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.

Scope and Contents In this two-part oral history, fighter ace Leslie C. Smith is interviewed about his military service with the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. In part one, he describes his wartime experiences as a fighter pilot, including his time in the European Theater with the 56th Fighter Group. Topics discussed include his personal background, his training and service history, stories about fellow servicemen, and flight logistics for bomber escort missions. In part two, he...

Scope and Contents In this two-part oral history, fighter ace John S. Stewart 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 China-India-Burma Theater with the 76th Fighter Squadron of the 23rd Fighter Group. Topics discussed include his service history, notable combat missions while stationed in China, and his aerial victories. Special focus on a combat mission over Lingling on July...

Scope and Contents In this two-part oral history, fighter ace James E. Swett 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 stationed in the Solomon Islands with Marine Fighting Squadron 221 (VMF-221). Special focus on two combat missions in 1943 in which Swett scored aerial victories and was later shot down. On one of these missions, Swett’s actions earned him the Congressional Medal of...

Scope and Contents Fighter ace Harry W. Swinburne is interviewed about his military service with the United States Navy during World War II. He describes his wartime experiences as a fighter pilot, including his time stationed on the USS San Jacinto (CVL-30) with Fighting Squadron 45 (VF-45). Special focus on a combat mission on March 28, 1944, in which Swinburne scored victories against two Japanese gunboats east of Okinawa. Afterwards, he piloted his severely damaged Grumman F6F Hellcat back to the carrier...

Scope and Contents Fighter ace John F. Thornell 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 stationed in England with the 328th Fighter Squadron of the 352nd Fighter Group. Special focus on four combat missions that took place in 1944: a skip-bombing mission against a German submarine pen (March 11, 1944), a bomber escort mission against Northeim, Germany (April 19, 1944), a bomber escort...

Scope and Contents In this two-part oral history, fighter ace Reade F. Tilley discusses his military service with the Royal Air Force during World War II. In part one, he describes his wartime experiences as a fighter pilot, including his time in the European and Mediterranean Theaters with No. 121 Squadron and No. 601 Squadron. Topics discussed include his initial attempts to become a volunteer pilot during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) and the Russo-Finnish War (1939-1940), his enlistment and training...

Scope and Contents This recording contains a humorous wartime story from fighter ace John W. Topliff, which he told to attendees at the 38th anniversary celebration for Fighting Squadron 8 (VF-8) in 1981. The story focuses on an incident from Topliff’s time as a replacement pilot with Fighting Squadron 26 (VF-26), prior to his assignment to VF-8 in 1943. While returning from a mission, he became separated from his unit and crashed while trying to hail a passing ship. Though he was rescued and brought back to...

Scope and Contents Audio recording of an oral history with fighter ace Franklin W. Troup, circa 1990. Originally contained in an mailing envelope addressed to Eric M. Hammel. Accompanying handwritten note to Hammel was dated January 11, 1990. Postmark stamp on envelope was dated April 1990. Microcassette 1 of 1.Abstract from transcript: Fighter ace Franklin W. Troup discusses his military service with the United States Navy during World War II. Special focus is given to a combat air patrol mission...

Scope and Contents Audio recordings of an oral history with fighter ace Paul S. Bechtel, circa 1980s-1990s. Two microcassettes.Abstract from transcripts: In this two-part oral history, fighter ace Paul S. Bechtel discusses his military service with the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. In part one, he describes his wartime experiences as a fighter pilot, including his training with the 31st Pursuit Group and his time with the 12th Pursuit Group in the Pacific Theater. He focuses in...