Interview with Lewis R. Hopkins, a pilot during World War II. He describes growing up on a farm in Georgia, going to college at Berry, and working for Sears, Roebuck, and the Royal Typewriter Company before joining the U. S. Navy. He tells an anecdote about joining the navy so he could go to New York to see the World's Fair, since he had heard the Atlanta Reserve would be making a trip to the Fair. He began flight training in Florida in December 1940, finished the next September, then drove cross-country to San Francisco after the Pearl Harbor attack. He eventually joined the USS Enterprise in April 1942 and saw the B-25 bombers in the Doolittle Raid take off. He was part of Bombing Squadron Six and trained under Commander Best to learn how to do scouting flights, navigation, and dive bombing. He then describes his participation in the Battle of Midway, the hours before take-off, his first view of the Japanese fleet, and his bombing mission. He was later assigned to the USS Hornet and had to fly off to a little island so that planes from the USS Wasp could land on the Hornet after their ship …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with William Turley. Turley joined the Army Air Forces in May 1943 and received basic training at Sheppard Field. He received gunnery training in Las Vegas. Upon completion, he was assigned to the 526th Bomb Squadron, 379th Bombardment Group, where he served as a ball turret gunner of a B-17. During his first mission, in Brest, the plane nearest him went down in flames while another went into a flat spin. When he returned to base, he found that his tail gunner had been killed by a piece of flak. Turley flew 32 missions, finishing in January 1945. Turley returned home and was discharged as a staff sergeant. After attending school at Tulane, he rejoined the military. As part of his duty he earned a master’s degree in political science. In 1962 he was part of a small unit assigned to help arm India along its northern border. Turley retired in 1973 as a full colonel.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Daniel Wentrcek. Wentrcek joined the Navy in July of 1941. He served as a Fireman aboard USS Nevada (BB-36) and deployed to Pearl Harbor in September. Wentrcek was aboard the ship when the Japanese attacked in December. He was later transferred to USS Chester (CA-27). They supported landings on Samoa, provided antiaircraft fire for the carriers during the Battle of the Coral Sea and supported operations in the Solomon Islands. From 1944 through mid-1945, Wentrcek served aboard the Chester during battle engagements in Alaska, Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He was discharged in November of 1945.

Concert presented at Winspear Hall at the Murchison Performing Arts Center.

Faculty recital presented at the UNT College of Music Recital Hall.