Scope and Contents In this three-part oral history, fighter aces I. B. Jack Donalson and Andrew J. Reynolds are interviewed about their military service with the United States Army Air Corps during World War II. They describe their wartime experiences as fighter pilots with the 21st Pursuit Squadron and 20th Pursuit Squadron, respectively, as well as their time together in the 9th Fighter Squadron. Topics discussed include military life and conditions in the Philippines, Java, and Australia; Donalson’s escape...

Scope and Contents Fighter aces George C. Duncan and John R. Strane are interviewed about their military service with the United States Navy during World War II. They describe their wartime experiences as fighter pilots and their time in the Pacific Theater with Fighting Squadron 15 (VF-15). Duncan also touches briefly on memorable incidents from his postwar Navy career. Topics discussed include the service history of VF-15 aboard the USS Essex (CV-9) and various combat missions in the South and Central...

Scope and Contents This two-part recording contains conversations between German and American fighter pilots regarding their military service during World War II. The conversations took place during a goodwill meeting between the American Fighter Aces Association and the Luftwaffe Fighter Pilots’ Association that was held in Germany in May 1961. Excerpts from these recordings were later used in a highlight reel about the event.Identified speakers in part one include Eugene A. Valencia, Vice...

Scope and Contents In this brief oral history, fighter ace David L. “Tex” Hill is interviewed about his military service with the United States Armed Forces during World War II. He describes his wartime experiences as a fighter pilot, including his time with the American Volunteer Group in China and his time with the 412th Fighter Group, the first American unit to fly jets. Topics discussed include aerial combat tactics, a combat mission over Hengyang, and Hill’s flight in a captured Japanese “Zeke” fighter...

Scope and Contents In this nine-part oral history, Hubert “Hub” Zemke is interviewed about his military service with the U.S. Army Air Forces and U.S. Air Force. In part one, he describes his wartime experiences as a fighter pilot during World War II, focusing in particular on his time as group commander of the 56th Fighter Group in England. He also touches on his time as a prisoner of war at Stalag Luft I (Germany). Other topics discussed include his personal and family background, his thoughts on the...

Scope and Contents This recording contains one-on-one interviews with fighter aces Joseph J. Foss, Earling W. Zaeske, Daniel G. Cunningham, and Frank L. Lawlor. The interviewees discuss their wartime experiences as fighter pilots and share details about their naval aviation careers during World War II. Topics discussed include notable combat missions, aerial victories, and stories about fellow pilots. The interviews are conducted by fellow fighter ace Eugene A. Valencia during an unspecified event,...

Contents of the Collection From the Collection: The American Fighter Aces Association (AFAA) Oral Interviews consists of oral histories with approximately 120 fighter aces and several non-aces, including relatives of aces, other military pilots, and military historians, recorded from the 1960s through the 1990s. It also contains several recorded events connected to fighter pilots, such as reunions and goodwill meetings, plus some assorted commercial recordings related to military aviation. The interviews, events, and commercial recordings...

Scope and Contents This recording contains one-on-one interviews with Naval Aviators Daniel R. Rehm, Charles M. Mallory, Paul J. Fontana, Marion E. Carl, Robert C. Coats, Donald E. Runyon, and George Blair. Rehm, Mallory, Carl, Coats, and Runyon briefly describe their military careers and recall notable combat missions from their service during World War II. Blair shares a few details about an aerial victory he scored with his belly tank and about his rescue after being shot down in Truk Lagoon. Fontana...

Scope and Contents

Fighter ace Marion E. Carl discusses his military service with the United States Marine Corps during World War II. He describes his wartime experiences as a fighter pilot, including his time in the Pacific Theater with Marine Fighting Squadron 221 (VMF-221) and Marine Fighting Squadron 223 (VMF-223). Topics discussed include his personal background, his combat missions on Midway and Guadalcanal, and his thoughts on various aircraft. He also touches briefly on his postwar military career.

Scope and Contents

Fighter ace Armistead B. Smith, Jr. discusses his military service with the United States Navy during World War II. He describes his wartime experiences as a fighter pilot, including his time with Fighting Squadron 9 (VF-9) in the Mediterranean and Pacific Theaters. Topics discussed include the comradery of VF-9 and a combat mission to Truk Lagoon.