National Museum of the Pacific War Oral History Collection - 134 Matching Results

Search Results

transcript

Oral History Interview with Chris Walker, February 11, 2003

Description: Interview with Chris Walker, a carpenter during World War II. He discusses working as a carpenter in the Marines at Camp Pendleton and on Tinian and Saipan. He was present at Okinawa and in Nagasaki after Japan surrendered. He also tells stories about generals, his colonel, rations, and friendly fire. He describes some of the memorabilia he kept.
Date: February 11, 2003
Duration: 1 hour 54 minutes 34 seconds
Creator: Misenhimer, Richard & Walker, Chris
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with Vernon Grim, November 11, 2005

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Vernon Grim. Grim joined the Army Air Forces in June of 1942. He volunteered as a glider pilot, and trained for one year in Pittsburgh, Kansas. He was then selected to train as an aviation cadet, and served as a B-17 pilot. In March of 1944 he deployed to England. He joined the 92nd Bombardment Group, 407th Bombardment Squadron. He completed 32 missions, including support operations for the Normandy invasion, the Battle of Saint-… more
Date: November 11, 2005
Duration: 1 hour 23 minutes 44 seconds
Creator: Grim, Vernon
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with Bill Dingfelder, November 11, 2005

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Bill Dingfelder. Dingfelder joined the Army Air Forces in July of 1943. He completed Armament School in early 1944, and served as an armorer-gunner aboard a B-17. He was assigned to the 15th Air Force, 97th Bomb Group, 341st Bomb Squadron. By April of 1945, Dingfelder had completed 35 missions over Italy, France, Czechoslovakia, Austria and Yugoslavia attacking oil refineries, marshalling yards and aircraft factories. He continue… more
Date: November 11, 2005
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes 05 seconds
Creator: Dingfelder, Bill
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with Joseph Meyer, July 11, 2007

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Joseph Meyer. Meyer participated in ROTC in high school. While studying at St. Louis University, he enlisted in the Army Air Forces Reserves. In February 1943, after one semester of college, he was called to active duty and began flight training, earning his wings in March 1944. He was then sent to Karachi, India, to join the 33rd Fighter Group, 59th Squadron. After an unexciting period of time, due to a lack of planes to fl… more
Date: July 11, 2007
Duration: 1 hour 3 minutes 57 seconds
Creator: Meyer, Joseph
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with James Grealish, October 11, 2003

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with James Grealish. Grealish joined the Navy in April of 1942. He completed Midshipman School. He served aboard the USS Waters (APD-8), transporting troops to the Solomon Islands, New Georgia, Saipan, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and rescuing survivors from the USS Helena (CL-50). He was later assigned as Commanding Officer of USS Cronin (DE-704). Grealish was discharged in 1946, though continued active duty through 1953 and service in the Res… more
Date: October 11, 2003
Duration: 23 minutes 27 seconds
Creator: Grealish, James
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with Richard Reedle, October 11, 2003

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Richard Reedle. Reedle joined the Navy in January 1942. He served as a boatswain’s mate on the USS McKean (APD-5). Reedle describes how his ship landed Marine Raiders throughout the Solomon Islands. He also discusses being critically hit by an aerial torpedo and being the last man off before it sank. Reedle then joined the crew of the USS Preston (DD-795) and became a captain of one of the five-inch guns. He describes provid… more
Date: October 11, 2003
Duration: 31 minutes 36 seconds
Creator: Reedle, Richard
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with Paul Livingston, October 11, 2003

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Paul Livingston. Livingston joined the Navy in April of 1943. He served aboard the USS Rathburne (DD-113), a training ship for the West Coast Sound School in San Diego. Livingston helped train prospective Commanding and Executive Officers in anti-submarine warfare using sonar as a guide. In May of 1944 they were converted to a to a high-speed transport, and reclassified as (APD-25). They traveled to Hawaii to complete amphibious … more
Date: October 11, 2003
Duration: 39 minutes 48 seconds
Creator: Livingston, Paul
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with William Meehan, October 11, 2003

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Meehan. Meehan was born in Lambertville, New Jersey. He attended midshipman’s school at Northwestern in Chicago completing the course in December 1940. He was commissioned by Admiral Chester W. Nimitz. Meehan received orders to report to the USS Goldsborough (AVD-5), a seaplane tender, as the communications officer. He recounts various missions to Mexico and Iceland and describes a trip to Greenland during which the … more
Date: October 11, 2003
Duration: 44 minutes 19 seconds
Creator: Meehan, William
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with Dwight Mayo, October 11, 2003

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Dwight Mayo. Mayo joined the Marine Corps in October of 1942. Beginning in late 1944, he served as an F4U Corsair fighter pilot, stationed aboard USS Bennington (CV-20) in the Pacific. He took part in strikes against the Japanese home islands, and in raids in support of the Okinawa campaign. Mayo completed 100 missions. He continued his service after the war ended, retiring in 1962 with the rank of major.
Date: October 11, 2003
Duration: 1 hour 3 minutes 29 seconds
Creator: Mayo, Dwight
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with Curtis G. Clark, October 11, 2003

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Curtis G. Clark. Born in 1918, he joined the Navy in 1937. He served on the USS Talbot throughout the war, beginning as a Radioman third class and working his way up to the rank of Warrant Officer. He provides information about the Battle of Dutch Harbor in Alaska. He discusses the conversion of four-stack destroyer ships (DD), such as the USS Talbot, into high-speed transport ships (Auxiliary Personnel Destroyer or APD) on … more
Date: October 11, 2003
Duration: 37 minutes 52 seconds
Creator: Clark, Curtis G.
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with Walter B. Neitsch, November 11, 2003

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Walter B. Neitsch: He was inducted at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas and received basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri and later at the Army Engineer Vancouver Barracks. He speaks of working with the 340th Army Engineers Construction Battalion to construct the ALCAN (Alaska-Canadian) Highway as well as rebuilding an airport in Darwin, Australia, and repairing roads and bridges in Luzon in the Phillipines where he saw Japane… more
Date: November 11, 2003
Duration: 33 minutes 33 seconds
Creator: Neitsch, Walter B.
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with James D. Rothermel, November 11, 2003

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James D. Rothermel. Rothermel was born in Burton, Texas 20 February 1918. Enlisting in the Navy in 1942, he had boot camp at Norfolk, Virginia. After spending a short time at Providence, Rhode Island, he was sent to Treasure Island, California and assigned to the 14th Naval Construction Battalion. During September 1942 he went aboard the M.S. Sommelsdijk, a converted Dutch freighter, and tells of the trip to Noumea, New Cale… more
Date: November 11, 2003
Duration: 34 minutes 27 seconds
Creator: Rothermel, James D.
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with Hack Langstaff, July 11, 2001

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Hack Langstaff. Langstaff joined the Naval Reserves around 1938, and went on active duty in June of 1941. After flight school, he was selected and commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps in June of 1942. Langtaff completed carrier training in October, flying a Grumman F3F and F4F. In 1943, he was assigned to the Russell Islands, completing missions over Rabaul and Bougainville. Beginning June of 1945, Langstaff wa… more
Date: July 11, 2001
Duration: 2 hours 4 minutes 11 seconds
Creator: Langstaff, Hack
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with Alfred Rodrigues, December 11, 2003

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Alfred Rodriquez. Rodriguez was born in Santa Barbara, California on 9 September 1921 and joined the Navy in 1940. Upon completion of boot training at San Diego in July, he was assigned to the USS Bobolink (AM-20), based at Maui, Hawaii. He recalls the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and his ship’s efforts to keep the heavily damaged USS California (BB-44) afloat. Afterwards, the Bobolink began pulling barges with fuel, ammu… more
Date: December 11, 2003
Duration: 1 hour 29 minutes 56 seconds
Creator: Rodriguez, Alfred
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with Crescencio Trevino, November 11, 2002

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Crescencio Trevino. Trevino joined the Army in April 1944 and received basic training at Fort Robinson. He deployed to Metz, France, as a rifleman with the 379th Infantry Regiment, 95th Infantry Division. Locals referred to them as The Iron Men of Metz. Trevino lost half of his platoon in Metz and survived combat on the Siegfried Line, moving on to clear out German holdouts in the Ruhr Pocket. Although he had only fired a ba… more
Date: November 11, 2002
Duration: 1 hour 25 minutes 57 seconds
Creator: Trevino, Crescencio
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with Alexander Vraciu, July 11, 2000

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Alexander Vraciu. Vraciu learned to fly airplanes in college and went into the Navy to be a fighter pilot. He trained at Corpus Christi, Texas. He speaks of being assigned to a fighter squadron (VF-6) and heading overseas. Vraciu details aerial combat and dogfights with the Japanese over Wake Island, Tarawa and Kwajalein. He also speaks of flying missions as Edward ""Butch"" O'Hare's wingman. He mentions he was operating off… more
Date: July 11, 2000
Duration: 3 hours 9 minutes 35 seconds
Creator: Vraciu, Alexander
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with Clyde Harding, November 11, 2002

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Clyde Harding. Born in 1919, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1940. He describes his time in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). He was attached to the British Royal Air Force (RAF) as part of the Lend-Lease Program. He trained RAF pilots to fly B-25 Mitchell bombers. He recounts his capture and escape from German soldiers while serving in Egypt. He also trained Russian pilots to fly Bell P-39 Airacobras in Russia. In… more
Date: November 11, 2002
Duration: 1 hour 2 minutes 55 seconds
Creator: Harding, Clyde
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with John Eberle, April 11, 2001

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Eberle. Born in 1921, he enlisted in the Navy in 1939. He was assigned to Torpedo Squadron VT-6 of the Enterprise Air Group. He describes events on the USS Enterprise (CV-6) while at sea during the attack on Pearl Harbor. He shares an anecdote about the remains of Admiral Kidd. He relates stories about the Battle of Midway; escorting to the USS Hornet (CV-8) in conjunction with the Doolittle Raid; the sinking of the USS… more
Date: April 11, 2001
Duration: 1 hour 4 minutes 28 seconds
Creator: Eberle, John
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with John Hausladen, March 11, 2003

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Hausladen. Hausladen joined the Marine Corps in 1939 after two years of college. After boot camp came sea school, after which Hausladen went aboard the USS Oklahoma (BB-37). He was aboard when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and recalls being in a 5-inch gun compartment when the ship rolled. He escaped and was rescued by a whaleboat. In April, 1942, he was sent to VMF-223 as an armory technician. He travelled with th… more
Date: March 11, 2003
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes 30 seconds
Creator: Hausladen, John
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with Chris Walker, February 11, 2003

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Chris Walker. He discusses working as a carpenter in the Marines at Camp Pendleton and on Tinian and Saipan and being on Okinawa and in Nagasaki after Japan surrendered. He also ancedotes on Generals and his Colonel, rations, friendly fire and describes some of the memoriabilia he kept.
Date: February 11, 2003
Duration: 1 hour 54 minutes 40 seconds
Creator: Walker, Chris
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with George Woods, June 11, 2008

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with George Woods. Woods was born in Phillips County, Montana 9 February 1921. One of nine children, he describes how the Great Depression affected his family. After graduation from high school in 1938, he worked various jobs until joining the Navy 14 December 1940. After completing boot camp at Great Lakes Naval Training Station, Illinois, he entered hospital corpsman school at Norfolk, Virginia for twelve weeks. After working i… more
Date: June 11, 2008
Duration: 2 hours 52 minutes 18 seconds
Creator: Woods, George C.
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with Frans W. Doelman, October 11, 2007

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Frans Doelman. Doelman was born in Brussels, Belgium of Dutch parents but spent most of the years in Nice, France before they left Europe. His family left France after the war started and went to the Dutch East Indies where his father had worked (in the tobacco industry) previously. Doelman discusses in some detail their car trip to Lisbon, boarding a ship bound for New York, their stay in New York for a couple months, and t… more
Date: October 11, 2007
Duration: 1 hour 4 minutes 14 seconds
Creator: Doelman, Frans W.
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with X. B. Cox, February 11, 2009

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with X B Cox. Cox joined the Army in June of 1937. He served with the 81st Airborne Antiaircraft Battalion. In June of 1944 Cox participated in the Normandy landings. In September 1944 Cox participated in Operation Market Garden, including riding a glider into Holland. Later in December 1944 through January 1945 he participated in the Siege of Bastogne and the Battle of the Bulge. He provides details through each of these experiences.… more
Date: February 11, 2009
Duration: 1 hour 3 minutes 04 seconds
Creator: Cox, X. B.
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
transcript

Oral History Interview with Eugene Spencer, March 11, 2009

Description: The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Eugene Spencer. Spencer joined the Navy in March of 1934. He completed metalsmith school. He was assigned to the Engineer Department in the Fire Room aboard the USS Porter (DD-356). He later moved into the engine room, where he served as water tender. Around 1936 they traveled to South Hampton, England, Stockholm, Sweden, Helsinki, Finland, Amsterdam and Madeira. They experienced a hurricane in the Atlantic. In mid-1940 Spencer w… more
Date: March 11, 2009
Duration: 1 hour 21 minutes 11 seconds
Creator: Spencer, Eugene
Partner: National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
Back to Top of Screen