Hough, Thornton Hamby and J W 1998-04-07
Thornton Hamby, a resident of Lubbock, Texas, discusses his experiences in the military during World War II and the Fall of Bataan. J.W. Hough also interjects information throughout the interview.
General Interview Information
Interviewee Name: J.W. Hough and Thornton Hamby
Additional Parties Recorded:
Date: April 7, 1998
Location: Lubbock, Texas
Interviewer: David Marshall
Length: 1 hour and 45 minutes
Abstract
Tape 1, Side 1: Hamby Thornton,
b. November 29, 1920 McCargo Texas Archer County,
Father: H.K. Hamby b. Roundtimbers Texas,
Worked for a crate company,
Mother: Georgia Crown Hamby b. Northwest Ft. Worth,
Boarding house,
Grandfather,
Tennessee - 1840,
Texas - 1841,
A legend of his time,
Texas Volunteer Cavalry,
Injured during an Indian raid,
Elm Creek Raid,
Moved to Baylor County,
Moved to Abilene Texas,
Roundtimbers Texas,
Gone for 30 days at a time for pushing cattle,
Indian Wars of Texas,
d. 1921,
Roundtimbers Texas,
Community,
Description,
Small town,
Education,
Two room school and three room schools,
Both burnt down,
Graduated – 1939,
Dallas Marine Corps,
World War II,
Went into service in 1940,
Japan,
Douglas McArthur,
Stories,
Characteristics,
Military,
August – plowed hundreds of acres for work,
Local paper – Marine Corp accepting applications,
Hitchhiked to Wichita Falls to stay with his aunt,
Story about joining the Marines,
Went to Dallas Texas,
August 19 1940,
Basic Training,
He enjoyed Boot Camp,
Hard work,
Very muscular and fit,
Schedule,
Highest rating on a course,
Gas chambers,
After Boot Camp he worked with recruits,
Boot Camp – 12 weeks,
Trained,
Settled in Camp on April 9 1941- 1 year before the Fall of Bataan,
J. W. Hough,
Ft. Pearl Harbor,
Brief description,
Family background,
Economically challenged,
Put himself through school,
Provided his mother with his income,
Had no intentions of joining the military,
First man drafted in Lubbock County,
Civilian Conservation Corp – January 1940,
Twenty-two days to get from San Francisco to Manila – April 13
1941,
150 men were taken to a Civilian Conservation Corp camp in Memphis
Texas,
Five men were sent to Perrington Texas,
Manual labor – built dams,
31st regiment,
Basic training – Philippines,
Stories,
Crawling through trenches.
Tape 1, Side 2: J. W. Hough (continued),
Vast marine transports,
Stories,
Snakes,
Tents,
Basic training,
Thornton Hamby,
Philippines – May 13 1941,
Experiences,
First boat trip,
Job – store gear and cargo,
Stayed on the boat and distributed supplies,
Rifle range – Olangapoo (Navy base-town patrol),
Marvallis – August 1941,
J.W. Hough,
Manilla,
U.S. Army Transport Republic,
Harbor boat,
Fear of sergeant,
Sea sickness,
Recollection of first time he got sea sickness,
Passing through Hawaii and Pearl Harbor,
Thornton Hamby,
U.S. Navy,
Automobiles,
April 14 1941 – May 13 1941,
Storms,
Coast of California,
Trip to Pearl Harbor,
Variety of food,
Cargo ships,
Defenses on the Bataan,
Ten inch blockings,
Corigador,
Hospital – injured in the hospital the day the Japanese bombed
Pearl Harbor,
General McArthur,
He left after the Fall of Bataan,
His tactics saved many lives,
Characteristics,
First impression.
Tape 2, Side 1: General Wainwright,
Great Grandfather to Thornton Hamby,
Dutch Holland,
German,
Landed in South Carolina,
Against slavery,
Joined the Union Army during the Civil War,
1 pair of trousers,
Civil War stories,
Prison camp,
Family,
Family background,
J.W. Hough,
Parents: Virgil C. Hough and Fannie Virginia Young,
Father: ¼ Indian,
Country preacher,
Childhood: grew up in Motley County Texas,
Moved to Lubbock Texas in 1941,
His mother disapproved of him joining the army,
Amarillo Texas,
Perrington Texas,
Education,
Holidays,
High School,
Fall of Bataan,
Thornton Hamby,
Recollections,
Wounded in the face,
65 enlisted men,
Stories,
Capturing Japanese troops,
Grenade graced his leg,
Japanese troops jumping off cliffs and committing
suicide,
Japanese air raids,
Wounded – tore arm up and shoulder,
Supply tunnels ,
Went over the hills defending themselves,
Bombers and fighter planes,
“One eyed gunner” – every hour a round of shots were
fired,
April 9th – Fall of Bataan,
Opinion of McArthur,
Helping load ships,
General Wainwright,
Singapore,
Hong Kong,
World War II,
Korigador,
Soldiers could not stand up,
Many deaths,
Soldiers were unprepared,
Very little training before combat.
Tape 2, Side 2: World War II (continued),
Clark Field ,
Talanese Language,
War of 1812,
Great Grandfather,
Photographs of prairies,
World War II (again),
Prisoner of War Camp,
Inevitable,
Japanese picked up American soldiers,
Camp description,
Starvation,
Liberation,
Thornton Hamby – February 1 1945,
J.W. Hough – September 15 1945.
Range Dates: 1920-1941
Bulk Dates: 1940-1941
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