Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO)

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Ledesma, Trinidad First Combat
Trinidad Ledesma received orders to ship out from Fort Ord [Annotator's Note: in California] at around three or four o'...
Buell, Harold "Hal" First Combat
Harold Buell flew his first combat mission at Midway on anti-submarine reconnaissance. He had only one prior experience...
Draxler, Donald First Combat
In November [Annotator's Note: November 1943], Donald Draxler was told he would be going into combat as a reserve...
Weymouth, Ralph First Combat Actions of the War
Ralph Weymouth was aboard the Saratoga [Annotator's Note: USS Saratoga (CV-3)] in San Diego when he learned of the...
Cole, John First Combat Experience
About a day away from Hawaii, while John H. Cole was headed for Eniwetok [Annotator's Note: Enewetak Atoll, Marshall...
Arceneaux, Arthur First Combat Missions
Arthur Joseph Arceneaux Junior and his squadron [Annotator’s Note: Marine Night Fighting Squadron 542 (VMF(N)-542)] had...
Hahn, Clifford First Combat on Attu
Clifford Albert Hahn reached Dutch Harbor [Annotator's Note: Dutch Harbor, Alaska] on 11 May [Annotator's Note: 11 May...
Zilliacus, Patrick First Combat Patrol
[Annotator's Note: The interviewer asks Patrick Zilliacus if he embraced military life.] Zilliacus liked the Navy very...
Raquepau, John First Combat to Retirement
John "Jack" Raquepau does not know if he got the same bunk that was used by the pilot he replaced [Annotator's Note:...
Sturman, William First Cruise to Midway
On his very first cruise aboard the USS Copahee (CVE-12), William Sturman and the crew took supplies in to Midway [...
Schmittgens, Leo First Days of Okinawa
Leo William Schmittgens recalled the first day on Okinawa [Annotator's Note: 1 April 1945], his regiment [Annotator's...
Burg, Louis First Days on Iwo Jima
Louis Burg [Annotator's Note: a second lieutenant in Company G, 2nd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine...
Severance, Dave First Days on Iwo Jima
Dave Severance was scared that he was going to be court martialed. He ran back to company [Annotator's Note: Company E...
Houston, Jack First Days on Okinawa
[Annotator's Note: Jack Houston served in the US Marine Corps as a rifleman in 3rd Platoon, Company G, 2nd Battalion,...
Hoff, Donald First Dive on a Target During the Battle of Midway
When Donald Hoff's plane went into its dive, it did not last long. At 250 miles per hour the dive goes by quick. When...
Kiplinger, Austin First Dive-bombing Mission
Austin H. Kiplinger and his unit [Annotator's Note: Composite Squadron 66 (VC-66) flying from USS Nassau (CVE-16)] went...
Twigger, William First Enemy Fire
The first time William J. Twigger took fire from the Japanese was on 18 May [Annotator's Note: during the Battle of...
Schicker, Tom First Four Weeks of Boot Camp
One DI [Annotator's Note: drill instructor], a Corporal Carlin [Annotator's Note: phonetic spelling; unable to identify...
Borne, Edwin First Invasion Attempt on Wake Island
Edwin Joseph Borne, Jr. was on lookout duty with hi-powered binoculars when the first invasion attempt on Wake Island...
Ellis, Frederick First Kamikaze
Frederick Ellis was sent to Hollandia, New Guinea. He recalls that they were not slated to go on the Leyte [Annotator's...
Raquepau, John First Kamikaze Attack
John "Jack" Raquepau and his group [Annotator's Note: Torpedo Squadron 51 (VT-51), Air Group 51] bombed Clark Field [...
Burke, Murphy First Leave and Last Operation
Murphy Burke had been gone for two years when he got his first leave in April 1945. While overseas he had stayed in...
Shaw, Roger First Mate
Roger Shaw wanted to ship out on a vessel that traversed the Mississippi River frequently. This would better enable him...
Jones, Gerry First Mission
Gerry Jones' first mission was on Cape Gloucester [Annotator's Note: Cape Gloucester, New Britain, Papua New Guinea]....
Kneflin, Charles First Mission from Guam
The first thing Charles Kneflin saw when he flew over Guam [Annotator's Note: Guam, Mariana Islands], were the biggest...
Grieves, Billy First Months Aboard USS Thresher (SS-200)
Billy Grieves rode the Falcon [Annotator's Note: US Navy submarine rescue ship USS Falcon (AM-28 /ASR-2)] down to New...
Swan, Robert First Months of the War
Robert Swan and three other guys in his squadron [Annotator's Note: Patrol Squadron 44 (VP-44)] rented a house. Each...
Wayne, William First Night on Iwo Jima
William Wayne had joined the Marine Corps with John Shepperly who got shot through the arm landing on Iwo Jima, Japan....
Hatch, Norman First Night on Tarawa
After Norman Hatch landed with Major Jim Crowe [Annotator's Note: Major Henry Pierson Crowe commanded 2nd Battalion,...
Kelley, Archie First Nuclear Submarines
A submarine was the first nuclear-powered vessel and the Nautilus' [Annotator's Note: USS Nautilus (SSN-571] reactor...
Grieves, Billy First Patrol After Pearl Harbor
[Annotator's Note: Billy Grieves served in the Navy aboard the submarine USS Thresher (SS-200).] The islands [Annotator...
Watson, Harry First Patrol and Qualifying
Harry Watson went to Newport, Rhode Island [Annotator's Note: for Navy boot camp training], and couldn't understand why...
Dickinson, Robert First Patrol and Rescue
When on attack, Robert Dickinson was usually at the helm or on one of the bow or stern planes. When on the surface, he...
Carmody, Martin "Red" First Patrol Off Guadalcanal
Martin Carmody was briefed that there were no available carriers for them to fly off of. The Saratoga [Annotator's Note...
Johnsen, Erik First Ship Assignment
Erik Johnsen was a Cadet in the US Merchant Marine and his first ship assignment was the SS Dolly Madison which they...
Heath, David First Skirmish on Guadalcanal
David Heath made it ashore [Annotator's Note: Heath landed on Guadlacanal, Solomon Islands with Company C, 1st...

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