Oral History Interview with John McCall, July 13, 2003 transcript

Oral History Interview with John McCall, July 13, 2003

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dr John McCall. After one college semester, McCall was drafted into the military and volunteered for a meteorology program. He took basic training at Keesler Field, Mississippi and in May 1943 began his academic training at the University of Chicago. After less than six months, his class got cancelled. Someone decided they didn't need as many weather forecasters as originally planned. McCall went to take basic training again, at Jefferson Barracks in St Louis, Missouri. Still hoping to learn a trade rather than just simply going to the trenches, McCall re-tested and re-classified and was given a choice between several program; he choose weather observing. He was sent to Chanute Field, Illinois for training and then to Rattlesnake Army Air Base in Pyote, Texas where he served as a weather observer for just over one year. McCall describes in detail his activities as a weather observer during his time at the base. Eventually, about half of the weather observers at the station were sent overseas and McCall was on a ship sailing for Hawaii when the war with Japan ended. Someone decided to send all the replacements to …
Date: July 13, 2003
Creator: McCall, John
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with John McCall, July 13, 2003 (open access)

Oral History Interview with John McCall, July 13, 2003

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dr John McCall. After one college semester, McCall was drafted into the military and volunteered for a meteorology program. He took basic training at Keesler Field, Mississippi and in May 1943 began his academic training at the University of Chicago. After less than six months, his class got cancelled. Someone decided they didn't need as many weather forecasters as originally planned. McCall went to take basic training again, at Jefferson Barracks in St Louis, Missouri. Still hoping to learn a trade rather than just simply going to the trenches, McCall re-tested and re-classified and was given a choice between several program; he choose weather observing. He was sent to Chanute Field, Illinois for training and then to Rattlesnake Army Air Base in Pyote, Texas where he served as a weather observer for just over one year. McCall describes in detail his activities as a weather observer during his time at the base. Eventually, about half of the weather observers at the station were sent overseas and McCall was on a ship sailing for Hawaii when the war with Japan ended. Someone decided to send all the replacements to …
Date: July 13, 2003
Creator: McCall, John
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History