Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO)

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O'Rorke, James Prisoner Mistreatment
Stationed in the Philippines before the war, James Richard O'Rorke [Annotator's Note: a member of Signal Corps Aircraft...
Leaming, Jack Prisoner of the Japanese
When Jack Leaming [Annotator's Note: with Scouting Squadron Six (VS-6) aboard the USS Enterprise (CV-6)] saw the wing...
DeMott, Joseph Prisoner of War
After the Japanese captured the field hospital where Joseph DeMott was being treated [Annotator's Note: he was wounded...
Borne, Edwin Prisoner of War
Edwin Joseph Borne, Jr. first encountered Japanese assault troops soon after Devereux [Annotator's Note: then US Marine...
Charles, Howard Prisoner of War
Howard Robert Charles became a prisoner of war [Annotator's Note: after the sinking of the USS Houston (CA-30) in...
Bowsher, Walter Prisoner of War in China
Walter Bowsher was captured and then sent to China in February. [Annotator’s Note: Bowsher was a member of the 1st...
Bowsher, Walter Prisoner of War in Japan
Walter Bowsher was sent to Hokkaido, Japan to a prisoner of war, or POW, camp. He arrived at Hakodate Number 2 prison...
Kerchum, Paul Prisoner to the Japanese
After the Japanese invaded the Philippines, Paul Kerchum and his company were ordered to report to Bataan [Annotator’s...
Wieland, Kenneth Prisoners of War
When Kenneth Wieland arrived in Japan, he saw a bunch of American prisoners of war who were nothing but skin and bones...
Andriano, Louis Problems with Paperwork
Louis Andriano's DD-214 [Annotator’s Note: Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty] states that he was on...
Hatch, Norman Processing Combat Camera Film
Combat cameraman Norman Hatch was only about a quarter of a mile away from the mountain top [Annotator's Note: Mount...
Coleman, Jerry Professional Baseball Career
Gerald Francis "Jerry" Coleman [Annotator's Note: a Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber pilot with Marine Scout-Bomber...
Amrod, Paul Prologue to the Korean War
Paul Amrod observed that the Koreans were never fighters. He thought General John Hodge did his best to warn the...
Becker, Clarence Promoted to Operations Officer
Clarence Becker was promoted to G-3, Operations Officer, in January 1945. He had been a Flight Commander until that...
Savage, Frank Promotion
Troops were leaving Mortai [Annotator's Note: Maluku Islands, Dutch East Indies now Indonesia] to invade the...
Hoff, Donald Promotion and Discharge
Donald Hoff [Annotator's Note: a rear seat gunner and radio operator on Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers in Scouting...
Severance, Dave Promotions, Ira Hayes and Knowing His Men
Dave Severance remembers the Marine Corps having 18,000 men at the time of his enlistment. He made corporal four times...
Singlaub, John Psychological Training
John Singlaub was trained by the British Special Forces. Some of the training included assuming an artificial...
Brannan, Joseph PT Boat Action in the Mediterranean
Joseph Brannan returned to Melville, Rhode Island as a PT boat instructor [Annotator's Note: at the Motor Torpedo Boat...
Gaffney, James PT Boat and Crew
James Gaffney reviews the crew and officers of the PT Boat he served on in World War II. Some were good and some not so...
Gaffney, James PT Boat Communication and Radar
James Gaffney experienced no problems with leaks on his PT Boat. The boat construction was tight enough that it did not...
Gaffney, James PT Boat Discipline
James Gaffney got into trouble in Cartagena [Annotator’s Note: Cartagena, Colombia]. Some of the crew was driven in a...
Rose, Olaf "Olly" PT Boat Patrols
Remembering the first patrol he experienced, Olaf Rose said, "It gets hot, and the boats are coming at you." The PT...
Brannan, Joseph PT Boat Service in the Pacific
Joseph Brannan had never ridden on a PT boat [Annotator's Note: Patrol Torpedo boat] prior to his assignment to his...
Gaffney, James PT Boat Torpedos
James Gaffney discusses the details of the type of torpedo used on the PT Boat on which he was assigned as a crewman....
Sherbecoe, Martin PT Boat Training and Occupation Duty
Martin Sherbecoe recalled a couple of incidents from PT boat [Annotator's Note: patrol torpedo boat] school. One...
Grossman, Sidney PT Boats and Postwar Life
Sidney Grossman was discharged as a Yeoman 3rd Class on 22 June 1946 and went to the University of Connecticut [...
Gaffney, James PT Boats on Rough Seas
James Gaffney reveals how the PT Boat reacted to rough seas. Included is an explanation of how the bilge pumping system...
Schneider, Irwin PT Patrol Injury and New Guinea
Irwin Schneider was injured on a PT boat patrol out of Milne Bay [Annotator’s Note: in Papua New Guinea]. He went to...
Schneider, Irwin PT Patrols and War’s End
When hostilities ended, Irwin Schneider was sent up to the Philippine Islands. It was in the Philippines that he was...
Gaffney, James PT Performance
James Gaffney’s assessment of the John Wayne World War II movie entitled "They Were Expendable" was that it was mostly...
Gaffney, James PT Pirate
James Gaffney was once allowed to buy a case of beer after an announcement that there was an excess supply. Each sailor...
Ashton, Jackson PT-381
Jackson Augustus "Jack" Ashton, Senior [Annotator's Note: of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 28 (MTB RON 28) aboard PT-381...
Bennett, Richard PT-470's Kills
Richard Bennett remembers that it was in the Palau Islands that his vessel had their most memorable encounters with the...
Sparacino, Paul PTSD and Veteran Suicides
Paul Sparacino [Annotator's Note: Sparacino served aboard the USS Princeton (LPH-5) during Operation Dominic, series of...
Grieves, Billy PTSD, Depth Charge Attacks and Fresh Water
Billy Grieves watches movies like Run Silent, Run Deep religiously. He feels that they are more Hollywood than reality...

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