Entrance into Service

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Dunlavy, Jack Basic Training to the USS Missouri (BB-63)
After being drafted, Jack Dunlavy went to Anniston [Annotator's Note: Anniston Army Depot in Bynum, Alabama] to the...
O'Hara, Richard Basic Training to Tinian
Richard O'Hara took a train with eight others to San Diego [Annotator's Note: San Diego, California]. They did not know...
Mitchell, George Basic Training to Vietnam
George Mitchell feels the training at Montford Point [Annotator's Note: Camp Montford Point, Jacksonville, North...
Jordan, James Basic Training to War's End
James Jordan took his basic training at Fort Lee, Virginia. It was night and day from his college military experience....
Atwood, Walter Basic Training to War's End
Walter Atwood worked for Boeing [Annotator's Note: The Boeing Company] for a couple of years and got deferments [...
Sibley, Allen Basic Training, Guam, and War's End
Allen Ray Sibley was drafted into the Army [Annotator's Note: on 24 February 1944]. They put him on a Greyhound bus to...
Wombacher, Delbert Basic Training, Horses, and Guns
Delbert Wombacher enlisted in December 1939 at Fort Crook, Nebraska [Annotator's Note: now Offutt Air Force Base, Omaha...
McWilliams, Donald Battle of Cape Gloucester
Sometimes it is hard to remember and sometimes it is good to forget some of the things that happened in those days....
Kitts, James Battle of the Bulge
James Albert Kitts then went to Pembroke to Camp Lamphey [Annotator's Note: Camp Lamphey, Pembrokeshire, Wales, England...
Rolfson, Jack Becoming a Bomber Pilot
Jack Rolfson born in September 1921 in Omaha, Nebraska. He grew up in the city, went to school, and would ride his bike...
Wolf Guts, Clarence Becoming A Code Talker
[Annotator's Note: The interview begins with Clarence Wolf Guts already in conversation with the interviewer]. After...
Levy, Stanley Becoming a Cryptographer
On 7 December 1941, Stanley "Stan" Levy was sitting on the floor of the family home reading the newspaper and listening...
Cart, William "Bill" Becoming a Dive-Bomber Pilot
[Annotator's Note: William Cart graduated flight training then was sent to Naval Auxiliary Air Station Miramar, in San...
Richard, Martin Becoming a Flight Engineer and Overseas Deployment
When Martin Richard was inducted into the service, he could choose his branch of service. You could not volunteer, you...
Winestone, Ted Becoming a Marine
Ted Winestone [Annotator's Note: a Polish-Jewish refugee] did not talk much about his war experience with his new peers...
Jackson, Arthur Becoming a Marine
Arthur Jackson had been influenced by Marine pilots and wanted to fly. At the recruiting office he took the aviation...
Lemme, Thomas Becoming a Marine
Thomas Joseph Lemme teamed up with a fellow named John Prentice Brown [Annotator's Note: Lemme was drafted into the...
Famularo, Salvatore Becoming a Marine
Salvatore Famularo does not know why he picked the Marine Corps. He thought he was an athletic kid. He had street sense...
Lucas, Jack Becoming a Marine
Jacklyn Lucas's uncle had been a Marine. He finished his eighth grade of school in June 1942. He overwhelmed his mother...
Varone, Francis "Dick" Becoming a Marine
Francis John "Dick" Varone enlisted in the Marine Corps by himself. He waited until he received orders to report to...
Mittelsdorf, Joseph Becoming a Marine
Joseph Mittelsdorf thought the Marine Corps was intense. They taught everyone learn how to follow orders. The training...
Marolda, Theodore Becoming a Marine
Theodore Marolda enlisted for four years in the Marine Corps. He went to Parris Island [Annotator's Note: Marine Corps...
Tidmore, Roberta Becoming a Marine
No one encouraged Roberta Randolph "Randy" Tidmore to join the Marines. She chose the Marines because they did not have...
Kissam, Edward Becoming a Marine
[Annotator's Note: Edward Kissam was in the US Merchant Marine aboard the SS Thomas Nelson Page. When he returned from...
Toledo, Bill Becoming a Marine and Overseas Deployment
Bill Toledo was sent to San Diego [Annotator's Note: San Diego, California] for boot camp. He was able to keep up with...
Bourgeois, Henry "Hank" Becoming a Marine Aviator and Deployment to Guadalcanal
Henry Bourgeois was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. He first flew when he was about seven years old. After...
Hill, James Becoming a Marine Pilot
James J. Hill took all the Marine courses with no problem [Annotator's Note: during Marine Corps boot camp in late 1941...
Rackerby, Archibald "Archie" Becoming a Marine Raider
Archibald Rackerby was assigned to the 3rd Marine Raider Battalion. Colonel Liversedge [Annotator's Note: later US...
Nacey, Ed Becoming a Navigator
[Annotator's Note: Edward Nacey joined the US Army Air Forces and was sent to California in 1943.] He was so excited....
Doolan, Robert Becoming a Navigator
From the time Robert Doolan was ten or 12 years old, he wanted to fly. He was in high school and you had to have some...
Gomez, Hewitt Becoming a Navigator
Hewitt Brian Gomez was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in January 1925. He recalled that he was playing football at a...
McKinnon, Lee Becoming a Navy Man
Lee O. McKinnon was born in Valdosta, Georgia in August 1925. He was raised by his mother and grandfather and worked on...
Gilman, John Becoming a Navy Pilot
John Sanford Gilman was born in Rochester, New York in November 1918. He grew up with an older brother and twin sister...
Welch, Darrell Becoming a P-38 Pilot
Darrell Welch trained on twin engine aircraft. He was flying bombers in flight school and assumed he was going to be a...
Smith, Jacques Becoming a Paratrooper
Jump school training was intense for Jacques Brewster Smith. He did a lot of running and swinging exercise. He was...
Myers, Homer Becoming a Pilot
Homer Myers flew the T-17 Stearman [Annotator's Note: Boeing-Stearman PT-17 Kaydet primary trainer aircraft] in...

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