Vernon Henry Moret was born in June 1925 in New Orleans [Annotator's Note: New Orleans, Louisiana]. [Annotator's Note: A clock rings in the background at 0:00:34.000.] Moret lived with his parents, grandmother, and great aunt, and two brothers during the Great Depression. His father was a CPA [Annotator's Note: Certified Public Accountant]. He had trouble finding work, but he also served in the Louisiana National Guard, which Moret believed helped his family stay out of destitution. His grandmother worked as well to support the family. Moret remembered that they never starved, but there were never any extra things, like Coke Cola or ice cream. He always wore his brother's hand-me-downs. In 1941, his father went on active duty as a staff sergeant with the Washington Artillery [Annotator's Note: 141st Field Artillery Regiment]. Moret recalled his father being home the Sunday the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor [Annotator's Note: the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 7 December 1941]. Moret had returned home from church and his family was huddled around discussing the event. His father was made a lieutenant colonel and sent to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas to the Command and General Staff school. Later, his father was given command of an anti-tank battalion during the Louisiana maneuvers. He was eventually sent to Washington D.C. and worked as a CPA in the Inspector General's Office. In time, Moret's father became a bird colonel [Annotator's Note: colonel]. [Annotator's Note: tape is cut at 0:06:39.000.]

Vernon Henry Moret finished his senior year of high school in Maryland and not long after, was drafted into the Army. He was sent to Camp Lee, Virginia for induction and then sent to basic training at Fort McClellan, Alabama for 17 weeks. He learned basic infantry training and how to use various weapons. He was sent to Camp Stoneman, California after a short leave [Annotator's Note: an authorized absence for a short period of time] visiting family in New Orleans [Annotator's Note: New Orleans, Louisiana]. Two weeks later, he boarded a troop ship in San Francisco [Annotator's Note: San Francisco, California] and landed in Hawaii where he reported to the 27th Infantry Division. He received more training in amphibious landing. His unit [Annotator's Note: Company K, 3rd Battalion, 105th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division] boarded a ship and was sent to Saipan [Annotator's Note: Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands]. He was briefed on the location and support while on the ship.

Vernon Henry Moret's division [Annotator's Note: Company K, 3rd Battalion, 105th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division] stormed the beaches of Saipan [Annotator's Note: Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands] on 16 June 1944 and dug in not far from the beaches that night. Moret can remember being scared from the various noises he heard and not knowing where they were coming from. His unit continued to move inland, making headway, when he was suddenly pulled off the line and sent back to defend an artillery unit from Japanese snipers. [Annotator's Note: A clock chimes in the background at 0:13:56:000.] The next day, they ran into artillery fire and had to take cover. They soon realized it was friendly fire, which lasted 15 minutes. His unit continued to push north on the island. Moret's captain was severely wounded and he carried him on a stretcher to an ambulance. His regiment was stationed between the coast and mountains when they were replaced by the 2nd Battalion [Annotator's Note: 2nd Battalion, 105th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division]. He was pulled back 300 yards and dug in for the night. The following morning, Moret was awoken by the Japanese attempting to overrun their camp. His unit was able to fight them off and the Japanese retreated over a ridge where they were stopped by artillery units. Moret's unit was completely pulled off the line and replaced by Marines. The island had been pretty secured by that point. Moret's unit was ordered to unload ammo supplies from a ship because the Merchant Marines were on strike. He was not happy about the incident and the fact that he was still eating rations. Moret's unit was then put on patrol duty to keep a look out for Japanese stragglers. [Annotator's Note: A dog yaps in the background at 0:22:15:000.] Moret contracted Dengue fever while on Saipan and was sent to a field hospital. By the time he was discharged from the hospital, his battalion had already left the island. He was given orders to take a plane to Espiritu Santo [Annotator's Note: Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu] to meet up with them.

Vernon Henry Moret boarded a plane on Saipan [Annotator's Note: Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands] to rejoin his unit [Annotator's Note: Company K, 3rd Battalion, 105th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division] on Espiritu Santo [Annotator's Note: Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu]. However, they stopped at various islands, finally landing on Guadalcanal [Annotator's Note: Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands]. He had to say there for two days before he could get a flight to Espiritu Santo. [Annotator's Note: The interviewee signals that he needs a break at 0:28:37:000.] Moret did more training while on the island. [Annotator's Note: A clock chimes in the background.] After a while, Moret boarded a ship with his unit and set out in a convoy, not knowing their destination. Once they were on their way, they were told they were headed to Okinawa [Annotator's Note: Okinawa, Japan].

Vernon Henry Moret recalled a banzai attack on Saipan [Annotator's Note: Saipain, Northern Mariana Islands]. The attacked started before daybreak. The Japanese broke through the lines and hit his unit [Annotator's Note: Company K, 3rd Battalion, 105th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division] rapidly. May of the units suffered lots of casualties. Moret felt that the Japanese were fanatics. They would activate a grenade and run into a group of American troops, committing suicide when the grenade blew up. The Japanese would tie a bayonet on a bamboo pole and use it as a weapon. Moret recalls that he did not know when supplies would arrive on the island, and water was often scarce. When it rained, most of the troops would stand outside their pup tents and shower. Moret remembers when Major General Ralph C. Smith was dismissed from his duties, but he did not see a change in the troops' attitudes. Moret was low in the ranks and the dismissal had no effect on him.

While Vernon Henry Moret was on a ship headed to Okinawa [Annotator's Note: Okinawa, Japan] with his unit [Annotator's Note: Company K, 3rd Battalion, 105th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division] they were told what forces would be involved in the fight. [Annotator's Note: A clock chimes in the background at at 0:43:38:000.] Moret's unit invaded a small island near Okinawa. They were hit with heavy fire but were able to make headway inland. Moret's job was to remove the safety pin from a mortar shell and drop it in the gun. At one point in combat, he realized after loading a mortar that the gun had malfunctioned. Moret almost had his hand blown off. His unit was able to penetrate the Japanese line and found a good position on a knoll. However, they realized they waere cut off on the knoll and had a limited amount of resources. After a few days, they took a chance and left their positions and were able to reposition somewhere else. Moret was exhausted by this point and was ordered to spend a day in the hospital. Eventually, their division was replaced by a Marine division. When the island was secured, they were put into camps to wait for their next orders. Not long after, Moret found out that the United States had dropped two atomic bombs on Japan and the war was over. He recalls having a big celebration with his unit.

Vernon Henry Moret flew into Japan with his unit [Annotator's Note: Company K, 3rd Battalion, 105th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division] on the same aircraft that had flown in the 11th Airborne Division. He was stationed in Fukushima, Japan for occupation duty. Every morning his unit would get up and march up and down the streets. [Annotator's Note: A clock chimes in the background at 0:58:34:000.] Moret volunteered for military police duty and was given a squad and a jeep. At night, he had to round up all the soldiers and send them back to their barracks. He was eventually put in command of the Military Police and received more duties, like approving stores G.I.s [Annotator's Note: government issue; also a slang term for an American soldier] could enter and dealing with unruly officers. He formed a friendship with a Japanese doctor who invited him to his house one evening. Moret learned how different the Japanese customs are from the American customs. [Annotator's Note: The interviewer pauses the interview to change tapes at 1:03:42:000.] The mayor of the village also arranged dinner for Moret's unit because he wanted to thank them for their services and gentle treatment of his civilians. Because he did not have enough points to go home with his regiment, Moret was sent to Yokohama [Annotator's Note: Yokohama, Japan] to a Military Police unit. In February 1946, he received orders to return to the United States.

Vernon Henry Moret and his unit [Annotator's Note: Company K, 3rd Battalion, 105th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division] broke through the Japanese lines on Okinawa [Annotator's Note: Okinawa, Japan] but were cut off on a knoll from the rest of the division. Apparently, there was some miscommunication because they were supposed to receive support, but never did. There was back and forth combat for several days. About 30 men were stuck on the knoll, and many were injured and malnourished. They were eventually able to reposition themselves on the island. His unit was finally relieved and moved north. Moret had a captain who did not like him and demoted Moret without giving him a reason. Moret wrote to his father, who was a bird colonel, and his status was returned. [Annotator's Note: A clock chimes in the background at 1:21:38:000.] Moret thought the Japanese were well fortified on Okinawa and felt that invading mainland Japan would be very difficult. He is thankful President Truman [Annotator's Note: Harry S. Truman, 33rd President of the United States] ordered the atomic bombs to be dropped on Japan because it saved millions of lives. Moret recalls seeing kamikaze planes coming over Okinawa towards the end of the war.

Vernon Henry Moret returned to Maryland after he was discharged from the Army and lived with his parents. He attended school in New Orleans [Annotator's Note: New Orleans, Louisiana] on the G.I. Bill, and married his wife a year later. Moret worked in marketing and insurance and retired in New Orleans in 1989. Moret thought during World War 2 that America was united and worked for the common good. He does not think this country is united today. He thinks The National WWII Museum [Annotator's Note: in New Orleans, Louisiana] is a great institution.

[Annotator's Note: Chimes can be heard in the background throughout this clip.] Vernon Henry Moret says that being in the Army is boring unless you are in combat. Moret remembers when they would receive beer and Coke Cola sometimes, and one guy would store his beer and wait to barter when the Coke Cola arrived. On New Year's Eve 1944 to 1945, he decided to offer his beer to his unit [Annotator's Note: Company K, 3rd Battalion, 105th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division], and they drank it all. The troop shot ammunition even though they were not allowed to do that. He never really worked with the native people. He would see them sometimes spearing for fish, but they never interacted with the troops. He remembers that being on the ship was rough because they slept on multilevel bunks, and there was no fresh water. Moret did not enjoy the rationed food while he was in the Pacific.