Oral History Interview with Marie Crisostimo

Oral History Interview with Marie Crisostimo

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Description

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Marie Crisostimo. Crisostimo grew up on a farm in Garapan until the family house was seized by the Japanese, who destroyed the coconut trees natives depended on. Crisostimo made it through the fifth grade under harsh treatment as a Chamorro. During the war, her husband was conscripted by the Japanese as an interpreter in Guam. Crisostimo was eventually able to join him and they conceived their first child in 1943. When the Americans began bombardments, she and her four-month-old baby took shelter in a cave. When they were … continued below

Physical Description

73 p.

Creation Information

Crisostimo, Marie Creation Date: Unknown.

Context

This text is part of the collection entitled: National Museum of the Pacific War Oral History Collection and was provided by the National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation to The Portal to Texas History, a digital repository hosted by the UNT Libraries. More information about this text can be viewed below.

Interviewee

Crisostimo, Marie

Interviewers

Publisher

National Museum of the Pacific War
Place of Publication: Fredericksburg, Texas

Audiences

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Provided By

National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Established in 1967, the Museum honors the 8 million Americans who served in WWII in the Pacific Theater by sharing their stories with the world. Located in Fredericksburg in the restored Nimitz "Steamboat" Hotel, the Museum partners with the Texas Historical Commission to preserve the historical resources of the era.

Description

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Marie Crisostimo. Crisostimo grew up on a farm in Garapan until the family house was seized by the Japanese, who destroyed the coconut trees natives depended on. Crisostimo made it through the fifth grade under harsh treatment as a Chamorro. During the war, her husband was conscripted by the Japanese as an interpreter in Guam. Crisostimo was eventually able to join him and they conceived their first child in 1943. When the Americans began bombardments, she and her four-month-old baby took shelter in a cave. When they were taken into an American camp, her infant succumbed to pneumonia. Following the liberation, Americans rationed rice and canned goods but also helped to restore coconut plantations. Crisostimo attended night school and briefly worked for the Navy. Her husband, who had been wrongly sentenced to life imprisonment by the Japanese was freed after a United Nations investigation. They restarted their lives together and went on to have six children.

Physical Description

73 p.

Subjects

Keywords

Library of Congress Genre/Form Terms

Library of Congress Subject Headings

World War, 1939-1945

University of North Texas Libraries Browse Structure

Language

English

Item Type

Text

Identifier

Unique identifying numbers for this text in the Portal or other systems.

Accession or Local Control No: OH00557
Archival Resource Key: ark:/67531/metapth1604032

Relationships

Oral History Interview with Marie Crisostimo - ark:/67531/metapth1607844

Collections

This text is part of the following collections of related materials.

National Museum of the Pacific War Oral History Collection

This oral history collection depicts an instrumental era in American history. In these transcripts of interviews with World War II veterans are personal experiences with the war, from the Doolittle Raid and D-Day to the Battle for Bataan.

National Museum of the Pacific War Digital Archive

The Digital Archive presents digitized collections from the Center for Pacific War Studies collections at the National Museum of the Pacific War. Collections and material are continuously being added and represent only a small portion of the archives' physical holdings.

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