Entrance into Service

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Rodrigue, Lowell Louisiana Boy to Navy Man
Lowell Rodrigue was born in June 1924 in Edgard, Louisiana, but was raised in St. Rose, Louisiana. His father worked...
David, James Louisiana Life to a Navy Life
James Warren David was born in Youngsville, Louisiana in January 1926. During the Great Depression, his father and...
Wombacher, Delbert Louisiana Maneuvers
[Annotator's Note: The interviewer asks Delbert Wombacher was his role was in the Louisiana Maneuvers, series of Army...
Langrehr, Henry Loved to Jump
Henry Langrehr liked to parachute because it was a thrill. They used T5 chutes [Annotator's Note: parachute] which were...
Cart, William "Bill" Majuro Atoll
William Cart and his squadron [Annotator's Note: Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 141 (VMSB-141)] were going to get on an...
Muller, Henry Making Career Decisions
Henry Muller was a second lieutenant training new recruits shortly after the draft began. He was wondering what his...
Larson, William Manchester to Munich
In early 1944, William Larson got orders overseas. He had gotten married just a few weeks before. He landed in England...
Larson, William Map-Making and Surveying
[Annotator's Note: The interviewer asks William Larson to talk about the precision involved in map making.] There were...
Stiles, John Marine Aviation Training
John Stiles went to El Toro, California [Annotator's Note: Marine Corps Air Station El Toro] for aviation training. The...
Jackson, Earnest Marine Basic Training
The hardest part of the Marines Corps for Ernest Jackson was basic training and learning to obey orders. But it was a...
Hall, Clayton Marine Basic Training
Clayton Hall went to boot camp in San Diego [Annotator's Note: US Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego in San Diego,...
Curley, Walter Marine Corps Officer Training
In his second year at Yale [Annotator's Note: Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut], Walter Joseph Patrick Curley...
Pantuso, Frank Marine Corps Training
In 1943, Frank Pantuso reported to the local recruiting station on his 18th birthday and joined the Marine Corps. He...
McWilliams, Donald Marine Training to New Britain
Donald G. "Mac" McWilliams joined the Marine Corps on 17 March 1943. He trained at San Diego [Annotator's Note: US...
Snyder, Kenneth Marine Training to the Marshall Islands
Kenneth T. Snyder, Sr. got his orders in May 1943. [Annotator's Note: Someone off-camera interrupts Snyder.] Snyder had...
Williams, Bernice Marrying a Marine
Bernice Williams chose the Marine Corps [Annotator's Note: US Marine Corps Women's Reserve] because she did not want...
Beck, Carl Maxing Out His Credit in Europe
Carl Beck was in Berchtesgaden, Germany when his unit [Annotator's Note: Company H, 2nd Battalion, 501st Parachute...
Bache-Wiig, John Meeting a Cousin in the Air Corps
John Bache-Wiig, Jr. went to Camp Roberts [Annotator's Note: in Monterey County and San Luis Obispo County, California...
Hecht, Lester Meeting Charles Lindbergh
Lester Hecht and his outfit [Annotator's Note: Marine Aircraft Group 32 (MAG-32)] trained pilots in Honolulu [Annotator...
Fienup, Victor Meeting Lindbergh to Enlisting
[Annotator's Note: This interview clip begins with Victor Fienup in conversation with the interviewer regarding the...
Buschmeier, Frank Member of the Army Air Corps
Frank William Buschmeier served with the 350th Bombardment Squadron, 100th Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force during...
Campbell, John Merchant Marine Pay Structure
[Annotator's Note: The interviewer asks John Campbell about pay. He explains the lengthy process for getting paid.]...
Nelson, Maxwell Merchant Marine Service
In June 1943, nearing the end of Maxwell Nelson’s deferment, he decided to join the US Merchant Marine and was sent to...
Vangrov, Sherman Merchant Marine Service
Sherman Vangrov was born in March 1927 in Dayton, Ohio, but moved around the county because his mother was ill. He...
Vandervort, Jack Merchant Marine to Army Basic Training
Jack Vandervort chose to leave the US Merchant Marine. He did not like it too well. He was drafted and went to Camp...
Johnsen, Erik Merchant Marine Training
Erik Johnsen's training in the US Merchant Marine at Henderson Point, Mississippi was very similar to that of a raw...
Lindsey, James Merchant Marines
James T. Lindsey was born in Marshall, Missouri in August 1924. He grew up with one sister. His parents owned a...
Cushman, Gene Military Child
Gene M. Cushman was born in 1920 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He grew up with an older brother. His father, a career...
Beal, Marion Military Life
It was raining one day on base [Annotator's Note: Camp Montford Point, Jacksonville, North Carolina]. Their mattresses...
Glusing, Benjamin Military Police Training
Camp Bowie [Annotator's Note: in Brownwood, Texas] was a major camp that could handle several regiments. At the same...
Kneflin, Charles Military Runaround
[Annotator's Note: Charles Kneflin joined the Army in Columbus, Ohio in November 1942.] Kneflin was sent to Fort Sill,...
Ladner, Nimocks Military Service
Nimocks Foyle Ladner was seventeen when he joined the Navy. He did not want to crawl through the bushes and see the...
Barnes, Alvin Military Service
Alvin Barnes was drafted into the Navy. He previously knew he would have to serve. He had no problem with boot camp. He...
Hirschmann, Peter Military Service and Capture
Peter Hirschmann was sent to Fort Dix [Annotator's Note: now Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in Trenton, New Jersey]...
Klinepeter, David Military Service Stateside
David Klinepeter worked Monday through Friday and had the weekends and evenings off. He rarely had to pull watch duty....
Cushman, Gene Military State Side
In 1942, Gene M. Cushman was admitted to the aviation cadet program and attended his pre-flight training in San Antonio...

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