Enlistment

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Grabhorn, Edgar First Mission
Edgar A. Grabhorn was born in 1924 in Annapolis [Annotator's Note: Annapolis, Maryland]. The Depression [Annotator's...
Kiplinger, Austin Flight School
Austin H. Kiplinger went to Anacostia Naval Air Station [Annotator's Note: now Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Anacostia...
Wainwright, James Flight Training
James Eyre Wainwright was sent to Kearns, Utah and then to Santa Ana [Annotator's Note: Santa Ana, California] for...
Willford, Sandford Flight Training
Sandford Robert Willford was born in February 1922 in Los Angeles, California, with a half-brother, younger sister, and...
Bridger, Harley Flight Training
Harley Bridger entered the Army Air Corps in June 1943 at Camp Robinson in Little Rock [Annotator's Note: Little Rock,...
Lowe, Robert Flight Training Crash
Robert Lowe was at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and was sent to Palmyra Atoll for two years of guard duty. They took a radar...
Cleveland, Carleton Flight Training to Combat
[Annotator's Note: It is very difficult to understand Carleton Cleveland due to sound issues throughout this clip.]...
Jordan, Bryce Flight Training to Discharge
Bryce Jordan went on active duty in February 1943, and took a train from Chicago, Illinois to Sheppard Field, Texas [...
Lederer, Henry Flight Training, Fear, and Respect
Henry Lederer chose to enlist in the Air Corps because he always loved flying. His father took him to Grand Central...
Wood, Edward Florida Boy to Navy Sailor
Edward O. Wood, Senior was born in January 1927 in Orlando, Florida. He had two younger siblings. During the Great...
Freligh, Robert Flying an Avenger in combat
Robert Freligh probably decided to join the navy because his brother was in the army and there was most likely some...
East, Clyde Flying for Canada
Clyde East experienced a slow training program after entry into the Canadian Air Force. He was in flying school during...
Payne, Robert Flying with Dad
Robert Payne was in college during the war. He was following the course of the war. He was in ROTC [Annotator's Note:...
Luce, Dwain Forming the 82nd Airborne Division
[Annotator's Note: Dwain Luce was commissioned in the Army and completed his active-duty requirement in 1938.] Luce was...
Schilling, Ira From a Boy to a Marine
Ira Schilling was born in June 1924 in Saratoga, Texas. His parents separated when he was very young and he moved to...
Trahan, Clifton From an Orphanage to a Troop Ship
Clifton Trahan was born in October 1922 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was put in an orphanage at five years old. His...
Lesniewski, Joseph From Basic Training to Jump School
Joseph Lesniewski went into the US Army Air Forces and was sent to California. He was in ten different camps while...
Hibbard, Hershel From California to the Open Ocean
Hershel Hibbard was born in Rose Hill, Kansas in September 1925. His mother worked as a switchboard operator and his...
Wiswall, Frank From Cavalryman to Aviator
[Annotator’s Note: A woman interjects throughout this clip.] Frank A. Wiswall was born in September 1919 in Brooklyn,...
Dahlstrom, Russell From Childhood to Navy Experience
Russell Arnold Dahlstrom was born in July 1923 in Rockford, Illinois. [Annotator’s Note: A clock dings at 00:28.00] He...
Crump, Ralph From Deferment to Enlistment
In the beginning of 1943, Ralph Crump's draft status required that his boss write a letter every six months to the...
Leibold, William From Destroyer-Mine Layers to Submarines
Richard O'Kane [Annotator's Note: US Navy Rear Admiral Richard H. "Dick" O'Kane] gave William Leibold a nice 35mm...
Leibold, William From Destroyers to Subs
Richard O'Kane gave William Leibold a nice 35mm camera. O’Kane snuck it in the trunk of Leibold's car one day during a...
Mayes, Davis From Early Life to Attack on Pearl Harbor
Davis Gordon Mayes was born in February 1919 in Pontotoc, Texas. During his service in World War 2, he served on the...
Spaulding, Arthur From Enlistment to France
Arthur Spaulding decided to enlist in the Army because his brother was in the V-12 unit [Annotator's Note: V-12 US Navy...
Brien, Russel From Flight School to Italy
Russell Brien was 16 years old when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor but he does not know exactly where he was. He...
Bell, Harry From Hattiesburg to Europe
Harry Bell was born in May 1925 and grew up in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He graduated high school in May 1943 and by...
McNeely, Walter From Minnesota to France
Walter McNeely was born in St. Paul, Minnesota [Annotator’s Note: in April 1927]. During the Great Depression [...
King, Rivers From New Orleans to Guadalcanal
Rivers Richardson King was born in October 1920 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Great Depression effected his family...
Darphin, Irma "Irma Boulet" From Orange, Texas to Liverpool, England
Irma Darphin was born in Orange, Texas in August 1922. Her family moved to Crowley, Louisiana when she was one year old...
Pizzolongo, Paul From Pearl Harbor to England to Paris
Paul Pizzolongo was already in the Army and was returning from maneuvers in Pennsylvania when he heard about Pearl...
Phillips, Sidney From Pearl Harbor to Parris Island
Sidney Philips remembers hearing about Pearl Harbor while sitting at a drug store counter on the corner of Dauphin and...
Aust, Abner From Picking Cotton to Flying Fighters
Abner Aust was born in Scooba, Mississippi. He took civilian pilot training in college. When he finished he went to...
White, Alexander From Poland to America and into the US Army
The journey to the American Zone took Alexander White through Czechoslovakia westward to a displaced persons camp where...
Faust, Frank From School to the Navy
Frank Faust was born in January 1916 in New Orleans [Annotator's Note: New Orleans, Louisiana]. His father worked for...
Whitaker, Harold From the Merchant Marine to High School
By the time Harold Whitaker made his first voyage carrying grain to North Africa the war in Europe was over so there...

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