Oral History Interview with R. Sumner, May 18, 2002

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with R. Sumner. Sumner was born in Portland, Oregon on 15 November 1921. He participated in the ROTC training program at Multnomah College in Portland and was commissioned a second lieutenant in May 1942. Soon after being commissioned he was assigned to the 31st Infantry Division, 167th Infantry. In 1944 the regiment was sent to New Guinea. Soon after arriving he was selected to be a member of the Alamo Scouts (United States Army 6th Special Reconnaissance Unit) and began training at the Alamo Scouts Training Center. He describes the duties of the unit and tells of working in New Guinea, the Admiralty Islands and the Philippines. He recalls the use of Navy PT boats in landing and extricating during various recon missions. He also was involved in reconnoitering the area prior to the raid on the Cabanatuan Prison Camp in January 1945. Sumner returned to the United States and was training for Operation Coronet when Japan surrendered. He concludes the interview by briefly telling of his career up until he retired in 1972