Military training and instruction

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Toole, Edward Enlisting in the Navy
Edward Thomas Toole wanted to join the Naval Air Force but he could not make it. The Navy appealed to him more than any...
Simmons, Curt Enlisting in the Navy and Joining the Armed Guard
Curt Simmons was a member of the US Navy Armed Guard. He was born on a farm outside of Walters, Oklahoma and was a farm...
Harned, Harley Enlisting in the Service
In October [Annotator’s Note: of 1942], Harley Harned turned 18. Not long after, his friends made the decision to sign...
Glass, Jack Enlisting the Navy and Fighting Squadron 2 (VF2)
Jack Glass was interviewed prior to this for a show about the Enterprise [Annotator's Note: USS Enterprise (CV-6)]. The...
Gaj, Leonard Enlisting, England, and D-Day
Leonard Gaj enlisted in March 1943 because he thought it was his duty to protect the United States of America. It was...
Neighbors, Lysander Enlistment
When Lysander "Ben" Neighbors graduated from high school, he joined the military a year or so later, before the war had...
Duffy, Gowan Enlistment
Gowan Duffy was born in New Orleans, Louisiana in December 1920. He would bounce from one job to another because they...
Edwards, Marvin Enlistment
Marvin Raymond Edwards enlisted because he felt he would be drafted, and he wanted to select the Air Force. He had...
Peters, Bernard Enlistment
Bernard Peters was sent to Kern, Utah for basic training. They were in tar paper barracks. They went through a...
Albertson, Arthur Enlistment
Arthur Albertson enlisted in the Air Force. He thought that was where he was going but five days after he signed up, he...
Trotter, Bernice Enlistment
Bernice Trotter had graduated high school and she was working for an insurance company. It was a one-woman office....
Meikrantz, Frances Enlistment
Frances Meikrantz was with a girl from school. They talked a lot and looked into everything [Annotator's Note: branch...
Smith, Samuel Enlistment
Samuel W. Smith wanted to join the Air Corps as an aviation cadet. In 1942, Smith convinced his mother to sign his...
Thompson, Thomas Enlistment and Assigned to a PT-Boat
Thomas D. Thompson enlisted [Annotator's Note: in the Navy in early 1943] because he has a fierce love of his country....
Cristiano, Nick Enlistment and Assignment to B-29s
Nick Cristiano enlisted in the Army Air Corps because he wanted to be a pilot. He took the exams. He went to Greensboro...
Hussey, William Enlistment and Assignments
When William Hussey graduated from high school he was too young to enter the Naval Academy, so he signed up for the...
Balza, Firman Enlistment and Boot Camp
In 1940, when Firman Balza was 17 years old, there was talk of mobilizing the military. He joined Navy Reserves in...
Cassidy, John Enlistment and Deployment
John Cassidy majored in mining engineering during his first year at the University of Alabama, but he eventually...
Harold, Paul Enlistment and Deployment
Harold Paul wanted to join the Air Corps [Annotator's Note: the US Army Air Corps, later the Air Forces] as an aerial...
Cart, William "Bill" Enlistment and Flight School
[Annotator's Note: William Cart was a student at The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina in Charleston,...
Hayward, David Enlistment and Flight Training
David K. Hayward decided to enlist [Annotator's Note: in February 1942] and do something attractive to him instead of...
Sparacino, Paul Enlistment and Nuclear Tests
Paul Sparacino was born in July 1943 in Simmesport, Louisiana. His father drove a log truck. They moved to Alexandria,...
Shimp, Marcella Enlistment and Nurse Training
Minnie Marcella Oleskey Shimp went into nurse training in Washington, D.C. They had a bomb scare and a friend told her...
Hendrick, Robert Enlistment and Training
After one year of study at Iowa State [Annotator's Note: Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa], Robert Erskine Hendrick...
Ruiz, Roberto Enlistment and Training
When the draft began in 1942, everyone from the ages 17 and a half to 35 years old had to sign up. Roberto "Bob” Ruiz...
Fili, William Enlistment and Training
William Fili enlisted a few days after Pearl Harbor [Annotator's Note: the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 7...
Ray, Sammy Enlistment and Training
Sammy Ray considers himself a Marine but he began his service with the Navy. Ray tried unsuccessfully to get a...
Callander, Sherwin Enlistment and Training
Sherwin Callander's parents gave their permission for their 19 year old son to enlist. He took a bus to San Diego,...
Rackham, Milton Enlistment and Training
[Annotator’s Note: There is someone off camera helping the interviewee with answering questions throughout the segment...
Van Matre, Russell Enlistment and Training
Russell Van Matre enlisted in the US Army in December 1942. For the year between then and Pearl Harbor [Annotator's...
O'Leary, Frank Enlistment and Training
Frank H. O'Leary was leaving his friend's house when he learned about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor [Annotator's...
Beaugh, George Enlistment and Training
After World War 2 broke out, George Beaugh joined the Army Air Forces because his brother had already joined that...
Finn, John Enlistment and Training
John Finn enlisted in the Navy in July 1926 and went directly into three months' training in San Diego, California....
Tanenbaum, Melvin Enlistment and Training
Melvin S. Tanenbaum was an all-American boy and he wanted to fight for his country. He enlisted and his parents were...
Lejeune, Lawrence Enlistment and Training
Lawrence John Lejeune did not want to be drafted because of the limitation of your choice, and he became interested in...
Buckner, Jack Enlistment and Training
Jack Buckner enlisted because he was patriotic. It was his duty. He always wanted to fly so it was a great opportunity...

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