Entrance into Service

The map only displays records that have geographic information. Switch to the grid view to see all records.

Map is loading...
Timeline is loading...

The timeline only displays records that have date information. Switch to the grid view to see all records.

Lederer, Henry England and Big Questions
Henry Lederer knew from his training in the P-47 [Annotator's Note: Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighter aircraft] that he...
Biondo, Frank England and D-Day
Frank Biondo left New York [Annotator's Note: New York, New York] for Newport News, Virginia and shipped to Glasgow,...
Nacey, Ed England and First Mission
Edward Nacey went to combat crew training with a brand-new crew for the B-24 Liberator [Annotator's Note: Consolidated...
Blouin, Joseph England and the Fascinating Lady
It took a good month for Joseph Blouin to fly from West Palm Beach, Florida to England. The captain checking them in in...
Burrus, William English Ship and SS Troops
William Burrus shipped overseas to Europe on a slimy, English boat [Annotator's Note: 17 October 1944]. They had boiled...
Hardy, George Enlisting as an Aviation Cadet
George Hardy's father persuaded him to not join his brother in the Navy because of the race problem. He would be...
Lawler, John Enlisting in the Air Corps
John Lawler was born in September 1921 in Baltimore [Annotator's Note: Baltimore, Maryland] with three brothers and...
Kiefer, Keith Enlisting in the Air Force
Keith Kiefer was not sure that college was the right path for him. He considered going into the service. He and two...
Ebersole, William Enlisting in the Army Air Forces
William Ebersole was born in September 1924 in Arcadia, Florida. He graduated from high school there in June 1942 then...
Pettis, Merle Enlisting in the Coast Guard
Merle Jerome "Jerry" Pettis was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1921. His family moved to Los Angeles [Annotator's Note...
Windisch, Lutz Enlisting in the German Army
Before World War 2 began, Lutz Windisch did not necessarily think that Germany was headed for war, but he grew up in...
Rackerby, Archibald "Archie" Enlisting in the Marine Corps
Archibald Rackerby joined the Marine Corps on 27 December 1941 and went to boot camp in San Diego [Annotator's Note:...
Colburn, George Enlisting in the Marine Corps
On 11 July 1944, George Colburn and two others went into the Federal building in Boston [Annotator's Note: Boston,...
Weber, Ed Enlisting in the Marine Corps
Ed Weber saw a movie with John Payne [Annotator's Note: John Howard Payne, American actor] and Maureen O'Sullivan [...
Toole, Edward Enlisting in the Navy
Edward Thomas Toole wanted to join the Naval Air Force but he could not make it. The Navy appealed to him more than any...
Harned, Harley Enlisting in the Service
In October [Annotator’s Note: of 1942], Harley Harned turned 18. Not long after, his friends made the decision to sign...
Neighbors, Lysander Enlistment
When Lysander "Ben" Neighbors graduated from high school, he joined the military a year or so later, before the war had...
Duffy, Gowan Enlistment
Gowan Duffy was born in New Orleans, Louisiana in December 1920. He would bounce from one job to another because they...
Edwards, Marvin Enlistment
Marvin Raymond Edwards enlisted because he felt he would be drafted, and he wanted to select the Air Force. He had...
Wolff, Robert Enlistment
Robert Wolff had his first flying experience when he was 10 or 12 years old. He used to make model airplanes for fun....
Peters, Bernard Enlistment
Bernard Peters was sent to Kern, Utah for basic training. They were in tar paper barracks. They went through a...
Smith, Samuel Enlistment
Samuel W. Smith wanted to join the Air Corps as an aviation cadet. In 1942, Smith convinced his mother to sign his...
Thompson, Thomas Enlistment and Assigned to a PT-Boat
Thomas D. Thompson enlisted [Annotator's Note: in the Navy in early 1943] because he has a fierce love of his country....
Cristiano, Nick Enlistment and Assignment to B-29s
Nick Cristiano enlisted in the Army Air Corps because he wanted to be a pilot. He took the exams. He went to Greensboro...
Harold, Paul Enlistment and Deployment
Harold Paul wanted to join the Air Corps [Annotator's Note: the US Army Air Corps, later the Air Forces] as an aerial...
Cart, William "Bill" Enlistment and Flight School
[Annotator's Note: William Cart was a student at The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina in Charleston,...
Hayward, David Enlistment and Flight Training
David K. Hayward decided to enlist [Annotator's Note: in February 1942] and do something attractive to him instead of...
Sparacino, Paul Enlistment and Nuclear Tests
Paul Sparacino was born in July 1943 in Simmesport, Louisiana. His father drove a log truck. They moved to Alexandria,...
Shimp, Marcella Enlistment and Nurse Training
Minnie Marcella Oleskey Shimp went into nurse training in Washington, D.C. They had a bomb scare and a friend told her...
Willett, Richard Enlistment and School
[Annotator's Note: In 1943, Richard Willett went to trial for trying to sneak into a movie theater and the judge...
Hendrick, Robert Enlistment and Training
After one year of study at Iowa State [Annotator's Note: Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa], Robert Erskine Hendrick...
Fili, William Enlistment and Training
William Fili enlisted a few days after Pearl Harbor [Annotator's Note: the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 7...
Van Matre, Russell Enlistment and Training
Russell Van Matre enlisted in the US Army in December 1942. For the year between then and Pearl Harbor [Annotator's...
Tanenbaum, Melvin Enlistment and Training
Melvin S. Tanenbaum was an all-American boy and he wanted to fight for his country. He enlisted and his parents were...
Buckner, Jack Enlistment and Training
Jack Buckner enlisted because he was patriotic. It was his duty. He always wanted to fly so it was a great opportunity...
Lawler, Daniel Enlistment and Training
Daniel J. Lawler was born in 1925 in Glens Falls [Annotator's Note: Glens Falls, New York]. His father worked in the...

Pages