Naval Aviation

Aerial bombardment (2477)
Air warfare (2269)
Submarine warfare (784)
Bailing out/loss of plane (664)
Naval shore bombardment (537)
Kamikazes (489)
Carrier warfare (425)
Dog fights (366)

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Nelson, Walter Thoughts on Flying
Walter Nelson had a different pilot for his first raid. The pilot’s name was Lieutenant Womper [Annotators Note: unsure...
Borders, Charles "Wes" Thoughts on Service
Charles Wesley Borders retired from the United States Air Force on 1 September 1971. He got to be a Wing Commander...
Lawrence, Paul Thoughts on the War
When Paul Lawrence arrived in New Guinea, the fighting had gone further up the coast. They did see some Bettys [...
Smith, Arthur Thoughts on War
Arthur Smith did not burden his children with World War 2. It became current in his life as a result of his youngest...
Frisco, Paul Threats to the USS Cushing (DD-797)
Paul J. Frisco and his fellow crewmen were not intimidated by the threat of kamikazes because of their supreme...
Geist, Lloyd Three Missions on D-Day
Lloyd Geist's first mission was a sweep over France on 1 May 1944. The mission was uneventful. Geist recalled that he...
Fili, William Three on a Match
On William Fili's first mission to Ploesti [Annotator's Note: Ploesti, Romania] on 5 April 1944, his was the only crew...
Labat, Ubert Through Holland to Belgium
Ubert Labat remembers a time in Belgium when he was scouting and turned a corner to face a machine gun and three...
Brueland, Lowell Thunderbolt versus Mustang
When Lowell Brueland changed from Mustangs [Annotator’s Note: North American P-51 Mustang fighter aircraft] to...
Chaisson, Roland Tiger Tanks, Being Wounded, Going AWOL and Occupation Duty
They [Annotator's Note: Roland Chaisson and the rest of the 1st Infantry Division] retreated about eight or ten miles...
Tadewaldt, Gordon Time in the Pacific and Shanghai
Gordon Tadewaldt recalled that the USS PGM-1 had patrol duty around the Philippines. He recalled the kamikaze attacks...
Ambrose, Haney Time to Serve
Haney Ambrose was born in 1922 in Baton, Rouge, Louisiana. His father was a carpenter and farmer during the Great...
Ricks, Howard Tinian
Following Saipan, Howard Ricks and the 4th Division [Annotator's Note: Ricks was a member of Company E, 2nd Battalion,...
Struble, Charles Tinian
Charles Struble [Annotator's Note: of the 421st Bombardment Squadron, 504th Bombardment Group, 20th Air Force]...
Gackenbach, Russell Tinian
Russell Gackenbach had no idea where Tinian was located when he arrived there. He only knew it was close to Japan. At...
DiSabatino, Eugene Tinian and the Atomic Bombing of Nagasaki
Eugene DiSabatino arrived at Tinian and saw that the portion of the island that was being used by the 509th Composite...
Morgan, George Tokyo Bay Surrender
George Morgan had the unique experience of entering Tokyo Bay prior to the Japanese surrender. His ship was anchored...
Birdsall, Raymond Tokyo Rose and War's End
Raymond Birdsall [Annotator's Note: a Torpedoman 3rd Class on the USS Batfish (SS-310) serving in the Pacific] was...
Gross, Herbert Tokyo Tanks
Herbert Gross has a vivid memory of an experience with the B-24 [Annotator's Note: Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy...
Laughlin, Alexander Tommy Hitchcock
Alexander Laughlin heard his stepfather, Tommy Hitchcock [Annotator’s Note: Thomas Hitchcock Jr. was an American polo...
Gackenbach, Russell Top Secret Training
Russell Gackenbach heard rumors that his 393rd Bomb Squadron was going to move. The rumors were confirmed. [Annotator's...
Prager, Herman "Dutch" Torpedo Attack
Herman Prager participated in torpedo attacks on enemy ships. [Annotator's Note: Prager sailed on four wartime patrols...
Stone, Edward Torpedo Effectiveness
Edward Stone and his submarine [Annotator’s Note: USS Bumper (SS-333)] deployed to the Southwest Pacific after a 30 day...
Vallas, Theodore Torpedo Squadron 7 and Hawaii After
Theodore Vallas was a member of Torpedo Squadron 7 serving as a navigator and bombardier [Annotator's Note: flying from...
Lewis, Donald Torpedoed
Donald Lewis has no memory of the ship's cabin and knows this from his mother's written summary of their trip. [...
Trahan, Clifton Torpedoed and Burned
On the big merchant ships, Clifton Trahan was a fireman and water tender [Annotator's Note: Trahan worked in the engine...
Witmer, Donald Torpedoed, Sunk and Adrift at Sea
Donald Witmer recalls that toward the end of the campaign [Annotator's Note: the Okinawa Campaign], scuttlebutt had it...
Bass, Stewart Torpedoing the Yamato
Stewart Bass participated in the sinking of the Japanese battleship Yamato on 7 April 1945. Weather conditions were not...
Monteyne, Joseph Tough Last Mission
The last mission Joseph Monteyne [Annotator's Note: a navigator in the Royal Canadian Air Force 425 (Alouette) Squadron...
Rozett, Walter Tough Missions and Being Wounded
There were roughly 36 planes in each mission from the base [Annotator's Note: Royal Air Force Thurleigh in Thurleigh,...
Horne, Floyd "Bud" Toughest Mission
Floyd Horne flew a lot of missions before his D-Day missions [Annotator's Note: Allied invasion of Normandy, France on...
Keller, Jack Toughest Missions and P-51s
[Annotator's Note: Jack Keller's wife assists him throughout the interview as he had a stroke and has trouble...
Prince, Robert Touring American Defense Plants
[Annotator's Note: Robert Prince helped liberate the Cabanatuan Prison Camp, Cabanatuan City, Luzon, Philippines on 30...
Gust, Darrell Training and Assignment
When Darrell D. Gust concluded his 12 weeks of training at Santa Ana [Annotator's Note: Santa Ana Army Air Base in...
Elliott, John Training and Assignment
After about a month's wait, John Elliott reported to Santa Anna, California for pre-flight training then went to...
Saylor, Herbert Training and Deployment
Herbert Saylor was drafted shortly after graduating from high school. His father and sister brought Saylor to the train...

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