943 through the end of the war, Schwanger traveled to Brisbane, Australia, New Guinea, the Philippines, and Leyte Gulf. On the islands, he set up and worked in radio repair shops. He received his discharge in 1946.
Date: September 27, 2018
Creator: Schwanger, Orville
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Alfred Keeler, September 18, 2018

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Alfred Keeler. Keeler joined the Navy in July of 1943. In November, he served as a Radio Operator with the 2nd Marine Division, during the Battle of Tarawa. In 1944, Keeler traveled aboard the USS Bushnell (AS-15) to Midway, where he continued to work as a radio operator on the island. Beginning late 1944, he served in communications with Admiral Nimitz headquarters in Hawaii. He was a passenger aboard the USS Mississippi (BB-41)… more
Date: September 18, 2018
Creator: Keeler, Alfred
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with George Barbier, September 15, 2018

Description: 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… more
Date: September 15, 2018
Creator: Barbier, George
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with George Beard, September 6, 2018

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with George Beard. He was born in 1924. In 1943, he joined the United States Army Air Forces. Upon completing basic training, he underwent pilot training and became a B-24 pilot. After spending time in Panama, he was sent to New Guinea where he underwent jungle training. He then went to Clark Field, Philippine Islands. There he flew missions over Japan and he tells of seeing smoke residue from the atomic bomb blast. Beard returned to … more
Date: September 6, 2018
Creator: Beard, George
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Ernest Howe, September 19, 2017

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ernest Howe. Howe joined the Navy in 1943 when he finished high school. He trained as a pharmacist's mate and worked in the Oak Knoll Hospital in Oakland. He then was assigned to a large hospital in Noumea, New Caledonia. Later in the war, he moved up to the Philippines and worked in a clinic in Manila. When the war ended, Howe opted for a discharge.
Date: September 19, 2017
Creator: Howe, Ernest
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Jean Adams, September 17, 2017

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jean Adams. Adams was born in Washington, DC. Her father served in the military as well as her two brothers. She attended an all-girls school in Washington and graduated from a women’s college in Philadelphia. In 1940 she joined her brother in the Philippines but was evacuated in 1941. She joined the second class of the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WACs) in 1942. She was assigned to the Office of Inspector General and tells of s… more
Date: September 17, 2017
Creator: Adams, Jean
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Liz Irvine and Yvonne Charles, September 17, 2017

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents a joint interview with Liz Irvine and Yvonne Charles. Both were teenagers when they were interned as civilians in Santo Tomas University by the Japanese in 1942. They discuss the various activities they participated in. They tell of some of the acts of kindness as well as brutality that occurred by their captors. They also tell of the violent demise of the Japanese camp commandant Abiko, following the surrender of the camp on 3 February 1945.
Date: September 17, 2017
Creator: Irvine, Liz & Charles, Evon
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Richard Storick, September 15, 2017

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Richard Storick. Storick joined the Navy after high school in June 1943 and trained at Great Lakes. His forst assignmnet took him aboard USS Taluga (AO-62). He shares several anecdotes from his time aboard, where he served as a rangefinder. Storick also shares his experiences ashore in Japan and Korea after the war. He was discharged in March 1946.
Date: September 15, 2017
Creator: Storick, Richard
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with George S. Nelson, September 1, 2017

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with George S Nelson. Nelson joined the Navy in December of 1942. He served as a machinist mate aboard a merchant ship. They traveled to New Caledonia and boarded the USS President Adams (APA-19), then headed to Guadalcanal. There they helped the Army and Marines unload food supplies. Then they headed to Tulagi, where Nelson took over as port director. He describes his job responsibilities as director. He participated in the Battle of… more
Date: September 1, 2017
Creator: Nelson, George S
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Richard Werner, September 23, 2016

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Richard E. Werner. Werner joined the Army in September of 1942. He served in the Medical Detachment with the 1106th Engineer Combat Battalion, 7th Army. They were transferred to England, and participated in infantry combat and built pontoon bridges during the Normandy invasion and traveled as far as the Rhine River when Germany surrendered on 8 May 1945. Werner served with the occupation in Germany and returned to the US in Novem… more
Date: September 23, 2016
Creator: Werner, Richard
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Fred Heyer, September 21, 2016

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Fred Heyer. Heyer joined the Navy in March 1945. He went to Great Lakes in Chicago for boot camp. He provides detail of his boot camp experience. From there he went to the U.S. Navy Receiving Station in Seattle where he received and dispatched Army personnel. He then served aboard the USS Clamour (AM-160) beginning October 1945. They were working to put the ship out of commission. His work aboard the ship was clerical, offic… more
Date: September 21, 2016
Creator: Heyer, Fred
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Robert J. Gettelfinger, September 18, 2016

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert J Gettelfinger. Gettelfinger joined the Army Air Forces in June of 1942. He completed Cadet School in San Antonio. He served as a C-46 pilot and was deployed to Chabua, India in 1943. He recalls flying the Hump, transporting fuel, munitions and supervisory staff to Kunming, China. Gettelfinger also completed missions to Burma. He returned to the US in November of 1944 and received the Distinguished Flying Cross. He continu… more
Date: September 18, 2016
Creator: Gettelfinger, Robert J
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Horace Johnson, September 17, 2016

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Horace Johnson. Johnson joined the Navy in February 1942 and received basic training in Norfolk. Upon completion, he was assigned to the Seabees and sent to Port Hueneme. From there he set sail for the Pacific, where he constructed airstrips and aviation refueling stations in Suva, Funafuti, and Samoa. He returned to the States on 8 June 1944, and his battalion was decommissioned. Johnson did a second tour, stationed at an a… more
Date: September 17, 2016
Creator: Johnson, Horace
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Charles White, September 8, 2016

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Charles White. White joined the Navy in June, 1945 and went to Great Lakes for basic training. He caught his ship, the USS Pawnee (ATF-74) at Okinawa in August, 1945 and began pulling ships off the beach after a typhoon. They also tugged barges around Japan for a few weeks after the surrender, the Philippines, too. White returned to the US and was discharged in August, 1946.
Date: September 8, 2016
Creator: White, Charles
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Warren Bateman, September 6, 2016

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Warren Bateman. Bateman joined the Navy in October of 1942. He went to Great Lakes, Illinois for boot camp. From there he went to Miami, Florida as Third Class Storekeeper. He was then assigned to the USS PC-1126 that was being built in Bay City, Michigan. In 1943 his crew escorted a convoy from Miami to Panama, then to San Diego where he was transferred to the USS Roberts (DE-749). In January 1944 he went to midshipman’s sc… more
Date: September 6, 2016
Creator: Bateman, Warren
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Elmer Ethun, September 30, 2015

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Elmer Ethun. Ethun was drafted into the Army Air Forces in March 1943 at Fort Sheridan. He completed basic training in Florida. He moved on to Camp Crowder, Missouri to telephone school. From there, he went to Hammer Field in Fresno, California to message center school and learned cryptography and Morse code. He was in the 2nd Airbase Communication Detachment. In April 1944 he was sent overseas to Calcutta, India, then to Ch… more
Date: September 30, 2015
Creator: Ethun, Elmer
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Oral History Interview with Archibald Rackerby, September 29, 2015

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Archibald Rackerby. Rackerby joined the Marine Corps on 27 December 1941 and took basic training at San Diego. From there he went to officer’s training at Quantico and earned a commission in January 1943. At New Caledonia, Rackerby was assigned as a weapons platoon commander in the Third Raider Battalion. He was in combat on Bougainville but was injured in the neck in a training exercise on Guadalcanal in January, 1944. He was se… more
Date: September 29, 2015
Creator: Rackerby, Archibald
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
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