Hatch, Herbert B., Jr. -- oral history interview , 1989

File — Box: 10

Scope and Contents

Fighter ace Herbert B. “Stub” Hatch, Jr. discusses his military service with the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. He describes his wartime experiences as a fighter pilot, including his time in the Mediterranean Theater with the 71st Fighter Squadron of the 1st Fighter Group. Special focus on a dive-bombing mission against an oil refinery in Ploiești, Romania on June 10, 1944. During the mission, Hatch scored several aerial victories and became “an ace in a day.”

Dates

Creation: 1989

Creator

From the Collection: American Fighter Aces Association (Organization)

Language of Materials

From the Collection:

All materials are in English.

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research. Due to preservation concerns, digital copies should be utilized instead of original materials. There is limited access to undigitized content.

Biographical Note: Herbert B. Hatch, Jr.

Herbert B. “Stub” Hatch, Jr. was born on May 23, 1918 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He joined the United States Army Air Forces in 1942 and graduated from flight training the following year. Deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, Hatch served with the 71st Fighter Squadron of the 1st Fighter Group, based in Foggia, Italy. He became “an ace in day” on June 10, 1944, when he shot down five enemy aircraft during a dogfight over Romania. Hatch left the military after the war and, in his civilian life, operated a Chevrolet dealership in northern California. He passed away in 2002.