WWII Interviews

Name of person interviewed: Willa Sell

- What do you remember you and your family doing for the war effort?
- " Well, in high school we had a scrap drive; my mother sold war bonds; 
we wrote to soldiers; my Mom rolled bandages. What else... oh yes, we also 
did rationing for gas coupons."

- What was your opinion regarding the relocation of Japanese-Americans 
during the war?
- " It was ridiculous Just absolutely ridiculous! Most of the people were 
born right here in the country. They didn't deserve to be put through that."

- What were some of your favorite songs, films, and heroes during the war?
- "Heroes. . . well I guess Eisenhower and Mc Carthur. . . hum. . . who 
else. Oh yes, and of course Roosevelt! Now for movies, I can't remember 
any of the movies; I do remember some radio shows: Jack Benning was great 
and Fred Allen and The Shadow. For the songs, my favorites would have to 
be: Moonlight Becomes You, Paper Moon, and Stardust. "

- Did you agree of disagree with the dropping of the atomic bombs on 
Hiroshima and Nagasaki? 
- "Oh yes, I agree very much so. That ended the war and saved many 
American lives!"

-What are some of your best and worst memories of the war?
-"My best memory is when my brothers came home from Furlough.
The worst memory would be the day I went to the movies with my folks and 
there was a newspaper kid hollering: there was a war coming along. Also, a 
kid that I grew up with was at a prison at the Bataan. He was on the death 
march and was killed of course. That would be another bad memory of mine."


Second person interviewed: Richard Sell

- What do you remember you and your family doing for the war effort?
- "The gals in the family rolled bandages. We had to have priority to have 
a car."

- What was your opinion regarding the relocation of Japenese-Americans 
during the war?
- "That is one of the greatest mistakes the U.S. ever made. It was gross; 
it was cruel. They did that in Germany and it was horrible and then they did 
the same thing here."

- What were some of your favorite songs, films, and heroes during the war?
- "Well, of course the military leaders. They were a very important part 
of the war; and General Mc Carther and of course Roosevelt. Richard I. 
Bong was a fighter that flew P 38's. I don't remember too many movies. 
Except for all the Bob Hope and Ben Crosby's road shows. I remember the Road 
to Morocco and the Road to Rino. I played the trombone for the high school 
band. I played Stardust and Getting Sentimental over you; those were two of 
my favorites."

- Did you agree of disagree with the dropping of the atomic bombs on 
Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
- "I agree 100 percent! I was off the coast of Japan and we were fighting 
them daily. I thought it was the greatest thing when they told us that. We 
then could turn around and not have to invade them."

- What were some of your best and worst memories of the war years?
- " The best was when the war was over. I could go home. The worst was 
actually really fighting in the war. Wasn't very good. I was on a 
destroyer."

Evelyn Huler
81 yrs old (82 in August)


1. WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR FAMILY AND YOU DOING FOR THE WAR EFFORT DURING 
WWII? TELL ANY STORIES OF RATIONING, RECYCLING, AIR-RAID DRILLS, BOND 
DRIVES, SCHOOL PROGRAMS...ANYTHING YOU CAN RECALL IN DETAIL.
"I had to give my husband and three brothers to the war. I used to write to 
my husband when he was in England to tell him to hide from the buzz bombs. 
By the time he would get the letters, they would be dropped. I donated money 
for the bond drives. They had ration stamps for sugar, butter, gas, and 
more. The stamps were given to us by the general man at the super market in 
Detroit, Michigan. I didn't really recycle."

2. WHAT WAS YOUR OPINION REGARDING THE RELOCATION OF JAPANESE-AMERICANS 
DURING THE WAR? EXPLAIN.
"I didn't like the idea, because once again, my husband had to go into 
service one week before our first anniversary. I don't really remember much 
because I was so worried about my husband and brothers."

3. WHAT WERE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE SONGS, FILMS, AND HEROES DURING THE WAR?
"I really like a song called "I'll Walk Alone" I don't remember who it was 
by. I haven't gone to see a show in over 40 years...I don't really watch 
much TV. I didn't really have any heroes."

4. DID YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THE DROPPING OF THE A-BOMBS ON HIROSHIMA 
AND NAGASAKI? EXPLAIN.
"Yes, because all of my brothers and my husband and nephew were in the war. 
I really agreed with it because when my nephew first got off the airplane in 
Germany, his leg was blown off. He had just graduated from Westpoint. 
Because of that I am bitter and agree for the dropping of the bombs."

5. WHAT WERE SOME OF YOUR BEST AND WORST MEMORIES OF THE WAR YEARS?
"My best memory was knowing my husband and brothers were alive. I still have 
my husband's summer and winter uniform, his bible, sewing kit, and other 
little things that people never kept. I still have our service star, a cloth 
star you'd put in your house window so when people would drive by, they knew 
someone in the service was at your house. Just about everybody had them. My 
worst memory was when my nephew came home with an artificial leg. He was 
know as a basket case, that was his nickname."

ETC...OTHER MEMORIES:
"When my husband left, I was pregnant. He didn't get to see our first son 
until he was about 1 year old. I remember when I would feed our son in his 
high chair, I would put a picture of his father next to him and feed our son 
and say 'one for you, and one for daddy.' I would pretend to feed the 
picture. And when my husband came home, he had a nervous breakdown. And 
whenever my son saw a man in a uniform he would tug on his leg and call him 
daddy, it was embarrassing. When my husband came on temporary leave, I got 
pregnant again and he got called back to England. Luckily, as he got there, 
the war had ended and I didn't have to raise our second child on my own. I 
thought, is this what Uncle Sam does? Sends a soldier home to get his wife 
pregnant then take him back?
My fourth brother had a heart condition and diabetes. My three other 
brothers, husband, and nephew were all drafted. If something was wrong with 
you they labeled you as a 4F. Many people that were drafted went to Canada 
and weren't allowed to come back.
I never learned how to drive until after I had my four kids. During the war 
I would go visit my parents in Canada. I would take the bus. It was hard 
having a kid on my own and worrying about my husband and brothers!"

Interviews by Alex Esnard

1.    What do you remember your family and you doing for the war effort during World War II? Tell any stories of rationing, recycling, air-raid drills, bond drives, school programs…anything you can recall in detail.

I was an assistant air raid warden at 16. When they would have an alert, we would wander around in the dark to help people. You had to put sand on some bombs. You could not even see your hands in front of your face. I was also an army aircore pilot. And I had a good time. I went to the Army aircore flying school. When I came out of that, they sent me to Long Beach where I flew little planes to Mississippi and Texas. Later on I flew to South America, Africa and then to England. I flew right over the cradle of western civilization. I got to ride the engine of a train up to Gaza and visited the Holy Land. It was fabulous.  

2.    What was your opinion regarding the relocation of Japanese–Americans during the war? Explain.

Well, we were scared to death. The Japanese were totally unknown, spoke very little English and everybody thought that they were loyal to Japan. They had to be confined or they would do serious damage to airplane factories and so on.

3.    What were some of your favorite songs, films, and heroes during the war?

Coming in on a Wing in a Prayer

The White Cliffs of Dover, a song about when the war was over you could see the white cliffs of Dover

4.    Do you agree or disagree with the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Explain.

Absolutely agree. We would have lost a million soldiers and they would have also, if not for the bomb. We did more damage with regular bombs that with the atomic bombs.

5.    What are some of your best and worst memories of the war years?

The last memories are being able to fly all over the world in my own airplane and not get shot at. I think the worst memory was hearing that a very good friend of mine was shot down over Europe. He was flying a bomber.

1.    What do you remember your family and you doing for the war effort during World War II? Tell any stories of rationing, recycling, air-raid drills, bond drives, school programs…anything you can recall in detail.

I can remember gas rationing and having to walk into town, walk down to the beach and tennis club, we had no cars. Driving was only for emergencies. I also remember having service men from San Diego for dinners on Holidays and on Sundays. They missed their home and giving them the “home” atmosphere was the nice thing to do.

My mother knit tons and tons of argyle socks for the service men. She was always knitting. We had black outs. When it got dark we had to pull curtains and blinds. I did join a group called the Cadets when I lived in Tuscon. We were sworn into the Civilian Air patrol, we were a group of young girls and boys in highschool who were planning to join the airforce, we were going to be trained. We were taught the courtesies of the service, the customs of the army, and we were given lessons in the Morse code. Navigation and meteorology were also taught.

I went on to California to scout the Japanese planes and we had to identify all the airplanes that passed over. When I went on to college, we would have service men from the airforce bases come to our college dances and we would also go to their dances to help entertain them.  I also did work for the Red Cross, but that was after the war.  

2.    What was your opinion regarding the relocation of Japanese–Americans during the war? Explain.

Because of their bombing of Pearl Harbor and all the terrible tragedies, we expected that they could very well bomb the mainland. We thought that the Japanese could be here on a mission to harm us. It was not until later that we realized that they were just farmers minding their own business. We made a mistake; it was terrible to do that to their families.

3.    What were some of your favorite songs, films, and heroes during the war?

I think one of them was “Tie a Ribbon Around the Old Oak Tree”. Frank Sinatra was one of my favorite singers. I can’t remember any movies imparticular. I loved to go to the movies though, because I wanted to be an actress. I liked Betty Davis and Ingrid Bergman, Gary Cooper also. I can’t remember the names of the movies, that was sixty years ago. 

4.    Do you agree or disagree with the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Explain.

Tough question, tough question. I agreed that the war did have to end. I wish it hadn’t harmed so many people. I wish it had been some other way than to harm the innocent people.

5.    What are some of your best and worst memories of the war years?

I did not feel that there was a terrible war going on. I was isolated somehow. It was a time when people were giving and very generous with their time and money. We all sort of banded together. That was the good part. The bad part was the Battle of Normandy, they left from Dover and came across the channel. The Germans were waiting for them and they were just killed. It was horrible. That movie that Tom Hanks was in (Saving Private Ryan) depicted it perfectly.  Those who made it went into France, there were a lot of brave me. I wonder how many men could be that brave today. One of the saddest things was being a mother saying goodbye to your son, it really was. 

Interview by Ashley Breck
1.I wasn't home so I don't experience what civilians did for the war effort 
on the home front. I do know my Mother was amazed that I was able to get detergent for washing clothes when I got home. My Father got coupons for buying gas for his car, he got 4 gals a week. You couldn't go to the filling station and say fill it up all you got was what kind of coupon you had, some entitled you to more than others, his was for 4 gals. and they were only for a week at a time.
2.At that time we didn't know how strong ties were for the Japenese with the land of their ancestory so at that time it seemed like a wise move. Now looking back it was apparently bad as their soldiers proved themselves in Italy as they were very loyal.
3.My favorite song was one that I heard first upon my release from the prison camp was sung by a Red Cross gal on a Jeep and was called "Don't fence me in", I guess my most popular hero was Audie Murphy the most decorated soldier in the war. Also a Lt. Colonel who was the senior officer in our POW camp who stood up to the Germans even when they threatened to execute him. Our camp was over run with sewage, all over the areas outside of our barracks, so he organized a strike against the Germans. He said he wouldn't order us outside to be counted unless they cleaned up the mess. They called in dogs and 
machine gun units and said they would kill him for inciting a mutiny, they 
pointed the guns at him and cocked them but he didn't relent. They cleaned up the mess and he ordered us outside to be counted. They counted us each day to try and determine if anyone had escaped.
4. 100%. Many more lives both American and Japenese would have been lost if we had invaded Japan. This brought the war to a close.
5. The best was living through it and serving our country to preserve our way  of life that you all enjoy today. The worst was thinking of all the good young American lives lost, these were the best young men America had to offer. They never saw the things we now take for granted, TV, computers etc. 
All of you young people have them to be thankful for or your current way of like would be much different. We proved that America is the best land of all and worth fighting for no matter what.

Interview by Kyle Derr

Interview: Mary Suenaka
age: 71 Encino,CA

1) We didn’t really have a chance to get involved in the effort 
before we were put into the concentration camp.

2) We were sent to the camp in Wyoming, in the winter it was very cold, 
we were in the mountains, and in the summer it was hot, dusty, and windy. 
Our family and many others shared a
bathroom and a shower. The lines for meals seemed to go on forever. My poppy 
and mama owned a grocery store, it had to be completely sold away when we 
left. I was young, but I thought if we had to be
there then we must.

3) I remember Reta Hayworth and John Wayne, I don’t know the famous ones 
today, but I remember those. After we were sent away I didn’t know what was 
going on because we weren’t
allowed to have radios, televisions or see pictures.

4) Very bad, I wish that there had been some way to talk and not kill so 
many. Not only did our country kill so many in Japan, but they kept us, who 
could have helped in the camps.

5) The worst thing was seeing mothers in the camps whose sons were 
fighting for the country that kept them inside fences. Not knowing if they 
would die, not much mail got through, so they
never knew what happened.

My husband is from Hawaii, he was in the 100th battalion then we was put 
with the other Japanese in the 442nd. You could talk to him but he doesn’t 
hear good.

Interview by Cheyenne Agin

Mary Helen Johnson

During World War II her name was Mary Helen Johnson, now it is Mary Helen Johnson Nogy Gallenstein.  But to me she is known as Grandma.  She was born in 1926 and now lives in Paso Robles doing everything physically possible.

Helen grew up in a small town in Idaho.  The gas rationing caused her and many others to carpool almost everywhere.  Farmers had a “T” ration, which allowed them to get as much gas as needed.  All the lucky girls, like my grandma, had dates with the farm boys.  Helen dated a farm boy so she was able to go on more dates than the other kids.  With her money she bought many war bonds, hoping that every little thing would help bring her brother and the other boys home faster.  When she left for nursing school in Salt Lake City, Utah, she had to take all of her meat and sugar rations with her.  If she had not, she wouldn’t have food, for school would not have any for her.  It is onvious that whatever it took to win the war my grandma was willing to do.

During the war there was only one Japanese family living in Preston and they were relocated.  Helen was friends with them and can remember thinking, ”how do they (government) know who were true to the United States and who is true to Japan?” She also did not understand why this was still done even after the war.  As a result of living in Idaho, relocation did not affect her much.

Many movies to support the war were being produced.  Two of Helen’s favorites were “To Each His Own”, being very sentimental, and “Gone With The Wind” has a scene were many soldiers were lying on the ground hurt without help.  This scene encouraged her to go to nursing school in hope that she could help the sick, dying soldiers.  Her favorite song was “Three Little Sisters.”  It talks about three sisters, just like her family, and their boyfriends were all off to war.  Her sisters and she always considered that their song.  Grandma has always had a thing for men in uniform.  Clark Gable starred in many war movies, and she always thought he was great.  Another man that wore a uniform that my Grandma fell for was my grandfather, Jon Dale Nogy Sr. Still, her biggest hero was her brother Virgil, who lived through the landing on Normandy, and made it back home safely.

            The dropping of the atomic bomb was a huge turning point in the war.  Grandma Helen thought that it was just wonderful, anything to end this awful, ugly war.  Even to this day, hearing stories about how Allied soldiers were tortured by the Japanese, makes her feel okay with the bombings.

            Many of her classmates and friends left for the war never to be seen again.  Every chance they had to see the men at the train stations they took, it could be the last time anyone saw those boys for anyone knew.  She loved to see the flag flying, and it was thrilling to watch the parades.  Grandma’s best memories, though, came while she was in Salt Lake City.  The buses were not running and she thought it was due to gas shortage.  By the time she had walked all the way down town, she found the streets to be covered in paper and cheering crowds.  Then it hit her... the war was over!  Everyone was hugging, kissing, and dancing in the streets.  The streets stayed full for hours, no one went home.

            By listening to Grandma’s stories, World War II does not seem so long ago.  She was willing to do whatever it took to end the war.  I have a huge amount of love and respect for people like my grandma who gave their time and lives to keep our country free.

            Interview by Cole Hobbs

1.What do you remember your family and you doing for the war effort? Did you do any rationing, recycling, bond drives or school programs?

            “Well, I remember people having to ration things like sugar but, we always had enough because my aunt and uncle lived nearby and my family always traded stamps with them to help each other out and get the things we needed. I also remember bringing money for bond drives at school.”

2.What was your opinion regarding the relocation of Japanese-Americans during the war?

            “I thought it was awful, sending them away, I think a lot of people from Goleta were put into camps.”

3.What were some of your favorite songs or films during the war?

            “ I don’t really remember, something I do remember about the films at that time was they always had a war news reel before the actual feature presentation.” 

4. Did you agree or disagree with the droppings of the atomic bombs

            “ I don’t remember having too much of an opinion on it, now I think it was horrible. Everyone was just so happy that the war was over.”

5. What are some of your best or worst memories of the war?

Interviews by Karina Puente

An Adventure

I grabbed my questions, paper, pens, and I was off. To where? Well,
somewhere I could find a seventy-year old person of course. Just down my street there is an old man who lounges out on his front porch. I pass him often and figured he would love to be interviewed with streams of information waiting to pour from his lips. Eight thirty in the evening and I knock on his door. He opens up after about five minutes of my knocking. I introduce myself and tell him my proposal. I want to know about things pertaining to WWII and that time era. After a brief scan of my questions, he tells me he knows nothing of the sort and walks back into the house leaving me empty handed. But I was not discouraged. I knew I was not going to go home without my interview! So I continued on. Luckily I knew the senior center was around the corner. I knocked on the first
trailer and a woman said she was going to bed. The second woman I bothered was only fifty but pointed me into the direction of Mildred Long’s trailer. On Mildred’s trailer, I knocked softly and she answered her door with a smile. “ Hello, I was wondering if you could answer some questions about WWII? ” I asked sweetly. 
 “Sure, but I don’t know if I’ll be much help.” 

I went into her home and I got situated while the low hum of what
sounded like a police scanner filled the room. Her eyes were welcoming and her skin looked warm as lines etched years into it. I began asking her of where she was during the war and what she did for the war effort. Her husband was deferred because he worked for the government as a radio operator, thus explaining the low hum of the radio in the background. As the interview progressed, I realized this first hand account was true. Things we learn about in impersonal texts actually took place and this woman was there to experience them. After asking the assigned questions, I could only think of a few more that were relevant to the war. For example, I asked if she involved her children in any school programs, if she recycled, or if she gave up nylons. Her answers were mostly no because she lived in Maryland, but I still wanted to know more about her. I inquired about her marriage, her children and her every day activities she finds delight in. We talked for over an hour about our similar interests and of our similar ideas.


Questions and Answers

Karina: Where were you during the time of WWII?
Mildred: Well, I was married in 1940 and lived in Maryland. My husband worked for Westing House and was not drafted. He was an amateur radio operator. He was deferred because of his work.
K: What do you remember you and your family doing for the war effort? Did you ration, recycle? Give up nylons? Anything?
M: We did put together boxes of food for food drives. People less fortunate than us appreciated it. During Christmas time we also put food baskets together. The usual rationing cards were given to us. But since we were up in Maryland, we did not get involved. I was too busy raising my family anyhow. We watched marches and protester but never protested.

K: Did you involve your children in any school programs, or recycling events?


M: No, my oldest son was born in 1941. My next son was born in 1943, so they were much too young for any of that. But we did have to watch our gasoline. We lived fairly well but did without things.

K: What was your opinion about the relocation camps of Japanese Americans?

M: Heard of them, but never saw them or knew anyone that went there. We were on the east coast and didn’t see much of that. But I though they were unnecessary because people who were kept there were not treated fairly. The government and what they did not do for [the Japanese] appalled me.

K: What were your favorite songs, heroes, and movies during that time?

M: I didn’t go to the movies. Was too busy raising the kids. My Husband worked the swing shift. Roosevelt was president during that time right? Ah yes, he was. I was impressed by the way he handled things. But I am opposed to any kind of war. People should work out their problems by different means. 

K: Did you agree with the atomic bomb being dropped?

M: I was appalled when it was dropped on innocent civilians. Maybe if the bomb was first dropped on something else first. Perhaps on ships. I just don’t believe in physical force. 

K: What were your best and worst memories of the war?

M: My husband didn’t have to go to war. And I didn’t have to worry about him. We had enough with the stamps and just being together as a family was enough to be grateful for. The worst part was that work was awfully tiresome. Working three shifts. We didn’t really feel the war although, we heard about it a lot. 

K: Thank you that was great.

An Adventure Take Two 

After the first interview, I was eager to find out more about the lives of people who lived during the time of WWII. I did not want to wander around my town again, so I ventured to The Lutheran
Home to find someone else to talk with. The lobby was closed so I went into an open area where I found a woman, named Kamma Andersen, sitting alone on a bench. I asked her if she cared to be interviewed. She told me to sit down and I begun asking questions. 
She could articulate her ideas very well and often spun into tangents unrelated to the war. I now know all about her cooking job at Dunn School. She was, unlike the first woman I interviewed, greatly affected by the war. This juxtaposition gave me a wider perspective of the
 ifestyle of different people during that time. A few moments later a woman named Helen Askier who also had opinions on the subject joined us. And a few moments after that five more senior citizens were crowded around me, all telling me different pieces of information at the same time, as I frantically jotted down most of what they were saying. I felt obligated to give my attention to each person, but remembered I was only interviewing one.
They soon dispersed, and I was able to fully concentrate on Kamma. I knew what she was talking about when she commented on listening posts and blacking out windows from the reading I had done in the text. After viewing the video documentary on the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in class, I was hesitant to ask questions about it because it was an unfathomable experience. But I asked and found out Kamma knew someone who’s father survived it. To actually know first hand what those experiences must have been like is amazing. Kamma and her friends knew. But the reading gives a chronological explanation of facts and broad detail.  Similarly to my first interview, listening to these women tell about the war is very different from any reading because it is a personal account about what someone remembers.

Questions and Answers

Karina: Where were you during the time of WWII?

Kamma: In Palo Alto. I was married in 1936 and we owned a dairy farm there. My husband was deferred because he prepared food. 

K: What do you remember you and your family doing for the war effort? Did you ration, enter your children in school recycling programs, or attend fundraisers?

Kam: We did the rationing of milk and butter because of our dairy. Our children were too small to be involved and I was too busy raising the family. But when my first son was born, all of the windows of the hospital were blacked out to prevent shootings. But a few times I went to the listening posts. I had to report the number of planes I saw and who went over. We did move to Wisconsin in 1943 to farm. My brothers and nephews were all in the service. 

K: What did you think of the relocation camps that the Japanese-Americans were sent to?

Kam: Japanese didn’t feel hurt by going there. I knew a few people down south who were sent to Wisconsin. They were treated well.

K: Do you know any people who came out of the camps?

Kam: Yes, a few men came to pick berries on our dairy. I still have pictures of those men. I knew a couple in Oxnard whose friend was Japanese and when he came from Japan and landed in San Francisco he said, “ Is this the country we have been fighting?” Because this country was so beautiful, he couldn’t imagine it. I had been playing music on my record.



K: Do you remember what you were playing or any popular songs, heroes, or films then?

Kam: (Starts humming a song and sings a few words.) I really don’t remember and I didn’t have time to see the movies.

K: Did you ever see, the Why We Fight series, Mission to Moscow, or Songs of Russia? 
Kam: No, I was raising the kids and working the farm and dairy. We did live next to Moffett Field. Airplanes came right over Rummred. And we hear them all the time. There was even a bombing of a submarine right off this coast near Goleta. 



K: Did you agree with the dropping of the atomic bomb?

Kam: At the time it was a great victory, and everyone was happy. But now, it was a disaster. Many innocent people were killed. I would not agree with it now.

K: What were your best and worst memories of that time?

Kam: When the war stopped. That was a very happy time. The church bells rang. Also when my brother, Uggy, came home. My husband and I were driving on the road to go on a picnic and saw a hitchhiker. I told my husband to pull over because the man looked like my brother. My husband said it was just a man, but pulled over anyway. It turned out to be my brother. He told us right before the war ended, his ship was sent out to go to Japan. But it was called back around the horn. It was the first ship to return from the war. The Japanese I knew were all friendly. I went to their parties. For here days they would celebrate. I had the best tea I have ever had with them. 

Some of my worst memories were being worried for the lives of my brothers and cousins. Not knowing if they were alive or dead. We prayed for them every night. My nephew Pete was at Pearl Harbor and not knowing if he was safe was terrible. One time when we were delivering milk to Palo Alto, an air raid whistle blew. We all had to go into the local hospital and couldn’t leave for an hour. One of my brothers was in Italy and when he heard the war was over. He said, “The war will never be over.” He was in the infantry and had to check all of the ammunition. He was lucky to live because when you are in the infantry you hardly come out alive. But we still prayed.

K: Thank you very much.

Interviews by Mary Arimoto

Richard “Wallie” Morgan/ USS West Virginia, USS New Orleans

What do you remember about the war effort? For example, rationing, recycling, air-raid drills, bond drives, school programs, or anything else you recall.

            As to this question I cannot answer as to what happened to the civilians, as I was at Pearl Harbor and had no personal experience with the civilian life. We sailors were busy trying to keep the Japanese at bay as best we could with what we had. My ship the Battle Ship USS Virginia, and was sunk at Pearl Harbor and then I was assigned to the USS New Orleans which was a heavy Cruiser. We had to fight the first year of the war with very few ships so we got involved with every action that took place. This kept us out of the U.S.A. The only thing I knew about what the civilians had to contend with was what my family related to me in letters. They said that just about everything was rationed and that ration books were issued as to what your position was. Farmers were given gas, as they were very essential to the war effort. Others were only allocated a small amount of gas. From what I was told it seemed as though every thing was rationed. Gasoline, tires, shoes, clothing and certain foods, which included all meat, even catsup, required red stamps. Red stamps were for meat and other essential products. I myself never had any personal contact with this, as service men were not given ration books. Of course we rarely ever got back to the States, which is what we called the

U.S.A.

What is your opinion of the relocation of the Japanese-Americans?

            I feel that by putting the Japanese in the containment centers saved many of their lives, as the Americans were very hostile to the Japanese and did not trust them. This was due to the manner in which Pearl Harbor was attacked. We go to schools and give talks on W.W.11, and at one of these I encountered a young Japanese student who informed me that his Grandfather was one of the many that were interned. I related to him what my opinion of this action was, and he told me that his Grandfather had said the same thing, and that he was sure that being interned saved his life. I have a copy of "Executive Order 9066" which I will send to you* and after reading it you can decide for yourself if this action was justified.

What were some of your favorite songs, film, and heroes during wartime?

As I recall, we didn't have any heroes as such. What we sailors had was a great deal of respect for each other and the things that we did for each other, We formed a bond that is difficult for any one who has not experienced the horrors of war to understand. Our very existence depended on each and every man on the ship. This may sound strange to you, but we loved each other, and still do. Our society doesn't seem to understand the love men can have for each other. Even today, after all these years when we meet a person who was a sailor during the war you feel a kinship with him immediately. I have a very dear friend who I was on the West Virginia with who has a saying, "We are all friends, some of which we haven't met yet." So to answer your question, these men were, and still are our heroes if there is such a thing. After all these years, we still have reunions in order to get to see one another, The U.S.S. West Virginia has a reunion the 16th of this month in Minneapolis which we, my wife and I, are looking forward to. The wives look forward to these events as eagerly as the men do. I don't recall any films during the war as we didn't get too many of them and the ones we did get were not worth remembering. I never saw any of the so-called U.S.O. shows. I have no idea of where they were supposed to be, so if there were any they certainly were not in my part of the world, which included the entire South Pacific. Some of the songs I do remember, “I'll walk alone"..."You'd be so nice to come home to".... "The white cliffs of Dover".... "Don't sit under the apple tree with any one else but me".... "My Sister And I”…”When the lights go on again". There were many wonderful songs and these are just a few.

What are your thoughts on the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Did you, and do you still, agree or disagree with the US decision to use the atomic bombs?

This is a very good question. If we had not dropped the bomb I would not be here today, as my ship was scheduled to be in the first wave of the invasion of Japan and I am certain that most of the first group would not have survived. I was at Okinawa from the first day of the invasion of that island, until the Japanese finally gave up, which was five months later. This was the first time in my life that I knew what absolute terror was. The Kamikaze was the most fearsome thing I had ever encountered. To give you an understanding of the terror, I was in the battle of Pearl Harbor, The Corral Sea, Guadalcanal, Solomon’s, Attu, Iwo Jima, Phillippines ,so I was not a novice to terror of battle, but I never knew what absolute fear was until I got to Okinawa. The Japanese had held somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 of them to help repel the invasion. The Japanese would never have given up had it not been for the bomb. Even after having dropped the second one, there was still a military faction that did not want to surrender. Don't ever let any one tell you that this dropping off the bomb was a mistake because it certainly was not. Anyone who says that was not there with my shipmates and me. As you can assume I am very adamant about this subject.

Could you tell me about your experiences in the service? Anything funny, sad, or interesting? Could I also include the story you placed on the site?

The one thing I do remember was returning to the U.S.A. and thanking God that he lead me through the entire war and kept me healthy and without wounds, We were not all provided with parades, and the welcome that the Vietnam veterans complain about not having received were not also afforded to many of us returning after four years of fighting to maintain the freedom that we all take for granted. Most of us were just thankful to be home and that was welcome enough. I have several stories about how some of us were treated, but we didn't complain or dwell on them.

I hope this answers the questions to your satisfaction. If there is any thing that you think of that you want an answer to, feel free to ask, as I am very pleased that you young people are getting interested in what Pearl Harbor and WWII meant to the entire world, and the impact that prevails even to this day. For your edification, I am 80 years of age (notice I did not use the word old), have been married for 54 years, have two wonderful daughters, and also four magnificent Granddaughters, one of whom is named Mary. Use whatever you like from the site.

Richard “Wallie” Morgan/ USS West Virginia-Pearl Harbor

I had just finished breakfast in the mess hall, with my buddies.

My battle station was in steering aft and our assigned eating area was in the first division area of the ship, which was about as far away from steering aft as possible. It was from one end of the ship to the other and down about 4 or 5 decks.

I am not sure which it was, anyway I was in the first division area when we took the first hit and by the time I got to “E” Division, the part of the ship where there was a ladder to use to get down to third deck, the third deck was already flooded.

There was no place to go so we were told (there were several of us in the area) to stay where we were as there was nothing for us to do. We remained in the in that area until we heard abandon ship called over the intercom. At that point there was a hatch that led to the quarterdeck so we went up to the main deck through that hatch.

We had to boost each other up, as there was no ladder. The last guy was a rather tall person so he could jump up and grab the coming of the hatch. After getting a life jacket, which was near number 4 turrets, I just walked off the ship as she had quite a list on her by that time.

I was picked up by a motor launch, off the USS Dobbin, a destroyer, and there just happened to be a guy on the launch from the black gang of the Wee Vee, who knew me. He had been an engineer on one of the boats and recognized me and knew that I had run the staff duty boat several times.

A.B. Dick the regular coxswain for the boat and a close friend of mine had taught me. When I had nothing to do I would make trips with him? Anyway he told the coxswain of the launch to let us off at the sub base as there was an officers boat tied up there. And wanted he and I to get this boat and go pick up survivors in the water, which sounded good to me.

As we approached the boat a Marine came running down the dock and told us to stay away from the boat or he would shoot us. We tried to explain to him what we wanted to do but all he could say was that he was responsible for that boat and we had better get the hell away from there.

We ended up in the recreation center where they gave us each a mattress and told us to put it anywhere we wanted and that sooner or later we would be assigned to another ship. I was then assigned a job, which was to deliver ammunition to the gun emplacements, which were set up around the base. We also delivered some deciphering machines to several of the ships. I did this until I was assigned to go aboard the USS New Orleans which was on the following Thursday December 11th.

Jack D. Stewart/ USS Sicard DM 21

What do you remember about the war effort? For example, rationing, recycling, air-raid drills, bond drives, school programs, or anything else you recall.

Might take a while to answer all in any kind of detail…. I was in the Navy and was in Pearl Harbor when it was attacked by the Japanese. As for my family I heard that my Mother was a block warden and my father was a Merchant seaman sailing to Alaska. He had been going to Sea all his life so it had nothing to do with the War Effort. It was his job when the war ended and I came home on leave I went down to Nordstrom to by a new pair of shoes. They asked for a shoe stamp, I went home and told my Mother and she gave me a shoe stamp and I went back and bought my new pair of shoes. A lot better fit than the General Issue shoes that we bought in small stores on the ship. A small store is the clothing shop on a ship.

What is your opinion of the relocation of the Japanese-Americans?

I was not aware that the Japanese on the West Coast had been interned till May or June of 1943 when I came home on my first leave since the War had started. I went to see some of my Japanese friends and they were gone. It was rather hard for me to understand what had happened. I was puzzled as the Japanese in the Hawaiian Island just swore allegiance to the United States and their life continued on in a normal fashion. To me it was one of the greatest injustices ever imposed on an American Citizen. I was raised in Seattle and there was a fairly large population of Japanese in Seattle.

What were some of your favorite songs, film, and heroes during wartime?

I have never really been into music so I did to have any favorite tunes. Deep in the heart of Texas was real popular, not so the men from Texas. Most of the films we saw were old, the sound track scratchy and they were shown below decks in less than a pleasant area, we were in the South Pacific and there was no air condoning. I think the Westerns were the most popular.

What are your thoughts on the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Did you, and do you still, agree or disagree with the US decision to use the atomic bombs?

At the time I thought it was the right thing to do and after all these years I still think it was the right thing to do. I had participated in quite a few of the landings in the Pacific and I saw how the Japanese fought to the last man. I felt at the time if we had to make a landing on Japan proper the fighting would be much fiercer and percentage wise I think that we would have lost 100,000's of thousands of men and the war would have gone on for a few more years. I had a daughter almost 2 years old that I had never seen. I was ready to go home. I was glad that it was done and the Japanese Nationals that I have met have shown no animosity even those that lost their children at Hiroshima.

Could you tell me about your experiences in the service? Anything funny, sad, or interesting? Also, could I quote your story from the site?

Now you are asking me to cover almost 5 years of my life. Combat experience happen so fast and you do what you are trained to do they really do not know what goes on around you. Just do your job. 

Worst memories, long time between mail call, and lack of freshwater, salt-water showers, horrible food. Up in the Bering sea on a old ship with a very poor heating system and being cold and wet and not much food, 1942 and early 1943 very tough years. I am not sure that it was all bad but many times we stood 4 on and 4 off. That is you worked for 4 hours and then you had 4 hours off. It kept you busy, tired and did not give you much time to think how miserable you were.

Most of the funny things that happened were at some one else expense. We were refueling the ship at sea up in the Bearing Sea and it was very rough, we were taking on bunker C a black unrefined crude oil. The line we were receiving the oil through, was held in place with I inch line and it broke and the oil line came out of the hatch where it was discharging oil to and the oil hit the Captain full in the chest. He should have been up on the bridge where he belonged not down on the deck checking on the crew.

At another time, another ship we were in a typhoon when a deck load of steel that we were carrying broke loose. When we came to the eye of the storm and the seas calmed down a bit the ship fitters, welders went topside to secure the load. During this process a large wave washed over the deck and one on the men was washed over the side. Luckily he was able to grab the screw guard and hang on. An officer yelled over the side, "Are you hurt?" His reply, "Just my dignity."

Much of the humor was rather crude which happens when you get a bunch of men together. Much of it not for print.

There are two novels that really cover that period of time that are very good, From Here to Eternity and the Cane Mutiny. Both tell it like it was.

Feel free to use the story I placed on the Washington State Pearl Harbor site: http://mytown.koz.com

Jack D. Stewart/ USS Sicard DM 21-Pearl Harbor

I was an F 3/C on Dec. 7th, 1941. My ship was the USS Sicard DM 21 (ex DD346). She was the next to the last 4-stack flush deck destroyer built. She was commissioned June 9, 1920, and converted to a Mine Layer in 1937. Shortly before Dec. 7th, she had gone into the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard, Birth 18 for a major overhaul and rearmament. By Dec. 7th, her turbines, boiler and most of her aux. Machinery had been disassembled. Her 4” 50’s had been removed and the mounts being modified to receive 3’ 90’s. The crew had been relocated to the Receiving Station for birthing during the overhaul, and the officers remained aboard ship.

At the time of the attack, much of the crew was standing around on the 2nd, deck of the receiving station waiting for liberty to start.

We heard the roar of an airplane engine. As we looked out the windows, we saw a torpedo plan banking to turn down the waterway by Merry’s Point. She had very large red meat balls on the under side of her wings and I still think the torpedo was longer than the airplane. Some yelled that the Japanese are attacking us, someone lying in his bunk said, “They wouldn’t dare”. With that we all started for the ladder and started to run back to the ship. The area we had to run through had been a golf course and now, was being used as a storage area for materials for enlarging the shipyard. The run back to the ship was about a mile, and as we were running, the torpedo plane headed for Battle Ship Row would strafe us. To my knowledge, no one was hit, but they sure scared the hell out of us.

When we arrived at the ship, about 20 of my shipmates and I, were told (my service record stated that I volunteered) to report to the USS Cummings DD 365 that was across the pier and outboard of two other Mine Layers going through overhaul, like us. As we reported to the OD on the Cummings, I, along with others, in our detachment was assigned to an ammunition party on the starboard side of the ship. Our first job was to throw cases of Coca Cola over the side, as it was stacked in the entryway to the magazine hatch. When the area was cleared, we found that no one had a key and while some one was looking for the master key (bolt cutters), we formed a line, and ammunition from the forward magazine was being passed down the deck to the after guns. (5”38’). By this time, bombs were falling near us; it is hard to put things in an exact time frame due to the noise and confusion. Our guns were firing; the planes overhead and the cruisers aft of us had their entire antiaircraft guns going full bore. Not sure, but one or two, bombs landed in the water about 50 feet from the ship spraying the deck with shrapnel and knocking the generators off line. Two of the ammunition parties were wounded and I helped carry one to the Ward Room, which was being used, as a first aid station. From there I was told to report to the forward magazine where I became part of a chain of men passing the ammunition top side to the guns. That was my station until the attack was over. Years later, talking to one of the Ships Company from the USS Cumming, I was told that both men fully recovered.

By the time the attack was over, the generators were back on line, the boilers fired up and the main engines were on line. She was ready to go to sea and we were ordered back to our ship.

Looking back, it all happened in just a few minutes not two hours. But in that time, I matured a lot. It was my first sight of blood in that amount and, later in the day, the dead. Our ship lost one man. He had been sent to the USS Pennsylvania BB 38, and when the detachment arrived on the quarterdeck a bomb landed on the quarterdeck.

When we had all returned to the ship, and the muster had been taken, we were told to go to the receiving station, pick up our gear and return to the ship. The space was needed to birth those men who had lost their ships. When I arrived at the receiving station, I was ordered with some others, to help clean up survivors that had been brought in from Battle Ship Row. These men were in various states of undress and covered with bunker C (Black Oil). Many were dazed and really not aware what had happened. In the process of cleaning them up some were found to have burns and those were immediately taken to the hospital. I think we worked there for about two hours and then were released to return to our ship.

Some funny things happened that day, but it took years for them to come to light. After the attack was over, and the men had returned to the ship a muster was taken. Two men were unaccounted for, Hitchcock who had been killed on the USS Pennsylvania and Magorosi. Magi returned to the ship quite late that afternoon. I never did get his explanation as to where he had been. Years later, at Ships Reunion, a good shipmate said as we were running back to the ship when we were strafed he climbed a tree and stayed there during the entire attack.

Lyle A. Jackson, Seaman 2/Class, Kaneohe NAS

What do you remember about the war effort? For example, rationing, recycling, air-raid drills, bond drives, school programs, or anything else you recall.

I will be glad to answer your questions but you will find I am not very good with computers as I did not get one until after I retired, so they are very strange to me and I know so little about them, they came into use after my time.    

As to your first question, I know very little about what was going on with my family or any of the goings on in the states.  I was eighteen had been in the Navy only about eight months and was a seaman second when the war started.  I was in training for about the first eight months and in November of 1941 I was sent to Patrol Wing One, squadron VP-14, at the Naval Air Station at Kaneohe Bay on the island of Oahu, Hawaii TO.HE. and I was on some Island all through the war.  I am not a Pearl Harbor Survivor, I was on the other side of the Island where 33 of our 36 PBY patrol planes were destroyed and burned, one hanger was burned down to the steel beams and the other received bomb damage. Being sailors we were not armed and were caught by complete surprise.  We did manage to get into some of the burning airplanes and get some machine guns out and fight back as soon as we could get some ammo belted.  We had 14 killed and we buried them in an open grave the next day.  The PBY was a seaplane and had no wheels, they had to have wheels attached and then pulled in and out of the water and had a crew of about 12 or 13.  After December 7th of 1941 I stayed in the Pacific for the next two years and after a 30-day leave I was sent on to another island.  So I know very little about what went on with the war effort as I was always out of it. 

What is your opinion of the relocation of the Japanese-Americans?

I did not know any thing about the Japanese Americans, I only know we were taught to hate the enemy. 

What were some of your favorite songs, film, and heroes during wartime?

We always liked to hear the music of the big bands and that is still my favorite kind of music.  As for movies, I did not see very many and many times admission was a rifle, a helmet and a full belt of ammo. 

What are your thoughts on the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Did you, and do you still, agree or disagree with the US decision to use the atomic bombs?

As for dropping the atomic bombs, if it had not been for them a lot of us would not have come back from the war.  I think the war would have lasted close to two more years and to have to take Japan island-by-island would have cost many more lives than we were willing to pay. 

Could you tell me about your experiences in the service? Anything funny, sad, or interesting? Also, could I quote your story from the site?

As for war stories there are just about to many get into. I was in aviation for my all of my career in the Navy and was always with the large airplanes and was never stationed aboard a ship, sometimes I was aboard a ship but just to get from one place to another.  If you can use any part of my story it will be fine with me. 

Lyle A. Jackson, Seaman 2/Class, Kaneohe NAS-Pearl Harbor

All of the men in Barracks Number Two arose to reveille on that sunny Sunday morning at the Kaneohe Bay Naval Air Station. We prepared for the days work as our section had the duty that day. After hitting the chow line we sauntered back to the barracks area to await the eight o'clock muster. A man walking by announced that the muster would be held down at the Hanger. It was about 7:45 AM when we all began walking in that direction.

My Squadron VP14 had a total of 12 PBY aircrafts. Three were anchored out in the bay; six were at Hanger number 3 being worked on and the other three were out on dawn patrol. VP11 and VP12 had planes parked in and around Hanger number 1 as some were being worked on.

A few minutes after we began our walk to the Hanger for muster, we saw several planes fly over and just assumed it was the Army holding maneuvers. Even the smoke rising from the vicinity of the airfield was assumed to be smoke bombs used for target practice.

I and the other men decided to returned to the barracks area and lay down on the grass to watch the action. Soon the announcement came over the loud speaker. "This is no drill...Take cover." I ran into the barracks and heard another announcement coming over the loud speaker. "Report to the Hanger area to fight fires." I took off running to the Hanger. Passing an ordinance truck I noticed a man lying on the truck with one leg missing; he was laughing and joking.

This was the first of many casualties I would see on that fateful day. I approached one of the planes parked near the Hangar and heard a voice from inside yelling for help in getting the guns out so that they could be manned. I ran to the waist-hatch of the plane and the man tossed out a 50-caliber machine gun into my arms. I yelled at him, "What do I do with it?" He yelled back "Mount it and shoot it!" I then ran to the construction site of Hanger number 4 and found a steel post to mount the gun on. However, there was no ammo for it so I ran back into Hanger number 3 to get ammo from an ordinance truck parked inside. The ammo in the truck had to be belted I and a couple of other men began using the old hand operated belting machine on the deck when some one yelled "Close the Hanger doors, here they come again!"

I ran for the door. No one else came to help and by that time the planes were strafing and bombing so I ran back to the ordinance truck and dove under it. I remember hearing a lot of ear-splitting sounds while I was under the truck.

The sound of glass breaking from the bomb that hit just outside the Hanger caused me to worry if anyone was hit by flying glass. The noise finally stopped. My next memory was that of water hitting me in the face and the realization that I was laying in a water puddle; the sprinkler had gone on!

I jumped up and ran out to where I had mounted the machine gun but when I got there it was gone. Someone had taken it. The attacking planes were returning again to strafe the area so I jumped in among some steel girders piled up for the construction of Hanger #4 and I waited there until the attack subsided.

Next I ran out to an area between the runway and the Hanger area that was still covered with trees and underbrush. I hid beneath a small tree and was soon joined by a couple other men. One was carrying a submachine gun and the other carrying the ammo. One man fired the gun and it bucked so badly that he couldn't hold it down, so I held the machine gun on his shoulder and steadied it with his hands so it could be fired. We continued to fire as long as there was something to fire at. We never did find out if we had scored any hits.

After a short lull in the attack a low flying enemy plane came over the Bay, crossing the airstrip and apparently heading for Hanger number 3. Everyone on the base opened fire. The plane pulled up into a stall and dropped over on it's left wing and crashed into "Kansas Hill" as it is now known. It created a ball of fire and a cloud of dust that was plainly visible from my position.

The sight of that enemy plane crashing caused such a release of tension in me that I began laughing hysterically. I finally controlled myself and gradually came back to reality. The other two men and I felt certain that we were partly responsible for the enemy plane crash.

The three of us stayed huddled in the brush for the next two days and nights. The rain began on Monday and it created a swamp and made the waiting for the next attack almost unbearable. Food was not to be had except for the coke and candy we could get from the machines in the Hangers. These machines had to be broken to get their contents. But I lay huddled, wet and hungry through that long night.

The stories of landing parties and guns going off at random shooting at anything that moved made it almost suicidal to move from the spot where I laid. After two nights of terror a man came by passing the word that food was available at the Administration Building.

The wives of the servicemen had set up a food line of cornbread and coffee. It tasted like steak and potatoes to me! On the third day all men were called to muster to get things under some semblance of control again. Sixteen men had been killed during that attack. They were buried on the base the next day.

The enemy sank the three planes in the Bay. All of the planes on the ramp and in the Hangers were destroyed. The only planes that were intact on the station were the three that were on patrol. Those planes did not return until that night after the attack. Hanger number 1 had been completely destroyed by fire and Hangar number 3 was bombed.

The ramp was strewn with wreckage of planes and equipment. As I stood and surveyed the unbelievable destruction before me I suddenly realized what I had been through that fateful Sunday, December 7, 1941.

A few days after the attack I remember a seaplane coming in that was carrying Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox. I helped beach the plane. Secretary Knox surveyed the damage and then proceeded to Pearl Harbor to inspect the damage there. Meanwhile, I stood guard with the Navy Patrol and was later assigned to the U. S. Marines to stand watch.

Eventually new planes were brought to Kaneohe from the States and I was assigned to a flight crew. I remained on this duty until PBY's were phased out and PB4Y-1 planes were brought in. At this time I decided to go into the Headquarters Squadron Maintenance Unit to do ground maintenance on these planes.

Some Thirty Years Later, on December 7, 1971 I was once again walking beneath those huge trees at Kaneohe, thinking of the roll this Island base had played in my life that morning. These thoughts played on my emotions and caused a chill to run up and down my spine. The realization came to me that I had fought to protect this base from enemy hands.

I lived a thousand lives and I died a thousand deaths in those few hours just thirty years ago. I feel strongly that the men at Kaneohe Naval Air Base on December 7, 1941 did an outstanding job in the defense of our country and should be commended.

Percentage wise more men were lost at Kaneohe Naval Air Station that day than any other unit on the island.

Robert E. “Bob” Graves/USS Utah

What do you remember about the war effort? For example, rationing, recycling, air-raid drills, bond drives, school programs, or anything else you recall.

I will give it my best shot. My Dad & I, prior to my enlistment in 1941, scoured the allies in Yakima for repairable kitchenware. Accept that which was not repairable and donating it to the war effort. Dad continued to do this after his only son went to war. My mother died when I was 12, my grandma raised me with the aid of an older sister and dad. Grandma walked to work, about 4 miles, to wash dishes; she also collected and saved the scraps from the dinner plates for our animals or us.

What is your opinion of the relocation of the Japanese-Americans?

I felt the relocation of the Japanese people to Idaho was really for their best interest. The local red necks hated them all, so everyone was at risk. I feel it was difficult but required as we were at war. I did not agree that they should lose their farms and homes; I felt the repatriation was long over due and not adequate.

What were some of your favorite songs, film, and heroes during wartime?

Films, what were they? I had only been to Serial Cowboy Movies. Never went to a love story. Rosie the Riveter was the best. Remember Pearl Harbor also.

What are your thoughts on the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Did you, and do you still, agree or disagree with the US decision to use the atomic bombs?

Among we survivors there are many bumper stickers that say. “No Pearl Harbor, No Hiroshima”. Did you know that the Japanese were warned many times before the "Big Ones” were dropped? I have copies of leaflets that were dropped over the Island in the millions. They still have not apologized for Pearl.

Could you tell me about your experiences in the service? Anything funny, sad, or interesting?

I did not enjoy ten days in burial detail. I smelled decay for years, had night stories, as my grandson says, also for years. I always return to my ship and remember my shipmates when I return to Pearl.

I was knocked off the deck of an aircraft carrier by a plane being launched. I dumped a big pot of coffee on my Executive Officer while going to my post at Sky Forward Look Out.

Could I quote your story from the site?

Surely.  Feel free to use whatever you like. If you think of any further questions just ask.

Robert Graves/ USS Utah- Pearl Harbor

On that morning December 7th, 1941 at 0745 I had eaten breakfast and had gone topside aft for the raising of colors. I am a farm boy from Yakima, Washington who has always held in high esteem the United States Flag. Therefore my being there just prior to the call away of the Liberty launch to merry point landing. Toddy Bugarin and I were just visiting when he observed some planes coming in and he stated, "You would think we could at least have Sunday off".

The Utah was a battleship converted to a manned target ship, the AV16 number. We towed targets astern of us and our decks were all covered to 12 by 12 timbers in protection from the 55-pound water bombs and small smoke bombs dropped for practice by our airplanes. Suddenly we noticed the planes had the blood spot of the rising sun on the wings and they dropped a torpedo that struck our ship.

We also noticed there was strafing as they came over the ship. "Bombing Quarters" were called. We all had assigned areas for when we were under attack, our guns were covered with a "dog house" of steel and we could not fire if we chose to do so.

Toddy and I went below to deck 3, as we got there another torpedo hit us and we really started to roll over, then "Abandon Ship" was passed and the klaxons sounded. We tried to get topside again, but the timbers cascading down and the strafing kept us pinned down for a minute or two.

I finally made it topside, never seeing Toddy again; he is still in the ship. I climbed up over timbers to the other side of the ship and sat down on the torpedo pontoon, took off my sparkling clean white "church" jumper, wrapped it inside my tee shirt and tossed it and my shoes over the side.

I hesitated jumping in the water, as I could not swim. I finally did and came up bubbling and tried to dog paddle toward shore.

I swallowed a lot of ocean before being bumped by a motor whale launch, finally found solid ground under my feet and climbed out amid strafing to a ditch that had been dug on Ford Island. I found out later that shrapnel had struck me and my legs were bleeding. A jeep came by after the attacks abated and I got a ride to a hangar for medical attention.

There I was declared "out of uniform", sought gear from the lucky bag without any luck, finally found a small girls dress that fit this 17 year old 5 foot 11 farm boy that came at 115 lbs.

I was placed on burial detail for 10 days before being assigned to my new home, the USS Maryland. I did not seek nor receive a Purple Heart for my injury. I was later assigned the USS Saratoga CV3 and also Advanced Naval Training Center at Lake Union, Washington State, as gunnery instructor. I loved every day in the US Navy.

Question: Do you remember the torpedo explosions? If so, how loud were they? Did they rock the ship violently, or just a little?

BG: Yes, I did see and feel the first torpedo. The water "spout" was not very visible as it was forward of the air castle. The ship really shuddered and started to list, the timbers started to move a bit and we repaired below decks. We also felt and heard the second one and again the ship shivered very strongly.

Question: Did you see the planes coming in that were strafing or just hear the bullets hitting around you? Do bullets hitting nearby make that "beyowww" sound you hear in the movies?

BG: Saw the planes strafing as they came in after the torpedo drop, also heard the strike of the bullets on the metal around us.

The chippings are what struck me in the legs, these were picked out at the aid station. The sound to me was more a clipping than the "beoinging".

Question: Do you remember how loud it was during the attack?

BG: The noise was so very great that it was unbelievable. That night we slept in a shed with a metal roof and the sounds of shell fragments hitting the roof were also very frightening. It was our own anti-aircraft being fired "at any sign or sound".

Question: You sat on the "torpedo pontoon", taking off some clothes prior to entering the water. Was UTAH still going over at that point, or was she fully capsized and you were still able to sit there? What was the condition of her hull?

BG: The pontoon was of course on the inboard side toward land. Yes, the ship was still going over and I did in fact forget to say I wrapped my clothes in the pants. I never really paid any attention to the condition of the hull, at that moment. Later, when they cut Jack out, it appeared very clean. It was quite a stretch to the water, but by then the water was getting pretty oily from the rupture of the fuel tanks.

Question: What did you see about the harbor when you hesitated before jumping in?

BG: I did not take note of anything about the harbor at my abandoning ship.

Question: Why did you not have a life jacket?

BG: Life jackets were not on anyone! No doubt the thoughts would be secondary to getting off the ship.

Question: You were declared, "out of uniform". How is wearing a dress considered "in uniform"? How long did you have to wear the dress?

BG: I wore the dress about 3 days. An "out of uniform" declaration is when your body is not protected from the elements. If your skin is sun burned and you're in sickbay or unable to perform your duties, you are subject to a Captains Mast.

Question: Describe Burial Detail.

BG: We were directed to attach lines to the bodies and tow them to a retrievable area. We bagged them accordingly. There were a number of containers that held only minimal parts of the cadavers. It was not an easy job. I never knew what stress was then, but guess I had it. The memories are tough and caused many nightmares LONG AGO, Thank God. Bulldozers prepared Mass graves sites. I understand that all of the bodies were extracted later on and proper burial took place. I know of 3 unknown graves of shipmates off Utah. They are in Punchbowl with remains of more than one man.

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