[Annotator’s Note: Interviewee randomly claps his hands throughout segment.] Harold Hughes was born in Yalobusha County, Mississippi in October 1921. His father worked on a farm and at the railway station. [Annotator’s Note: glitch at 0:00:33.000 and again at 0:00:49.000.] Hughes was happy that he had enough to eat and his family was able to get by. Hughes was in Reading, California working at a CCC camp [Annotator's Note: Civilian Conservation Corps] when he first heard the news of Pearl Harbor [Annotator's Note: The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 7 December 1941]. Hughes enlisted in the services in 1942 because he wanted to do something. He chose the Air Force because it seemed like a good idea. He reported to Keesler Field [Annotator’s Note: in Biloxi, Mississippi] for basic training, and then to New Mexico for additional training. He was then sent to New York City [Annotator’s Note: New York City, New York] for embarkation. He boarded a plane and found out he was being sent to Calcutta, India [Annotator’s Note: Calcutta, or Kolkata, India] to serve at with 1305th Army Air Force Base Unit. The weather was very hot, yet the military issued him an overcoat. He worked in the motor pool at the air base. The living conditions were okay, and they ate a lot of rations for food. The weather was hot, and he slept in barracks made of bamboo with straw roofs. He had to sleep under a mosquito net because the mosquitoes were so bad. There were also a lot of snakes. Hughes does not recall interacting with many of the locals. Sometimes he went into town and ate at one of the local cafes. He stayed in India for several months before going to Myitkyina [Annotator’s Note: Myitkyina, Myanmar (previously Burma)]. He arrived after a large battle ended. The pilots flew over the Hump [Annotator's Note: aerial supply route over the Himalayan Mountains between India and China] from the base where he was stationed. His job was to wake up the crews that were slated for a mission in the mornings.

[Annotator’s Note: Interviewee randomly claps his hands throughout segment.] Harold Hughes served with the 1305th Army Air Force Base Unit in Myitkyina, Myanmar, previously known as Burma. After the Americans occupied the area, they did not have any problem with the Japanese. He carried a carbine [Annotator's Note: .30 caliber M1 semi-automatic carbine] around the base. At war’s end, Hughes received orders to return home. He boarded a ship, which swayed a lot because the water was very choppy. He slept in a bunk that was four tiers high. If he wanted to take a shower, he had to use cold salt water. The ship pulled into Seattle [Annotator’s Note: Seattle, Washington]. He was sent to a base where German prisoners served him food. He received letters while he was overseas and listened to the radio to get his news. He reported to Camp Shelby [Annotator’s Note: near Hattiesburg, Mississippi] for discharge. He was discharged as a PFC [Annotator’s Note: private first class]. Hughes reenlisted in the service in 1948 because he did not enjoy farming. He feels World War 2 did not affect his life, but it did make him think about home more. Hughes was initially not admitted into the service because he had a bad left eye, but the Air Force recruiter overlooked it.

[Annotator’s Note: Interviewee randomly claps his hands throughout segment.] Harold Hughes’ most memorable experience of World War 2 was when he ate a little white pod and his mouth burned for three days. He also recalled serving celebrities when they came over to do USO [Annotator's Note: United Service Organizations, Inc.] shows. Hughes believes there should be institutions like the National WWII Museum [Annotator's Note: The National WWII Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana], and that we should continue to teach World War 2 to future generations because the younger generations need to know about sacrifice. Once when flying to Cairo, Egypt one of the engines caught fire. The pilot had to make an emergency landing.