Interview with Ralph Stine, April 4th, 1988

Partial Transcript: We're in Mercer County. I'm in the home of Ralph Stine.

Segment Synopsis: Colonel Kelly introduces WWII veteran Ralph Stine. Stine served with Company D, 192nd Tank Battalion in the Philippines.

Keywords: 192nd Tank Battalion; Clark Field; Company D; Philippines; WWII

Partial Transcript: OK Ralph, after bombing Clark Field, will you tell me what happened to D Company, where you went and so on.

Segment Synopsis: Stine talks about the bombing of Clark Field and his leaving after the attack.

Keywords: 192nd Tank Battalion; Clark Field; Company D; Pearl Harbor bombing; tanks

Partial Transcript: We were on beach defense there...

Segment Synopsis: He talks about losing Lieutenant Pietri, a fellow soldier, and his platoon's tank getting flipped after crossing the Agno River.

Keywords: 192nd Tank Battalion; Agno River (Philippines); Bataan

Partial Transcript: I was in field hospital with malaria too.

Segment Synopsis: He continues to talk about Lieutenant Pietri getting shot while on beach defense and falling back during the Japanese attack. He also talks about the French brothers and being captured by the Japanese.

Keywords: Capture; Corregidor; Japanese Soldiers; Sergeant Edward French; Sergeant Morgan; war injuries

Partial Transcript: They formed details for different jobs, you know?

Segment Synopsis: He recalls being on work detail at the Number 2 prison camp and the brutality of the Japanese.

Keywords: Cabantuan (Philippines); Prison camps; Prisoners of War (POW)

Partial Transcript: They unloaded us off the Japanese ships and took us right on in to Formosa.

Segment Synopsis: He talks about the ship voyage to Formosa (now Taiwan) and the work details there.

Keywords: Formosa (Philippines); Prison camps; Prisoners of War (POW)

Partial Transcript: How did Japanese women get along with the prisoners?

Segment Synopsis: He describes the treatment he received from the Japanese as a prisoner of war and how he traded sugar for other goods while imprisoned on his way to Japan. He also tells of the mistreatment of women and children on the ship.

Partial Transcript: He killed this boy out working in the Philippines.

Segment Synopsis: While in the war camps the Japanese forced a man to kill his brother. Other prisoners endured beatings as well. Stine continues to talk about how the Japanese treated American prisoners and the food they would give them.

Keywords: Prisoners of War (POW)

Partial Transcript: You said you were angry now at the Japanese. You were angry then...Tell me more about what caused you to be so angry...

Segment Synopsis: Ralph tells why he was angry with the Japanese when he was in the camps and why he is still angry at them. He also gives specific accounts of a few Japanese people who treated him decently.

Keywords: Japanese People

Partial Transcript: You were talking about being angry at the Japanese. I want to go back on that just a little more.

Segment Synopsis: He continues to talk about how the Japanese treated the prisoners in their prison camps. They mistreated their own people as well.

Keywords: Japanese People; Prisoners of War (POW)

Partial Transcript: Let me get some personal data from you.

Segment Synopsis: Ralph states his wife and children's names and where they live. He also gives his birth date, tells how much education he received and talks about his childhood.

Keywords: Childhood Experiences; Children; Education; Family Members--Parents; Wives