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

David E. Bail Jr. papers

Collection — Box: 12.0025-Box 1

Identifier: 02-12.0025

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...

Dates: 1938-1949

Found in: Institute on WWII and the Human Experience / David E. Bail Jr. papers

Philip Lester Brinson collection

Collection — Container: 02.0309 - Box 1

Identifier: 02-02.0309

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...

Dates: Event: 1940-1994

Found in: Institute on WWII and the Human Experience / Philip Lester Brinson collection

Delmar T. Spivey collection

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: 02-04.0027

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...

Dates: Event: 1939-1945

Found in: Institute on WWII and the Human Experience / Delmar T. Spivey collection

William Edward McKee Sr. collection

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: 02-20.0010

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.

Dates: Event: 1942-1996; Event: Majority of material found within 1943-1945

Found in: Institute on WWII and the Human Experience / William Edward McKee Sr. collection

Found in 4 Collections and/or Records:

David E. Bail Jr. papers

Philip Lester Brinson collection

Delmar T. Spivey collection

William Edward McKee Sr. collection

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