Oral History Interview with Wiliam Wayne Kitts, May 13, 2009

Access: Use of this item is restricted to the UNT Community
Transcript of an interview with William Wayne Kitts, U.S. Navy anti-submarine warfare veteran of World War II. Kitts shares concerning his childhood and family history in Sulphur Springs, Texas; college at the University of Texas during the Depression; musical background; enlistment in the U.S. Navy shortly after the attack at Pearl Harbor; midshipman school in New York City and selection for sonar school in Key West, Florida; assignment to USS Mason, the first ship in the navy with an integrated crew; post-war duty as commanding officer of USS Hollis and USS Tollberg; role in establishing Naval Reserve Training Center in Lubbock, Texas; reactivation to active duty during Korean War; and his post-military career at Vought Aeronautics.
Date: May 13, 2009
Creator: Hegi, Benjamin & Kitts, William Wayne, 1921-
Object Type: Book
System: The UNT Digital Library
[Letter from Cornelia Yerkes, June 18, 1944] (open access)

[Letter from Cornelia Yerkes, June 18, 1944]

Letter from WASP Cornelia Yerkes discussing picking up a P-47, being grounded by fleet-wide defective landing gear, going to a street market, and trying to get transportation from Evansville to Dallas. Written on Hotel Vendome (Evansville) stationary.
Date: June 18, 1944
Creator: Kafka, Cornelia V. Yerkes
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Card from Cornelia Yerkes to Fred G. Yerkes, June 17, 1943] (open access)

[Card from Cornelia Yerkes to Fred G. Yerkes, June 17, 1943]

A father's day card from Cornelia Yerkes to her father discussing clothing, a visit from aviator Nancy Love, the Women Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron, and her future. The card features a cartoon of a girl saying "I may not be no mental whizz, but dad, I know what day this is!"
Date: June 17, 1943
Creator: Kafka, Cornelia V. Yerkes
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard from Cornelia Yerkes to Fred G. Yerkes, May 11, 1944]

Postcard from WASP Cornelia Yerkes to her father Fred discussing flying a Douglass A-24 dive bomber (pictured on the postcard), receiving a wristwatch from him, and her coming work.
Date: May 11, 1944
Creator: Kafka, Cornelia V. Yerkes
Object Type: Postcard
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from Dale G. Johnson to Cornelia Yerkes, April 4, 1984] (open access)

[Letter from Dale G. Johnson to Cornelia Yerkes, April 4, 1984]

Letter from Lt. Col. Dale Johnson to former WASP Cornelia Yerkes Kafka awarding her the World War II Victory Medal, with the text of a 1977 Congressional law expanding eligibility for campaign awards.
Date: April 4, 1984
Creator: Johnson, Dale G.
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Timeline of Cornelia Yerkes Kafka's World War II service] (open access)

[Timeline of Cornelia Yerkes Kafka's World War II service]

A handwritten timeline with details of Cornelia Yerkes' service as a WASP and Red Cross worker in World War II, with details on her training, duty stations, aircraft and routes flown, and some personal details.
Date: 2000~/2009~
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard from Cornelia Yerkes to Fred G. and Frances Yerkes, March 24, 1944]

Postcard from Cornelia Yerkes to her parents discussing the P-39 Airacobra, an image of which is featured on the card.
Date: March 24, 1944
Creator: Kafka, Cornelia V. Yerkes
Object Type: Postcard
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Postcard from Cornelia Yerkes to Fred G. and Frances Yerkes, October 24, 1944] (open access)

[Postcard from Cornelia Yerkes to Fred G. and Frances Yerkes, October 24, 1944]

American Airlines postcard from WASP Cornelia Yerkes to her parents discussing flying and running into old friends. The postcard features an image of clouds through an airliner window, framed by curtains.
Date: October 24, 1944
Creator: Kafka, Cornelia V. Yerkes
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from Cornelia Yerkes, July 18, 1944?] (open access)

[Letter from Cornelia Yerkes, July 18, 1944?]

Letter from WASP Cornelia Yerkes discussing a phone call with a friend, flying a P-40, meeting with a Rev. Johnson, papers, and traveling. Written on San Juan Hotel (Orlando) stationary.
Date: 1944-07-18?
Creator: Kafka, Cornelia V. Yerkes
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from Cornelia Yerkes, August 18, 1943?] (open access)

[Letter from Cornelia Yerkes, August 18, 1943?]

Letter from WASP Cornelia Yerkes, probably to her parents, discussing her trip from Jacksonville to Dallas. Written on Hotel Texas (Fort Worth) stationary.
Date: 1943-08-18?
Creator: Kafka, Cornelia V. Yerkes
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard from Cornelia Yerkes to Fred G. and Frances Yerkes, September 30, 1944]

Postcard from WASP Cornelia Yerkes to her parents discussing getting some pants fitted and eating dinner at the airport. The postcard features a photo of the Sunken Garden at Brackenridge Park in San Antonio.
Date: September 30, 1944
Creator: Kafka, Cornelia V. Yerkes
Object Type: Postcard
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from Charles C. Ziegler to Cornelia Yerkes Kafka, May 7, 1984] (open access)

[Letter from Charles C. Ziegler to Cornelia Yerkes Kafka, May 7, 1984]

Letter from SMSgt Charles Ziegler to former WASP Cornelia Yerkes Kafka informing her that her DD 214 had been corrected.
Date: May 7, 1984
Creator: Ziegler, Charles C.
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from Cornelia Yerkes, June 15, 1944] (open access)

[Letter from Cornelia Yerkes, June 15, 1944]

Letter from Cornelia Yerkes discussing ferrying a P-40 from Buffalo to Columbia, SC, delays, returning to Dallas, and recent correspondence. Written on Eastern Air Lines stationary.
Date: June 15, 1944
Creator: Kafka, Cornelia V. Yerkes
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard from Cornelia Yerkes to Fred G. and Frances Yerkes, November 23, 1944]

Postcard from WASP Cornelia Yerkes to her parents discussing recent work ferrying a P-40. The postcard is part of the Medici Society Herb Garden Series and features a drawing of lad's love and lungwort and facts about each.
Date: November 23, 1944
Creator: Kafka, Cornelia V. Yerkes
Object Type: Postcard
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from Cornelia Yerkes, February 1943?] (open access)

[Letter from Cornelia Yerkes, February 1943?]

Letter from Cornelia Yerkes discussing money, transferring bank accounts from Atlanta to Sweetwater, passing a check flight, staying in sickbay, news from home, a student pilot's poetry, practicing stalls, sending mail, and nurses.
Date: 1943-02~
Creator: Kafka, Cornelia V. Yerkes
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from Cornelia Yerkes to Frances Yerkes, December 17, 1943] (open access)

[Letter from Cornelia Yerkes to Frances Yerkes, December 17, 1943]

Letter from WASP Cornelia Yerkes to her mother discussing recent letters, ferrying a plane and her return trip, Christmas gifts, running into someone from home, uniforms, and weather. Typed on American Airlines stationary.
Date: December 17, 1943
Creator: Kafka, Cornelia V. Yerkes
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from Cornelia Yerkes, June 25, 1943] (open access)

[Letter from Cornelia Yerkes, June 25, 1943]

Letter from Cornelia Yerkes, possibly to her father, discussing a cross-country flight to finish basic flight training, schedules, advanced courses, the recipient's health, packages from home, a plane catching fire, and news about friends/family.
Date: June 25, 1943
Creator: Kafka, Cornelia V. Yerkes
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard from Cornelia Yerkes to Fred G. and Frances Yerkes, April 13, 1944]

Postcard from WASP Cornelia Yerkes discussing flying a P-51. The card features a photo of an early P-51 in flight.
Date: April 13, 1944
Creator: Kafka, Cornelia V. Yerkes
Object Type: Postcard
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard from Cornelia Yerkes to Fred G. and Frances Yerkes, April 11, 1944]

Postcard from WASP Cornelia Yerkes to her parents discussing flying the P-40. The postcard features a photo of "Flying Tiger" Brig. Gen. Chennault's aircraft.
Date: April 11, 1944
Creator: Kafka, Cornelia V. Yerkes
Object Type: Postcard
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from Cornelia Yerkes, April 5, 1944] (open access)

[Letter from Cornelia Yerkes, April 5, 1944]

Letter from WASP Cornelia Yerkes discussing news about her uncle's health, her busy schedule, pursuit school, exercise, getting ready to fly the P-47, recent correspondence, future plans, and food. Typed on Hotel Frances (Monroe, LA) stationary.
Date: April 5, 1944
Creator: Kafka, Cornelia V. Yerkes
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard from Cornelia Yerkes to Fred G. Yerkes, May 3, 1944]

Postcard from WASP Cornelia Yerkes to her father Fred discussing ferrying P-47s and P-51s. The card features an image of four US Army Air Forces P-47Ds flying in formation.
Date: May 3, 1944
Creator: Kafka, Cornelia V. Yerkes
Object Type: Postcard
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard from Cornelia Yerkes to Fred G. and Frances Yerkes, June 27, 1944]

Postcard from Cornelia Yerkes to her parents discussing ferrying an aircraft from El Paso to Greensboro. The postcard features an image of civilians and servicemen on a tarmac with an American Airlines aircraft.
Date: June 27, 1944
Creator: Kafka, Cornelia V. Yerkes
Object Type: Postcard
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from Cornelia Yerkes, March 14, 1943] (open access)

[Letter from Cornelia Yerkes, March 14, 1943]

Letter from Cornelia Yerkes discussing being stuck in sick bay with a cold, medical issues among other student pilots, a visit from a Navy dive bomber pilot, and money. Typed on USO Seasons Greetings stationary.
Date: March 14, 1943
Creator: Kafka, Cornelia V. Yerkes
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from Cornelia Yerkes to Fred G. and Frances Yerkes, August 12, 1944] (open access)

[Letter from Cornelia Yerkes to Fred G. and Frances Yerkes, August 12, 1944]

Letter from WASP Cornelia Yerkes to her parents discussing recently visiting them, traveling to Dallas via Atlanta, flying, and news about friends and family. Written on Eastern Airlines stationary.
Date: August 12, 1944
Creator: Kafka, Cornelia V. Yerkes
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History