Veterans of World War II in the Pacific and Korean War
Pacific Wrecks interviews with veterans of World War II in the Pacific and the Korean War including US Army, US Army Air Force, US Air Force, US Navy, British, Civilians and Japanese. If you would like to be profiled or interviewed contact us.

U. S. Army (USA)
Herman J. Bottcher  32nd Division fought at Buna with distinction, killed in the Philippines
William Buckner  24th Infantry Division - While stationed in Kyushu, Japan Buckner visited the wreck of a B-25
Robert G. Bryant  43rd Division, 169th Infantry - Fighting on Russell and Rendova
James L. Dalton, II  25th Division, Assistant Commander KIA May 16, 1945 at Balete Pass in Luzon
Edwin Fitchett  165th Field Artillery Battalion service in the Philippines and Japan
Martin M. Friedman  31st Infantry Division, 155th Infantry Regiment, Rifle company commander
Bill McLaughin  Americal Division on Guadalcanal
Robert Petersen  photos from Biak campaign
James A. Pounds  593rd Boat & Shore Regiment - New Guinea, Philippines & Borneo
Dale W. Ross  25th Infantry Division, 35th Infantry Regiment MIA January 14, 1943 Hill 27 on Guadalcanal
William Sabel  350th Engineer Service Regiment at Kolombangara Island
Walter Seale  871st Airborne Engineers - Airfield construction in New Guinea and the Philippines
Glenn Shankle  158th RCT at Sarmi, Noemfoor and Luzon
Roger Sykes  491st Port Battalion - based at Oro Bay, returned to New Guinea in the 1970s
Carl R. Thien  201st Counter Intelligence Corps - Australia, New Guinea and the Philippines
Jorge Torralba  Filipino Memories of December 8, 1941 aid to General Kruger after liberation
Angelo Viale  25th Infantry Division, 161st Infantry Regiment earned Distinguished Service Cross near Kapintalan, Luzon
George Walden  service in Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea and the Philippines
George Watson  29th Quartermaster Regiment - Medal of Honor, posthumously 1997
Frank Widay  892th Chemical Company service in Oro Bay, Biak, Manila using phosphorous and napalm
Raymond S. Wood  Americal Division, 182nd Infantry Regiment MIA December 30, 1942 at Sea Horse on Guadalcanal

U. S. Army Air Force (USAAF)
Abner M. Aust, Jr.  7th AF, 506th FG, 457th FS P-51D Mustang pilot and ace
Jack W. Berry  5th AF, 35th FG, 39th FS Airacobra pilot MIA August 4, 1942
Richard I. Bong  5th AF, P-38 pilot, highest Scoring American Ace of World War II
Richard H. Carmichael  5th AF, 19th BG commanding officer, B-17 pilot and 462nd BG B-29 pilot
William O. Carter, Jr.  5th AF, 348th FG, 311th FS P-47 Thunderbolt pilot profile by son William O. Cotter, III
Edward Cragg  5th AF, 8th FG, 80th FS, P-38 Lightning pilot and ace Missing In Action December 26, 1943
Edward J. Czarnecki  5th AF, 475th FG, 431st FS P-38 Lightning pilot in New Guinea, escape and evasion
Perry J. Dahl   5th AF, 475th FG, 432nd FS P-38 Lightning pilot and ace in New Guinea and the Philippines
Richard DeBaugh  5th AF, 35th FG, 41st FS P-47 Thunderbolt pilot recollections of New Guinea and Gusap
Robert M. DeHaven  5th AF, 49th FG, 7th FS P-40 Warhawk pilot and ace that claimed 14 victories over New Guinea and Philippines
Edward G. Dickey  5th AF, 475th FG, 432nd FS P-38 Lightning pilot
John C. Dunbar  5th AF, 35th FG, 39th FS P-38 Lightning pilot, 151 combat missions in New Guinea
Harry H. Dunham  5th AF, 374th TCG, 22nd TCS L-5 pilot killed October 23, 1943
Math L. English  5th AF, 38th BG, 922nd BS pilot B-25 pilot MIA April 12, 1944 off Wewak
Carlos E. Dannacher  5th AF, 35th FG, 40th FS "I may be the only guy who put a P-39 down on the Wau strip..."
John L. Fabale  5th AF, 345th BG, 501st BS B-25 pilot crash landed in jungle and escape
Nelson D. Flack, Jr.  5th AF, 49th FG, 8th FS P-40 Warhawk pilot
Oscar G. Fitzhenry  B-24 Liberator pilot, 5th Bombardment Group in the South Pacific
James L. Folse  3rd Bombardment Group, 89th Bombardment Squadron A-20 pilot 67 combat missions
George P. Gaffney  5th AF, 35th FG, 41st FS P-47 pilot MIA March 11, 1944 remains recovered
Robert Giesige  5th AF, 27th Air Depot Group service record in New Guinea, Biak and Japan plus 20 years in USAF
Victor Grimes  5th AF, 5th Bomber Command service in Australia and New Guinea
Steele T. Griswold  5th AF, 8th FG, 36th FS P-38 Lightning pilot, two credited victories
William C. Gronemeyer  5th AF, 475th FG, 431st FS P-38 Lightning pilot
Leroy V. Grosshuesch  5th AF, 35th FG, 39th FS P-47 Thunderbolt pilot and ace
Raymond F. "Hap" Halloran  20th AF B-29 "Rover Boys Express" 42-24769 navigator & Prisoner Of War (POW) in Japan
Ed Hambleton  5th AF, 312th BG A-20 pilot service in New Guinea and the Philippines.
Jack Heyn  5th AF, 3rd BG, photographic section. interview from Pearl Harbor through V-J Day
Gustave M. Heiss  5th AF, 3rd BG B-25 pilot crew member during the Royce Mission and MIA on September 4, 1942 off New Guinea
James Hilburn  5th AF, 35th FG, 41st FS recollections about war in New Guinea served
Jose Holguin  5th AF, 43rd BG navigator shot down over Rabaul, POW, searched for and located his B-17 crash site in 1983
Jim Houston  5th AF, 22nd BG service in Australia, and flying the B-26 in training and combat
Wellman H. Huey  13th AF, 347th FG, 339th FS P-38 pilot shot down February 14, 1943, POW/MIA
John P. Henebry  5th AF, 3rd BG C.O. nicknamed "Jock" who flew 219 combat missions
Curran "Jack" L. Jones  5th AF, 35th FG, 39th FS Airacobra ace pilot who flew from Port Moresby
Randall B. Keator  5th AF, 20th FG and 49th FG P-40 Warhawk pilot in Philippines and New Guinea.
Benjamin H. King  13th AF, 347th FG, 339th FS P-38 Lighting pilot shot down July 17, 1943 and rescued
Francis J. Lent  5th AF, 475th FG, 431st FS P-38 Lightning claiming twelve aerial victories MIA December 1, 1944
Eric Kyro  5th AF, 35th FG, 41st FS P-39 Airacobra pilot dive bombing Shaggy Ridge
Charles H. MacDonald  5th AF, 475th FG C. O. P-38 Lightning pilot and ace who nicknamed his aircraft "Put Put Maru"
Grant G. Mahony  5th AF pilot in Philippines, Java, CBI
John A. Mancini  13th AF, 17th PRS F-5 Lightning pilot MIA April 22, 1943 over Solomon Islands
Godron Manuel  5th AF, 43rd BG, 64th BS bombardier shot down & rescued from behind enemy lines
Thomas B. McGurie, Jr.  5th AF, 475th FG, 431st FS P-38 pilot, second highest scoring American ace of World War II
Robert F. Meeker  5th AF, 417th BG, 673rd BS A-20 Havoc pilot, MIA aboard C-47 "Windy City" 43-16011 on March 27, 1945
John W. Mitchell  13th AF, 347th FG, 339th FS P-38 Lightning pilot, 11 victories, planned the April 18, 1943 "Yamamoto Mission"
John R. Mulvey Jr.  13th AF, 347th FG, 339th FS P-38 Lightning pilot, 2 victories in Solomon Islands
Kenneth J. Murphy  5th AF, 6th PRG, 8th PRS F-5 Lightning MIA June 26, 1943 over New Britain
William Myers  5th AF, Japan occupation "part of my job was to disarm the hundreds of planes left by the Japanese"
Harry Nelson  5th AF, 22nd BG 408th BS B-26 Missions to Timor and returning to search for target of his mission
John O'Neill  5th AF, 49th FG P-38 Lightning eight victory ace by son John O'Neill
Richard E. Oliver  5th AF, 7th BG tells the story of two crashed on the "23rd" in Hawaii and New Guinea
Earle W. Painter 13th Air Force, 307th BG, 371st BS B-24 ball turret gunner, Final Flight Of The "Rum Dum"
Edwards Park  5th AF, 35th FG, 41st FS P-39 Airacobra pilot and author of two books on his experiences
Myron E. Pedersen  13th AF, 347th FG, 339th FS P-38 Lightning pilot in the South Pacific.
Otis Oscar Perkins  USAAF, 75th Joint Assault Signal Company, L-4 pilot MIA April 29, 1945
Carl G. Planck, Jr.  5th AF, 49th FG, 9th FS P-38 Lightning pilot
Arthur L. Post  5th AF, 6th PRG, 8th PRS F-5 pilot shot down June 20, 1943 and rescued, killed in a test flight August 25, 1944
George Prezioso  5th AF, 43rd BG, 63rd BS radio operator also service with 317th TCG, 39th TCS
John E. Purdy  5th AF, 475th FG, 433rd FS P-38 Lightining pilot and seven victory ace
Robert R. Rist  13th AF, 347th FG, 339th FS P-38 Lightning pilot, MIA February 13, 1943
Jay T. Robbins  5th AF, 8th FG, 80th FS P-38 Lightning pilot, 22 victories
Thomas H. Roberts  5th AF, 6th PRG, 25th PRS P-39Q 42-19949 Missing In Action served with Australian Army
Norbert C. Ruff  5th AF, 8th FG, 80th FS P-38 pilot claimed four aerial victories flew missions until September 1943
Eugene Salternik  5th AF, 25th Liaison Squadron L-5 pilot in New Guinea and the Philippines
Harvey J. Scandrett  20th AF, 506th FG, Headquarters MIA June 1, 1945 off Japan
William A. Shomo  5th AF, 71st TRG, 82nd TRS, pilot P-39 and F-6 claimed 7 victories in one mission earned Medal of Honor
John Shott  5th AF, 345th BG, 500th BS, radio-gunner survived crash on Formosa and captivity as a POW.
Carl H. Silber  5th AF, 8th FG adjutant crashed on Hinchinbrook Island in Queensland, Australia by don Carl H. Silber, Jr.
Richard E. Smith  5th Air Force, 35th Fighter Group, 39th Fighter Squadron  P-38 / P-47, 7 victory ace
William J. Smith  5th AF, 38th BG, 71st BS Kavieng and rescued by Nate Gordon
Richard C. Suehr  5th AF, 35th FG, 39th FS P-38 Lightning pilot two tours in New Guinea and Philippines
Don L. Sutliff  5th AF, 49th FG, 7th FS P-40 pilot and 5th Fighter Command MIA piloting P-70 October 22, 1944
Charles Sullivan (O'Sullivan)  5th AF, 35th FG, 39th FS P-38 pilot and ace
Joel Thorvaldson  5th AF, 49th FG, 8th FS P-40 pilot survived crash near Lae, served in WWII, Korea and Vietnam
John R. Weldon, Jr. 5th AF, 475th FG, 431st FS P-38 pilot Missing In Action January 18, 1944 over Wewak
Robert B. Westbrook  13th AF, 347th FG, Headquarters P-38 pilot Missing In Action November 22, 1944 over Celebes
Charles W. Wolfendale  13th AF, 42nd BG, 100th BS B-25 pilot that flew 95 missions in SOPAC and SWPA.
Eliot R. Young  5th AF, 312th BG A-20 Havoc pilot crash landing Bountiful Island off Queensland

U. S. Air Force (USAF)
Richard H. Carmichael  served 20 years in USAF, retired as a Major General
Nelson D. Flack, Jr.  served in the USAF, retired as Major
Oscar G. Fitzhenry  served in the USAF, retired as Lieutenant Colonel
Robert R. Giesige  served 20 years in USAF
Richard C. Suehr  served in the USAF during Vietnam

U. S. Marine Corps (USMC)
Bob Allan  28th Marines, Iwo Jima casualties and fighting.
Aubrey Buser  Signal Corps, Guadalcanal recollections.
Roger H. Brindos  VMF-321 F4U Corsair pilot shot down Prisoner Of War, executed
Bill Coggin  1st Marines Guadalcanal recollections, friendly fire, Tenaru, raids.
Arthur F. Dreves  1st Marine Division, 1-1-1-C Pelielu, Okinawa and north China.
Ed Foley  1st Marines Guadalcanal Landing, Air raids combat and dogfights.
Howard Fuller  VMTB-131 ordnance & engineering.
Robert M. Hanson  VMF-214 and VMF-215 F4U Corsair pilot claimed 25 aerial victories, MIA February 3, 1944
Don Huebner  1st Marine Division, Australia, Goodenough, Finchafen, Cape Gloucester, Guad, Peleliu, Okinawa
Henry W. Jones  7th Marines Division, 3rd Battalion, Company I Killed In Action October 18, 1944 on Peleliu
A. W. Matzer  Marine Air Group 32 (MAG-32) Headquarters Squadron SBD gunner and radio operator in the Philippines
Chris Merillat  Marine Correspondent, Guadalcanal journal entries and recollections
Jack Morris  VMF-218 F4U Corsair pilot shot down and rescued by Catalina and reunited with his former aircraft in 1991
Robert G. Owens, Jr.  VMF-215 F4U Corsair pilot and ace earned the Navy Cross and retired as a Major General
Thomas J. Pechacek  1st Defense Battalion on Wake Island and Prisoner Of War (POW)
Everett P. Pope  1st Marine Division 1/1 earned the Medal of Honor on Peleliu
John B. Quinn, Jr.  6th Marines MIA July 29, 1945 on southern Okinawa
Haig Sarafian  3rd Defense Battalion MIA September 19, 1944 on Hill 100 on Peleliu
Ron Schneider  Battle of Bloody Ridge September 13-14, 1942 earned Navy Cross


U. S. Navy (USN)
Charles V. August  fighter pilot assigned to VF-4 and VF-44 force landed January 4, 1945 and became POW survived
George H. W. Bush  Avenger pilot in VT-51 on USS San Jacinto CVL-30 bailed out September 2, 1944 rescued
Nathan G. Gordon  PBY Catalina pilot, rescued 15 airmen off Kavieng on February 11, 1944, Medal of Honor
Dixie Kiefer  commander USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) injured by kamikaze and died November 11, 1945 in plane crash
Ernest J. King  Fleet Admiral in the U.S. Navy
John Richter  Corpsmen Guadalcanal and Cape Gloucester with a 75mm gun
John A. Mair, Jr  USS Mississinewa sinking November 20, 1944 by a Kaiten submarine
David L. Mandt  F6F Hellcat pilot died March 18, 1945 piloting XF8F-1 Bearcat
Samuel Marsh, Jr.  Utility Squadron 2 (VJ-2) co-pilot JM-1 Marauder Missing In Action (MIA) off Pityilu Island
David McCampbell  F6F Hellcat pilot and U. S. Navy's highest scoring ace with 34 aerial victory claims
Jack Clark  Lunga boat pool describes actions on Guadalcanal from his diary
Don Strating  USS Randolph, Japanese Kamikaze attack at Ulithi damaged carrier
William Strong  140th CB "SeaBees" service on Pitylou and Manus recollections
Philip Huston Torrey, Jr.  nicknamed "Tarzan" assigned to USS Lexington F6F Hellcat pilot shot down February 16, 1945

U. S. Coast Guard (USCG)
John J. "Jack" Marcil  Electrician's Mate, First Class aboard submarine chaser PC-556 and USS LST-169
Douglas Munro  earned the Medal of Honor near Point Cruz on Guadalcanal.


Royal Navy (RN)
Robert Fraser  crew member HMS Electra who died in the sinking during the Battle of the Java Sea.


Australian Army (AIF)
Thomas J. Barnes  Z Force Operation Cooper, Killed In Action
John R. Chandler  Z Force Operation Cooper, Killed In Action
E. T. Dennis  Z Force, sole survivor of Operation Cooper who swam ashore
Ronald E. Eagleton Z Force Operation Cooper, Killed In Action
Alan R. Gubbay  Z Force Operation Cooper, Killed In Action
Benjamin G. Hardy  22nd Garrison Battalion KIA August 5, 1944 Cowra POW Camp earned George Cross posthumously
Michael S. Hagger  Z Force Operation Cooper, Killed In Action
Ralph Jones  22nd Garrison Battalion KIA August 5, 1944 Cowra POW Camp earned George Cross posthumously
Jack Wong Sue  Z Force inserted behind Japanese lines on Borneo to engage in Guerrilla warfare and report
Malcolm F. M. Weber  Z Force Operation Cooper, Killed In Action
Spencer H. Walklate  Z Force Operation Cooper, Killed In Action


Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)
John G. Gorton  pilot survived four harrowing incidents during WWII, Australian Prime Minister
Sir Jack Brabham  No. 5 OTU post war racing champion


Coastwatchers
Martin Clemens  Guadalcanal Coastwatcher who evaded the Japanese and helped the U. S. Marine Corps
Jacob Charles Vouza  Guadalcanal Coastwatcher and scout who aided the U. S. Marine Corps


Civilians
Allan Champion  Resident Magistrate, Buna who witnessed Japanese landing and assisted B-17 crew
Merle Farland  Methodist Nurse assisted coastwatcher on Vella Lavella and Segi
Michael J. Leahy  "Mick" New Guinea Explorer and World War II career with RAAF
Charles A. Lindbergh  aviation pioneer who flew combat missions during the Pacific War

Correspondents
Ken Coffman  photographer for Yank Magazine at Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal and New Guinea
George Silk  combat Photographer in the Battle of Buna. Later he worked for LIFE magazine in the United States


Koreans
Byung Mook Chang  Korea-Japanese Division in New Guinea

Philippine Army
Ferdinan E. Marcos  battle of Bataan, Bataan Death March and guerrilla activities


Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN)
Zenji Abe  pilot D3A Val aboard Junyo participated in the attack against Dutch Harbor in Alaska
Tsuneo Hitsuji  shootout between H6K and B-17 Amazing account of action of combat off Guadalcanal
Haruki Iki  Kanoya Kokutai G4M1 Betty pilot sinking of HMS Repulse
Keizo Kondo  701 Kokutai G3M2 Nell pilot flying from Rabaul and Solomon Islands
Shigetoshi Kudo  Tainan Kokutai J1N1 Irving pilot over Rabaul and the Solomon Islands
Kenji Mitsui  coastwatcher landed on Guadalcanal and evacuated
Saburo Sakai  pilot A6M2 Zero Tainan Kokutai, author of "Samurai" his wartime memoirs
Katsuma Shigemi  pilot A6M2 Zero pilot Zuikaku MIA February 4, 1943 in the Solomon Islands
Isoroku Yamamoto  Commander In Chief, Combined Fleet, killed April 18, 1943 as passenger aboard G4M1 Betty 2656
Satoshi Yoshino  Chitose Kokutai / 4th Kokutai A5M4 Claude pilot
Matome Ugaki  Chief of Staff, Combined Fleet, died August 15, 1945 participating in kamikaze mission


Imperial Japanese Army (IJA)
Terushige Ishimoto  Interpreter Rabaul, Shortlands and Guadalcanal operations
Toshio Kojima  228th Infantry Regiment killed January 1943 on Hill 27 remains discovered
Kokichi Nishamura  144th Infantry Regiment on Kokoda Trail and Sanananda, returned to search for war dead
Ei Yamaguchi  14th Division Peleliu Island holdout until April 1947