Oral History Interview with James Saunders, September 19, 2004

Oral History Interview with James Saunders, September 19, 2004

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Description

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James Saunders. Born in 1924, he joined the Navy in 1943. After attending gunnery and electric hydraulic schools, he was assigned to the USS Miami (CL-89). After the shakedown cruise to the Caribbean Sea and Greenland, the ship was sent to join Cruiser Division Fourteen in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii via the Panama Canal. He served as a gunners mate and mount captain. He describes firing star shells during the Mariana Islands Campaign. He also describes experiencing a typhoon near Ulithi which damaged the bow of the ship. He … continued below

Physical Description

43 p.

Creation Information

Saunders, James September 19, 2004.

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 James Saunders. Born in 1924, he joined the Navy in 1943. After attending gunnery and electric hydraulic schools, he was assigned to the USS Miami (CL-89). After the shakedown cruise to the Caribbean Sea and Greenland, the ship was sent to join Cruiser Division Fourteen in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii via the Panama Canal. He served as a gunners mate and mount captain. He describes firing star shells during the Mariana Islands Campaign. He also describes experiencing a typhoon near Ulithi which damaged the bow of the ship. He talks about pursuing the Japanese battleship Yamato and sinking a Japanese ship in the San Bernardino Strait. He recounts the story of a kamikaze attack. He describes bombarding Saipan as well as the shore of Iwo Jima. He also participated in the bombardment of the Ryuku Islands and Okinawa. He talks about experiencing the tsunami that resulted from the atomic blast at Hiroshima. He describes conditions in Tokyo after the surrender of Japan. He shares anecdotes about Admiral Halsey; contracting jungle rot; and meeting a Japanese Lieutenant in Truk who was born and educated in the United States. He also shares his reflections on fear and government waste. He left the Navy after the war ended.

Physical Description

43 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: OH01263
Archival Resource Key: ark:/67531/metapth1604653

Relationships

Oral History Interview with James Saunders, September 19, 2004 - ark:/67531/metapth1608465

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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