Oral History Interview with Martin Tschirhart, August 27, 2014

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Martin Tschirhart. Tschirhart joined the Navy in March of 1942. He served aboard the USS Shasta (AE-6) as a Seaman on the deck crew, swabbing decks and painting. They traveled to New Caledonia, and moving from island to island they replenished the ammunition supplies of the Fleet. In the spring of 1943, they provided support in the Attu and Kiska operations, as well as campaigns in the western Pacific. He helped bring the HA-19 Japanese midget submarine to the US from Pearl Harbor. In late 1943 Tschirhart was transferred to the USS Pakana (ATF-108). They traveled to Pearl Harbor and completed numerous salvage operations in the Marshall Islands, Saipan, Guam and Okinawa. He recalls his experiences during a typhoon. He returned to the US and was discharged in early 1946