Oral History Interview with Tom Anderson, February 3, 2004 transcript

Oral History Interview with Tom Anderson, February 3, 2004

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Tom Anderson. Anderson dropped out of college in 1941 and hitchhiked from Texas to San Diego. There he worked for Consolidated Aircraft, drafting plans for the B-32, B-36, and C-99. He then transferred to the Fort Worth plant, where he stayed until 1944, when he enlisted in the Navy. He was selected for radar technician training, and after boot camp he studied electronics in Chicago, followed by airborne radar training in Corpus Christi. He had a lifelong interest in flying and looked forward to his first duty assignment. But when the war ended in Japan, his radar conning class was cancelled and he was reassigned to the radar shop of CASU-5 at the Naval Air Station in San Diego. Anderson was discharged into the Armed Guard in March 1946, taking up work at the Fiscal and Disbursement Office of the Adjutant General at Camp Mabry. In 1950 he returned to school and joined the Army Reserves, retiring in 1966 as a lieutenant colonel.
Date: February 3, 2004
Creator: Anderson, Tom
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Cecil C. Harris, February 3, 2006 transcript

Oral History Interview with Cecil C. Harris, February 3, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Cecil Harris. Harris was born 20 February 1925 in Raymond, Mississippi. In January 1943 he joined the Army Air Force Enlisted Reserves and entered basic training at Kessler Air Base, Mississippi. In May 1943 he was sent to the University of Tennessee in preparation for pre-flight training. He went to Nashville for classification and was selected for pilot training. He went to Montgomery, Alabama for primary training by a civilian instructor. After training in BT-13 aircraft at Courtland, Alabama, he flew AT-10 aircraft in advanced training at Freeman Field, Indiana and graduated 22 May 1944. He then went to Gulfport, Mississippi to begin B-17 crew training. Upon completing the training the crew was sent to New York City where in January 1945 they boarded the RMS Aquitania. Landing in Scotland they were transported to Glatton Air Base, England where they reported to the 457th Bomb Group, 748th Bomb Squadron. In reporting to the Deputy CO, Harris found the man had been his Boy Scout Master many years before. He flew thirty-two combat missions and describes a number of them. Of particular interest is his recollection of an encounter …
Date: February 3, 2006
Creator: Harris, Cecil C.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Cecil C. Harris, February 3, 2006 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Cecil C. Harris, February 3, 2006

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Cecil Harris. Harris was born 20 February 1925 in Raymond, Mississippi. In January 1943 he joined the Army Air Force Enlisted Reserves and entered basic training at Kessler Air Base, Mississippi. In May 1943 he was sent to the University of Tennessee in preparation for pre-flight training. He went to Nashville for classification and was selected for pilot training. He went to Montgomery, Alabama for primary training by a civilian instructor. After training in BT-13 aircraft at Courtland, Alabama, he flew AT-10 aircraft in advanced training at Freeman Field, Indiana and graduated 22 May 1944. He then went to Gulfport, Mississippi to begin B-17 crew training. Upon completing the training the crew was sent to New York City where in January 1945 they boarded the RMS Aquitania. Landing in Scotland they were transported to Glatton Air Base, England where they reported to the 457th Bomb Group, 748th Bomb Squadron. In reporting to the Deputy CO, Harris found the man had been his Boy Scout Master many years before. He flew thirty-two combat missions and describes a number of them. Of particular interest is his recollection of an encounter …
Date: February 3, 2006
Creator: Harris, Cecil C.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Tom Anderson, February 3, 2004 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Tom Anderson, February 3, 2004

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Tom Anderson. Anderson dropped out of college in 1941 and hitchhiked from Texas to San Diego. There he worked for Consolidated Aircraft, drafting plans for the B-32, B-36, and C-99. He then transferred to the Fort Worth plant, where he stayed until 1944, when he enlisted in the Navy. He was selected for radar technician training, and after boot camp he studied electronics in Chicago, followed by airborne radar training in Corpus Christi. He had a lifelong interest in flying and looked forward to his first duty assignment. But when the war ended in Japan, his radar conning class was cancelled and he was reassigned to the radar shop of CASU-5 at the Naval Air Station in San Diego. Anderson was discharged into the Armed Guard in March 1946, taking up work at the Fiscal and Disbursement Office of the Adjutant General at Camp Mabry. In 1950 he returned to school and joined the Army Reserves, retiring in 1966 as a lieutenant colonel.
Date: February 3, 2004
Creator: Anderson, Tom
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History