Interview with Alvin L. Martin, March 15, 2003

Partial Transcript:

Segment Synopsis: Talks about joining the Army Air Corps and the training he completed.

Keywords: Air Force WWII; Arial Gunnery School; Army Air Corps; B24; Boise, Idaho; Ft. Benjamin Harrison; Mt. Washington, KY; Sioux Falls, SD; bombardiers; furlough

Subjects: B-24 (Bomber); Boise (Idaho); Bombardiers.; Fort Benjamin Harrison (Ind.); Military leaves and furloughs.; Sioux Falls (S.D.); United States. Army Air Forces.; United States. Army. Air Corps.; World War, 1939-1945.

Partial Transcript:

Segment Synopsis: Talks about flying his plane overseas to join the European Theatre.

Keywords: 485th Bomb Group; Axis Sally; Dakar, Senegal; European Theatre; Italy; Marrakech; Trinidad; USS Hamilton

Subjects: Dakar (Senegal); Gillars, Mildred, 1900-1988.; Italy.; Marrakech (Morocco); Trinidad and Tobago.; USS Hamilton (DD-141)

Partial Transcript:

Segment Synopsis: Talks about what areas he bombed. Talks about the first mission he flew.

Keywords: Adriatic Sea; Balkans; Bulgaria; Falkwolf 1-90; Messerschmitt 109; Munich, Germany; P-51 Mustang; Ploesti Oil Fields; Romania; Venosa, Italy; Yugoslavia; anti-aircraft

Subjects: Adriatic Sea.; Antiaircraft artillery.; Balkan Peninsula.; Bulgaria.; Messerschmitt Bf 109 (Fighter plane); Munich (Germany); Ploiești (Romania); Venosa (Italy); Yugoslavia.

Partial Transcript:

Segment Synopsis: Talks about flying with a crew that was transporting Generals to sign the peace treaty in Germany.

Keywords: 15th Air Force; Berlin, Germany; General Jacob L. Devers; Templehof Airport; Vienna, Austria; prisoner of war

Subjects: Berlin (Germany); Devers, Jacob L. (Jacob Loucks), 1887-1979.; Prisoner of war.; Vienna (Austria)

Partial Transcript:

Segment Synopsis: Talks about taking R&R, what kind of food they ate, and what living conditions were like.

Keywords: Ploesti, Romania; Salzburg, Austria; rest and recuperation

Subjects: Military leaves and furloughs.; Ploiești (Romania); Salzburg (Austria)

Partial Transcript:

Segment Synopsis: Talks about what happened when his crew had to bail out of their plane.

Keywords: Ambassador Wimment; Austria; Bataan Death March; Black March; C53; Ploesti, Romania; Queen Elizabeth; anti-aircraft; prison camp; prisoner of war; smoke pots

Subjects: Antiaircraft artillery.; Austria.; Bataan Death March, Philippines, 1942.; Ploiești (Romania); Prisoner of war.; Winant, John G. (John Gilbert), 1889-1947.

Partial Transcript:

Segment Synopsis: Talks about returning to the United States and debriefing.

Keywords: Bradley Field Connecticut; Ellington Field, Texas; Greenland; Iceland; VJ-Day; debriefing; mustered out

Subjects: Bradley Field (Windsor Locks, Conn.); Ellington Air Force Base (Tex.); Greenland.; Iceland.; Military discharge.; V-J Day, 1945.

Partial Transcript:

Segment Synopsis: Talks about working and organizing reunions.

Keywords: Air Force Arm Forces Reunion; Governor Brown; Harley Davidson; Lafayette, Indiana; Louisville, KY

Subjects: Harley-Davidson motorcycle.; Louisville (Ky.)

Partial Transcript:

Segment Synopsis: Talks about how he feels about being part of World War II and the medals he received for his service.

Keywords: Air Medal; European Theatre; Korean War; Mediterranean Medal; Presidential Unit Citation; Vietnam War; good conduct medal

Subjects: Korean War, 1950-1953.; Vietnam War, 1961-1975.