Entrance into Service

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Ashton, Jackson Becoming a Sailor
Jackson Augustus "Jack" Ashton, Senior volunteered for quartermaster school in the Navy. He was advised to sail on as...
Houdek, Thomas Becoming a Soldier
After receiving his draft notice [Annotator's Note: in April 1944], Thomas Houdek was sent to Camp Hood, Texas where he...
Blackwell, David Becoming a Soldier
David McKinley Blackwell entered the Army at Camp Polk [Annotator's Note: now Fort Polk in Vernon Parish, Louisiana]....
Bassemir, Robert Becoming a Soldier
Robert Bassemir was drafted in the spring of 1943. He was sent to Long Island [Annotator's Note: Long Island, New York...
Bronstein, Isador Becoming a Soldier
Isadore Bronstein received his draft notification in late 1942 or early 1943. He had thought he would not be called up...
DiFulco, Jerome Becoming a Soldier
Jerome Paul DiFulco was sent to Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri [Annotator's Note: Fort Leonard Wood in Pulaski County,...
Grieves, Billy Becoming a Submarine Sailor
Billy Grieves was born in Liberty Center, Ohio. At a young age his parents moved the family to Detroit, Michigan for...
Brewer, Chester Becoming a Tail Gunner and Deploying to Scotland
Chester Brewer was sent to Las Vegas, Nevada and fired every gun from BB guns [Annotator's Note: air gun that fires...
Anderson, William Becoming a Torpedoman
William Anderson enlisted in the Navy. It took him five days to get through because they found a spot on his lungs from...
McGee, Charles Becoming a Tuskegee Airman
Charles McGee was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1919. After third grade he moved to Illinois. He also spent some time in...
Jones, Johnnie Becoming a Warrant Officer
Johnnie A. Jones, Senior was drafted in 1942 and went to Camp Claiborne [Annotator’s Note: in Rapides Parish, Louisiana...
McCreery, Jean Becoming a WASP
Jean McCreery flew under her maiden name, Terrell. She was born in Troy, Ohio in 1924 and worked at WACO [Annotator's...
Kirk, James Becoming an Air Force Gunner
James Read Kirk was 17 years old and in high school when Pearl Harbor was attacked [Annotator's Note: the Japanese...
Vancheri, Edith Becoming an Army Nurse
[Annotator's Note: There is a lot of background noise in this interview.] Edith Vancheri was born in February 1923 in...
Ratcliff, Henry Becoming an Aviation Engineer
Henry Ratcliff joined the Army Air Forces and went many places including California where it rained a lot. Eating in...
Rackerby, Archibald "Archie" Becoming an Officer
Archibald Rackerby volunteered to become a Marine Raider. He was a corporal and was in charge of classifying incoming...
Siverts, Hans Becoming an Officer and Transfer to a New Unit
Hans Siverts remembers Sunday, 7 December [Annotator's Note: 7 December 1941; the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor,...
Little, Keith Becoming Marines
[Annotator's Note: This interview is conducted with a group of Navajo veterans present, many of whom can be heard off-...
Sandoz, James Being a Cajun in the Army
Being a Cajun [Annotator's Note: a member of self-contained communities in southern Louisiana of French Canadian...
Mirsky, Arnold Being a Navigator Overseas
Arnold A. Mirsky's father did not want him to join the Army Air Corps, so when he was accepted, Mirsky did not tell his...
Kafka, T. Being a WAC
T. Toby Kafka enlisted in the Women's Army Corps (WAC) in 1944 at the age of 20. Her family, particularly her brother,...
Bradley, John Being an Aide and Going to Korea
John Bradley served in the Army infantry and attended jump and Ranger school. He volunteered to join the 101st Airborne...
Adams, Lynward Being an Armed Guard
Lynward Joseph "Buddy" or "Bud" Adams joined the Navy with his two friends, and they were sent to San Diego [Annotator'...
Moskin, Alan Being Drafted and Enduring Racism
Alan Moskin was drafted out of Syracuse [Annotator's Note: in Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York]. He went into...
Livingston, Robert Being in the Army
Robert "Bob" Livingston volunteered for service with the US Army Air Force on 4 September 1942. He was sent to Camp...
Anderson, Gladys "Penni" Being in the WAVES
When she was 20 years old, Gladys Anderson joined the WAVES [Annotator's Note: Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency...
Ledford, Robert Being Wounded Three Times
Robert Ledford wanted to join the Army because he wanted to be on the ground fighting the enemy. When he heard the...
Nolan, Warren Boarding the USS Bunker Hill (CV-17)
Warren Nolan went to Pearl Harbor aboard a Navy troop transport ship. It took about six days to get there. He was then...
Kerner, John Bodmin, England
John Kerner took a German passenger ship overseas to Europe. He shared a stateroom with five other officers, and they...
Kneflin, Charles Boeing B-29 Superfortress
Charles Kneflin had never seen anything like the B-29 [Annotator's Note: Boeing B-29 Superfortress very heavy bomber]....
McGlaun, DeQuindre Bombardier Training
DeQuindre McGlaun passed the military physical exam and then was sent to Fort Benning [Annotator's Note: Fort Benning,...
Paul, John Bombing Missions
John Paul and his aircrew arrived in England in January 1944. [Annotator's Note: The interviewer asks Paul if he flew...
Mikus, John Boot Camp
When John Mikus, Jr. enlisted in the Marine Corps, war was different than it is today. The whole country went to war....
Wayne, William Boot Camp
William Wayne was drafted and went to Fort Leonard Wood in Saint Louis [Annotator's Note: Saint Louis, Missouri] for...
Beal, Marion Boot Camp
Marine Corps boot camp was hard, hard, and harder for Marion Meredith Beal. They would have unannounced D.I. [Annotator...
Guidry, Edmond Boot Camp
Edmond Guidry joined the Navy in July 1942. He went to boot camp in San Diego [Annotator's Note: San Diego, California...

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