A buddy and I enlisted in the Army Air Corp in Dec of
1942 at Baer Field in Fort Wayne , IN.
We
first went to Miami Beach, FL for physical training and
indoctrination. We were then sent to Kutstown, PA at
the State Teachers College. We were the first Cadets to
attend there and we were treated royally.
We
flew 10
hours in a Piper Cub as part of the training at Pottstown,
PA along with the studies.
We were sent to Nashville, TN to await our classification
as to Pilot, Navigator or Bombardier. We would watch the
bulletin board every day to see what it would be. Mine
was Pilot and I was over joyed at this.
That's
what I enlisted for. We went to Montgomery. AL for further
study and a taste of "Chicken Shit" that all
cadets went through. I guess that was to install discipline
and honor.
We were then transferred to Lakeland, FL for pre-flight
training and more studies. We flew in PT Sterman double
wingers. While at the flight line it was announced that
I was to ride with a check pilot that day.
I
was shaking in my boots by that time.
I flew to an auxiliary field to shoot 8landings. I bounced
him on 2 of the landings and he said he was going to put
in for elimination. I went before the board and protested
but it done no good. At that time they were in need of
gunners. I finally ended up as a radio operator and attended
radio school at Belleville, IL (Scott Field).
After the radio school I was assigned to a B-29 and went
to Pyote, TX for Training
We were sent to Guam, finally, and flew 22 missions. In
November of 1945 we flew to Sacramento, CA and was discharged
at Baer Field in Fort Wayne, IN.
I married Nov. 13, 1943 to Dorothy Jane Wiley on in Montgomery,AL
while attending pre-flight school at Maxwell AAF.
After
discharge I returned home to Mishawaka, IN. The crew used
to say, chidingly, we bombed that place. I went back to
my old job as a tool designer at Dodge Mfg.Corp. and then
was manager of the Tool Engineering Dept.
We had two boys that went to Purdue Un. The oldest boy
is a swimming coach and the youngest is a guitar instructor.
We moved to South Bend, IN. In 1952 and I took early retirement
in 1973.
I still keep in touch with Bombardier, Bernie Greene.
We are the only two left from my combat crew.
My hobbies are Amateur Radio and Computers. |
![br_oak2.jpg [Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster]](../../../images/devices/bolc.jpg){kind=small}
