Latest content added for The Portal to Texas Historyhttps://texashistory.unt.edu/search/?q5=%22United+States.+Army.+Air+Corps.%22&t5=dc_subject&searchType=advanced&fq=dc_type%3Asound2023-10-16T07:23:45-05:00UNT LibrariesThis is a custom feed for searching The Portal to Texas HistoryOral History Interview with John Couch, April 3, 20192023-10-16T07:23:45-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610909/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610909/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with John Couch, April 3, 2019" title="Oral History Interview with John Couch, April 3, 2019" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610909/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Couch. Couch joined the Army Air Corps in 1939. He served in the armament section as an aircraft mechanic. Once the war began, he worked as the Chief Armorer of the armament section of the 73rd Bombardment Squadron until 1943. He traveled to New Guinea, Morotai Island and to Clark Field in the Philippines, where he was stationed when the war ended. He continued his service after the war ended, retiring in 1960 as a Master Sergeant, E-7.</p>Oral History Interview with Emmett Prothero, April 24, 20182023-10-16T07:23:27-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610858/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610858/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Emmett Prothero, April 24, 2018" title="Oral History Interview with Emmett Prothero, April 24, 2018" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610858/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Emmett Prothero. Prothero joined the Citizen Military Training Camp in 1937 for basic flight training, and received his commission into the Army Air Corps in April of 1941. He graduated from Brooks Field with his pilot’s license as second lieutenant. Prothero joined the 2nd Bomb Group, and served as a test pilot, flying B-18s, B-23s, B-26s B-29s and LB-30s. He flew missions throughout the US, over the Atlantic, Australia, India, Panama, the Philippines and Kobe, Japan. He was discharged in June of 1946. He then served with the Naval Reserves until 1962.</p>Oral History Interview with Thomas Vaucher, April 24, 20182023-10-16T07:23:27-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610860/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610860/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Thomas Vaucher, April 24, 2018" title="Oral History Interview with Thomas Vaucher, April 24, 2018" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610860/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Thomas Vaucher. Vaucher joined Citizens Military Training Camp (CMTC) in 1935. In 1939 he earned his civilian pilot license, and enlisted that same year in the Army Air Corps. Vaucher was commissioned as an officer with a pilot rating in April of 1941. On 16 December, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, he piloted his first combat patrol mission from Westover Field, Massachusetts in a B-18, searching for German ships and submarines off the east coast. During 46 months of active service, Lieutenant Colonel Vaucher flew nearly 40 different aircraft types for a total of 117 combat patrol, bombing, mining and photography missions in Panama, Guatemala, Ecuador, Peru, Galapagos, India, China and Tinian. Vaucher was discharged from active duty in June of 1946 and remained in the reserves until 1962.</p>Oral History Interview with Alvin Lebsack, March 23, 20182023-10-16T07:23:24-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610850/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610850/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Alvin Lebsack, March 23, 2018" title="Oral History Interview with Alvin Lebsack, March 23, 2018" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610850/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Alvin Lebsack. Lebsack joined the Army Air Corps in November of 1940. He trained in aircraft mechanics, and served with the 58th Bomb Wing as a B-29 Crew Chief and Flight Chief. They participated in the China Burma India Theater, and were stationed at a base in India. Lebsack completed bombing missions over Japan in 1944. He returned to the US and received his discharge in late 1945.</p>Oral History Interview with Houston Lowe, October 21, 20172023-10-16T07:23:17-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610823/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610823/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Houston Lowe, October 21, 2017" title="Oral History Interview with Houston Lowe, October 21, 2017" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610823/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Houston Lowe. Lowe finished high school and joined the Civilian Conservation Corps and worked in Texas and California before joing the Army Air Corps. He had basic training in the Philippines prior to the Japanese invasion. Lowe was captured on Corregidor and made a prisoner of war. He soon went to Cabanatuan. Lowe recalls several instances of his POW experience in the Philippines. He rode a hell ship to Japan, the Noto Maru, and was close to Hiroshima when the atomic bomb was dropped. When the war ended, Lowe returned to San Francisco.</p>Oral History Interview with Theodore Kalenterides, December 29, 20162023-10-16T07:22:07-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610623/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610623/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Theodore Kalenterides, December 29, 2016" title="Oral History Interview with Theodore Kalenterides, December 29, 2016" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610623/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Theodore J. Kalenterides. Kalenterides joined the Army Air Corps on 10 August 1939. He completed Airplane and Engine Mechanic School at Parks Air College, Illinois, and worked on the line as Crew Chief, Flight Chief and Line Chief. He then completed B-29 Engineer Flight School. In 1944, Kalenterides was assigned to the 62nd Bomb Squadron, 39th Bomb Group at Smoky Hill Air Force Base, Kansas. In January of 1945, they deployed to Batista Army Airfield, Cuba for training, then formed at North Field, Guam in mid-February. They completed missions against the Japanese home islands in April, and bombed military and industrial targets in Japan and flew incendiary raids on urban areas from mid-May until the end of the war. He continued his service in the Korean and Vietnam wars, and was discharged in 1968.</p>Oral History Interview with William Gregory, November 20, 20152023-10-16T07:21:57-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610598/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610598/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with William Gregory, November 20, 2015" title="Oral History Interview with William Gregory, November 20, 2015" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610598/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the pacific War presents an oral interview with William Gregory. Gregory finished high school in 1938 and qualified for the Army Air Corps aviation cadet program. Gregory earned his wings in mid-1942 and was assigned to England, arriving in late 1942 where he joined the 49th Pursuit Squadron. He then traveled to North Africa. He also escorted bombers during the invasion of Sicily. He flew a P-38. He completed 50 missions by October 1943 and returned to the US, where he remained until the war ended. He stayed in the Air Force, working as an operations officer within a U-2 reconnaissance squadron in Japan.</p>Oral History Interview with William McConnaughy, June 21, 20152023-10-16T07:21:39-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610541/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610541/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with William McConnaughy, June 21, 2015" title="Oral History Interview with William McConnaughy, June 21, 2015" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610541/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William James McConnaughy. McConnaughy was born 8 February 1920, and joined the Army Air Corps around 1940. He was working on guard duty at Randolph Field in Texas when the war started. By late 1942, he was serving as Supply Sergeant with the 817th Bombardier Training Squadron at Big Spring Army Air Field in West Texas. In 1945, after the war ended, McConnaughy was transferred to Portland, Oregon, and then served as a Room Orderly on a B-29 base at Okinawa. In late 1945, early 1946, he returned to the US and received his discharge.</p>Oral History Interview with William Bakel, June 26, 20152023-10-16T07:21:35-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610524/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610524/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with William Bakel, June 26, 2015" title="Oral History Interview with William Bakel, June 26, 2015" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610524/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Bakel. Bakel had earned a degree in aeronautical engineering in early 1941 and was working at Consolidated Aircraft in San Diego when he was called up for active duty in the Army Air Corps. In May, 1942, he was commissioned as an engineering officer and assigned to several bomb groups before going overseas in early 1944. He was attached to the 308th Airdrome Squadron in New Guinea with the responsibility of opening new or captured air bases for use by fighters or bombers. He recalls opening an airfield on Luzon early in 1945 during the invasion of the Philippines. When the war ended, Bakel had enough points to receive a discharge.</p>Oral History Interview with William Wadsack, June 13, 20132023-10-16T07:21:34-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610519/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610519/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with William Wadsack, June 13, 2013" title="Oral History Interview with William Wadsack, June 13, 2013" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610519/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Wadsack. Wadsack joined the Army Air Corps in 1940 after graduating from Washington University, earning a commission through the ROTC Coast Artillery Corps. He was assigned to Chanute Field as a supply officer, providing planes and tools for mechanics in training. His 50-man crew retrieved and repaired damaged aircraft, and stayed up to date on technology so as to provide appropriate tech orders to the students. When the school was expanded to include other locations, Wadsack went to Seymour Johnson Field to conduct similar work. As the war wound down, his unit came under command of the First Air Force and Wadsack was promoted to director of supply for the entire field. In addition to warehouse inventory, he managed the distribution of gasoline rations to civilian employees. After a brief post at Lake Charles Army Air Force Base, he was discharged into the reserves in December 1945. In his sixties, he retired from the reserves as a captain.</p>Oral History Interview with George Brown, February 13, 20152023-10-16T07:21:18-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610468/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610468/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with George Brown, February 13, 2015" title="Oral History Interview with George Brown, February 13, 2015" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610468/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with George Brown. Brown joined the Army Air Corps in February of 1941. He completed mechanic school, and was assigned to assist in the opening of George Air Force Base in Victorville, California. Beginning in early 1945, Brown served as a B-29 Flight Engineer, completing missions over Tinian, Saipan, Japan and Guam. Brown continued his service after the war ended, and retired as a major in 1972.</p>Oral History Interview with Claude Cummins, February 17, 20152023-10-16T07:21:17-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610464/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610464/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Claude Cummins, February 17, 2015" title="Oral History Interview with Claude Cummins, February 17, 2015" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610464/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Claude Cummins. Cummins joined the Army Air Corps around 1940. He completed Aircraft and Mechanics School in Wichita Falls, Texas. In early 1942, he worked as a crew chief with the Douglas Aircraft Company in Washington State, pre-flighting B-17 aircraft for air crew. Cummins was assigned to Dum Dum, India, through the end of the war. While there, he set up an overhaul facility for C47s. He continued in the Army Air Forces after the war ended, completing 30 years of service.</p>Oral History Interview with Stephen Krawczyk, December 18, 20142023-10-16T07:21:07-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610434/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610434/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Stephen Krawczyk, December 18, 2014" title="Oral History Interview with Stephen Krawczyk, December 18, 2014" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610434/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Stephen Krawczyk. Krawczyk enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1937 and trained in Hawaii and became an aircraft machinist. He was at Hickam Field when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. He shares several anecdotes about his experiences during the attack. Krawczyk stayed on Oahu until December 1942 when he returned to the US for another assignment. He continued as a machinist until the war ended and was discharged in August, 1945.</p>Oral History Interview with James Womack, December 10, 20142023-10-16T07:21:06-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610429/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610429/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with James Womack, December 10, 2014" title="Oral History Interview with James Womack, December 10, 2014" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610429/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James Womack. Womack was born in Decatur, Texas in October 1924 and graduated from high school in 1941. Upon enlisting in the Army Air Corps in 1942, he went to Sheppard Field, Texas for basic training. This was followed by a two month flight engineer course. In 1943 he was assigned to the 70th Ferrying Command, 20th Ferrying Squadron. Womack ferried B-26 bombers, B-17 bombers, and C-46 transport planes to various destinations. After the Surrender of Japan he entered the pilot training program but with the temporary termination of the program he transferred to the 8th Air Force Intelligence section. In 1949 he was commissioned and remained in the Air Force until retiring in1963.</p>Oral History Interview with Wilbur Hendrix, November 5, 20142023-10-16T07:21:01-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610413/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610413/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Wilbur Hendrix, November 5, 2014" title="Oral History Interview with Wilbur Hendrix, November 5, 2014" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610413/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Wilbur H. Hendrix. Hendrix was born on 4 October 1921 in Ray County, Missouri. He entered the Army Air Corps in June, 1942. After basic training at Jefferson Barracks, he went to a civilian aircraft mechanic school in Chicago. From there he went to Blythe Army Airfield in California. After three months, he went to Spokane Army Airfield. There he was assigned as a crew chief for B-17s in the 569th Squadron, 390th Bomb Group. The squadron went overseas to Parham Airfield in Suffolk, England in July, 1943. Hendrix's only direct experience with an aircraft accident occurred when a B-17 was cleared to fly despite heavy icing on the wings. It crashed on takeoff, killing all 9 aboard. Hendrix was involved in the post-crash recovery. In his time off, he visited friends in and around London. He never slept in a shelter until a German V-1 buzz bomb exploded near the house where he was sleeping. Eventually Hendrix was responsible for two aircraft, a Pathfinder, and a trainer for new crews. After Germany surrendered, Hendrix flew on a mission to return 20 French POWs from Austria. The squadron then went home. Hendrix flew back to the states in one of the war-weary trainers. The squadron was to be assigned to a B-29 unit, but the Japanese surrendered. Hendrix left active service in October, 1945. He joined the Missouri Air National Guard, was activated and sent to France for 8 months in 1952-1953</p>Oral History Interview with Wayne Brooks, September 8, 20142023-10-16T07:20:48-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610354/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610354/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Wayne Brooks, September 8, 2014" title="Oral History Interview with Wayne Brooks, September 8, 2014" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610354/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Wayne Brooks. Brooks joined the Army Air Corps in 1941. He completed flight school and additional training at Fort Sumner and served as a second lieutenant flight instructor in Roswell, New Mexico. He flew Beechcraft and Cessna aircraft. He was discharged in 1946.</p>Oral History Interview with Dean Earl Wilson, April 1, 20142023-10-16T07:20:43-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610339/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610339/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Dean Earl Wilson, April 1, 2014" title="Oral History Interview with Dean Earl Wilson, April 1, 2014" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610339/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Dean Earl Wilson. Wilson joined the Army Air Corps in May of 1941. He completed Communications School and Radio School, serving as a Maintenance Technician. Throughout 1942, he served at Henderson Field on Guadalcanal, overseeing aircraft and control tower radio maintenance. Wilson shares his experiences living and working on the island. In 1943, he continued his work on New Georgia. In 1944, Wilson completed additional schooling in cryptography. He returned to the US after the war ended and received his discharge around late 1945.</p>Oral History Interview with Edmund Russell, November 19, 20132023-10-16T07:20:21-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610268/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610268/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Edmund Russell, November 19, 2013" title="Oral History Interview with Edmund Russell, November 19, 2013" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610268/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Edmund Russell. Russell joined the Army Air Corps in 1940. He was stationed at Wheeler Field in Hawaii, serving in the mess hall and with a fatigue unit, assisting with ditch digging, garbage hauling and other manual labor. Russell was in Hawaii during the attack on Pearl Harbor. He later completed Navigator School and served as an A-26 Bombardier/Navigator in India and China, supporting Chinese nationalists. Russell returned to the US in late 1945 and received his discharge.</p>Oral History Interview with Jack Carson, November 14, 20132023-10-16T07:20:20-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610266/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610266/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Jack Carson, November 14, 2013" title="Oral History Interview with Jack Carson, November 14, 2013" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610266/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jack Carson. Carson joined the Army Air Corps in November of 1940. In December, he was assigned to Hickam Field in Hawaii, working with weapons in a supply squadron. Carson shares his experiences living and working in Hawaii prior to, during and after the attack on Pearl Harbor. In mid-1942, he was sent to Fiji with a small support group, providing fuel and supplies to the war effort in the Pacific. In early 1944, Carson completed Loadmaster School in California and served in North Africa. He traveled to Casablanca, Morocco, supplying the armed forces in Italy. He was discharged in August of 1945.</p>Oral History Interview with Ellsworth Jung, August 1, 20132023-10-16T07:20:11-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610240/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610240/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Ellsworth Jung, August 1, 2013" title="Oral History Interview with Ellsworth Jung, August 1, 2013" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610240/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ellsworth Jung. Jung joined the Army Air Corps in November, 1940, became an aircraft mechanic and flight engineer and was at Hickam Field when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. In February, Ellsworth was sent to Midway Island with his unit before going to the Solomons. Ellsworth flew on 69 combat missions and describes several of them. Afterwards, he returned to the US and was assigned to a training unit. He was discharged in June, 1945.</p>Oral History Interview with Orel Douglass, June 15, 20032023-10-16T07:20:03-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610216/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610216/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Orel Douglass, June 15, 2003" title="Oral History Interview with Orel Douglass, June 15, 2003" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610216/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Orel Douglass. Douglass finished high school in 1940 and immediately joined the Army Air Corps. He trained in San Antonio, then Colorado at the armament school. He was assigned as an armorer at a flight training school in Texas before being assigned tothe 49th Fighter Group and shipping to New Guinea in 1944. He stayed with the 49th for the remainder of the war and ended up in Japan during the occupation for a while. He shares several anecdotes about his time overseas, including an encounter he had with his brother.</p>Oral History Interview with William Lindsey, December 20, 20122023-10-16T07:19:38-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610143/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610143/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with William Lindsey, December 20, 2012" title="Oral History Interview with William Lindsey, December 20, 2012" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610143/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with William Lindsey. Lindsey provides background on his family’s history. He completed a Civilian Pilot Training program in Monticello, Arkansas. He began flying school in February of 1941, training in San Angelo, Barksdale and Great Falls, Montana. The US Army Air Corps accepted him in the 41G Class. He became a Ferry Pilot, working with Jimmy Doolittle’s organization in Pendleton, Oregon, practicing take-offs in B-25s to bomb Japan. He ferried planes in 1942 out of Long Beach, and then Great Falls. He participated in the China Burma India Theater in 1945 and flying The Hump. He traveled several times to Japan. Lindsey provides much detail on flying various types of aircraft and life overseas. He was discharged in December of 1945 and remained in the inactive reserves until 1959.</p>Oral History Interview with John Wells, October 26, 20122023-10-16T07:19:27-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610107/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610107/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with John Wells, October 26, 2012" title="Oral History Interview with John Wells, October 26, 2012" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610107/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Wells. Wells joined the Army Air Corps in December of 1940. He provides much detail on his training and received his wings in December of 1941. He was assigned to the 18th Reconnaissance Squadron, attached to the 22nd Bomb Group. He was stationed in Muroc Lake, California and served as co-pilot in the B-26 planes. In January of 1942 he traveled to Hawaii on the USS U. S. Grant (AP-29). He describes Pearl Harbor at that time, after the December attack. He then traveled to Australia in March with a detached service, serving as a co-pilot. He was later transferred out to be a commanding officer of the Army Air Forces detachment at Dugway, Utah, where they tested chemical warfare.</p>Oral History Interview with Leon Spencer, October 25, 20122023-10-16T07:19:26-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610104/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610104/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Leon Spencer, October 25, 2012" title="Oral History Interview with Leon Spencer, October 25, 2012" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610104/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Leon Spencer. Spencer joined the Army Air Corps in October of 1940. He completed schooling in Aviation Medicine in 1941, working as a flight surgeon’s assistant through June of 1942. He graduated in mid-1943 from Advanced Glider Training in Lubbock, Texas and served as a Flight Officer. After surviving an aircraft accident in September, Spencer became a glider pilot instructor at Sedalia, Missouri and Blytheville, Arkansas. He continued his service after the war ended, retiring from the Air Force in 1964.</p>Oral History Interview with Holley Midgley, August 31, 20122023-10-16T07:19:16-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610063/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610063/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Holley Midgley, August 31, 2012" title="Oral History Interview with Holley Midgley, August 31, 2012" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610063/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Holley Midgley. Midgley was born in June 1918. He was drafted into the US Army Air Corps in 1940, and completed the Aviation Cadet Program. Midgley served as a second lieutenant bombardier with the 376th Heavy Bombardment Group. His B-24 Liberator bomber was shot down over Bari, Italy on 16 July 1943. He was confined in a German prisoner-of-war camp in Chieti, Italy for twenty-two months, until liberated by General George Patton’s Third Army. Midgley returned to the US in June of 1945.</p>Oral History Interview with Richard E. Mann, June 19, 20122023-10-16T07:19:05-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610023/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610023/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Richard E. Mann, June 19, 2012" title="Oral History Interview with Richard E. Mann, June 19, 2012" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610023/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Richard E. Mann. Mann joined the Army Air Corps in April, 1942 while he was attending the University of Illinois. In October, he went to navigation school in Louisiana. In June, 1943, Mann received his commission and joined the 23rd Anti-submarine squadron at Langley, Virginia. Upon completion of training, the squadron flew to Trinidad to carry out anti-submarine missions. His squadron was eventually dissolved and he returned to the US for more training and was eventually sent to the Pacific where he was assigned to the 22nd Bomb Group, 33rd Bomb Squadron, 5th Air Force. Mann served as a navigator on B-24 bombers. Mann flew 46 combat missions in the Pacific.</p>Oral History Interview with Wayne Richards, May 23, 20122023-10-16T07:19:02-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610015/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610015/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Wayne Richards, May 23, 2012" title="Oral History Interview with Wayne Richards, May 23, 2012" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610015/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Wayne Richards. Richards joined the Army Air Corps in 1940 and received radio training at Scott Field. Upon completion, he was able to transmit coded messages at 20 wpm. He volunteered for gunnery school, hoping to see combat, and deployed to North Africa with the 301st Bombardment Group (Heavy), 353rd Bomb Squadron, as a B-17 radio operator. In campaigns throughout the Mediterranean and as far east as Athens, he stood out to his colonel as a keen observer. Richards alerted his group when a supposed milk run over Ibiza was rife with antiaircraft fire and was the only one to see that a targeted bridge in Anzio was still standing. He received a warm welcome in Cerignola, Italy, where civilians offered wine and laundry service to the troops. Richards flew the first mission over Rome, admonished to carefully spare the Vatican. He returned home after 50 missions and attended flight school until his discharge in September 1945. Richards completed aeronautics school on the GI Bill and became a commercial pilot.</p>Oral History Interview with Harold Priddy, May 31, 20122023-10-16T07:19:01-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610013/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610013/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Harold Priddy, May 31, 2012" title="Oral History Interview with Harold Priddy, May 31, 2012" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610013/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Harold Priddy. Priddy joined the Army Air Corps around 1938. He completed Officer Candidate School in mid-1942. He deployed to England, and served as chief of Materials Section, Air Transport Service. Priddy was able to commandeer sufficient resources within the European Theater to assist Patton’s 3rd Army in their drive into Germany in late 1944. For his contribution, General Charles de Gaulle awarded Priddy the French War Cross with Silver Star. He was discharged in 1946.</p>Oral History Interview with Ralph Herman Seibt, May 23, 20122023-10-16T07:18:59-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610007/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610007/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Ralph Herman Seibt, May 23, 2012" title="Oral History Interview with Ralph Herman Seibt, May 23, 2012" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1610007/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ralph Herman Seibt. Seibt joined the Army Air Corps in June 1939. A skilled typist, he worked in communications for the 52nd Squadron at Randolph Field. He took an interest in flying and in 1944 transferred to Montgomery, Alabama, as a cadet. He was hazed and got on poorly with his instructor, and after a certain point he refused to continue his training. Seibt deployed to Guam with the 501st Bombardment Group, 41st Bombardment Squadron, assigned personnel duties such as administering Purple Hearts. Initially, he lived in dangerous jungle conditions but eventually was housed in barracks. He saw natives rounded up in stockades in Agana and was instructed not to interact with them. Upon his return to the States, he crossed paths with German POWs at Fort Bliss, where he was discharged. He enjoyed having the opportunity to chat with them, and they were happily reminded by his last name of one of the great German radio manufacturers. Seibt returned home to his wife and got to know his daughter, who was born in July 1944.</p>Oral History Interview with Daniel Crowley, April 17, 20122023-10-16T07:18:54-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609989/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609989/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Daniel Crowley, April 17, 2012" title="Oral History Interview with Daniel Crowley, April 17, 2012" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609989/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Daniel Crowley. Crowley left school at 16, electing to go to work. In October, 1940, he joined the Army Air Corps. He describes his journey to the Philippines, where he landed in March, 1941. He was stationed at Nichols Field. Crowley recalls being shipped across Manila Bay to Bataan in Christmas Day and fighting the Japanese there until the US forces surrendered. Instead of surrendering, Crowley made it to Corregidor. Whe nCOrregidor was surrendered, Crowley was sent back to Manila and paraded through the streets with other Americans before being sent to Cabanatuan. From there, Crowley was sent to Palawan and, with others, was forced to build an airfield in the jungle. Before the massacre at Palawan, Crowley was sent back to Cabanatuan, then placed aboard a hell ship and sent to Japan, where he was forced to work in a copper mine.</p>Oral History Interview with Francis Manniello, March 19, 20122023-10-16T07:18:51-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609982/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609982/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Francis Manniello, March 19, 2012" title="Oral History Interview with Francis Manniello, March 19, 2012" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609982/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Francis Manniello. Manniello joined the Army Air Corps in April 1941 after being drafted. In his county, the sons of Democrats were drafted before Republicans, so Manniello had been expecting this and took the aviation cadet exam early on. He was ultimately trained as a bombardier and navigator and in 1943 he deployed to England as a replacement for the 96th Bomb Group, 337th Squadron. He came under heavy fire during his first mission while bombing a railyard in Bremen, Germany. Despite losing a wing and part of the vertical stabilizer, he landed safely and completed 24 more missions. Manniello was transferred to the States to teach both celestial and radar navigation and remained in the service and served as a commanding officer in the Korean War. One of his soldiers committed suicide, which Manniello conscientiously reported as KIA to the deceased's family. He advanced to lieutenant colonel and retired in 1969 after representing the United States at the NATO Air Defense Ground Environment (NADGE).</p>Oral History Interview with Edward J. Saylor, January 24, 20122023-10-16T07:18:37-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609936/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609936/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Edward J. Saylor, January 24, 2012" title="Oral History Interview with Edward J. Saylor, January 24, 2012" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609936/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lieutenant Colonel Edward J. Saylor. Saylor begins with a brief description of his life on a cattle ranch in Montana during the Depression years. He worked on the ranch until 1939 when he joined the Army Air Corps. After finishing basic training, Saylor went to aircraft mechanic school. He eventually worked as a flight engineer, going wherever his airplane went. Shortly after the war started, Saylor volunteered for a mission and began training with other B-25 crews in Florida under Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Doolittle. Saylor provides details of getting aboard the USS Hornet (CV-8) in California. Saylor was flight engineer with Crew 15, second to last to take off, and his plane bombed Kobe. Crew 15 made a water landing near an island and were able to get to shore. Chinese citizens aided Saylor and his crew by hiding them in a cave while the Japanese Army searched for them. After another day, Crew 15 was taken to the Chinese mainland and met up with some other Raiders. They eventually made their way west to Chunking where they met Generalissimo and Madam Chiang Kai Shek. Saylor's wife learned of his activities when she saw a Movietone Newsreel of Saylor being awarded a Chinese medal by Madam Chiang. Saylor describes getting from China to India by hitching airplane rides over the Himalaya Mountains and flying to Africa before returning to the US. He also tells stories about getting married while in the service and a few other humorous anecdotes about his wife and family during the war. Saylor went on a brief war bond drive tour of Montana while home on leave after the Raid. With leave complete, Saylor headed to Florida for training in B-26 bombers and eventually went to Europe. Saylor describes training in England, being in France after D-Day and in Belgium for the Battle of the Bulge. Saylor stayed in the Air Force making a career of it for 28 years.</p>Oral History Interview with Harry Bayne, August 26, 20112023-10-16T07:18:09-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609837/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609837/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Harry Bayne, August 26, 2011" title="Oral History Interview with Harry Bayne, August 26, 2011" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609837/small/"/></a></p><p>Transcript of an oral interview with Brigadier General Harry Bayne. Bayne joined the Army Air Corps as a private in September, 1941. By August, 1942, he had attained the rank of flying sergeant, but soon was commissioned a second lieutenant. His first assignement was ferrying airplanes to fields where pilots were training. Eventually, he was sent to India and flew missions carrying fuel over the Himalaya Mountains to bombers and other airplanes operating out of China. He flew sixty-three missions over the HUmp before the end of the war. After the war, he remained in a pilot training command. What follows is a conversation about the remainder of Bayne's career in the military. He flew more planes, closed air bases in Europe, took a young Prince Charles of England for a joy ride in a plane, etc. Bayne also discusses his role in the recovery of the hydrogen bomb that was aboard a B-52 that crashed off the coast of Spain in the Mediterranean Sea in 1966.</p>Oral History Interview with Paul G. Johnson, July 27, 20112023-10-16T07:18:08-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609833/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609833/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Paul G. Johnson, July 27, 2011" title="Oral History Interview with Paul G. Johnson, July 27, 2011" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609833/small/"/></a></p><p>Transcript of an oral interview with Paul G. Johnson. Johnson finished high school in 1938 and was working when he joined the US Army Air Corps in early 1942. He qualified for flight training and ultimately trained in Florida on B-17 bombers. He was assigned to the 412th Squadron, 95th Bomb Group i nthe 8th Air Force and sent to the European Theater of Operations. Johnson flew 35 missions and describes his job as a pilot. Toward the end of the war, Johnson was stationed on Guam. He was there when the wasr ended and sailed back to San Francisco.</p>Oral History Interview with Ralph E. Donnelly, July 12, 20112023-10-16T07:17:58-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609798/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609798/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Ralph E. Donnelly, July 12, 2011" title="Oral History Interview with Ralph E. Donnelly, July 12, 2011" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609798/small/"/></a></p><p>Transcript of an oral interview with Ralph E. Donnelly. Donnelly joined th eArmy Air Corps in December, 1942. In the process of learning to fly, Donnelly was eliminated. He instead earned his wings as a navigator. Whe ntraining as a navigator, he flew with several WASPs. Donnelly was eventually sent to Tonopah, Nevada and was assigned to a B-24. When Donnelly was assigned overseas, his crew flew their B-24 to North Africa and then to Italy, where they were based. Donnelly was assigned to the 778th Squadron, 464th Bomb Group, 15th Army Air Force in Italy. Donnelly describes missions over Bulgaria, Germany and Austria. He describes being shot down in October, 1944, jumping from the plane, and using his parachute. He was captured, sent to Budapest and describes being interrogated. Eventually, he was shipped to a prisoner of war camp in Germany. He rode in a boxcar to the POW camp with a Tuskegee Airman. As a prisoner, he was marched to various camps. During one forced march, Donnelly and another prisoners escaped into the forest. They were recaptured in a village a few days later and handed back to the Wehrmacht (Luftwaffe). After another escape attempt, Donnelly and few others reached American lines with the assistance of a few German deserters. Donnelly eventually made his way back to the US after the war where he was discharged in 1946.</p>Oral History Interview with J. B. Young, February 7, 20112023-10-16T07:17:38-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609732/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609732/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with J. B. Young, February 7, 2011" title="Oral History Interview with J. B. Young, February 7, 2011" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609732/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Reverend J.B. Young. Young enlisted in the Army Air Corps in December 1936. He became a cook and then was trained as an airplane mechanic. Young was sent to Hickam Field in Hawaii to serve as a crew chief on a B-17. He describes the attack on 7 December and how he taxied his plane out of danger and the patrols that they flew in the immediate aftermath. Young was then sent to New Caledonia where his plane flew photo reconnaissance missions for three months. They traveled to Australia and flew missions against Rabaul and Japanese ships in the Coral Sea. Young describes some notable incidents from this time. He returned to the US after 66 missions and remained there until the end of the war. Young retired from the Air Force in 1959.</p>Oral History Interview with Frank D. Barger, May 14, 20102023-10-16T07:17:31-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609712/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609712/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Frank D. Barger, May 14, 2010" title="Oral History Interview with Frank D. Barger, May 14, 2010" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609712/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Frank D. Barger. Barger joined the Army Air Corps in 1940. He started his career as an airplane mechanic. In 1941, he became an Air Cadet. After completing training he spent some time near Austin, Texas training cadets on C-46s and evaluating returning pilots. Barger was eventually sent overseas where he completed 170 missions while stationed in India and Burma flying supplies. He left service in 1945.</p>Oral History Interview with Robert Campbell, December 19, 20102023-10-16T07:17:31-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609713/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609713/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Robert Campbell, December 19, 2010" title="Oral History Interview with Robert Campbell, December 19, 2010" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609713/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Campbell. Campbell was born on 25 November 1920 in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1941, he was an engineering student at the University of Cincinnati and working at the Curtis Wright engine plant. On 12 July 1941, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet. After spending time at a junior college in Little Rock, Arkansas, Campbell was sent to the University of Iowa for cadet pre-flight training. Upon completion of the course he was sent to Hutchinson, Kansas Naval Air Station for preliminary flight training where he flew the N2S trainer. He then entered advance training at Pensacola, Florida where he flew the SNJ (training plane) and F4F (fighter). This was followed by carrier landing training on the Great Lakes. Following carrier training, he was sent to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania for training in aerial photography. In 1944 he joined VC-86 as a replacement aboard the USS Bismarck Sea (CVE-95). The squadron took part in the invasion of Leyte Gulf and Lingayen Gulf as well as Iwo Jima. During the invasion of Iwo Jima, the Bismarck Sea was struck by two kamikaze aircraft, which resulted in many casualties and the ship being sunk. Campbell describes the destruction caused by the kamikazes. He abandoned the ship and was rescued from the sea by crew of the USS Edmonds (DE-406). After being treated for an injury he received while abandoning the Bismarck Sea, he was transferred to the USS Dickens (APA-161). After several weeks, he returned to the United States. Following the surrender of Japan he was assigned to a utility squadron at the Norfolk, Virginia Naval Base until his discharge January 1946.</p>Oral History Interview with Jack M. DeLong, March 18, 20102023-10-16T07:16:48-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609567/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609567/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Jack M. DeLong, March 18, 2010" title="Oral History Interview with Jack M. DeLong, March 18, 2010" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609567/small/"/></a></p><p>Transcript of an oral interview with Jack M. DeLong. Born in 1924, he joined the Army Air Corps in June, 1943. He describes basic training and living conditions at Amarillo Army Airfield, Texas. He learned Morse code in radio school at Camp Kohler, California. He describes being transported to Europe aboard the L. D. France in 1944. He was a radio operator with the 879th Signal Battalion in England. He describes his living accommodations in Salisbury and night bombing in Ipswich. He left England bound for Japan aboard the Queen Elizabeth as the war ended. The ship was rerouted to the New York. He was discharged in February, 1946.</p>Oral History Interview with Terence R. St. Louis, February 18, 20102023-10-16T07:16:44-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609555/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609555/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Terence R. St. Louis, February 18, 2010" title="Oral History Interview with Terence R. St. Louis, February 18, 2010" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609555/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Terence R. St. Louis. St. Louis joined the Army Air Corps in June of 1940. He was assigned to an aviation maintenance unit in Trinidad supplying airplanes flying anti-submarine missions. St. Louis was then sent to flight school to become a pilot in 1943, but was reassigned to gunnery school. He was sent to England as a ball turret gunner on a B-17 with the 398th Bomb Group, 601st Bomb Squadron. St. Louis details a typical mission and describes some of the more notable ones, including two emergency landings and the last raid on Pilsen. He discusses some of his observations from the gunner position during combat. St. Louis left the service after the war, but rejoined in 1948 and eventually retired from the Air Force in 1961.</p>Oral History Interview with Ralph W. Johnson, October 30, 20092023-10-16T07:16:30-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609510/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609510/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Ralph W. Johnson, October 30, 2009" title="Oral History Interview with Ralph W. Johnson, October 30, 2009" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609510/small/"/></a></p><p>Transcript of an oral interview with Ralph W. Johnson. Born in 1920, he was drafted into the Army Air Corps in October 1941. He was accepted into the Aviation Cadet program in 1942. He was sent to flight instructor school upon completion of his flight training in 1943. In Carlsbad, New Mexico, he instructed bombardier cadets in bombing and navigation techniques until 1944. He shares an anecdote about landing a plane when the engines were accidentally turned off by a bombardier cadet. He was transferred to Hobbs Air Force Base, New Mexico where he learned to fly B-29 and B-17 bombers. He discusses difficulties with the B-29 aircraft. In April 1945, he was transferred to Guam where he became a B-29 aircraft commander and flew combat missions. He describes missions along the coast of Japan. He talks about a mission in which the fuel tanks were accidentally dropped along with the bombs. He also describes his plane being hit by anti-aircraft fire and the flight from northern Japan to Iwo Jima. He shares an anecdote about a mission that earned him the nickname “Fireball.” After a brief period on inactive duty after the war, he returned to active duty and flew in the Berlin Airlift. In 1952 he was assigned to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida where he was an operations officer and test pilot. He was assigned to Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico from June 1956 through July 1961 where he served in the nuclear test group which was engaged in atmospheric and underground testing. He describes a mission involving nuclear fallout testing as well as one involving the testing of the effluent from a nuclear rocket engine. He shares an anecdote about absorbing high levels of radiation. He served as an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) combat crew commander at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. He completed his military career at the Strategic Air Command (SAC) and retired in 1968.</p>Oral History Interview with Michael Natt, July 25, 20092023-10-16T07:16:18-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609466/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609466/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Michael Natt, July 25, 2009" title="Oral History Interview with Michael Natt, July 25, 2009" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609466/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Michael Natt. Natt joined the Army Air Corps in April of 1941. He served with the 95th Bomb Group as a waist gunner in a B-17. In August of 1944 on a bombing mission over Romania his plane was shot down and Natt was wounded. He was taken prisoner by German soldiers and survived an 8-month imprisonment in Stalag Luft III and a 90-day forced road march during the bitter cold winter. After being liberated, he was honorably discharged in October of 1945. Natt re-enlisted in the military in August of 1948 and completed a 30-year career with the U.S. Air Force, retiring in 1974.</p>Oral History Interview with Horace C. Jones, June 16, 20092023-10-16T07:16:03-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609427/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609427/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Horace C. Jones, June 16, 2009" title="Oral History Interview with Horace C. Jones, June 16, 2009" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609427/small/"/></a></p><p>Transcript of an oral interview with Horace C. Jones. Jones enlisted in the Army Air Corps in order not to be drafted and trained in Goergia and Miami. He went to Wyoming for gunnery school. In 1943, he was assigned to the 15th Air Force in Italy. He served as a waist gunner in a B-24. Jones describes his thoughts and feelings while on missions and how he operated. After 50 missions, Jones was returned to the US to train other flight crews. He was in the US when the war ended and was discharged. He re-enlisted shortly thereafter.</p>Oral History Interview with William Wareing, April 13, 20092023-10-16T07:15:58-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609407/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609407/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with William Wareing, April 13, 2009" title="Oral History Interview with William Wareing, April 13, 2009" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609407/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Wareing. Wareing attended the Hawken School as a child, impressing upon him the value of discipline. He later joined the ROTC and the Kentucky National Guard. With war looming, he applied both to the Army Air Corps and Royal Canadian Air Force. Accepted by both, he chose the Air Corps, completing flight training in December 1941 as a second lieutenant. After two years as an instructor, he was appointed to oversee curriculum at various flight schools. By that time, he was a captain and he turned down a promotion to major in favor of attending B-29 school. He then joined the 500th Bombardment Group, flying exactly one mission, the final bombardment of Japan, days after the second atomic bomb was dropped. Under antiaircraft fire, Wareing risked being court-martialed to break formation and ensure proper targeting. Following the war, Wareing dropped supplies over POW camps in Formosa and China. When one of his flights was diverted, he came so close to crashing into a mountainside that he caught a leaf in his landing gear. In November 1945 he was discharged in order to see his dying mother. Wareing then went on to join the reserves, retiring as a major, and served as a board member of the National Museum of the Pacific War.</p>Oral History Interview with William Koehl, December 5, 20082023-10-16T07:15:39-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609342/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609342/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with William Koehl, December 5, 2008" title="Oral History Interview with William Koehl, December 5, 2008" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609342/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Koehl. Following high school and after a brief stint working in a blacksmith shop, Koehl joined the Army Air Corps in 1940 and was assigned to the 31st Bombardment Squadron. In November 1941, he was put on guard duty in Honolulu and quickly made sergeant of the guard. On the attack of December 7th, Koehl dragged a wounded man to the hospital and spent the rest of the day on guard with a Thompson submachine gun. In February, Koehl received orders to return to the States for staff pilot training, earning his wings and learning to fly gliders as well as the B-26 Marauder. He was sent to Belgium and France, where he flew 66 missions, including raids on so-called No-Ball targets, which were heavily guarded V-1 and V-2 launch sites. He was discharged as a second lieutenant shortly after the war ended and went to work for Eastern Air Lines.</p>Oral History Interview with Allen Barker, April 29, 20082023-10-16T07:15:03-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609212/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609212/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Allen Barker, April 29, 2008" title="Oral History Interview with Allen Barker, April 29, 2008" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609212/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Allen Barker. Barker was born 29 July 1922 in Sairlie, Texas. He joined the Army Air Corps in August 1942. Following completion of basic training in Greenville, Texas he was assigned to the signal corps. He was shuttled around to various bases in the United States and finally boarded a troop ship, USS General A.E. Anderson for a 30 day sea trip to Bombay, India. His unit built a base about 60 miles northwest of Imphal, India. After the Japanese surrender he was involved in closing various bases in India until being shipped back to the United States and receiving his discharged in 1946.</p>Oral History Interview with Fred Bishop, January 16, 20082023-10-16T07:14:47-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609157/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609157/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Fred Bishop, January 16, 2008" title="Oral History Interview with Fred Bishop, January 16, 2008" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609157/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Fred Bishop. Bishop studied at Syracuse University beginning in 1935 but entered the labor force in 1937 due to financial hardship. In 1940 he joined the New York Army National Guard and was mobilized to Salinas, California, with the 27th Infantry Division, 108th Infantry Regiment. After becoming a staff sergeant, he decided to transfer to the Army Air Corps, where he attended school to become a second lieutenant and bombardier. In October 1942 he was assigned as an AT-11 instructor with the Army Air Forces in California, under strict orders to destroy his Sperry bombsight gyroscopes if needed, rather than surrender it to the enemy. In 1943, having trained 1,000 men, he began navigation school before joining a B-25 training outfit as a bombardier navigator and nose gunner. After the war, he was discharged into the reserves and was called to active duty in Korea with a B-29 crew before retiring as a captain.</p>Oral History Interview with Randy Watson, December 5, 20072023-10-16T07:14:38-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609135/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609135/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Randy Watson, December 5, 2007" title="Oral History Interview with Randy Watson, December 5, 2007" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609135/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Randy Watson. Watson joined the Army Air Corps in 1939. He was assigned to Puerto Rico for two years and felt fortunate to have narrowly missed being sent to the Philippines. While in Puerto Rico, he was assigned to Air Material Command, working with supplies. Afterward, he attended flight school and was assigned to India as a C-46 pilot. There he flew over the Hump to deliver supplies into China. During Watson’s first flight, he was frightened by the phenomenon known as St. Elmo’s fire. He was later given the task of flying with bails of Chinese currency with instructions to burn the money if he crashed. Once, Watson was redirected multiple times due to bad weather and base closures, thus keeping him awake for over 40 hours. During this experience, his plane and crew were reported as missing. In December 1944, he left India for home on a C-54, stopping in Cairo and Casablanca on the way. He finished the war having flown 650 hours, making 78 trips over the Hump.</p>Oral History Interview with Charles Voigt, October 27, 20072023-10-16T07:14:36-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609125/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609125/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with Charles Voigt, October 27, 2007" title="Oral History Interview with Charles Voigt, October 27, 2007" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609125/small/"/></a></p><p>Transcript of an oral interview with Charles Voigt. Mr Voigt graduated from high school in May 1942 and entered the service in December 1942. He went to Camp Claiborne, Louisiana where he spent ninety days in basic engineering training. After some time in California and Arizona with the 369th Engineer Special Service Regiment, he was selected to go to school in Los Angeles City College for a program called Army Specialized Training School (ASTP), which was college work. Voigt didn't finish that because he failed chemistry. As a result, he was sent to a replacement depot in Bend, Oregon. The sergeant there looked at his records and sent him to another engineering school at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. He completed that and applied to go into the air corps, was accepted, and went to Carolina for preliminary training. The military decided they had enough pilots so they washed them all out. He decided to stay in the air corps and was subsequently assigned to go to Italy, arriving at Tarantino in May/June 1944. Voigt was assigned to the Forward Intelligence Group which was in Natuna, plotting aerial photographs. The photos were taken by P-38s which flew with two 24-inch focal length cameras. The group later moved to the outskirts of Florence, Italy. Voigt provides a nice description of how the photos were taken, processed and made available for the users. At one point, he was picked to go to detached service to IV Corps Headquarters, and provides a good description of his time there, near the front lines. Voigt left Italy in August 1945 and was discharged in October 1945.</p>Oral History Interview with James Grumman, July 18, 20002023-10-16T07:13:59-05:00https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609010/<p><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609010/"><img alt="Oral History Interview with James Grumman, July 18, 2000" title="Oral History Interview with James Grumman, July 18, 2000" src="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1609010/small/"/></a></p><p>The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James Grumman. Grumman joined the Army Air Corps in 1940 and earned his wings and commission in March, 1942. On one of his first assignments, he met General Patton in California. He went overseas to England in 1944 and was assigned to the 401st Bomb Group, 614th Bomb Squadron where he flew combat mission from May to September. Grumman flew 30 missions over France and Germany before coming home in November 1944. Upon his return and after some leave, Grumman served as an instrument-flying instructor. Grumman stayed in the reserves after the war, retiring as a lieutenant colonel.</p>