Entrance into Service

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Schicker, Tom First Four Weeks of Boot Camp
One DI [Annotator's Note: drill instructor], a Corporal Carlin [Annotator's Note: phonetic spelling; unable to identify...
Welch, Darrell First Kill in Iceland
Darrell Welch liked to say that he flew from England to North Africa and started a war. Rommel [Annotator's Note:...
Grabhorn, Edgar First Mission
Edgar A. Grabhorn was born in 1924 in Annapolis [Annotator's Note: Annapolis, Maryland]. The Depression [Annotator's...
Welch, Darrell First P-38 Lost
After flight school Darrell Welch joined the 27th Squadron, which is the oldest squadron, and the 1st Group, which is...
Paynter, Don Flak and Mission Rates
[Annotator's Note: Donald Dean Paynter arrived England around the middle of June 1944]. They started training there. He...
Kiplinger, Austin Flight School
Austin H. Kiplinger went to Anacostia Naval Air Station [Annotator's Note: now Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Anacostia...
Loring, Bud Flight Training
Learning how to fly was quite a job for Bud Loring. He had never flown before in his life. They had civilian...
Wainwright, James Flight Training
James Eyre Wainwright was sent to Kearns, Utah and then to Santa Ana [Annotator's Note: Santa Ana, California] for...
Whitman, Philip Flight Training
Philip Whitman first flew in June 1943. It was very difficult for him, but he blamed his instructor. He could feel his...
Carlson, Donald Flight Training
Donald Albert Carlson enlisted in the Army Air Force [Annotator's Note: in September 1942]. He got on a train from Penn...
Kaiser, Raymond Flight Training
In the middle of 1941, the draft was extended to 18 months [Annotator's Note: the amount of time to be served]. Raymond...
Willford, Sandford Flight Training
Sandford Robert Willford was born in February 1922 in Los Angeles, California, with a half-brother, younger sister, and...
Welch, Darrell Flight Training
Once Darrell Welch decided to become a pilot, he decided it was a good calling. He never had any trouble in flight...
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,...
Fulton, Joseph Flight Training
[Annotator’s Note: There is background noise throughout this segment.] Joseph Fulton Jr. was born in March 1923 in...
Reese, Lloyd Flight training and Europe
Lloyd Reese trained to be a bombardier on the AT-11 [Annotator’s Note: Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan] and then the B-24 [...
Cleveland, Carleton Flight Training to Combat
[Annotator's Note: It is very difficult to understand Carleton Cleveland due to sound issues throughout this clip.]...
Aldous, Robert Flight Training to New Guinea
Robert G. Aldous went to Wichita Falls, Texas to Sheppard Field in August [Annotator's Note: August 1943] and it was "...
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...
Ammerman, Gale Flying a Broken Glider and Combat
Gale Ammerman had trained at the Alliance Army Airfield in Nebraska. He was only there a few weeks then went to North...
Jordan, Bryce Flying and Teaching Acrobatics
For Bryce Jordan, PT-19 training [Annotator's Note: Fairchild PT-19 primary trainer aircraft] was not his first trip in...
Race, John "Jack Race" Flying for the British
John T. "Jack" Race received his commission in February 1943. Since he was on detached service with the British [...
Cauble, Raymond Flying the B-24
Raymond Cauble just wanted to fly. There was a boy with them on the train to California. When they graduated, he went...
Welch, Darrell Flying the P-38
Darrell Welch was assigned to the 1st Fighter Group [Annotator's Note: 27th Fighter Squadron, 1st Fighter Group]. There...
McDermott, James Flying to England
James McDermott considered the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress the best airplane there was. He did not like the B-24 [...
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:...
Van Huylenbrouck, Omer Forming a Crew
Omer Van Huylenbrouck was assigned to a crew [Annotator's Note: Van Huylenbrouck indicates to the interviewer he has a...
Geary, Joseph Forming A Crew
[Annotator's Note: Joseph Geary finished navigation school and was assigned to a crew at Davis-Monthan Field, now Davis...
Kneflin, Charles Forming the 29th Bombardment Group
[Annotator's Note: Charles Kneflin was sent to Camp Shelby, Mississippi for combat engineer training, which he did not...
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...
Barnett, Robert Forming the Scouts and Raiders
[Annotator's Note: Robert Barnett looks for some notes.] The Scouts and Raiders was formed in 1942. They [Annotator's...
Jacobson, Martin Forming the Underwater Demolition Teams
Martin Jacobson underwent demolition training at Fort Pierce, Florida. He also learned sneak and peek, or surreptitious...
Shapiro, Lester Frenchy the Cajun
Lester Shapiro's experience before getting to Burma [Annotator's Note: present day Myanmar], was guarding some oil...
Duffy, Donald From a Cleveland Boy to an Infantryman
Donald Louis Duffy was born in February 1924 and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. His father worked in a factory until he...
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...

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