The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Howard Boyd. Boyd was drafted into the Army Air Forces in December, 1942 and took basic training at Wichita Falls. From there, he went to aerial gunnery school at Harlingen. He was then assigned as a ball turret gunner on a B-17 and began training with a crew. Once he got to England, he was assigned to the 339th Bomb Squadron, 96th Bomb Group in England. He flew on 30 combat missions starting in March, 1944. Boyd shares several anecdotes from his combat missions. He returned to the US in August 1944 and became an instructor. Boyd was discharged in October.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Howard Boyd. Boyd was drafted into the Army Air Forces in December, 1942 and took basic training at Wichita Falls. From there, he went to aerial gunnery school at Harlingen. He was then assigned as a ball turret gunner on a B-17 and began training with a crew. Once he got to England, he was assigned to the 339th Bomb Squadron, 96th Bomb Group in England. He flew on 30 combat missions starting in March, 1944. Boyd shares several anecdotes from his combat missions. He returned to the US in August 1944 and became an instructor. Boyd was discharged in October.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Linton “Pete” Estes. Born in Clayton, New Mexico 19 December 1920, Estes graduated from the University of Texas. He and his brother John took Civilian Pilot Training courses together. The brothers then took advanced training and upon receiving their licenses, became instructors for Wichita Falls (Texas) Air Transport Company training pilots for the military. Through the fall of 1941 Estes taught and graduated one class of future Army pilots and one class of future Navy pilots. Soon after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the brothers signed on to The Central Instructor School at Kelly Field, Texas and upon completing the course, were commissioned and became military flight instructors. Later, by coincidence, both were ordered to report to Anchorage, Alaska. Upon arrival the brothers were assigned as operations officers in the Aleutians. Estes was sent to Adak and his brother John to Amchitka. While on Adak, Estes flew mail and supplies to outlying islands. After a few months both were transferred back to Anchorage, from which they flew various staff members and supplies to different destinations. While the brothers were on leave, Japan surrendered and soon thereafter, both were …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Linton “Pete” Estes. Born in Clayton, New Mexico 19 December 1920, Estes graduated from the University of Texas. He and his brother John took Civilian Pilot Training courses together. The brothers then took advanced training and upon receiving their licenses, became instructors for Wichita Falls (Texas) Air Transport Company training pilots for the military. Through the fall of 1941 Estes taught and graduated one class of future Army pilots and one class of future Navy pilots. Soon after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the brothers signed on to The Central Instructor School at Kelly Field, Texas and upon completing the course, were commissioned and became military flight instructors. Later, by coincidence, both were ordered to report to Anchorage, Alaska. Upon arrival the brothers were assigned as operations officers in the Aleutians. Estes was sent to Adak and his brother John to Amchitka. While on Adak, Estes flew mail and supplies to outlying islands. After a few months both were transferred back to Anchorage, from which they flew various staff members and supplies to different destinations. While the brothers were on leave, Japan surrendered and soon thereafter, both were …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Milton Gebhard. Gebhard joined the Army Air Forces in January 1944. He was trained as an infantryman and served in Okinawa after the battle had ended. Gebhard worked as a guard for Japanese prisoners for seven months. He was discharged when he returned to the US.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Lile Springs. Springs was born 14 April 1925, in Hope, Arkansas. He worked on a farm with his father until 1943. He received a draft notice, though after his examinations he received a 4-F classification, unfit for military service. Springs went on to welding school in Little Rock. He later worked on welding war ships in Mobile at the Gulf Shipbuilding Corporation, and in Bremerton, Washington at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. In 1945, he joined the Washington State Guard, and in November Springs was accepted into the Army Air Forces. He made the Air Force his career for the following 30 years. He retired in November, 1975 from the 12th Air Force at Bergstrom AFB in Austin, Texas. During his military career, Springs served as Base Sergeant Major and Cofounder and Commandant of the NCO Leadership School at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan. He also served as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to Major General Davis, Headquarters 19th Air Force, Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina. Springs also served in the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Milton Gebhard. Gebhard joined the Army Air Forces in January 1944. He was trained as an infantryman and served in Okinawa after the battle had ended. Gebhard worked as a guard for Japanese prisoners for seven months. He was discharged when he returned to the US.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert O. Andrews where he discusses his childhood and education and what led him to join the Air Force. He describes his experiences in the Pacific Theatre and over Asia during World War two.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Lile Springs. Springs was born 14 April 1925, in Hope, Arkansas. He worked on a farm with his father until 1943. He received a draft notice, though after his examinations he received a 4-F classification, unfit for military service. Springs went on to welding school in Little Rock. He later worked on welding war ships in Mobile at the Gulf Shipbuilding Corporation, and in Bremerton, Washington at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. In 1945, he joined the Washington State Guard, and in November Springs was accepted into the Army Air Forces. He made the Air Force his career for the following 30 years. He retired in November, 1975 from the 12th Air Force at Bergstrom AFB in Austin, Texas. During his military career, Springs served as Base Sergeant Major and Cofounder and Commandant of the NCO Leadership School at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan. He also served as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to Major General Davis, Headquarters 19th Air Force, Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina. Springs also served in the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with David Rust. Rust joined the Army Air Forces on his eighteenth birthday. He was trained as an aerial gunner and then was sent to flight school to become a pilot. Rust was sent to the 23rd Fighter Group in China and flew P-40s. He flew bomber escort and ground support missions. Rust describes the differences between P-40s and P-51s. He rotated back to the US after completing 100 missions. Rust became a member of the reserves after the war and volunteered for duty in the Korean War. He describes being shot-down on his 43rd mission and nearly drowning in a river. Rust remained on active duty for several more years and eventually became a jet pilot.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Alebis. Alebis was born in Detroit, Michigan on 7 February 1926 to immigrant Lithuanian parents. Upon entering the Army Air Forces in May 1944, he was sent to Shepherd Field, Texas for basic training. After three weeks of training he was sent to gunnery school at Las Vegas, Nevada. He describes the training he received as a gunner. Upon completion of gunnery training he was sent to Ellsworth Field, North Dakota where he was assigned to a B-17 bomber crew as right waist gunner. The crew flew a B-17 to Capital Stone, England, arriving on 5 April 1945. Upon arrival Alebis was assigned to the 398th Bomb Group, 605th Bomb Squadron. He flew three bombing missions and describes them from the beginning of the day to the return to base. Following the surrender of Germany the unit began flying survey mission over Europe and he describes the devastation he saw. On 1 June 1945 he returned to the United States and was sent to McDill Field, Florida to begin training as a gunner on a B-29. With the surrender of Japan, his training was curtailed and he …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with David Rust. Rust joined the Army Air Forces on his eighteenth birthday. He was trained as an aerial gunner and then was sent to flight school to become a pilot. Rust was sent to the 23rd Fighter Group in China and flew P-40s. He flew bomber escort and ground support missions. Rust describes the differences between P-40s and P-51s. He rotated back to the US after completing 100 missions. Rust became a member of the reserves after the war and volunteered for duty in the Korean War. He describes being shot-down on his 43rd mission and nearly drowning in a river. Rust remained on active duty for several more years and eventually became a jet pilot.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Alebis. Alebis was born in Detroit, Michigan on 7 February 1926 to immigrant Lithuanian parents. Upon entering the Army Air Forces in May 1944, he was sent to Shepherd Field, Texas for basic training. After three weeks of training he was sent to gunnery school at Las Vegas, Nevada. He describes the training he received as a gunner. Upon completion of gunnery training he was sent to Ellsworth Field, North Dakota where he was assigned to a B-17 bomber crew as right waist gunner. The crew flew a B-17 to Capital Stone, England, arriving on 5 April 1945. Upon arrival Alebis was assigned to the 398th Bomb Group, 605th Bomb Squadron. He flew three bombing missions and describes them from the beginning of the day to the return to base. Following the surrender of Germany the unit began flying survey mission over Europe and he describes the devastation he saw. On 1 June 1945 he returned to the United States and was sent to McDill Field, Florida to begin training as a gunner on a B-29. With the surrender of Japan, his training was curtailed and he …