Naval History and Heritage Command

Related Resources: Create Your Own Personal Memoir

World War II in the Pacific, 1941-1945:

• CAPT Ann Bernatitus, NC, USN recounts her service in the Philippines including Bataan, evacuation from Corregidor, USSRelief during Okinawa, and return of American Prisoners of War
• LT Dorothy Still Danner, NC (Nurse Corps), USN, captured by the Japanese in Manila and imprisoned at Santo Thomas and Los Banos in the Philippines
• Sonarman 1st Class Jack Gebhardt, USN describes actions in the South Pacific from October 1943 to 16 April 1945 when USS Pringle was sunk in kamikaze attack during Okinawa Campaign

World War II in the Atlantic, 1941-1945:

• Lieutenant Sheridan Bell, Chaplain Corps, USNR recalls the sinking of U-233 by USS Thomas and USS Baker, as well as the capture of part of U-233's crew
• LT (jg) Harold G. Bradshaw, USN, an Avenger torpedo-bomber pilot on USS Bogue, describes attacks on German submarines and the sinking of U-172.
• Seaman Second Class Basil D. Izzi, USNR, recalls the sinking of the Dutch merchant ship SS Zaandam by U-174 and his subsequent 83 days on a raft.
• Lieutenant Commander Dudley S. Knox, USNR on USS Chatelain recalls the sinking on German submarines U-515 and U-68on 9 and 10 April 1944.
• Captain Daniel Gallery, USN on USS Guadalcanal describes the planning for and the actual capture of U-505, on 4 June 1944.

Pearl Harbor Attack, 7 December 1941:

• LT Ruth Erickson, NC, USN recounts her experiences at the Naval Hospital, Pearl Harbor
• CAPT John E. Lacouture, USN, recalls his experiences as Assistant Engineer on board USS Blue
• Pharmacist's Mate Second Class Lee Soucy, USN was a crewman aboard USS Utah (AG-16)
• LT Horace D. Warden, MC, USN was on board USS Breese (DM-18)

Midway, Battle of, 4-7 June 1942:

• CDR John Ford, USNR, Hollywood Producer, recollects his experiences shooting combat motion pictures of the battle
• LT George Gay, USNR, sole-survivor of Torpedo Squadron EIGHT (VT-8) recollects his experiences
• LT Joseph P. Pollard, MC, USN recollects experiences on USS Yorktown

Guadalcanal, Battle of, August 1942 - March 1943:

• Pharmacist's Mate First Class Louis Ortega, USN recollects his experiences with the Marines

Fourth War Patrol of USS Seadragon, 26 August - 20 October 1942

• Pharmacist's Mate First Class Wheeler B. Lipes, USN recollects the appendectomy that he performed during the submarine's patrol

Exercise Tiger, 28 April 1944 [Training exercise for Normandy Landing on Utah Beach]

• LT Eugene E. Eckstam, MC, USNR recollects his experience as medical officer on USS LST 507

Normandy Invasion, 6 June 1944,

• LT Helen Pavlovsky, USNR and LT Sara Marcum, USNR recollect their support for the Normandy Invasion when stationed at Navy Base Hospital No. 12 (Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley, England)
• Pharmacist Mate Frank R. Feduik on USS LST 338 recollects the landing at Omaha Beach
• Lieutenant Commander Joseph H. Gibbons, USNR commanding officer of U.S. Navy Combat Demolitions Units in Force "O" recalls combat operations during and after landing on Omaha Beach
• Lieutenant James West Thompson, USN on USS LST 505 recollects his experiences on Omaha Beach during the Normandy Invasion.

Battle of Leyte Gulf, 23-25 October 1944

• LT Walter B. Burwell, MC, USNR, a medical officer on USS Suwannee (CVE-27) when it was struck by two Japanese suicide (Kamikaze) aircraft

Luzon Operation, Lingayen Gulf Landing, 4-18 January 1945

• LT(jg) J. F. Brown, USNR, Commanding officer of USS LCI (M) 974 describes his experiences during this battle.

Iwo Jima, 19 February - 16 March 1945

• Pharmacist Mate Second Class John H. Bradley, USN, the only U.S. Navy participant, recollects the flag raising on Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima

Attacks on Japan, 1945

• LCDR Samuel Robert Sherman, MC, USNR, Flight Surgeon on USS Franklin when it was heavily damaged by a Japanese bomber near the Japanese mainland on 19 March 1945

Crossing the Rhine River, 1945

• Recollections of Vice Admiral Alan Kirk concerning the Rhine River crossing and the capture of Atlantic ports occupied by Germany
• Recollections of Lieutenant Commander William Leide during the crossing of the Rhine River in 1945
• Recollections of Lieutenant Wilton Wenker and Lieutenant Elby concerning the crossing of the Rhine River in 1945

Okinawa, April - June 1945

• Sonarman 1st Class Jack Gebhardt, USN describes actions in the South Pacific from October 1943 to 16 April 1945 when USS Pringle was sunk in kamikaze attack during Battle of Okinawa
• CDR Frederick Julian Becton, USN, commanding officer of USS Laffey, which though struck by 8 kamikaze aircraft on 16 April did not sink.

USS Indianapolis, loss of on 30 July 1945

• CAPT Lewis L. Haynes, MC, USN (Ret.) recollects the sinking of the ship
• CAPT Charles B. McVay, III, USN, the commanding officer, recollects the sinking of the ship

5 December 2007