Entrance into Service

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Weaver, Henry Military Training
Henry "Buck" Weaver was born in July 1920 in Blackview, South Carolina. His father worked for the telephone company and...
Jaffe, Stanley Military Training
Dr. Stanley Jaffe's basic training at Camp Barkeley, Texas [Annotator's Note: in Abilene, Texas] was straightforward....
Cornelia, Matthew Military Training
While recovering from an ear infection [Annotator's Note: in the hospital at Fort Bragg, North Carolina], Matthew...
Russo, Alvin Military Training
Alvin Russo went through basic training near Baton Rouge [Annotator’s Note: Baton Rouge, Louisiana]. When he joined,...
Barton, Walter Military Training
At the age of 17, Walter Henry Barton dropped out of high school to join the Army. Since. He was called up three months...
Johnson, Kaare Military Training
Kaare Allan Johnson was drafted in the Army in March 1943. He was sent to Camp Upton, Long Island [Annotator's Note:...
Flores, Belisario Military Training
Belisario de Jesus "Bel" Flores read that the brunt of the manpower in World War 2 came from the high school classes of...
Ward, John Military Training
John F. Ward volunteered for service in December 1943 and took his basic training at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. He...
Haffner, Robert Military Training and Overseas Deployment
On 7 December 1941, Robert Haffner and a friend of his borrowed their fathers' cars and rode around Detroit celebrating...
Cummings, Mary Military Training on the Beach
Because Mary Cummings [Annotator's Note: in the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service; United States Naval...
Schmidt, Vernon Military Training to Deployment in Europe
In 1944,Vernon Schmidt began his military training with a cannon company on the 105mm howitzer [Annotator's Note: M2A1...
Cook, Edward Military Training to the Bulge
After graduating high school at 17 years old, Edward J. Cook found work with the New York Life Insurance Company as a...
Lawrence, Paul Milne Bay, New Guinea
Paul Lawrence did not know how many people were on the base where he was stationed [Annotator's Note: at Milne Bay, New...
Kaiser, Raymond Missions in India
[Annotator's Note: Raymond Kaiser completed his pilot training and flew out of Miami, Florida for his next assignment...
Pearce, Milton Mississippi Boy to Army Man
[Annotator’s Note: It is very difficult to hear the interviewer throughout this segment.] Milton Pearce was born in...
Pickens, Olin Mississippi Boy to Army Trainee
Olin Pickens was born in December 1921 near Dumas, Mississippi in the small village of Locum. His father worked as a...
Massey, Joseph Mississippi to Belgium
Joseph Massey was drafted just after leaving high school at age 18. He entered service on 15 November 1945 [Annotator's...
Lodholz, Warren Missouri Boy to G.I.
Warren Leo Lodholz was born in Bonne Terre, Missouri in November 1920. He grew up with four older brothers. His father...
Pummill, William Missouri Boy to Marine
William "Bill" Arthur Pummill was born in Crocker, Missouri in July 1921. He was the eighth of 12 children in the...
Beal, Marion Montford Point Camp
Marion Meredith Beal felt the Marine Corps was an unusually strong outfit. Not many of his race were in the service and...
Whitworth, Vaughan Montfort Point and AWOL
Vaughan Whitworth got a couple of weeks to prepare prior to reporting to Montford Point [Annotator's Note: Camp...
Johnson, Burton Mortar School to Peleliu
Burton "Burt" Johnson went to mortar school [Annotator's Note: M2 60mm mortar at Camp Elliot in San Diego, California...
Howland, Gilbert Mules and Trinidad
[Annotator's Note: There is audio feedback noise throughout this clip.] Gilbert H. Howland was raised on a farm and...
Topel, Fred National Guard
Fred Topel decided to go into the National Guard with a few other friends. He was only 16 years old, so he had to lie...
Tso, Samuel Navajos Join the Marine Corps
Samuel Tso changed his age to join the Marine Corps. He was 18 years old at the time and could not find a job. He went...
Bost, Ben Naval Battle in the Philippines
After he had joined the Navy, it was a shock for Ben Ray Bost to leave home and get into uniform. Everything was free...
Taylor, Amelia Naval Medical Center San Diego
[Annotator's Note: Amelia Taylor went through Navy boot camp at Hunter College in New York, New York then went into the...
Bueker, Robert Navigation Training to Italy
Robert Bueker had navigation training in Hondo, Texas. He was in San Antonio [Annotator's Note: San Antonio, Texas] on...
Osgood, Edgar Navigator Training
Edgar De Pue Osgood got a good reputation and asked for a transfer. They were forming a transport squadron in Kansas...
Monteyne, Joseph Navigator Training
Joseph Monteyne knew all about the attack on Pearl Harbor [Annotator's Note: the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor,...
Taylor, Amelia Navy Boot Camp
Amelia Taylor's father signed for her at the recruiting station [Annotator's Note: to join the Women Accepted for...
Wiswell, George Navy Enlistment
George Wiswell enlisted in the Navy because he wanted to fly and go to war. He and his friends discussed it. The kids...
Tisdale, Olin Navy Enlistment and Training
After high school, Olin Tisdale left home for Birmingham, Alabama, and was working in a boring job when he decided to...
Kreutzberg, John Navy Occupation Duty
John Kreutzberg was born in July 1927 and grew up in Lake Bluff, Illinois. He lived with his parents and aunt. He...
Grossman, Joseph Navy Service
Joseph “Joe” Grossman enlisted in the Navy in June 1944 because he liked water. He was sent to basic training at...
Welch, Richard Navy Service
Richard Welch joined the Navy in November 1944 and was sent to the Great Lakes Naval Training [Annotator's Note: Naval...

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