Oral Histories: World War II Veterans

 

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.