B-17 (Bomber)

Scope and Contents

This collection relates to the 385th Bombardment Group, Heavy, that was stationed at Station 155, Great Ashfield, Suffolk, England during World War II.  The collection includes a publication which documents the group's history during the war.

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 oral history interview transcript relates to the life experiences of Catherine Black, an American woman who grew up in the Great Depression and came of age during World War II. Black recounts growing up during the Great Depression, graduating college, her life on the home front, and her life after the war. She discusses raising a child when her husband was at war, living in Arkansas near a Japanese internment camp, becoming a early widow after the war, her remarrige, and her second husband's experiences as a B17 Bomber Pilot during the War.

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 Stan Hall who served as a captain in the U.S. Air Force at the beginning of the Office of Strategic Services project where he completed tours in the European Theater (ETO). This collection contains various photographs and descriptions of Hall's service in World War II.

Scope and Contents This collection relates to Sergeant William "Bill" W. Huston who served in the 448th Bomber Group, 713th Bomb Squadron US Army Air Force in the European Theater of Operation. This collection also relates to John Robert Huston who served in the U.S. Army in field artillery and gun battery regiments. In addition to the letters, the collection contains a description of Bill Huston, escape from Switzerland, his Air medal citation, a history of the 8th Air Force titled "Target Germany," and a 1942 picture book of Scott Air Field in Illinois, the Huston mother's ration booklet, several photographs of Bill Huston at Scott Field, and a safe-conduct pass issued to Bill Huston by the French...

Content Description

This collection relates to Richard Lewis who served in the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1942 to 1945 in the European Theatre. This collection contains an oral history transcript where Lewis details his missions on a B-24 Bomber and B-17 Bomber during World War II and briefly describes his service in the Korean War.

Content Description

This collection relates to Colonel William G. Walker Jr., and his service in the Army and Army Air Force during World War II in the European/Pacific Theater of Operation. The collection consists of a manuscript he wrote for his grandchildren describes his experiences in the during the war years and includes some photos of himself and aircrafts. He shares a timeline of his time in World War II, starting with his enlistment and training as a pilot shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He also includes certain anecdotes of missions he carried out in Newfoundland and the Owi islands, including naming the specific aircrafts he used.