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something was happening and weren't surprised at all because they had been talking quite some time about bombing Hiroshima and getting the doggone war over with. We were all very pleased about it because of the fact that some of us owe our lives to the fact that they did that thing. If they hadn't of we could have easily been invading the islands and a lot of us dying. A lot of people don't realize that but it sure saved American lives. It was a good thing to happen. I think the announcer on the PA system woke us up with that announcement. There was a lot of happiness and cheering going on around there. Mr. Misenhimer When Japan surrendered, did you all have a celebration then? Mr. Finley I cannot remember any celebrations. I think if you were to talk to officers they might have had something. But another thing you might care to know about me, I was not so hip on seeing Bob Hope or any of those gals in their short skirts or anything so I never took those in. But we had them on the island but I never did go to them. Maybe I was too busy installing radar or something, I don't know. Just a peculiar sort of individual I suppose. Mr. Misenhimer Did you have any experience with the Red Cross?
Mr. Finley Yes. I better tell you about the Red Cross. This friend of mine, Roy C. Counts, he was always bemoaning the fact he never did get a letter written to his mother. I told him, he and I were the ones that read the New Testament together, I said, "You've got to write your mom. She's worried sick about you." "Oh I will, I will." Finally I pinned him down
The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Albert Finley. Finley joined the Marine Corps around December of 1943. He provides vivid details of his boot camp experiences. He served with Headquarters Company, 4th Marines, as a radar mechanic on Corsairs, repairing radio and radar gear. Beginning in September of 1944 they traveled to Guam, Kwajalein, Pearl Harbor and Majuro in the Marshall Islands. Finley shares a number of anecdotal stories, including working with POWs. He was discharged in the fall of 1946.
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