We like to say that the records in the National Archives tell stories, but sometimes the records are amazing stories. The series World War II Oral Histories, Interviews and Statements, ca. April 1942–ca. December 1946 has been a transcription mission for the last few months where Citizen Archivists have transcribed more than 6,800 pages. Each transcribed word is now searchable in the Catalog, and their stories even more accessible to the public.
Most of the events described in these records took place in the Pacific, from the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, to the surrender and occupation of Japan. Most events that took place outside of the Pacific relate to the invasion of France in 1944, although there is some information regarding the invasion of North Africa in 1942 and operations in the Mediterranean in 1943.
With the anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack last week, we thought it was an especially fitting time to look at some of these stories.
Chief Nurse Leona Jackson was captured on Guam shortly after the start of the war.
“We had just had word of the bombing of Pearl Harbor when the Japanese came over to pay us a call. I might add that their calling cards were a little bit explosive.”
Letter from PDF Walter Sorrells, USMC to the parents of Crichton Walker after his death on Saipan.
“The regiment advanced until about 3 o'clock that afternoon at which time we stopped for a rest. About 4 o'clock we resumed the advance. We came upon the crest of a ridge and when we went over the top, the enemy opened fire with a machine gun. At this point, Mr. and Mrs. Walker, I would like to say that during all this time I never did see a time in which Crichton showed any fear. I was with him all the time and he was a true Marine till the last.”
Lt. Wright was on the USS Thompson during the Invasion of Normandy.
“On June 6th, of course, we were assigned a bombardment position. We started out about 12:30 and we were with the Transport Units. The mine layers, who were the first in, deserve more credit, I think, than any of them as far as the actual operation of getting them over there. They laid a very nice channel for us, green lights marking the channel every 2,000 yards. We left Portland Bill headed up the channel and then turned right in for the northern coast of France. About 4:30 everything that the Allies could fly was over the Cherbourg peninsula and in around the beachheads. They did a wonderful job. It was absolutely magnificent to watch them.”
Lt. Roach was the junior medical officer on the USS Lexington (CV-2) when it was lost in 1942.
“It is felt that no living person remained aboard the ship. All who were there were dead at the time. Those of us who got in the water fared very well, and as far as we could ever determine no life was lost in the water. There were a few injuries resulting from explosions on the ship, which injured people just as they were about to leave the ship, or shortly after they had got into the water. However, we all fared very well and were picked up by small boats sent out from the various ships in our task force. Our wounded were all taken to cruisers, where we immediately set up emergency dressing stations and continued on our treatment. The majority of our wounds were burns which were of various degrees of severity, some of them particularly severe, and a few resulted in death. Most of them however, responded very well to treatment and their eventual recovery occurred within a satisfactory time.”
Navy Fighters during the attack on the Japanese fleet off Midway, June 4th to 6th 1942. In the center is visible a burning Japanese ship. National Archives Identifier 520591
Lt. Commander O’Neill was with Fighting Squadron 8, USS Hornet, during Midway Action, June 3 – June 5
“...after that attack at 4:00 in the afternoon, with the Yorktown badly hit and the carriers hitting out for the East, the situation didn’t look very good to us. It reminded me very much of two people slugging away in a ring and finally one of them is so tired he leans back against the rope and then he sees the other fellow on the floor and wonders how he got there.”
Interested in doing some research of your own using oral histories? Not sure where to start? Bring your questions to History Hub! See past questions such as:
Make History Hub your first stop! You can ask—or answer—questions on History Hub, or see if your question has already been answered! Check out our featured edition for more details, information, and instructions aboutusing History Hub for your research.
Citizen Archivists! Interested in using the same Login.gov accountfor History Hub as you already do with the National Archives Catalog? Login.gov is coming to History Hub!
