Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO)

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Gaffney, James PT Boats on Rough Seas
James Gaffney reveals how the PT Boat reacted to rough seas. Included is an explanation of how the bilge pumping system...
Schneider, Irwin PT Patrol Injury and New Guinea
Irwin Schneider was injured on a PT boat patrol out of Milne Bay [Annotator’s Note: in Papua New Guinea]. He went to...
Schneider, Irwin PT Patrols and War’s End
When hostilities ended, Irwin Schneider was sent up to the Philippine Islands. It was in the Philippines that he was...
Gaffney, James PT Performance
James Gaffney’s assessment of the John Wayne World War II movie entitled "They Were Expendable" was that it was mostly...
Gaffney, James PT Pirate
James Gaffney was once allowed to buy a case of beer after an announcement that there was an excess supply. Each sailor...
Ashton, Jackson PT-381
Jackson Augustus "Jack" Ashton, Senior [Annotator's Note: of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 28 (MTB RON 28) aboard PT-381...
Bennett, Richard PT-470's Kills
Richard Bennett remembers that it was in the Palau Islands that his vessel had their most memorable encounters with the...
Sparacino, Paul PTSD and Veteran Suicides
Paul Sparacino [Annotator's Note: Sparacino served aboard the USS Princeton (LPH-5) during Operation Dominic, series of...
Grieves, Billy PTSD, Depth Charge Attacks and Fresh Water
Billy Grieves watches movies like Run Silent, Run Deep religiously. He feels that they are more Hollywood than reality...
Hatch, Norman Public Affairs
Norman Hatch [Annotator's Note: a photographer in the 5th Marine Division] felt that capturing combat on film was very...
Nakagawa, Ittsei Pulling Others to Safety
[Annotator's Note: Ittsei Nakagawa was in a factory in Hiroshima, Japan when the atomic bomb exploded over the city on...
Riddle, Pearson Punishments and Supplies
At the first prisoner of war camp, Pearson Riddle had to work hauling earth and material in a giant cart. Riddle did...
Witaker, Richard "Dick" Purple Heart
Richard Witaker was awarded the Purple Heart for being wounded on Okinawa. He was leaving Sugar Loaf Hill when a buddy...
Clapper, Joe Purple Heart, Okinawa, and Discharge
On the way to Okinawa, Joe Clapper answered a call on the ship's horn for all those wounded on Peleliu to appear...
Harris, Oran Pursuit on Palawan
Oran Harris said the Americans went first by sea in pursuit of the Japanese that had retreated into the mountains of...
Hecht, Lester Putting on Shows
Lester Hecht's commanding officer's name was John L. Smith [Annotator's Note: US Marine Corps Colonel John Lucian Smith...
Schoonejans, Emil J. Qualifying on Submarines
[Annotator's Note: Emil Schoonejans served in the Navy aboard the submarine USS Burrfish (SS-312), and was rated a...
Hill, William R&R in Perth
William Hill was assigned to the USS Bonefish (SS-223) in the role of the quartermaster. War patrol became an everyday...
Tatum, John Rabaul and Cape Gloucester
John Wesley Tatum left Fiji [Annotator's Note: Fiji, Oceania] to go to Goodenough Island [Annotator's Note: Goodenough...
Grimes, Vodioe Race Relations
Voniedoe "Voni" or "Bus" Grimes [Annotator's Note: drafted into the Army in late 1943] was transferred to the 246th...
Tarrant, Eugene Race Relations at Home and in the Navy
[Annotator's Note: Eugene Tarrant served in the Navy as a captain’s mess attendant aboard the USS San Francisco (CA38...
Winnier, Lawrence Racial Discrimination
Lawrence Winnier cannot really blame the people because it [Annotator's Note: racial discrimination in the service] was...
Whitworth, Vaughan Racism
[Annotator's Note: The interviewer asks Vaughn Whitworth if he experienced racism from other Marines while serving in...
Kelley, Archie Racism at the Naval Academy
Archie Kelley arrived at Annapolis [Annotator's Note: United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland] and had to...
Kinzler, Robert Radar Schools and Post War Activities
Attending the Southern Signal Corps School at Camp Murphy in Jupiter, Florida, Robert Kinzler became a radar officer...
Kiefer, Keith Radiation Exposure
[Annotator's Note: Keith Kiefer was assigned to a Radiological Cleanup detail on Enewetak Atoll, Marshall Islands while...
Donaldson, Buck Radio School
Buck Donaldson was involved in school. He would make the honor roll. He would participate in the plays. They moved to...
Wood, Edward Radio Training in Hawaii
Edward O. Wood, Senior was assigned to the Submarine Base at Pearl Harbor [Annotator's Note: Pearl Harbor, Hawaii]...
Lux, Gerald Radioman Third Class
After Gerald Wayne Lux was in boot camp [Annotator’s Note: in Farragut Naval Training Station near Bayview, Idaho in...
Griffith, Leon Raid at Cabanatuan
Leon Griffith had a Tommy gun [Annotator's Note: .45 caliber Thompson submachine gun] on Leyte [Annotator's Note: Leyte...
Penwell, Richard Raid on Los Baños
Richard F. Penwell departed California and arrived in Dobodura, New Guinea but soon departed for Leyte [Annotator's...
Keller, Fred Raiding Islands, Kamikazes, and Typhoons
Fred L. Keller, Jr. helped load bombs on torpedo planes, TBMs [Annotator's Note: Keller served as an ordnanceman aboard...
Leaming, Jack Raiding Japanese Installations
Jack Leaming and the crew of the USS Enterprise (CV-6) left Pearl Harbor and attacked the Marshall Islands in February...
Damiano, George Rain and Foxhole Buddies
George A. Damiano recalled the weather [Annotator's Note: on Okinawa, Japan] being so wet that they had to talk their...
Markwald, Ervin raining, Deployment, and Occupation of Japan
Ervin Markwald [Annotator’s Note: drafted into the Army at age 18] did 17 weeks of basic training at Fort Riley, Kansas...
Renstrom, Keith Rapid Promotions and Assaulting Kwajalein
In Iceland, Keith Renstrom took and passed the test for corporal. When he got back to San Diego, he took the test for...

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