Oral History Interview with Richard Heyman, December 4, 2014 transcript

Oral History Interview with Richard Heyman, December 4, 2014

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Richard Heyman. Heyman joined the Army in June, 1942. Once he was in, he qualified for flight training. Once he finished flight schools and was commissioned, he was assigned to the 364th Fighter Squadron and shipped to England in January, 1944. Once there, he began flying bomber escort missions over France and Germany. He flew 300 combat hours in a P-38 or a P-51 before going back to the US to serve as an instructor. Toward the end of the war, Heyman was flying jet airplanes in the US. He was recalled to the service for the Korean War and stayed in through Vietnam. He flew another 300 combat hours in Korea and dozens of missions in two tours over North Vietnam and Laos.
Date: December 4, 2014
Creator: Heyman, Richard
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Richard Heyman, December 4, 2014 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Richard Heyman, December 4, 2014

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Richard Heyman. Heyman joined the Army in June, 1942. Once he was in, he qualified for flight training. Once he finished flight schools and was commissioned, he was assigned to the 364th Fighter Squadron and shipped to England in January, 1944. Once there, he began flying bomber escort missions over France and Germany. He flew 300 combat hours in a P-38 or a P-51 before going back to the US to serve as an instructor. Toward the end of the war, Heyman was flying jet airplanes in the US. He was recalled to the service for the Korean War and stayed in through Vietnam. He flew another 300 combat hours in Korea and dozens of missions in two tours over North Vietnam and Laos.
Date: December 4, 2014
Creator: Heyman, Richard
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Robert Alma, February 4, 2014 transcript

Oral History Interview with Robert Alma, February 4, 2014

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Alma. Alma went into the Army Air Forces in March 1943 and trained in Florida before training as an engine mechanic. He went overseas in March, 1946 to Germany. There he repaired aircraft engines.
Date: February 4, 2014
Creator: Alma, Robert
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Robert Alma, February 4, 2014 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Robert Alma, February 4, 2014

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Alma. Alma went into the Army Air Forces in March 1943 and trained in Florida before training as an engine mechanic. He went overseas in March, 1946 to Germany. There he repaired aircraft engines.
Date: February 4, 2014
Creator: Alma, Robert
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Robert McBride, June 4, 2014 transcript

Oral History Interview with Robert McBride, June 4, 2014

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents on oral interview with Robert McBride. McBride volunteered in the Army Air Forces in October, 1942 after having taken a course on aircraft mechanics. He served as a flight engineer aboard bombers before applying for the same position aboard B-29s. He was accepted and went to an officer training course, graduating in September, 1945 before being assigned as a flight engineer. He eventually went to pilot training. He served in Korea flying fighters. When he returned from Korea, he was assigned to Strategic Air Command. McBride retired in 1973.
Date: June 4, 2014
Creator: McBride, Robert W.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Robert McBride, June 4, 2014 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Robert McBride, June 4, 2014

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents on oral interview with Robert McBride. McBride volunteered in the Army Air Forces in October, 1942 after having taken a course on aircraft mechanics. He served as a flight engineer aboard bombers before applying for the same position aboard B-29s. He was accepted and went to an officer training course, graduating in September, 1945 before being assigned as a flight engineer. He eventually went to pilot training. He served in Korea flying fighters. When he returned from Korea, he was assigned to Strategic Air Command. McBride retired in 1973.
Date: June 4, 2014
Creator: McBride, Robert W.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Robert Vollmer, August 4, 2014 transcript

Oral History Interview with Robert Vollmer, August 4, 2014

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Vollmer. Vollmer was drafted into the Army in March, 1943. As his unit, the 66th Infantry Division, was arriving in France, his ship was torpedoed and hundreds of men from his division drowned. Vollmer stayed with the 66th throughout the France campaign and was still on hand for occupation duty around Koblenz before he went to Austria for occupation duty. He returned home and was discharged in April, 1946.
Date: August 4, 2014
Creator: Vollmer, Robert
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Robert Vollmer, August 4, 2014 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Robert Vollmer, August 4, 2014

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Vollmer. Vollmer was drafted into the Army in March, 1943. As his unit, the 66th Infantry Division, was arriving in France, his ship was torpedoed and hundreds of men from his division drowned. Vollmer stayed with the 66th throughout the France campaign and was still on hand for occupation duty around Koblenz before he went to Austria for occupation duty. He returned home and was discharged in April, 1946.
Date: August 4, 2014
Creator: Vollmer, Robert
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with William Mehling, September 4, 2014 transcript

Oral History Interview with William Mehling, September 4, 2014

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William G. Mehling. Mehling was born in Alexandria, Indiana on 1 October 1924. In April 1943, he was drafted into the Army. Following basic training at Camp Roberts, California, he was sent to the Army Specialized Training Program at Stanford University, then to Indiana University for a nine month course in engineering. In May 1944 he was sent to Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky for refresher basic training, then to Fort Campbell for combat engineer training. In November 1944 Mehling sailed for Marseilles, France as a member of the 1271st Combat Engineers, attached to the 7th Army, 75th Infantry Division. After a brief stay in Marseilles, the unit went to a small town in Alsace-Lorraine. By April 1945 they were near the front laying mine fields, clearing German mine fields, and building Bailey bridges. The 1271st followed the 75th south to Austria and almost to the Italian border. After the German surrender in May, they went to Antwerp, Belgium in preparation for transfer to the Pacific. Before that could happen, the war ended. Mehling returned to the US in December 1945 and was discharged on 3 January 1946.
Date: September 4, 2014
Creator: Mehling, William
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with William Mehling, September 4, 2014 (open access)

Oral History Interview with William Mehling, September 4, 2014

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William G. Mehling. Mehling was born in Alexandria, Indiana on 1 October 1924. In April 1943, he was drafted into the Army. Following basic training at Camp Roberts, California, he was sent to the Army Specialized Training Program at Stanford University, then to Indiana University for a nine month course in engineering. In May 1944 he was sent to Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky for refresher basic training, then to Fort Campbell for combat engineer training. In November 1944 Mehling sailed for Marseilles, France as a member of the 1271st Combat Engineers, attached to the 7th Army, 75th Infantry Division. After a brief stay in Marseilles, the unit went to a small town in Alsace-Lorraine. By April 1945 they were near the front laying mine fields, clearing German mine fields, and building Bailey bridges. The 1271st followed the 75th south to Austria and almost to the Italian border. After the German surrender in May, they went to Antwerp, Belgium in preparation for transfer to the Pacific. Before that could happen, the war ended. Mehling returned to the US in December 1945 and was discharged on 3 January 1946.
Date: September 4, 2014
Creator: Mehling, William
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History