US Army Air Forces

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Dolsen, Frank Family of Service
Frank Dolsen was born in Pontiac, Michigan in February 1921. His family moved to Lockhaven Country Club [Annotator's...
Strunk, Chester Family Reunion
Chester Strunk had not received mail from home during his last year as a POW [Annotator's Note: prisoner of war]. When...
Catalano, Erico "Harry" Family Struggles and Army Air Force
Erico J. Catalano was born in Brooklyn, New York in June 1920. Catalano was the fourth of ten children. His father...
Perdue, Cawthon "C.B. Perdue" Farm Life to Army Air Corps
Cawthon B. Perdue Jr., known as C.B. to family and friends, was born in El Dorado, Arkansas in 1925. He graduated high...
Giller, Edward Farming to Pilot Training
Edward Bonfoy Giller, Jr. was born in White Hall, Illinois [Annotator's Note: in July 1918]. During the Great...
Albright, William Fate and Destiny
William Albright was liberated in May 1945. He never knew what was going to happen from one day to the next and that...
Constein, Carl Fear of the Hump
Carl Constein flew a mission every three days while he was a pilot for the air operations in the CBI campaign [...
Brueland, Lowell Fellow Pilots
Lowell Brueland flew with Clayton Kelly Gross [Annotator’s Note: Captain Clayton K. Gross is also part of the Digital...
Spector, Samuel "Sam" Field Interactions
Samuel Spector felt that the Kachins were on a friendly basis but not strictly military disciplined. It was more a team...
Engel, Russell "Russ" Fighter Attack over Stuttgart
[Annotator’s Note: This interview is conducted in a question and answer style]. Russell Engel was a navigator in the...
Bernardi, Joseph Fighter Escorts
Joseph Richard Bernardi, Senior [Annotator's Note: a pilot in the 509th Bombardment Squadron, 351st Bombardment Group,...
David, Maynard Fighter Opposition and Mining Missions
[Annotator's Note: Maynard David served in the USAAF as a bombardier on Boeing B-29 Superfortress very heavy bombers in...
Lawler, John Fighter Pilot
John Lawler flew a P-51 [Annotator's Note: North American P-51 Mustang fighter aircraft] with the 2nd Squadron, 52nd...
Lederer, Henry Fighter Plane Combat
Henry Lederer says the crosshair gun sight they used was horse and buggy compared to what they have today. They knew...
Bryan, Donald Fighter planes
The first real fighter airplane Donald Bryan flew was the P-40D with the Merlin engine, not the Allison engine. They...
Liles, Robert Fighter Planes and Fellow Pilots
[Annotator's Note: Robert Liles served in the USAAF and flew Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighter aircraft with the 16th...
Salter, Cary Fighter Squadron 353
Cary Salter was in a dogfight when his wing was hit. It flipped the plane over. He went to pull out and nothing...
Walker, Robert Fighter Training and Deployment
After qualifying [Annotator's Note: as a military pilot], Robert Walker was sent to Eglin Field [Annotator's Note: now...
Bleuler, Jack Fighting from Luzon
Jack H. Bleuler served with the 822nd Bombardment Squadron, 38th Bombardment Group, 5th Air Force during the war in the...
Ananian, Stephen Fighting German Jets
Stephen Ananian says that the idea that if the Germans had built their jet fighters sooner in the war, it would have...
Bryan, Donald Fighting German jets
When Donald Bryan went back to Europe for his second combat tour, he returned to the same squadron. He was the senior...
Ward, Johnnie Fighting in the Marsh
[Annotator's Note: John K. Ward jumped into France with the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division...
Rogers, Lloyd "Frenchie" Fighting in Tunisia
Lloyd Rogers remembers that there were temporary airfields in the Sahara Desert. Each airplane was dispersed with 100...
Rickel, Robert Fighting through Flak
Robert "Bob" Rickel flew with the 379th Group [Annotator's Note: 524th Bombardment Squadron, 379th Bombardment Group,...
Courtney, Melbourne Fighting Through Italy
At Anzio [Annotator's Note: Anzio, Italy], Melbourne Sanford Courtney was assigned to the 45th Infantry Division. He...
Harrison, John Fighting to Become and Airman
John Langston Harrison, Jr. wanted to be a pilot. In 1942, Roosevelt [Annotator's Note: Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 32nd...
Heilbrun, Herbert Final Mission
Herbert Heilbrun wrote his last letter before his final mission. [Annotator's Note: A baby has been crying in the...
Smith, Eben Final Mission and Capture
Assigned as a B-24 [Annotator's Note: Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bomber] pilot, Eben Smith arrived first in...
Hackler, Maurice "Hack" Final Mission and Return to the United States
Maurice Hackler's final mission gave him some concern. The departure of his pilot after Hackler's 30th mission meant...
Douglas, Walter Final Mission and Returning Home
In January 1945, Walter Douglas flew his last mission which was to Paderborn [Annotator's Note: Paderborn, Germany],...
Platkin, Carl Final Missions
Carl Platkin usually went to London [Annotator’s Note: London, England] alone because he had a couple of girlfriends...
Marshall, James Final Missions
James "Jim" Marshall and his unit [Annotator's Note: 499th Bombardment Group, 73rd Bombardment Wing, 20th Air Force]...
Schneider, Richard Final Missions and Discharge
Richard "Dick" Schneider became a spare tail gunner after the loss of his former crew mates. It was not his preference...
Chauncey, Charles Final Missions and War’s End
Charles Graves Chauncey did very few daylight missions and during those missions he would fly low. Most of his daylight...
Allen, George Final Thoughts
George Allen says he was part of something that worked out well. He was worried that we [Annotator's Note: the United...
Stovroff, Irwin Final Thoughts
Irwin Stovroff and about 200 or so Jewish POWs [Annotator's Note: prisoners of war] had been separated by their German...

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