[Annotator's Note: There is a lot of skipping in the beginning of this clip.] George Culpepper was born in Fort Valley, Georgia [Annotator's Note: in December 1920]. He went to Mars Hill College [Annotator's Note: now Mars Hill University in Mars Hill, North Carolina] and then went to law school at Mercer [Annotator's Note: Mercer University in Macon, Georgia]. He enlisted in the Navy in 1942. He served until the war ended. He was released from active duty in 1946. He stayed in the Reserves and retired as a lieutenant commander. The war could have been accomplished without him, but he did have some interesting experiences. After enlisting, he went to storekeepers' school and then decided to apply for the V-7 Program [Annotator's Note: V-7 US Navy Midshipmen Officer Candidates Program, 1940 to 1945]. He went to Columbia University [Annotator's Note: Columbia University in New York, New York] and got his commission. He had a ten day leave [Annotator's Note: an authorized absence for a short period of time] and got married. He boarded the USS Manning (DE-199) in Charleston, South Carolina and stayed on it for four months. He then went to New Caledonia [Annotator's Note: New Caledonia, Oceania] and was sent back for more training. He asked for a PC [Annotator's Note: patrol craft] in the Pacific for his assignment. He went to San Diego [Annotator's Note: San Diego, California] for more training and then joined PC-1122 in Hollandia, New Guinea [Annotator's Note: now Jayapura, West New Guinea] in July 1944. He was on it until the end of the war. They were attached to the 7th Amphibious Force with General MacArthur [Annotator's Note: General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Commander, Southwest Pacific Area]. Culpepper saw him when he went ashore on Leyte [Annotator's Note: 20 October 1944 on the beach at Leyte, Philippines]. The general duties of PC-1122 were to be an escort in a convoy. They would form a line of departure off the beach so the Army men could get aboard. He had been in Morotai [Annotator's Note: Battle of Morotai, 15 September 1944 to 4 October 1944 at Morotai, Dutch East Indies; present day Indonesia] before this operation. Nothing sensational happened. He never had any oppositions in his landings.

MacArthur [Annotator's Note: General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Commander, Southwest Pacific Area] went back ashore in October 1944 [Annotator's Note: 20 October 1944 on the beach on Leyte, Philippines]. The day before George Culpepper [Annotator's Note: aboard PC-1122] landed there, the Japanese had put the kamikaze program [Annotator's Note: Japanese Special Attack Units, also called shimbu-tai, who flew suicide missions in aircraft] into effect. On the morning of the landing his ship and PC-1133, with landing craft and destroyers, went to the south end of Leyte Island to set up a PT [Annotator's Note: patrol torpedo boat] base. The natives welcomed them with open arms. They brought them mangoes and bananas. On 21 October [Annotator's Note: 21 October 1944], he heard a plane above and it was a Japanese Zero [Annotator's Note: Japanese Mitsubishi A6M fighter aircraft, referred to as the Zeke or Zero] who turned and came back at them. He was right down on the water and about ten feet above it. Just before he would have hit, he peeled off and went over them. He left. Neither side fired a shot. They did not see much for the next two or three days. The afternoon of 24 October [Annotator's Note: 24 October 1944] they got a message that Japs [Annotator's Note: a period derogatory term for Japanese] were expected that night. About two-thirty in the morning, Culpepper was awakened. About a mile away was a Japanese battleship. It went by slowly and they just watched it. After it went by, another one was coming by. One was the Fuso [Annotator's Note: Japanese battleship Fusō], and one was the Yamashiro [Annotator's Note: Japanese battleship Yamashiro]. After that were six to eight cruisers and one destroyer. They went up through the Surigao Strait [Annotator's Note: Surigao Strait, Philippines]. [Annotator's Note: Culpepper shows the location on a map.] The Navy had big stuff there. The battleships were lined up across the mouth of the straits and they sank every one of the Japanese ships. Only one American ship was hit and lost 34 men [Annotator's Note: Battle of Surigao Strait, 24 to 25 October 1944 in Surigao Strait, Philippines]. The Nevada [Annotator's Note: USS Nevada (BB-36)] was nearby, and MacArthur was aboard it. They did not go into the battle despite MacArthur wanting to. The Japanese were led by Admiral Nishimura [Annotator's Note: Imperial Japanese Navy Admiral Shōji Nishimura]. Another group was led by Admiral Shima [Annotator's Note: Imperial Japanese Navy Admiral Kiyohide Shima]. Nishimura came up from Borneo and Shima came down from China. They were to meet and go through the straits at the same time. Nishimura got there first and was sunk. Culpepper could see the ships going down and then Shima showed up. They milled around for 30 minutes or longer and then just left the way they came early in the morning of 25 October [Annotator's Note: 25 October 1944]. The Japanese lost every man. Any that made it ashore were attacked by the Filipinos. One destroyer got through and got away. Later on, it was sunk outside of Manila Bay [Annotator's Note: Manila Bay, Luzon, Philippines]. Culpepper had gotten so used to things like that, that he did not even go out to watch it.

George Culpepper [Annotator's Note: as the communications officer aboard PC-1122] saw a plane on 21 October [Annotator's Note: 21 October 1944] that was the first to be called a kamikaze pilot [Annotator's Note: Japanese Special Attack Units, also called shimbu-tai, who flew suicide missions in aircraft]. He and his group went to Hollandia [Annotator's Note: Hollandia, New Guinea; now Jayapura, West New Guinea] and then to the Philippines to Bataan [Annotator's Note: Bataan in Luzon, Philippines] where the Death March had been [Annotator's Note: Bataan Death March, the forcible transfer by the Imperial Japanese Army of 60,000 to 80,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war, 9 April 1942]. They took MacArthur there [Annotator's Note: General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Commander, Southwest Pacific Area]. They got word there would be no bombardment. When dawn broke, there was a line of men that met their forces on the beach. They had a cow with them. That was in December or November [Annotator's Note: of 1944]. In January 1945, he went with MacArthur up the west side of the Philippines to the Lingayen Gulf [Annotator's Note: Invasion of Lingayen Gulf, Philippines, 6 January 1945]. [Annotator's Note: There is a break due to a phone ringing and then Culpepper backs up in his story.] On the night of the 23rd [Annotator's Note: 23 October 1944], the Japanese fleet was wiped out and were of no consequence after that. [Annotator's Note: Culpepper shows some fleet movements on a map he is holding.] Kurita [Annotator's Note: Imperial Japanese Navy Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita], the admiral in charge, had two 20-inch [Annotator's Note: 20-inch naval gun] battleships with him. They lost the Musashi [Annotator's Note: Japanese battleship Musashi] on the 23rd [Annotator's Note: 23 October 1944] and they turned around to go west. They thought he had left, but he turned around again and came through the Strait at night [Annotator's Note: Surigao Strait, Philippines]. The Japanese strategy was to send a carrier group down from the north to distract Halsey [Annotator's Note: US Navy Fleet Admiral William F. Halsey] so the forces that Culpepper saw earlier [Annotator's Note: Culpepper refers to this story in clip titled "Naval Battle at Surigao Strait"] could go north and hit the ships at Leyte Gulf [Annotator's Note: Leyte Gulf, Philippines]. Halsey took the bait and went to bed. He thought the Yamato [Annotator's Note: Japanese battleship Yamato] had turned around and left. Despite all of this, nobody would wake Halsey up. There were only three escort carriers where Halsey was supposed to be. A battle ensued between the destroyers and the Japanese battleships. They threw themselves at that force and held them off. Admiral Kurita decided to call it off to the dismay of his officers. The Musashi and several others were sunk. After the Leyte operation, Culpepper went back to Luzon [Annotator's Note: Battle of Luzon, 9 January to 15 August 1945 at Luzon, Philippines]. Their convoy was 82 miles long. They were under attack constantly. The day before any landings, a doctor would come aboard because they were close to the beaches and the injured could be put aboard. Before landing in Lingayen [Annotator's Note: Lingayen, Philippines], the doctor came aboard. About 30 minutes later, a suicide plane [Annotator's Note: Japanese Special Attack Units, also called shimbu-tai, who flew suicide missions in aircraft] hit the ship he had been on, killing his roommate. They saw it hit. They went to Borneo and then Subic Bay [Annotator's Note: Subic Bay, Philippines] running exercises in preparation for Japan. They were there when the war ended.

George Culpepper's [Annotator's Note: as the communications officer aboard PC-1122] commanding officer on PC-1122, Captain Leonard Hall [Annotator's Note: phonetic spelling; unable to identify], was from Michigan. He was a good officer. Culpepper looks back with pleasure at his time aboard. They could have forgotten about Culpepper and never would have missed him, but it was something to tell his grandchildren about. The PC [Annotator's Note: patrol craft] carried 60 men and 6 officers. His main job was communication officer. Most of his time was spent as a supply officer or just doing nothing. There were a lot of long days. That is about all he can claim to have done. He was on a DE [Annotator's Note: destroyer escort] for four months before he went to 1122. It was a good experience to have the shakedown cruise [Annotator's Note: a cruise to evaluate the performance of a naval vessel and its crew] for that. He learned to appreciate the comforts of home and to be thankful for the country. He went to Borneo a couple of times. They took landing forces to Brunei Bay [Annotator's Note: Brunei Bay, Borneo] for their last engagement [Annotator's Note: Battle of North Borneo, 10 June to 15 August 1945]. There was nothing left there Japanese-wise but going into the bay that morning there was big hullabaloo on deck. They could see a torpedo go under them. They almost missed the landing because of it. They never made contact with the submarine.

After the big battle [Annotator's Note: Battle of Surigao Strait, 24 to 25 October 1944 in Surigao Strait, Philippines], when the dawn broke George Culpepper [Annotator's Note: as the communications officer aboard the PC-1122] could see the USS California (BB-44). He guessed she did not have any idea that his group was there, because they were challenged. [Annotator's Note: Culpepper refers to this story in clip titled "Naval Battle at Surigao Strait."] Culpepper saw the challenge and it was the only time he really got concerned. The signalman must have sent the correct signal, because she turned. She was close enough for them to read "California" on the stern of the ship. They [Annotator's Note: the American forces] met terrible resistance at Okinawa [Annotator's Note: Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, 1 April to 22 June 1945 at Okinawa, Japan] and Iwo Jima [Annotator's Note: Battle of Iwo Jima, 19 February to 26 March 1945 at Iwo Jima, Japan], but there was really no Navy to support them [Annotator's Note: the Japanese]. Culpepper does not remember what he did when off-duty on ship. There is a lot of dead time. The 1122 and the 1133 [Annotator's Note: PC-1133] were together a lot and almost by themselves. There was a lot of boredom. He is proud to have been part of the Navy despite not feeling he really added anything to it. He was discharged as a lieutenant commander. Coming home was great. They were on the point system [Annotator's Note: a point system was devised based on a number of factors that determined when American servicemen serving overseas could return home], and he had enough to go home but had to wait for transportation. A year after the big battle, he got orders to proceed home. An LST [Annotator's Note: Landing Ship, Tank] was about to go back to the United States. Culpepper arranged travel aboard it. He was the only passenger. They crossed the International Date Line [Annotator's Note: internationally accepted boundary between one calendar day and the next] on Thanksgiving Day [Annotator's Note: 22 November 1945], so they got the same menu two days in a row. It took 21 days to get to Pearl Harbor [Annotator's Note: Pearl Harbor, Hawaii]. The Saratoga [Annotator's Note: USS Saratoga (CV-3)] came in and he boarded to go home. He got to San Francisco [Annotator's Note: San Francisco, California] and took a train to Salt Lake City [Annotator's Note: Salt Lake City, Utah], then Chicago [Annotator's Note: Chicago, Illinois], and then home on New Year's Eve 1945 [Annotator's Note: 31 December 1945]. He called his wife who was waiting on him there. His parents were on the train home with them. Culpepper was in Subic Bay [Annotator's Note: Subic Bay, Philippines] when the Japanese surrendered. A man who delivered their mail had been telling them something big was going on. All the ships let forth with every whistle they had [Annotator's Note: when Japan surrendered]. There were hundreds of them. They shot off pyrotechnics. It was a big deal and was exciting.

Subic Bay [Annotator's Note: Subic Bay, Philippines] was a nice Naval establishment before it was all lost [Annotator's Note: during the Fall of the Philippines, invasion by the Empire of Japan, 8 December 1941 to 8 May 1942]. George Culpepper talks with Filipinos that he meets about their country. They are fine people. When he landed on Leyte [Annotator's Note: Leyte, Philippines], a lot of their young men wanted to join the Navy. Some ships took some in. They were good steward's mates. Culpepper went in the Navy because he did not want to go in the Army. He knew his draft number was coming up, so he enlisted. He could not see walking through mud and having his bed and kitchen with him. He liked the Navy. He stayed in the Reserves and retired in 1980. He never asked for an assignment that he did not get. Culpepper had gone to a funeral and was coming back home when he saw his grandfather on the porch. He was excited and telling them the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor [Annotator's Note: the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 7 December 1941]. It did not mean a whole lot because he was not familiar with the international situation. The gunboat Panay [Annotator's Note: USS Panay (PR-5)] had been attacked in Japan [Annotator's Note: Panay Incident, Yangtzee River, China, 12 December 1937]. Things changed quickly. He got to Macon [Annotator's Note: Macon, Georgia] and the bus station was crowded with soldiers returning to their bases. The next morning he was at a meeting and heard the declarations of war. Things changed dramatically in no time. Rationing began to take its toll then. Tires were almost impossible to get as was gasoline. All the guys were suddenly gone. They went all over the world. The girls in Macon were active in entertaining. Camp Wheeler [Annotator's Note: in Macon, Georgia] was a big installation and was big in World War 1 [Annotator's Note: World War 1, global war originating in Europe; 28 July 1914 to 11 November 1918]. The flu epidemic of 1918 [Annotator's Note: also called the Spanish flu, or Great Influenza epidemic, February 1918 to April 1920] happened there. His father told him the coffins would be stacked to roof with the men who died at the camp.

George Culpepper was in Farragut, Idaho for school for about three months [Annotator's Note: after enlisting in the Navy in 1942]. He would go to Spokane [Annotator's Note: Spokane, Washington] on liberty [Annotator's Note: an authorized absence for a short period of time] with some other guys. A family took them in every weekend and gave them breakfast and a place to stay. People opened their hearts and pocketbooks. It was a hard time, but it was a good time. World War 2 should not be forgotten. The problem today is that there is no way to come back like the country did then. Nobody makes anything anymore. The industrial complex is gone. A man ran for president who wanted to see something that said, "Made in the USA" on it. There is nothing he and his wife wear that is made in the United States. He does not know what would happen if we [Annotator's Note: Americans] found ourselves attacked the way we were on 7 December 1941 [Annotator's Note: the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 7 December 1941]. A Japanese admiral said he was afraid they had awakened a sleeping giant. He was referring to the industrial complex. The Museum [Annotator's Note: The National WWII Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana] is important. He goes to the Warner Robins Air Force Museum [Annotator's Note: Museum of Aviation near Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins, Georgia]. General Scott [Annotator's Note: US Air Force Brigadier General Robert Lee Scott, Junior] was a Flying Tiger [Annotator's Note: the First American Volunteer Group of the Republic of China Air Force composed of American airmen and ground crew] from Macon [Annotator's Note: Macon, Georgia], and the museum is dedicated to him. [Annotator's Note: Culpepper asks the interviewer questions about the WWII Museum.]