Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO)

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Roy, William Sinking of the USS Yorktown (CV-5)
[Annotator's Note: William G. Roy served in the Navy as a Photographer's Mate 2nd Class aboard the aircraft carrier USS...
Bergeron, Fred Sinking the Hiryu
[Annotator's Note: Fred Bergeron served in the Navy as a rear seat gunner on Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers in...
Johnson, Burton Six Brothers Who Served
Burton "Burt" Johnson had five brothers in the war as well as him. Three were in the Air Corps, two in the Navy, and he...
Weymouth, Ralph Six Weeks of Combat on Guadalcanal
When Ralph Weymouth started flying from Guadalcanal they were originally quartered with a Seabee outfit but soon moved...
Love, John Slave Laborer in Japan
John Edward Love and hundreds of other POWs' [Annotator's Note: prisoners of war] hell ship [Annotator's Note: unmarked...
Irvine, Elizabeth "Elizabeth Lautzenheiser" Sleep and Food in the Camp
During Elizabeth Lautzenheiser Irvine's early days in the internment camp [Annotator's Note: Santo Tomas Internment...
Babbits, Oliver Small Town Boy to Soldier
Oliver Donald Anthony Babbits was born in Neenah, Wisconsin in December 1923. He grew up with three brothers. Babbits'...
Damberg, Wanda Smuggling Medicines
Wanda Damberg witnessed the science building at the university converted into a small clinic [Annotator’s Note: Damberg...
Lane, Charles Snipers, Capturing a Japanese Soldier, Equipment, and Tropical Illnesses
On occasion, Charles Nathan Lane would be under fire from Japanese snipers. One Japanese sniper fired at a soldier...
Oman, Mort Soldier Experience
[Annotator’s Note: Video begins with interviewee mid-sentence talking about a World War 2 experience.] Mort Oman and...
Shannahan, Claude Some Bad Times
In Norfolk, Claude Shannahan met a WAVE [Annotator's Note: Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service] girl during...
Aziz, Edmund Sonar and PA systems
When Edmund Aziz and his ship [Annotator’s Note: USS Reeves (DE-156)] returned to Norfolk [Annotator’s Note: Norfolk,...
Ruess, Richard South American Missions
[Annotator’s Note: Richard R. Ruess was assigned as a navigator to the 1st Mapping Group] he received orders to report...
Alair, Gene South Sea Islands
Gene Alair went in and out of Guadalcanal many times. Nothing really stands out to him about it other than he lost a...
Gallaspy, Garland "Mac" Southern Boy to Army Man
Garland Miller Gallaspy was born in Ottawa, Oklahoma in November 1922. His family moved all over the Southeast while he...
Brannan, Joseph Southern France
Joseph Brannan was stationed in Southern France after being based in Italy. In France, liberty was more available than...
Stevens, Kenneth Souvenirs and Dreams of Iwo Jima
Kenneth E. Stevens [Annotator's Note: with Company E, 1st Battalion, 21st Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division] did not...
Rees, Holly Souvenirs of War
Asked how he got a Japanese flag, Holly Rees said that nearly every enemy soldier carried one folded up on top of the...
Galella, Armando Souvenirs, Going Home and War's End
While on Tinian [Annotator's Note: Tinian, Mariana Islands], Armando Galella said the signal guys would go out on Ducks...
Ruess, Richard Special Kind of Missions
Richard R. Ruess was sent to Canada on the St. Lawrence River [Annotator's Note: after being assigned to the 1st...
Kinzler, Robert Specialist Schools and Hawaii After the Japanese Attack
Robert Kinzler didn't move with his regiment [Annotator's Note: 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division] to...
McEwen, Richard Specialty Training and Assignment
Initial PT-boat [Annotator's Note: patrol torpedo boat] training for Richard McEwen took place at Newport, Rhode Island...
Dearman, Alfred Sports and Prison Visits
Alfred Dearman played baseball and football. They had two good teams. They played a lot of other Army units around...
Swan, Robert Spotting the Japanese at Midway
At Midway, Robert Swan was classified as a first pilot and navigator. The patrol plane commander was Jack Reid. Swan...
Hall, Meda Squadron Missions
Meda Royce Hall and his squadron [Annotator's Note: Composite Squadron 68 (VC-68) aboard the USS Fanshaw Bay (CVE-70)]...
Hall, Meda Squadron Training
Meda Royce Hall [Annotator's Note: a US Navy bombsight instructor] had one pilot that gave him some trouble because he...
DuBose, John SS Bostonian and Staying One Stap Ahead of the Draft Board
John DuBose reached his new ship [Annotator's Note: the SS Bostonian] and was immediately given lifeboat training. He...
Walter, Louis SS Fort Stephenson
Louis John Walter next sailed on a tanker, the Fort Stephenson [Annotator's Note: SS Fort Stephenson]. He had papers...
Shaw, Roger SS George Gayle
Roger Shaw was assigned to the SS George Gayle on the Industrial Canal while it was still being completed by the...
Walter, Louis SS James Smith
Louis John Walter departed New York [Annotator's Note: New York, New York] on the James Smith [Annotator's Note: SS...
Walter, Louis SS William G. Fargo
Louis John Walter left San Francisco [Annotator's Note: San Francisco, California] aboard the William G. Fargo [...
Leith, Hal SSU Activities and Reflections
Harold “Hal” Leith was given a good rank [Annotator’s Note: in March, 1946, as an employee of the SSU, or Strategic...
Anthony, Ray Starting out as an Entertainer
Ray Anthony was born in Bentleyville, Pennsylvania on 20 January 1922. He was raised in Cleveland, Ohio. He left his...
Wieland, Kenneth Starving Kids
Kenneth Wieland went straight to Japan. He was assigned to the Aviation Engineer battalion [Annotator’s Note: Company A...
Bronfin, Fred Stateside and Postwar Service
Fred Bronfin was sent back [Annotator's Note: back to the United States] for more radar training and teaching at Saint...

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