Hewitt Brian Gomez was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in January 1925 with two brothers and two sisters. During the Great Depression [Annotator's Note: The Great Depression was a global economic depression that lasted from 1929 through 1939 in the United States], his father was a federal employee as a rural letter carrier and his mother stayed at home and raised the children. His grandfather was of Spanish descent and his grandmother was French. They did not suffer during the Depression as much as their neighbors did. He had a friend whose family suffered a great deal. The only way they could make money was selling ice from their front porch. They persevered and became very wealthy when the Depression ended. As a child, Gomez like to sing and entertain at different clubs, churches, and events. He always had a determination to succeed in life, so in high school he joined several clubs and became president in all of them. He was paying football with some friends when he was told the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor [Annotator's Note: The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 7 December 1941]. He did not know where Pearl Harbor was located, but he soon learned everything about it. At age 18, he was a sophomore at LSU [Annotator's Note: Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana]. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps and was sworn in at Harding Field in Baton Rouge [Annotator's Note: now Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport]. The military closed the Army Air Corps to start the United States Air Force, so Gomez was discharged and had to enlist again, this time in the Air Force. He was inducted in New Orleans [Annotator's Note: New Orleans, Louisiana] in August 1943. He learned fast not to volunteer for anything in the military.

Hewitt Brian Gomez was sent to Greensburg, North Carolina for seven weeks of Air Force basic training. The first morning of training he was put on KP [Annotator's Note: kitchen patrol or kitchen police] duty because he was not wearing an undershirt. After his completion of training, he was then sent to a college training detachment at the Cathedral of Learning [Annotator's Note: at the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania] for three months. He enjoyed his time because there was so much recreation, girls, and food. Everyone in the city was so nice and supportive of the service men. He did not have to pay for anything. He practiced gymnastics and performed in a talent show with a fellow gymnast. Just before he left Pittsburgh, he went through hard physical activities and became in the best shape of his life. Gomez was always an athletic kid and joined the YMCA [Annotator's Note: Young Men's Christian Association] to his mother's dismay while he was in high school. Gomez became a leader of activities at the YMCA and enjoyed being a member. He also delivered mail by bicycle, and he delivered the first army casualty letter in Baton Rouge [Annotator's Note: Baton Rouge, Louisiana]. After he graduated from high school, his friend was able find him a job at the company he was working at because Gomez could play softball and the company had a league. Gomez was required to take a civil service test and made the highest grade in the state. His boss encouraged him to enroll at LSU [Annotator's Note: Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana]. He excelled at college and in extracurricular activities including cheerleading and gymnastics. He began dating a girl who became his wife. After the war, Gomez visited his old boss who encouraged him to finish college and to make a living for his family, his boss offered him a night job as a clerk typist.

The Air Force sent Hewitt Brian Gomez to Nashville, Tennessee to be tested for placement. Because of his height, he was denied the chance to be a pilot, and was given a choice to be a bombardier or navigator. He chose navigator because he received a higher grade [Annotator's Note: rank]. His godmother was living in Nashville, and she invited him to stay with her and her family. After five weeks in Nashville, he was sent to Montgomery, Alabama for navigation school. He had an opportunity to go to pilot training school but was denied again due to his height. He was very disappointed and tried to persuade his commanding officer but to no prevail. Gomez was sent to Harlingen, Texas to continue his training in navigation and gunnery. He practiced on different targets and used various weapons. Many of his friend went to Mexico for fun and recreation, but Gomez decided to train and compete in weightlifting. [Annotator's Note: Video break at 0:57:48.000.] He also enjoyed playing darts and ping pong. After six weeks of school, he graduated in October 1944, became a second lieutenant, and received his wings Annotator's Note: Aeronautical Rating Badge, also called Pilot Badge or wings].

Hewitt Brian Gomez received his commission and received a 10-day leave [Annotator's Note: an authorized absence for a short period of time]. He proposed to his girlfriend in New Orleans [Annotator's Note: New Orleans, Louisiana]. He was sent to Massachusetts to receive orders. He was then sent to Chatham Field [Annotator's Note: now Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport] in Savannah, Georgia to meet his crew. His crew was selected to be part of the Office of Strategic Services [Annotator's Note: known as OSS; pre-runner to today's Central Intelligence Agency or CIA] which involved dangerous missions. He was sworn to secrecy. If they told anyone anything, they would be shot. His crew was stationed at Harrington Field [Annotator's Note: Royal Air Force Station Harrington] in Kettering, England. Before leaving overseas, he and girlfriend decided to marry in Savannah in December 1944. They honeymooned in Brunswick, Georgia. For two months, Gomez and his crew learned to fly high and drop bombs, but it was a waste of time once they realized they were assigned to OSS. When they arrived in England, the Air Force wanted to replace their bombardier, but the pilot refused. He was given a test by dropping a package into a barrel from 500 feet in the air, which he successfully did twice. He remained on the crew. Gomez saved his bombardier twice. One night they were on their way back to the barracks after drinking, and the bombardier wanted food. He punched through glass trying to get in the mess hall, severing a major artery in his arm. Gomez reacted quickly and tied off his arm and rushed him to the hospital. Another time, they were training and flying at a high altitude and his bombardier had passed out because his oxygen tube had disconnected. Gomez noticed that he was not responding and quickly figured out the problem. He reconnected the tube and the bombardier woke up. His crew was then sent to Havana, Cuba for a week of high-altitude training. There was a lot of prostitution and other vices there, which he ignored. He went to Cuban band shows and bought liquor and shoes to bring back to his wife. His crew was then sent to Westover, Massachusetts before heading over England. Gomez had a quick trip to New York City [Annotator's Note: New York, New York] to spend his last couple of days with his wife and then flew to Goose Bay, Labrador.

Hewitt Brian Gomez and his crew [Annotator's Note: the 857th Bombardment Squadron, 801st Bombardment Group (Provisional)] flew overseas to England in January 1945. They stopped in Bangor, Maine, then flew to Goose Bay, Labrador. The weather was freezing, and he got frostbite on his nose. After a few days, the weather was better, and they were given orders to fly straight to England without stopping. His crew depended on Gomez, as the navigator, to get them there safely. They had a frightening moment when he thought he and his crew would have to bail out because there was not enough gas. He quickly realized that he read the meter incorrectly and they made it safely to Ireland. While in England he enjoyed playing dart competitions in the local bars. There was one incident in a bar where a British man and an American soldier got into an argument and Gomez tried to mediate the event. The British man ended up smacking the soldier in the face with a broken beer glass. He was arrested and Gomez as called to court to testify. The British man was found guilty and had to pay seven American dollars.

Hewitt Brian Gomez and his crew [Annotator's Note: 857th Bombardment Squadron, 801st Bombardment Group (Provisional)] were stationed at Harrington Field [Annotator's Note: Royal Air Force Station Harrington] in Kettering, England. Upon arriving at their base, they trained for secret missions, and Gomez, being the navigator, was given a lot of responsibility. He was the only crew member on the plane that was allowed to abort a mission, which he did only once during his deployment. His first mission was in April 1945. [Annotator's Note: Video break at 1:36:04.000.] Gomez was very nervous because his pilot rode on a previous mission to see how they went, and he came back to tell his crew of a horrible experience. When they carried secret agents, they would come on board while the plane was moving. They called them, "Joe" or "Josephine." Gomez never met any of the secret agents. When they reached their target, the agent would parachute out of the plane. The agents as a group were called the "Carpetbaggers." He dropped packages in Norway and Denmark for his first five missions. He had one mission that became very dangerous. They were met with heavy flak [Annotator's Note: antiaircraft artillery fire] and tracer bullets as they neared their dropping point. The plane was hit twice, but they still had a successful mission. On another mission to Norway, the top turret gunner told the crew that he saw an orange fiery ball on their right wing. Gomez decided to make a 90-degree turn and the ball followed them. They turned three more times and the ball continued to follow them. Gomez decide to abort the mission and head back to base. On one mission, they were flying low and hit a treetop. Gomez's seventh and last mission was on 30 April 1945. He was promoted to First Lieutenant. On 8 May 1945, the war in Europe concluded and he went to the officer's club to have a drink. He then got two glasses of scotch and brought them to his fellow officers. They all continue to drink and then decide to get flare guns and shoot them into the sky. Other came around and cheered and celebrated. Gomez then shot a flare into a haystack and caught it on fire. He later learned that his superior commander was taken to court and sued by a British farmer because his haystack was destroyed. He returned home in July 1945. [Annotator's Note: Gomez asks to cut the tape at 1:54:00.000.]

Hewitt Brian Gomez and his crew [Annotator's Note: 857th Bombardment Squadron, 801st Bombardment Group (Provisional)] were stationed at Harrington Field [Annotator's Note: Royal Air Force Station Harrington] in Kettering, England. When war concluded, he crews received orders to head home. They first flew to Iceland, then Labrador, and finally to Westover [Annotator's Note: Westover, Massachusetts]. He took a train to Baton Rouge, Louisiana and reunited with his wife. Gomez and his father had a lot in common. They both loved to hunt and fish. Gomez used the G.I. Bill [Annotator's Note: the G.I. Bill, or Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, was enacted by the United States Congress to aid United States veterans of World War 2 in transitioning back to civilian life and included financial aid for education, mortgages, business starts and unemployment] to return to school and get a degree in Physical, Health and Recreation Education. He also worked as a clerk while he was a student in college. Working, and going to school was very rough, especially because he and his wife had one child too. He ended up taking up golf and got a job helping people with their swing.

After World War 2, Hewitt Brian Gomez moved to Lafayette [Annotator's Lafayette, Louisiana] and worked for a catering company that supplied food to the men working on oil rigs. He retired in May 2010. He also sold oil field equipment. He was hired by an owner that he did not care for, but against his better judgement he took the job. After the oil crash in 1984, Gomez was told by his company to go to Baton Rouge [Annotator's Note: Baton, Rouge, Louisiana] and bid for the catering business. He did and successfully won. His boss eventually demoted him and then eventually fired him. Gomez was able to find another job selling groceries wholesale and catering. Gomez believes in hard work. Someone can have talent, but hard work makes an individual go farther.