[Annotator's Note: Throughout the segment, a chirp sound can be heard.] Albert "Al" Machaud was born in November 1928 in New Bedford, Massachusetts. His parents immigrated from Portugal, and he is a firstborn American in his family. They lived in the poor tenement district of New Bedford. His tenement housed families of all races and ethnicity. He got along with everyone and never felt the pressures of racism. He attended New Bedford High School and lettered in track. He had a friend that ran track with him. He first learned and experienced racism when he began his military service and was sent to San Antonio, Texas. It shocked him. During the Great Depression [Annotator's Note: during the Great Depression which was a global economic depression that lasted from 1929 through 1939 in the United States], his father worked as a laborer in a warehouse where he hauled big barrels of cotton. Machaud's childhood was hard, but he would not give it up for anything. As a child, they did not ever have a Christmas tree in their apartment. His parents did not give him gifts either, but one Christmas, the firetruck came to his neighborhood and the firefighters gave him an erector set. He was so elated. He grabbed the gift and ran back up to the apartment to play with it. His parents could not afford to buy them gifts, but his father would take him and his brother to the dump. They would rummage out items to take back home to sell. They often looked for scrap metal and leather. Machaud learned about world events during the late 1930s while recovering in bed from a knee injury and became aware of what was going on in Europe and in Asia at the time by listening to the radio. By the time he graduated high school, he had been through the ROTC program [Annotator's Note: Reserve Officer Training Corps] and was voted by his class to "be the most military." He had great aspirations of joining the service. Without his mother's approval, 17-year-old Machaud snuck out his, forged his mother's signature, and joined the Air Corps. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in December 1941 [Annotator's Note: the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 7 December 1941], Machaud adopted a vengeful attitude. He heard that there were enemy submarines near or in Massachusetts waters, and because of that, all the civilians had to keep their lights off. Some of the adult men were assigned as wardens and walked the streets to make sure residents had their lights off. During the summers, Machaud worked in a factory supplying workers with necessary equipment needed to build B-17s [Annotator's Note: Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber]. His job was to bring the supplies over to the women working at their various stations. His father took a job in Connecticut in the defense industry assembling torpedoes. Machaud never asked for anything from his parents, because he knew that they could not afford it and they had nothing to give. He and his brother were obedient children and did what they were told to do.

[Annotator's Note: Throughout the segment, a chirp sound can be heard.] Albert "Al" Machaud believes that America dropping the atomic bombs on Japan [Annotator's Note: nuclear weapons dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, 6 and 9 August 1945] was a good thing and saved many people from dying. He did not know anything about the atomic bombs until they were dropped. Watching planes fly over his house as a child influenced his decision to join the Army Air Force. He ran away from home and in June 1945, near the tail end of the war. From Fort Dix [Annotator's Note: in Trenton, New Jersey], he was sent to San Antonio [Annotator's Note: San Antonio, Texas] for three months of training. While there, he would often go into San Antonio on his free time and ride the city bus so he could admire the green grass and trees in homeowners' yards. He did not grow up with green grass yards and trees at his home [Annotator's Note: in New Bedford, Massachusetts]. During training in San Antonio, Machaud was not accustomed to the heat, but he was in great physical condition and could keep up the with daily exercises and drills. He enjoyed every bit of training and loved the fact that he was in the military. Upon completing basic training, Machaud learned that the flight school had closed and was no longer accepting new recruits. Instead, he chose to become an air traffic controller. He attended a communications school at Scott Field [Annotator's Note: now Scott Air Force Base, Saint Clair County, Illinois] and credits the instructors with the excellent education he received while there. After graduating from his program, Machaud was assigned to the Army Airways Communications System in Langley, Virginia and waited nearly a month for orders. He never saw one of his other classmates again because they were scattered all over the world. While he was waiting for orders, recruiters were trying to convince him to join the paratroopers, and he was almost convinced, but his orders finally came through. He took a five-day train ride across country and reported to Fairfield-Suisun Army Air Base [[Annotator's Note: now Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California]. He then was flown to Hawaii where he was bumped due to a USO [Annotator's Note: United Service Organizations, Inc.] group, so he visited Waikiki beach while he waited to be scheduled on a flight. He then was taken to Kwajalein [Annotator's Note: Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands], Guam [Annotator's Note: Guam, Mariana Islands], Iwo Jima [Annotator's Note: Iwo Jima, Japan], and Okinawa [Annotator's Note: Okinawa, Japan]. While he was at Iwo Jima, he visited the base of Mount Suribachi. During World War 2, people hated the Japanese for what these did, especially to the Marines on Iwo Jima. They were the enemy. It's a different world today. It is always easier to be more compassionate, after the fact.

[Annotator's Note: Throughout the segment, a chirp sound can be heard.] Albert "Al" Machaud is not sure of the unit he served in but believes it may have been the 1948th Army Airway Communication Service (AACS) Group serving as an air traffic controller in all places, but ultimately remaining in Okinawa [Annotator's Note: Okinawa, Japan] for several months before and after the end of the war. Machaud was on duty for eight hours and then off for 24 hours, however, it was rare to get his full break. He worked a lot, but never felt like he needed mental release. Machaud loved his work as a traffic controller. He developed relationships with several fighter pilots. One time he thought a pilot was going to run his plane into the tower. Machaud had never been so scared in his life before. Another time, while in Japan, a pilot was coming into land. As his wheels began to touch the ground, an earthquake began. The plane "looped." The tower was swaying back and forth, and he thought he was going to have to evacuate. He saw many of his friends die because of an unsuccessful landing. In addition to serving as an air traffic controller, Machaud volunteered to serve as a radio operator aboard a B-17 [Annotator's Note: Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber] while stationed in Okinawa. Their only mission was to fly reconnaissance trips over Okinawa in search of any remaining enemy activity. He was always nervous about whether the parachutes would work if he had to use them. He was still on the Pacific islands on VJ-Day [Annotator's Note: Victory Over Japan Day, 15 August 1945]. The military was preparing for the invasion of Japan before the surrendering of the Japanese. The Japanese were bred to not surrender, so the Allies had to adopt a kill or be killed mentality. After the war was over, Machaud's outfit's headquarters was transferred from Langley, Virginia to Tokyo [Annotator's Note: Tokyo, Japan]. He was flown to Tokyo alone. He landed in the middle of the night and walked through the streets as the smell of cooked fish and urine flooded his senses. The devastation he saw in the city was an eye opener. For the first time, he saw the other side.

For occupation duty in Japan, Albert "Al" Machaud was transferred to Hokkaido, in northern part of the county, where he continued his work as air traffic controller. His quarters were rudimentary. When he arrived, they did not have heat or water. He had to use the snow to brush his teeth. He only saw his commanding officer two or three times while stationed in Hokkaido. One time, a pilot needed directions to the runway because the cloud coverage was heavy. Machaud, having never given directions before, used a directional finder equipment to help the pilot find the runway. The pilot landed, and Machaud was so happy. He feels he was exceptional at his job. He convinced his friend to go skiing in Sapporo, Japan. His friend ended up falling and breaking his leg. Machaud felt so guilty after the incident. After the war, a serviceman ventured out into the city alone and was stabbed to death. The snow was unbelievable in Japan. On some nights it snowed so bad, they would have to shovel the snow to get access to the door. On the snowy days, it slowed down the operations. From Hokkaido, he was transferred to Misawa, Japan, home to the tallest air traffic tower in the Pacific. When he got there, the Japanese were constructing the runway. They were hauling cement, and built a tall tower, with no elevators. Machaud saw a P-80 [Annotator's Note: Lockheed P-80/F-80 Shooting Star jet fighter aircraft] for the first time there. He also saw B-29s [Annotator's Note: Boeing B-29 Superfortress very heavy bomber] land as well. Machaud's final posting was at Bofu, on the southern island of Japan where he helped establish an American airfield that had been occupied by troops from New Zealand. Machaud designed the tower, and then the workers built it to his specifications.

[Annotator's Note: Throughout the segment, a chirp sound can be heard.] In March 1949, Albert "Al" Machaud received orders to return to the United States. He had a close friend, Bob Wade [Annotator's Note: phonetic spelling], and thought he was a great air traffic control operator. He found out years later, that whenever Machaud was transferred to another location, his friend would replace him. When he received orders to go home, he flew to Tokyo [Annotator's Note: Tokyo, Japan], then was given the option to fly home or take a ship. He wanted to go home on a cruise. He boarded a boarded a troopship, the USS O'Hara [Annotator's Note: USS James O'Hara (APA-90)]. The voyage was a disappointment. He had to sleep on a cot and picked one that was high above because he did not want to be under someone. Many men got seasick and relieved themselves in open garbage cans. Machaud spent most of this time on the deck. Because he had a previous knee injury, he had a hard time standing up due to the rocking of the ship. He was told to eat so he wouldn't get seasick. When he sat down with a meal tray and observed how his apple rolled back and forth, he became nauseated. He arrived in Seattle [Annotator's Note: Seattle, Washington] in April [Annotator's Note: April 1949] late at night, so he had to wait to be disembark in the morning. The first thing he did when he got into the city was find a drug store and ordered a milkshake. While sitting there, an earthquake started. He saw a crack form up the wall of the store. He cannot remember if he finished his milkshake or not before he evacuated the store. He then boarded a bus and made his way across country until he got to his hometown of New Bedford, Massachusetts. The biggest change he first noticed about his town was that everyone owned a car. Prior to him joining the service, no one could afford a car, but when he stepped off the trolley on his return home, he saw a line of cars parked along the street. He surprised his family when he knocked on their door. They were so happy to have him home again. His mother and father never mentioned his decision to run away into the military. Machaud's father immigrated to the United States. His father was in the military in Portugal, who then sent him to Angola, Africa. He did not have a good experience, so when Portugal wanted to redeploy him back to Africa, he left the country and went to Cuba. Then he immigrated from Cuba to America through Ellis Island [Annotator's Note: Ellis Island in New York Harbor, New York]. In June 1949, he was discharged from MacDill Field [Annotator's Note: in Tampa, Florida]. Before returning home from Japan, Machaud was approached by two officers asking him to reenlist. He turned them down on the spot as he was ready to get back to his family. If they had broached the subject with him after seeing his family, he likely would have made a career out of the military. Machaud took advantage of the G.I. Bill [Annotator's Note: the G.I. Bill, or Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, was enacted by the United States Congress to aid United States veterans of World War 2 in transitioning back to civilian life and included financial aid for education, mortgages, business starts and unemployment] and attended the University of Texas [Annotator's Note: University of Texas at Austin in Austin, Texas]. He met his wife while in college.

[Annotator's Note: Throughout the segment, a chirp sound can be heard.] Albert Machaud's most memorable experience of World War 2 was seeing the world from outside of his tenement. He is the luckiest guy in the world because his military experience allowed him to travel. He served because of what the Japanese did to America [Annotator's Note: the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 7 December 1941]. He was patriotic like the rest of the young American men. World War 2 changed his life because it got him out of his poverty-ridden childhood and gave him an education. He is grateful for the G.I. Bill [Annotator's Note: the G.I. Bill, or Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, was enacted by the United States Congress to aid United States veterans of World War 2 in transitioning back to civilian life and included financial aid for education, mortgages, business starts and unemployment] which allowed him to go to any institution in the country. That gave him great career opportunities. He is honored and grateful for the way for people treat him because he is a veteran. It is hard to know what World War 2 means to America today because of how history evolves through time. It was a time of brutality that the country [Annotator's Note: the United States] is lucky to not face today. There should be institutions like the National WWII Museum [Annotator's Note: The National WWII Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana], and they should continue to teach World War 2 to future generations because it serves as a light in the background that highlights what can happen if we are not careful to prevent it.