Interview with Fredrick W. Balke, May 13, 2002

Partial Transcript:

Segment Synopsis: Balke talks about his decision to enlist into the Navy.

Keywords: Camp Taylor; Crestwood, Ky; Louisville, Ky; Machinist Mate Second Class; Navy; Navy Seabees; Okolona High School; enlist

Subjects: Camp Zachary Taylor (Ky.); Crestwood (Oldham County, Ky.); Navies.; United States. Navy. Seabees.

Partial Transcript:

Segment Synopsis: Balke talks about his basic training to become a Seabee and going to Guadalcanal.

Keywords: Bougainville campaign; Camp Perry, Virginia; Construction Battalion; Davisville, Rhode Island; Fort Wynini, California; Guadalcanal; Marine Corps; Navy Boot Camp; quonset huts

Subjects: Bougainville Island (Papua New Guinea); Davisville (R.I.); World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Solomon Islands--Guadalcanal

Partial Transcript:

Segment Synopsis: Balk talks about his deployment to Guadalcanal.

Keywords: Guadalcanal; Liberty ship

Subjects: World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Solomon Islands--Guadalcanal

Partial Transcript:

Segment Synopsis: Balke talks about what is was like working as a Seabee in Guadalcanal and having to endure air raids form Japanese bombers.

Keywords: Bougainville; Caterpillar D-8 bull dozer; Henderson Field; Japanese; Japanese bomber; LST; Officer Bachenvar; Richmond, Virginia; Solomon Islands; WWI destroyer; air raids; ammunition dump; fighter strip

Subjects: Ammunition dumps.; Bougainville Island (Papua New Guinea); Japanese.; Landing craft.; Richmond, Virginia.; World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Solomon Islands

Partial Transcript:

Segment Synopsis: Balke talks about experiencing artillery fire, building the Tarkena airport, fighter planes and building air fields on the Admiralty Islands.

Keywords: Admiralty Islands; Black Sheep Squadron; Bougainville; P-38 Lightning; Philippines; President Roosevelt; Rabal; Tarkena Airport; Thanksgiving; artillery; dive-bombers; prisoners; water purification system

Subjects: Admiralty Islands (Papua New Guinea); Artillery.; Bougainville Island (Papua New Guinea); Dive bombers.; Philippines.; Prisoners.; Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945.; Thanksgiving.; United States. Marine Fighter Squadron, 214th.; Water--Purification.

Partial Transcript:

Segment Synopsis: Balke talks about preparing for the invasion of Okinawa and what it was like living on the island.

Keywords: Admiralty Islands; Army; Europe; Guadalcanal; Hiroshima; Japanese; Kamikaze; LST; Marine Corps; Navy; Okinawa; Solomon Islands; bomb

Subjects: Europe.; Hiroshima-shi (Japan); Japanese.; Kamikaze.; Marines.; Okinawa Island (Japan); Solomon Islands.; United States. Army.; United States. Navy.

Partial Transcript:

Segment Synopsis: Balke talks about being on leave and getting discharged and working at Howard Construction Company until he retired.

Keywords: Chicago; Great Lakes; Howard Construction Company; Japan; Louisville, Kentucky; Navy Pier; Rhode Island

Subjects: Great Lakes (North America); Japan.; Louisville (Ky.); Navy Pier (Chicago, Ill.); Rhode Island.

Partial Transcript:

Segment Synopsis: Balke talks about attending reunions for the 71st Battalion Seabees.

Keywords: 71st Battalion; Denver; Galt House; Louisville; National Distillery; Seabees

Subjects: Denver (Colo.); Louisville (Ky.); United States. Navy. Seabees.

Partial Transcript:

Segment Synopsis: Balke reflects on his time in the service and his most memorable experiences. He also talks about what the food was like and Tokyo Rose.

Keywords: Bougainville; Gauadalcanal; John Wayne; Louisville; Okinawa; Planter's peanut can; Sheltie Cigarettes; Tokyo Rose; Vienna Sausages; airfield; cigarettes; foxholes; propaganda; spam; the Fighting Seabees

Subjects: Cigarettes.; Intrenchments.; Okinawa Island (Japan); Propaganda.; Tokyo Rose, 1916-2006.; Wayne, John.