Lawrence Henderson joined the U.S. Navy in 1939, completed basic training in Norfolk, Va., and was assigned to USS California. In March of 1940, he sailed for Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Henderson was on the deck of the California on the morning of December 7, 1941. He witnessed the Japanese attack on the Pacific Fleet.    Because the California was badly damaged (98 of her crewmembers were lost, 61 wounded), her remaining crew was dispersed. Henderson was reassigned to the USS Medusa. He was involved in the invasion of Guam, of Tinian, and of Saipan. Henderson served in the Navy for 26 years, and retired as a Chief Gunners Mate.

Transcript Number 009 Title: Lawrence Henderson: Remembering World War II Interviewee: Lawrence Henderson Interviewer: Thor Ronningan Date of Interview: Location of Interview: Wilmington, N.C. Description: 1 VHS Cassette Tape (ca. 47 min.): sd. col. Documentation: 1 Typed Transcript Series: World War II Veterans Oral History Preservation Project Series: Voices of Experience