Hershel Hibbard was born in Rose Hill, Kansas in September 1925. His mother worked as a switchboard operator and his father was a carpenter for a company that built roads. As a result of his father's job, Hibbard says the family moved around quite a bit before finally settling in Riverside, California. Prior to this, Hibbard recalls going to a small school in the desert along the California and Arizona border and having classrooms outside. He says the Great Depression was hard on his family and they used government assistance to get by, but that as a child he was not concerned with any of this. Hibbard does not remember exactly what he was doing when he heard the radio reports about the attack on Pearl Harbor [Annotator's Note: the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 7 December 1941]. Soon after, he says, his older brothers entered the service. One brother was drafted into the Army while the other joined the Marine Corps. While both brothers were home from boot camp, they warned Hibbard not to go into the Army or the Marines. Hibbard says this is the only reason he chose to join the Navy. After enlisting in the Navy with a couple of friends from high school, Hibbard reported for boot camp at the naval training center in San Diego [Annotator's Note: San Diego, California]. One of his friends had had surgery on a hernia and was assigned duty in Hawaii for the duration of the war. Hibbard says the highlights of his time in training were days spent on the rifle range and days spent swimming. He remembered that he marched wherever he went, and he found the food to be very good. After three months of basic training, Hibbard was assigned to electric-hydraulic school from which he emerged as a Gunner's Mate 3rd Class. Hibbard then boarded a train to San Francisco [Annotator's Note: San Francisco, California] where he awaited transport to the Pacific. After an uneventful journey full of seasickness, Hibbard arrived in Hawaii. There, Hibbard came across one of the friends he had enlisted with back in Riverside. Hibbard was offered an assignment in Hawaii but turned it down. Hibbard questions now whether that decision was the correct one. He was assigned to a 40mm gun [Annotator's Note: Bofors 40mm antiaircraft autocannon] on the forward port side of the light aircraft carrier USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24). Hibbard says the gunnery shack was a great place aboard ship; they always had coffee, eggs, toast, and were even able to procure some butter from the officer's quarters. Hibbard remarked that when everything was smooth he did not even notice the ocean, but when it got rough, it had an affect in him.

Hershel Hibbard recalled the process of refueling the ship [Annotator's Note: USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24)]. Another ship would come out and give them a hose to refuel the ship and also provided fuel for the planes. Hibbard recalls manning his battle station during every takeoff and landing of the carrier's planes. The first time Hibbard came under enemy fire he recalls planes coming in for landing under heavy enemy fire. One Japanese plane opened fire on the carrier and kept coming closer and closer. Hibbard recalls all the guns that could fire on the plane did so, but they could not bring it down. The kamikaze pilot crashed the plane into the aft flight deck and ultimately cost the lives of many of the Belleau Wood's crew. Hibbard says his 40mm [Annotator's Note: Bofors 40mm antiaircraft autocannon] could not turn to face the attack and he could only watch as the crash occurred. He says that he was not frightened; he says he did not feel anything and that it was not until many years after that he really understood the situation. He says many sailors who were forced overboard because of the crash were saved from the water by destroyers in the convoy. The dead were buried at sea the following day. Hibbard recalls another kamikaze attack but says he has never been able to find any record of it. While at his battle station, Hibbard says a Japanese plane crashed into the side of the carrier at about water level leaving a large hole in the port side. He says the whole was patched while at sea and the Belleau Wood continued on. They had a burial the day after the kamikaze attack for those who perished. He remembered that the bodies were put in body bags and lined up on the deck. After a small ceremony, they were slid off into the ocean. After the attack, the Belleau Wood put into port at Ulithi [Annotator's Notes: Ulithi Atoll, Caroline Islands, Federated States of Micronesia] but was unable to be repaired. After another stop in Pearl Harbor for temporary repairs, the Belleau Wood steamed for California to get permanent repairs. While in California, Hibbard and the other sailors were granted a 15 day leave. Hibbard befriended a fellow sailor named Ruben and they had some fun together while in San Francisco. Hibbard spent a week at home with his family before reporting back to the duty. After several months stateside, the Belleau Wood once again sailed into the Pacific. The carrier was caught in a typhoon and all were ordered below deck. Hibbard says he has no idea why, but Ruben was above deck on a catwalk and was swept overboard. A rescue was attempted, but Ruben was gone. Some months later, a letter from Ruben's father reached Hibbard aboard the Belleau Wood asking him for any information about his son's death. Hibbard was shocked to receive the letter and did not know how to respond. He never talked to anyone aboard ship about the letter and after some time he finally wrote back. Hibbard says there really was not much he could say in his reply because he never did know why Ruben was not below deck.

Throughout summer of 1945, the Belleau Wood [Annotator's Note: USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24)] began launching its planes for strikes all along the home islands of Japan. Hershel Hibbard says that, personally, these days were nothing to get excited about. He would only get behind the gun [Annotator's Note: Hibbard was assigned to one of the Belleau Wood's Bofors 40mm antiaircraft autocannon] if it malfunctioned. He saw a few kamikaze attacks on other ships and recalls repelling a few attacks from the Belleau Wood. Hibbard recalls that once the fleet had learned of the Japanese surrender, the decision was made to keep the ship's lights on at night. He says that the Japanese subs and planes must not have known about the surrender and attempted attacks on a few occasions. For Hibbard, it was an eerie feeling having the lights on. As a result of the attacks, there was no celebration aboard ship at the news of the surrender; everyone remained at their battle stations. Following the end of hostilities, Hibbard says the Belleau Wood was converted into a transport ship to bring soldiers back to the United States. He was transferred to the battleship USS Iowa (BB-61) and was in Tokyo Bay for the signing of the surrender instrument aboard the USS Missouri (BB-63). While stationed in Tokyo Bay, Hibbard says he was never assigned any duty aboard ship and was more or less a passenger. He recalls seeing devastation everywhere he looked in Tokyo. The cruise home was pleasant with many stops and chances for liberty along the way. He recalled when they passed the international date line he had to go through some rigorous initiation. The Iowa docked in San Pedro, California in October 1945. Hibbard was discharged with the rank of Gunner's Mate 3rd Class. He says he bought his first motorcycle and drove it home to his family. He completed high school and went to college for some time on the G.I. bill but did not finish his studies. He got a job with AT&T, where he worked until his retirement.

After Hershel Hibbard was discharged from the Navy, he completed high school and went to college for some time on the G.I. bill but did not finish his studies. His most memorable experience of World War 2 was when his ship [Annotator's Note: USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24)] was hit by a kamikaze. He fought in the war because he thought it was the right thing to do. World War 2 changed his life because he had to grow up. After school he though he should go to work. He got a job with AT&T, where he worked until his retirement. He is happy to be alive. He thinks that The National WWII Museum [Annotator's Note: in New Orleans, Louisiana] is very important for America.