Admirals

This collection follows Joseph T. Bannan as he served aboard the U.S.S. Panamint (AGC13). He was under the command of Admiral Arthur D. Struble. On this ship were photograph developers that obtained the picture of renowned wartime journalist, Ernie Pyle, lying dead on the island of Le Shima. Only two copies were ever made and the original was destroyed shortly after its creation to prevent a decline in American morale. This collection contains a photocopy of one of the original copies owned by Bannan.

This oral history interview transcript relates to Thomas H. Moorer who attended the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD from 1928 to 1933. In 1935, Moorer completed flight school and was stationed in Hawaii. He was present on December 7, 1941, when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. Moorer continued to serve in the Pacific Theater during World War II and remained in the U.S. Navy after the war.  In 1964, he had become an Admiral and by 1970, the Chairman for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, serving until 1974.

In the interview, Moorer recalls his first impressions of General MacArthur, who had asked him to send a plane to pick up any wounded servicemen in the Dutch East Indies.