Oral History Interview with Jerry Mason, October 14, 2011

Oral History Interview with Jerry Mason, October 14, 2011

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Track One 0:54:08

Description

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jerry Mason. Mason joined the Army Air Forces in December 1942 and received basic training in Lincoln, Nebraska. He played reveille during training, which helped distinguish him from the other recruits and secure him a spot in fighter pilot training. After learning to fly the P-38 and P-39, he was sent to New Guinea and the Philippines, where he flew as Cy Homer’s wingman in the 80th Fighter Squadron, the Headhunters. He was shot down over Formosa and narrowly escaped drowning by deploying his inflatable raft, which was … continued below

Physical Description

1 sound recording (54 min., 8 sec.)

Creation Information

Mason, Jerry October 14, 2011.

Context

This audio recording is part of the collection entitled: National Museum of the Pacific War Oral History Collection and was provided by the National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation to The Portal to Texas History, a digital repository hosted by the UNT Libraries. More information about this recording can be viewed below.

Interviewee

Mason, Jerry

Interviewers

Publisher

National Museum of the Pacific War
Place of Publication: Fredericksburg, Texas

Audiences

Check out our Resources for Educators Site! We've identified this sound as a primary source within our collections. Researchers, educators, and students may find this recording useful in their work.

Provided By

National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Established in 1967, the Museum honors the 8 million Americans who served in WWII in the Pacific Theater by sharing their stories with the world. Located in Fredericksburg in the restored Nimitz "Steamboat" Hotel, the Museum partners with the Texas Historical Commission to preserve the historical resources of the era.

Description

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jerry Mason. Mason joined the Army Air Forces in December 1942 and received basic training in Lincoln, Nebraska. He played reveille during training, which helped distinguish him from the other recruits and secure him a spot in fighter pilot training. After learning to fly the P-38 and P-39, he was sent to New Guinea and the Philippines, where he flew as Cy Homer’s wingman in the 80th Fighter Squadron, the Headhunters. He was shot down over Formosa and narrowly escaped drowning by deploying his inflatable raft, which was tied to his belt and pulled him to the surface. The next morning, he was rescued by a PBM Mariner. When the war ended, Mason served as an engineering officer in Manila, where he was ordered to set fire to L-1s once they were replaced with L-5s. Mason returned home and attended veterinarian school on the GI Bill; he went on to become base veterinarian at Elmendorf.

Physical Description

1 sound recording (54 min., 8 sec.)

Subjects

Keywords

Library of Congress Genre/Form Terms

Library of Congress Subject Headings

World War, 1939-1945

University of North Texas Libraries Browse Structure

Language

English

Item Type

Sound

Identifier

Unique identifying numbers for this recording in the Portal or other systems.

Accession or Local Control No: OH03349
Archival Resource Key: ark:/67531/metapth1609864

Relationships

Oral History Interview with Jerry Mason, October 14, 2011, [transcript] ark:/67531/metapth1606057

Collections

This recording is part of the following collections of related materials.

National Museum of the Pacific War Oral History Collection

This oral history collection depicts an instrumental era in American history. In these transcripts of interviews with World War II veterans are personal experiences with the war, from the Doolittle Raid and D-Day to the Battle for Bataan.

National Museum of the Pacific War Digital Archive

The Digital Archive presents digitized collections from the Center for Pacific War Studies collections at the National Museum of the Pacific War. Collections and material are continuously being added and represent only a small portion of the archives' physical holdings.

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