Oral History Interview with Jerell E. Crow, August 24, 2002 transcript

Oral History Interview with Jerell E. Crow, August 24, 2002

Interview with Jerell E. Crow. He entered the Coast Guard in 1940 and trained in Florida and New York City. He served aboard a Landing Ship, Tank (LST) when those ships were first introduced. He traveled to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to the Neville Island Shipyard operated by the Dravo Corporation as part of a crew that brought an LST down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. From there, the crew practiced operations at Biloxi, Mississippi. Eventually, Crow travelled to San Diego aboard the LST through the Panama Canal. From there, he went to Guadalcanal and unloaded tanks. Eventually, his ship was hit at Saipan and he was wounded. He also served aboard an LST during the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Afterwards, Crow's LST was present in Tokyo Bay for the surrender. He visited Hiroshima while on occupation duty after the atomic bomb was dropped. Eventually, his LST made its way back to San Francisco where he was discharged.
Date: August 24, 2002
Creator: Rabalais, Larry & Crow, Jerell E.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Aircraft Delivery Memorandum #3] (open access)

[Aircraft Delivery Memorandum #3]

Orders for WASP Gayle D. Ewing to ferry a P-510 aircraft from Grand Prairie, Texas to an Air Force base in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Date: July 25, 1944
Creator: 555th Army Air Forces Base Unit - 5th Ferrying Group
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Clipping: Girl Flyers Who Tow Targets May Be Real "Soldiers" Soon] (open access)

[Clipping: Girl Flyers Who Tow Targets May Be Real "Soldiers" Soon]

Newspaper clipping of articles about the WASP, how it feels to fly a plane, a dance that will be held to raise funds for infantile paralysis, the marriage of teacher Batrice Howell, war bonds, and more.
Date: January 21, 1944
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Clipping
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard of Liberty Bridge in Pittsburgh]

Postcard of the Liberty Bridge over the Monogahela River in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as well as the skyline of the city, seen from Liberty Tunnels. A handwritten note addressed to Miss Helen H. Aten from Woodrow W. Aten at Camp Campbell says "Dear Helen and all. This is Pittsburgh. I just came back to the station after having had some chop suey. It was good but does become rather sickening if one tries to eat all. I had a three hour wait here - from 8:25 to 11:25. The train was quite dirty on the way here. Weather just a bit cool. Bro. Woodrow."
Date: May 22, 1943
Creator: Aten, Woodrow W.
Object Type: Postcard
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from Cornelia Yerkes, September 10, 1944?] (open access)

[Letter from Cornelia Yerkes, September 10, 1944?]

Letter from WASP Cornelia Yerkes discussing visiting her friend Billy and her recent travels ferrying aircraft. Written on American Airlines Sky Harbor Airport stationary.
Date: 1944-09-10?
Creator: Kafka, Cornelia V. Yerkes
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from Cornelia Yerkes, May 28, 1944] (open access)

[Letter from Cornelia Yerkes, May 28, 1944]

Letter from Cornelia Yerkes discussing flying over Pennsylvania, riding in a DC-3 with no seats, Newark Airport, Pittsburgh, recent correspondence and news about people.
Date: May 28, 1944
Creator: Kafka, Cornelia V. Yerkes
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History

Oral History Interview with Richard L. Johnston, February 17, 1999

Access: Use of this item is restricted to the UNT Community
Interview with William J. Alexander, a Army WWII veteran from Universal, Pennsylvania, who served as an officer of the 382nd Engineer Battalion (Separate), a unit of black enlisted troops. Alexander discusses growing up, joining the Civilian Conservation Corps, joining the Army and commissioning through OCS, training, deployment to India, building the Ledo Road, General Joseph Stilwell, constructing the 20th Bomber Command HQ, working in a steelmill, the atomic bomb, returning home, and postwar service.
Date: February 17, 1999
Creator: Alexander, William J. & Johnston, Richard L.
Object Type: Book
System: The UNT Digital Library
[Letter from Bill to Cornelia Yerkes, Spring 1943] (open access)

[Letter from Bill to Cornelia Yerkes, Spring 1943]

Letter to Cornelia "Connie" Yerkes from her nephew Bill discussing flight training, his family, the weather, food shortages, school, and Cornelia's husband Dick. At the top of the first page is an address for "Mrs. W. St. Clair Childs."
Date: Spring 1943
Creator: Bill
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from Cornelia Yerkes, June 17, 1944] (open access)

[Letter from Cornelia Yerkes, June 17, 1944]

Letter from WASP Cornelia Yerkes discussing flying from Spartanburg, SC, to Newark, visiting New York City, preparing to pick up a P-47 in Evansville, IN, and Father's Day.
Date: June 17, 1944
Creator: Kafka, Cornelia V. Yerkes
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History