BAIRD, Melvin R. “Pancho” (b. 1919) | Oral History

BAIRD, Melvin R. “Pancho” (b. 1919)

Military Service: U.S. Navy WWII Veteran

Oral Histories

A combination of interviewing and reading from his personal correspondence about his pre-World War II experiences with the U.S. Asiatic Fleet (1937-1940) and his later experiences in the Pacific Theater during World War II. His stationing aboard the destroyer USS Alden as a radioman; his account of the grounding of the SS President Hoover off of Hoishito Island, December 14, 1938; comments about the Sino-Japanese War; various personal experiences during liberty ashore at Manila, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Haiphong, and other Asian port cities; comments about the various Asian peoples; events on the South China Patrol; his civilian activities after his discharge; his being drafted for Navy duty, 1944; brief descriptions of his activities as a radio technician on Blue Beach during the Okinawan Campaign, April, 1945; observations of kamikaze action on Okinawa; descriptions of typical shipboard routine.
Date of Interview: August 18, 1998 to August 19, 1998, August 21, 1998

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A combination of interviewing and reading from his personal correspondence about his pre-World War II experiences with the U.S. Asiatic Fleet (1937-1940) and his later experiences in the Pacific Theater during World War II. His stationing aboard the destroyer USS Alden as a radioman; his account of the grounding of the SS President Hoover off of Hoishito Island, December 14, 1938; comments about the Sino-Japanese War; various personal experiences during liberty ashore at Manila, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Haiphong, and other Asian port cities; comments about the various Asian peoples; events on the South China Patrol; his civilian activities after his discharge; his being drafted for Navy duty, 1944; brief descriptions of his activities as a radio technician on Blue Beach during the Okinawan Campaign, April, 1945; observations of kamikaze action on Okinawa; descriptions of typical shipboard routine.
Date of Interview: August 18, 1998 to August 19, 1998, August 21, 1998

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