This collection contains interviews with Arkansans who served in World War II. Though World War II began in September of 1939, the United States did not enter until December of 1941. Prior to the United States’ entry, assistance was given to Allied forces beginning in September of 1940.
Interviewee: Edwin J. Atkinson
Interviewer: Claire Fox
Date of Interview: August 29, 1990
Atkinson was inducted into the Navy on January 20,1944 at the rank of Ensign. He was stationed in Perth, Australia and assigned to the submarine, USS Flasher. Atkinson was awarded the Bronze Star Navy Cross.
Interviewee: Morris Baxter
Interviewer: Philip Kimmer
Date of Interview: October 13, 1990
Baxter was a member of the 380th Bomb Group of the 5th Air Force during the World War II era. He worked as a radar operator on a B24 heavy bomber.
Interviewee: Clarence Blount
Interviewer: Drew M. Drinkwater
Date of Interview: March 19, 1995
Blount was accepted into the Navy on September 15, 1943. He was awarded the rank of Third-Class Signal Man on the USS Ozark and fought in battles such as Luzon and Iwo Jima.
Interviewee: Opal Ellen Bullin
Interviewer: Debbie Jones
Date of Interview: October 5, 1990
Bullin worked in a defense plant where she made detonators for some of the bombs that were used in World War II.
Interviewee: Louis Corpier
Interviewer: Chris Moline
Date of Interview: February 11, 1994
Corpier was drafted into the military in August of 1941 and was later rewarded the rank of buck sergeant with three stripes. He fought during D-Day.
Interviewee: Pete Cotellesse
Interviewer: Jimmy Bryant
Date of Interview: August 1, 2001
Cotellesse was a part of Army Air Corp I during World War II. He reached the rank of Colonel. He captained a variety of aircrafts including a B-25, a C-54, and a B-57.
Interviewee: Harold Cummins
Interviewer: Kelly Lasley
Date of Interview: October 30, 1990
Cummins was drafted into the Signal Corps and worked in telephone repair during the World War II era. He remained at the rank of private throughout his career.
Interviewee: Orval Faubus
Interviewer: Donald G. Wilson
Date of Interview: December 3, 1990
Faubus was a major of the European theater of operations in the infantry. He was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, a Bronze Star, five battle campaign stars, and the normal theater ribbons. He served from May 17, 1942 to November 10, 1946.
Interviewee: Marcus Dee Faver
Interviewer: Bryan Faver
Date of Interview: April 29, 1993
Faver was drafted into the Army in February in 1944. He was a rifleman in the Second Infantry Division, Ninth Regiment, Third Battalion, Company I. He received the Presidential Unit Citation, the Combat Infantry Badge, and the Bronze Star.
Interviewee: Jack Fink
Interviewer: Sandy Taylor
Date of Interview: December 4, 1990
Fink was drafted into the Army on December 2, 1942. He was a mechanic and a tank driver in the Fourteenth Armored Division, Forty-Eighth Tank Battalion. He received a Purple Heart on February 22 1945.
Interviewee: Rolan Gann, Sr.
Interviewer: Jaree Lynn
Date of Interview: March 23, 1994
Gann joined the military in 1943 at the age of seventeen. He was ranked seaman First Class and aviation machinist mate Third Class. He served aboard the U.S.S. Hancock.
Interviewee: Ivol Grace
Interviewer: Steve Grace
Date of Interview: December 7, 1990
Grace joined the Navy on February 3, 1931 and served for over twenty-two years. He earned five conduct medals, an expert rifle medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Medal, and the Atlantic medal. He served aboard many ships including the U.S.S. Bridge, the U.S.S. Arkansas, the U.S.S. Nacomas, and the U.S.S. Gold Star.
Interviewee: Roy Grizzell
Interviewer: Leslie Schenk
Date of Interview: March 10, 1990
Grizzell joined the Army on February 13, 1941. He was a Lieutenant of Company A, 101st MP Battalion, Fifth Army during World War II and was later rewarded the rank of Captain.
Interviewee: Alta Halloway
Interviewer: Gladys Foster
Date of Interview: NA
Halloway joined the Navy on January 23, 1945. He served aboard the General W.F. Hays 146.
Interviewee: Gerard Halpern
Interviewer: Keith Broyles
Date of Interview: October 29, 1990
Halpern was accepted into the Army in September of 1943 at the age of eighteen. He received the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, a Purple Heart, four Battle Stars, an Arrow Head, and a Bronze Star. He was a private first class.
Interviewee:Calvin F. Hardaway (booked with Halloway)
Interviewer: Dana Hardaway
Date of Interview: November 23,1990
Hardaway was inducted into the Marine Corps in September of 1943 and served until December of 1945. He was a member of the M-Battery, Fourth Battalion, Fourteenth Marine Regiment, Fourth Marine Division.
Interviewee: Roy Lee Hill
Interviewer: David Blankenship
Date of Interview: December 3, 1990
Hill was drafted into the Army in September of 1942. He was rewarded the rank of staff sergeant. Hill turned down a Bronze Star because two of his men, who had served as greatly as he, were not awarded one.
Interviewee: Russell Huntley
Interviewer: Darrell Whitledge
Date of Interview: February 27, 1993
Huntley became part of the Canadian Army in August of 1941 at the age of sixteen where, within two years, he received the rank of Tech Sergeant. Huntley joined the United States Air Force on February 6, 1943. He was a radio operator and engineer on a B-24 airplane and was involved in the Ploiesti raid where he became a prisoner of war.
Interviewee: Katy Lucille Birdwell Scritchfield Jones
Interviewer: Debby Jones
Date of Interview: September 25, 1990
Mrs. Jones was married on September 5, 1942 to William Aubrey Scritchfield. On November 2, 1942 he was drafted into the army and was killed in World War II three years later.
Interviewee: Alvin L. Kehoe
Interviewer: Edman Wilkes
Date of Interview: December 10, 1990
Kehoe was in the Marine Corps from December 17, 1941 to December 17, 1945. He made the rank of Corporal and received the Purple Heart, but turned it down. He fought in battles such as Iwo Jima in World War II.
Interviewee: Monroe Kelley
Interviewer: Jimmy Bryant
Date of Interview: January 15, 2002
Kelley entered the Navy in 1941 after his tenth grade year in high school. He was assigned to many ships including the U.S.S. Texas and the U.S.S. Augusta. He received the rank of First Class Steward.
Interviewee: Jeannette Kunesh
Interviewer: Ralph Eugene Mote
Date of Interview: September 29, 1990
Kunesh was attending college at the University of Central Arkansas and teaching during World War II. She had five brothers who all fought in the war, one of which was starved to death at Corregidor.
Interviewee: Arthur Paul Lachowsky
Interviewer: Mary Lachowsky
Date of Interview: March 20, 1990
Lachowsky was drafted into the Army in November of 1942. He was promoted to the rank of a Staff Sergeant.
Interviewee: Moran O. Lacy
Interviewer: Darrin Logan
Date of Interview: April 21, 1990
Lacy was drafted into the military in 1942. He was in the medical attachment of the Tenth Regiment of the Fifth Division of he Third Army. He was rewarded the rank of Corporal.
Interviewee: Robert L. Mauldin
Interviewer: Lee Akester
Date of Interview: April 22, 1993
Mauldin was drafted into the military on October 24, 1942. He was in the 381st Battalion, 96th Infantry Division. He was offered the position of a Squad Leader, but turned it down. He received a Purple Heart along with other medals.
Interviewee: Arlie Metheny
Interviewer: Bobby Johnson
Date of Interview: February 18, 1995
Metheny joined the Marine Corps in 1938 at the age of twenty. He acted as the Personnel Sergeant-Major of the 27th Infantry Regiment.
Interviewee: Tim Patton
Interviewer: Miriam Chorpenning
Date of Interview: October 23, 1990
Patton was part of the Navy during World War II. He was aboard the U.S.S. ABSD 1 in Admiral Nimitz’s Eighth Fleet.
Interviewee: Fleet J. Powell
Interviewer: Jeff Starks
Date of Interview: December 9, 1990
Powell entered the Army in December 26, 1942. He was discharged after losing the hearing in his right ear.
Interviewee: Brown Reynolds
Interviewer: John Kopp
Date of Interview: February 7, 1995
Reynolds was drafted into the military in 1944 at the age of eighteen. He was ranked a private, First Class in the 37th Infantry Division, 145th Battalion.
Interviewee: Almus Robinson
Interviewer: Gregory Hicks
Date of Interview: May 13, 1990
Robinson received the rank of Corporal in the Army in World War II. He was in company 370 in the 92nd division. His company was part of the invasion of France.
Interviewee: Dr. Orville Rook
Interviewer: Bert Hammons
Date of Interview: November 30, 1990
Rook was in the 16th Weather Squadron in the Air Force Weather Service around the time of World War II. He was promoted to the rank of Buck Sergeant, three stripes.
Interviewee: Faril Simpson, Jr.
Interviewer: Jimmy Bryant
Date of Interview: January 4, 2002
Simpson was drafted into the military in 1943. He worked in the psych ward in a hospital on the Marine base at Camp Pendleton and was later stationed in Pelileu. He was awarded the rank of Hospital second class.
Interviewee: Arnold Clinton Terrell
Interviewer: Jaree Lynn
Date of Interview: March 23, 1994
Terrell was drafted into the military in 1941. He was in the 13th Tank Battalion, 1st Tank Division and reached the rank of Corporal.
Interviewee: Henry L. Turney
Interviewer: Caron L. Turney
Date of Interview: October 26, 1990
Turney began his Navy career as a seaman aboard the U.S.S. St. Louis in the 57th Fleet. He was promoted to First Class seaman and became a radio technician for the rest of his service. He was part of the Blockade of Japan campaign at Okinawa.
Interviewee: Harley Upton
Interviewer: Donald Moore
Date of Interview: March 26, 1990
Upton was drafted into the war in December of 1940. He was in the 58th Battalion of the U.S. Navy Seabees, which fought in the battle at Okinawa.
Interviewee: Harold A. Vaughn
Interviewer: Kenny Vaughn
Date of Interview: December 1, 1990
Vaughn was a T-480, which is a Sergeant’s rating, in the military during the World War II era. He was in the Battle of the Bulge among others.
Interviewee: Lyndolph Ward
Interviewer: Steven J. Hill
Date of Interview: May 6, 1993
Ward joined the Marine Corps in 1943. He became part of the 5th Marine Division and fought at Iwo Jima. He retired from the military.
Interviewee: John Wunderle
Interviewer: Jimmy Bryant
Date of Interview: August 17, 2001
Wunderle enlisted into the Army Air Corps in July of 1942. He was promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant. He flew aircrafts such as the B-17, B-25 and B-29.
Interviewee: Florene Miller Watson
Interviewer: Jimmy Bryant
Date of Interview: August 19, 2001
Watson was a civilian volunteer in World War II. She was a part of the ferrying division in the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron.
Interviewee: Thomas Earl Wise (booked with Halloway)
Interviewer: David Gaston
Date of Interview: November 23, 1990
During World War II, Wise worked in maintenance on the state highways in California and built ships.