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Roy Pitts

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Mr. Pitts describes what he experienced and how he reacted when a Japanese plane crashed into the USS Biloxi. (4:20)

Roy Reid

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The B-17 squadron departed the West coast bound for a stopover in Hawaii en route to the Philippines. Co-pilot Roy Reid recalls what they found when they got to Hawaii, a big surprise. It was December 7th and his aircraft was destined to be the first of something that was unexpected. (5:23)

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After surviving the crash landing of the first American plane to be shot down at Pearl Harbor, Roy Reid and the rest of the crew were swept up in the chaos as they tried to find some way to help. By the time the second wave of the attack came, they were hunkered down in an officer's house where he managed to get off a cable to his wife. (5:38)

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In the wake of the Pearl Harbor attack, Roy Reid's B-17 crew flew patrols for several days to ward off further attacks. Eventually, they were sent down to Australia and New Guinea, where they flew mostly photo reconnaissance missions. On the way to Australia, he spotted a Japanese submarine and he still can't believe the pilot's reaction. (6:25)

Roy Rowland

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Roy Rowland had plans to become a physician but that was interrupted by World War II. Like many college bound young men, he signed up for the ASTP program which would send him to school, after which he would receive a commission. And like all the rest of them, he was instead sent to the infantry to be trained as a replacement. (3:51)

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College would have to wait. Roy Rowland was at boot camp getting a different kind of education. At the next training level, he was made assistant driver on a half-track. Then it was on to New Jersey to prepare to ship out but he had enough time there to manage a trip to New York City to meet his fiance. (5:14)

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As he sailed past the Statue of Liberty bound for Europe, Roy Rowland wondered, will I ever make it back? He landed in Le Havre, which was pretty much destroyed. Soon, his armored unit would join the final push across Europe into Germany. (3:22)

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When Roy Rowland faced his first combat, it was a terrifying experience. As his unit pushed into the Ruhr Valley, the worst thing was the German 88's, their versatile and devastating artillery piece. (3:31)

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Roy Rowland was relieved when the captain stopped sending men across the Isar River. Some had crossed already and some of them were trapped on the other side. He doesn't remember volunteering but, somehow, he ended up with two other men going across to search for wounded. For this action, he was awarded the Bronze Star. (3:50)

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The memories of combat were still vivid years later for Roy Rowland, especially the frightening fire from the German 88's. He recalls meeting a German woman who forecast the political alignment coming after the war and a German officer who gave him his pistol. (5:14)