A faculty and guest artist recital performed at the UNT College of Music Recital Hall.

Interview with Boyd K. Miller, a draftsman and pilot during World War II. He discusses being drafted out of college and working as an artist and draftsman. Since he studied art in college, he worked on diagrams and charts. He then transferred to the Air Corps to become a pilot and trained in Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Alabama, New York, Georgia, Florida and Texas.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Hamilton McWhorter. McWhorter was born in Athens, Georgia on 8 February 1921 and enrolled in a Civilian Pilot Training Program while in college. He enlisted in the Navy in June 1941 with a pilot’s license. He received his Aviator wings at Pensacola in February 1942. His first assignment was to Fighter Squadron Nine (VF-9) at Norfolk, Virginia. He was flying the much-maligned Brewster Buffalo (F2A-3) trainer when he had the only flight accident of his career at an airfield in Miami, Florida. His first combat flight was off the USS Ranger (CV-4) just off Morocco in support of the invasion of North Africa in November 1942. He was transferred to the USS Yorktown (CV-10) in August 1943. His combat missions in the Pacific consisted of strafing runs on islands and escorting bombers and torpedo planes over Wake Island during which he encountered his first Japanese Mitsubishi A6M (Zero). He shot down another Zero while making a strafing run on Wake Island. He also attacked Rabaul on 11 November 1943 while escorting American bombers. He remembers a strafing run on the Japanese heavy cruiser Mogami, and he shot down …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ernest Dege. Dege joined the Navy in 1940. He was stationed on Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked. Shortly after the attack, Dege was transferred to Philadelphia to complete schooling on super-heated boilers. Beginning April of 1944, he served as a Fireman aboard USS Wisconsin (BB-64). They traveled to Australia, Guadalcanal and Tulagi.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Dana S. Green. Green joined the Army Air Forces in March, 1943. Ha made it through pilot training before switching to radio operator/gunner. Once Green arrived in England in October, 1944, he was assigned to the 305th Bomb Group in Chelveston, England. When the war in Europe ended, Green was shipped to California to await reassignment to a B-29 crew.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Harrison Gunter. Gunter joined the Navy in June, 1942 as an aviation cadet. He trained in Georgia and Texas before receiving his commission. He then opted to transfer to the Marine Corps. He was retained as a flight instructor. In January, 1945, Gunter was sent to Guam and flew C-47s hauling personnel all over the Pacific. His squadron was VMR-952. When the war ended, his unit went to occupation duty in Japan. Gunter was discharged in 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Boyd K. Miller. He discusses being drafted out of college, working as an artist/draftsman making diagrams and charts since he studied art in college, then transfering to the Air Corps to become a pilot, and the various training he went through in Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Alabama, New York, Georgia, Florida and Texas.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Joe Parker. Parker joined the Marine Corps on 8 December 1941. He traveled to New Zealand, practicing jungle warfare training. He participated in the Guadalcanal Campaign, was shot three times by October of 1942, and received three Purple Hearts. He was hospitalized on the island of Efate, where he personally met Eleanor Roosevelt. He ultimately returned to the US aboard the USS Mercy (AH-8). He never returned to combat due to his injuries, and was discharged in late 1945.

Recital presented at First United Methodist Church in Denton, TX.

Recital presented at the UNT College of Music Recital Hall.

Recital presented at the UNT College of Music Recital Hall.

Recital presented at the UNT College of Music Recital Hall in partial fulfillment of the Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree.