United States. Army Air Forces. Air Force, 8th

Content Description

This collection relates to Lyle D. Armstrong and his service in the U.S. Army during World War II in the Pacific Theater of Operations. The collection contains a veteran’s questionnaire where he shares his experience in service and recalls a memory of being in Manila when the Japanese Envoys came to speak to General MacArthur. He also mentions that he kept in contact with some of the men he met in service. The collection also contains photographs of Armstrong and his three older brothers, who also served in World War II.

Content Description This collection relates to Lieutenant David E. Bail Jr. who serves as a bombardier with the 335th Bomb Squadron, 95th Bomb Group in England during World War II. He attended University of Florida and enlisted in Spring of 1942. He flew two missions over France before he was shot down over Hanover, Germany on July 26, 1943 and killed in action. This collection contains seven folders includes Bail’s personal letters to his family from December, 1941 up to his death, letters from the War Department to Bail’s family first declaring him MIA, then later confirming him KIA, two photographs of Bail and his crew, and a letter from his sister to Bail’s parents recounting her interview with Bail’s...

Scope and Contents

This collection relates to Harold G. Blunk served as Sergeant Major for the 5th Air Depot Group, 39th Station Composite Squadron, Administrative Division, 35th Depot Repair, in the 8th Air Force Command Station in England from 1943-1945. This collection contains photographs, a newspaper clipping, and documents relating to his personal life and military career.

Content Description This collection relates to Staff Sergeant Philip Lester Brinson who served with the U.S. Army Air Corps in the tail gunner position on B-26B aircraft number 41-18058 Martin Marauder with the 450th Bomb Squadron, 322nd Bombardment Group (Medium) during World War II. On September 9. 1943, this aircraft was hit by flak on a mission to Boulogne, France. The aircraft subsequently flipped over and crashed into the English Channel which killed the entire crew. Brinson was awarded the Purple Heart medal and Air Medal with 1 oak leaf cluster. This collection includes photographs, documents, Brinson's engraved Purple Heart Medal, and his wallet that was returned to the family after his...

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of photographs, personal papers and personal memorabilia belonging to Carl Fessel, a member of the United States Army Air Force who served in the 570th Squadron of the 390th Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force in Europe from February of 1944 to April of 1945. Papers include a certificate of honorable discharge issued by the U.S. Army, while photographs include a picture of Fessel in uniform for a bombing mission and a contemporary map of Europe highlighting the prison camp at which Fessel was held as a prisoner of war. Personal memorabilia include membership cards titled "Life Membership: American Ex-Prisoners of War."

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of an oral history interview transcript of a U.S. Army Air Corps cook and baker, who served in England during World War II in the 2003rd Ordnance Unit at Melchbourne Park. This collection also contains a unit history.

Scope and Contents

The collection of Clarke M. Brandt contains an oral history transcript and various publications about army life during World War II. In it are examples such as George (Bob) Caron who was a tail gunner on the "Enola Gay" B-29 Bomber. The oral history includes Caron's eyewitness account of the bomb being dropped on Hiroshima. Also included are pamphlets and newsletters including "War Buddies," which covers the relationship between a soldier and his canine companion through his years as a member of the US Marine Corps. "War Buddies" is written by Earle Welch and Dick Roberts.

Content Description This collection relates to Major General Delmar T. Spivey who was an U.S. Army Air Corps prisoner of war in Stalag Luft III in Germany from August 1943 until May 1945. Then Colonel Spivey was in charge of gunnery training for B-17 flight crews of the U.S. 8th Air Force based in England. He was sent to England with several other gunnery instructors to teach air gunnery to bomber flight crews who were being decimated by German fighter aircraft. He was participating in his first combat mission as a nose gunner/ observer on a bombing mission over Gelsenkirchen in the Ruhr Valley when his plane was disabled by anti-aircraft fire. After the plane crash landed, he was taken prisoner and sent...

Scope and Contents

This collection includes photographs and documents pertaining to aerial operations over Europe during World War II. Lt. Herman Simler flew over 30 bombing missions over Europe during his service. The squadrons specified in this collection are the 8th Army Air Force, the 15th Army Air Force, and the 716th-719th bomber squadrons.

Content Description

This collection relates to Frank Louis Lash who served as a Captain pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps in the 587th squadron, 394th Bomb Group in the 8th Air Force which was based in England. The collection consists of a mechanical navigational watch and a brief manuscript detailing how the watch was acquired.

Abstract Charlotte Mansfield enlisted in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (W.A.A.C.) in 1942 to pursue work in photograph processing for the military. She was part of the first all-women graduating class from Lowry Field Photo School in Colorado, where she was trained to be a photo technician that developed primarily aerial shots in photography labs. Mansfield was stationed at various locations throughout the United States before being transferred to lab work overseas in England and Germany. By this time, W.A.A.C. had transitioned to Women’s Army Corps (W.A.C.). Throughout her military service, Mansfield took numerous personal photographs that featured her friends and surroundings. They provide...

Content Description

This collection relates to William Edward McKee Sr. who served as a sergeant with the 324th Squadron, 91st Heavy Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force in Europe during World War II. McKee Sr. was shot down along with the crew of the B-17 bomber on March 29, 1944. The entire crew survived and then became German prisoners of war at Luft Stalag 17B. Mckee Sr. received the Air Medal and Purple Heart Medal. This collection includes letters, documents, photographs, prisoner of war memorabilia, and memoirs.

Scope and Contents Roland Cadoret served as a B-17 pilot in the 351st Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, in the European Theater.  His collection contains a manuscript, "The Battle of Grounded Eagles," in which he details his entire POW experience from mission briefing to liberation, an excerpt from his diary, and his photocopied version of General Dwight D. Eisenhower's letter to Invasion Forces. The Polebrook Post 351st Bomb Group Association 8th Airforce Vol. XXVII-No. 2, and the English version of the Moorsburger Beitung, a newspaper, which had special stories all about the POWs which were kept at...

Scope and Contents

This collection contains a compilation of personal letters and official documents, photographs, personal items, and military badges of Sgt. Simeon C. Sparkman who served with the 8th Air Force from 1943 to 1945, at Burtonwood Air Depot, Warrington, England, also known as Base Air Depot No. 1. Sparkman was specifically assigned to Hangar 5, Mary Ann Site, “B” Shift, Aero Repair Crew 6, and was the ranking NCO on Crew 6 in the grade of T/Sgt. The papers in this collection are comprised of correspondence with his wife, parents, and other family members and close friends.

Scope and Contents This collection relates to Stanley P. Koss who served as a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne Division during World War II. Koss participated in the battle for Bastogne, Belgium. The majority of this collection pertains to Stanley P. Koss's war bond tour of war production plants in New York and New Jersey as part of an effort to boost war worker morale. The collection includes military orders, itineraries, letters, photographs, and newspaper clippings related to this tour, as well as several souvenirs acquired during the trip. Also included are letters from Koss's pre-service employer, Christmas cards, and a telegram informing Koss's mother that Stanley's brother had been killed in...

Scope and Contents

This collection contains letters, photograph albums, postcards, documents, and ephemera which record the military service and family homefront life during World War II of Eddie Houston Thomason who served as a physician in U.S. Army Air Corps Medical Service.