Interview with Donald L. Bowerman, December 29, 2016

Partial Transcript: Okay, um, it is December 29th, um, 2016.

Segment Synopsis: Donald Bowerman describes his childhood in South Bend, Indiana. He talks about how his father helped to set up a Boy Scout troop at their local church. He talks about his childhood paper route, his impressions of the Great Depression, and describes his family.

Keywords: Boy Scout troops; Brothers; Churches; Delivering newspapers; Fathers; Great Depression; High schools; Jobs; Lumber mills; Mothers; Newspaper routes; Schools; Sisters; Summer camps; Working

Subjects: Boy Scouts.; Childhood; Depressions--1929; Employment; South Bend (Ind.)

Partial Transcript: And so what, what did you do after high school?

Segment Synopsis: Bowerman talks about the jobs he worked before the draft including working at the Studebaker machine shop. He talks about his reaction to the attack on Pearl Harbor, being drafted into the Army Infantry, and his experience at basic training at Camp Wheeler, Georgia.

Keywords: Active infantry; Drill presses; Industrial engineering; Jobs; Machine shops; Military draft; Reactions; Studebakers

Subjects: Basic training (Military education); Camp Wheeler (Ga.); Employment; Military training camps; Pearl Harbor (Hawaii), Attack on, 1941; United States. Army--Military life.; United States. Army. Infantry; World War, 1939-1945--Recruiting, enlistment, etc.

Partial Transcript: And then, uh--oh let's see.

Segment Synopsis: Bowerman talks about why and how he transferred from the Army Infantry to the Air Force. He talks about going to flight school, and tells a story about his name not being called during graduation. He was made an instructor at the school for a year.

Keywords: Air corps; Flying schools; Flying training; Graduation; Instructors; Sergeants; Single engine pilots; Transfers; Twin engine pilots

Subjects: Macon (Ga.); Military training camps; United States. Army Air Forces; United States. Army--Military life.; Valdosta (Ga.); World War, 1939-1945--America

Partial Transcript: And, uh, they only let you have a berth like that for a little while.

Segment Synopsis: Bowerman talks about his assignment to Alaska to fly transport planes, flying both cargo and personnel as needed. He tells a story about making a long round trip flight in one day, and about sliding down a mile-long runway during a landing.

Keywords: C-47s; Cargo; Co-pilots; Conditions; Douglas C-47 Skytrain; Elmendorf Air Force Base; Flights; Flying; Heaters; Round-trip; Runways; Squadrons; Transport

Subjects: Alaska.; United States. Army Air Forces; United States. Army--Military life.; World War, 1939-1945--America; World War, 1939-1945--Regimental histories--United States

Partial Transcript: Then when the war end--war end--war ended, back to something.

Segment Synopsis: Bowerman talks about his last flight before the end of the war. He talks about being happy to finally go home. He talks about his life and work after returning home. He talks about his brother who also joined the military and flew in the European theater doing photo reconnaissance. His brother was killed in a crash during the war.

Keywords: Active duty; Air Corps; Armory; Brothers; Crashes; Douglas C-47 Skytrain; Elmendorf Air Force Base; End of war; England; Fathers; Home; Italy; Killed in action (KIA); Last trip; Married; Photo reconnaissance; Reserves; Sliding; South Bend (Ind.); Studebakers; Training

Subjects: Alaska.; United States. Army Air Forces; United States. Army--Military life.; World War, 1939-1945--America; World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Europe; World War, 1939-1945--Casualties; World War, 1939-1945--Regimental histories--United States

Partial Transcript: All, all we did in Alaska was fly food, troops, you name it.

Segment Synopsis: Bowerman talks about some of the recreational activities available in Alaska, including many nightclubs in town and an officers club on the base. He talks about being able to write letters to his family back home during the war.

Keywords: AT-10s; Air Corps; Betty Bowerman; Contact; DC-3s; Elmendorf Air Force Base; Family; Fathers; Flying; Food; Landings; Letters; Married; Memberships; Nightclubs; Officers clubs; Planes; Social life; Supplies; Valdosta (Ga.); Wife; Wild

Subjects: Alaska.; Anchorage (Alaska); United States. Army Air Forces; United States. Army--Military life.; World War, 1939-1945--America; World War, 1939-1945--Regimental histories--United States

Partial Transcript: Do you think those were the best years of your life?

Segment Synopsis: Bowerman talks about some of the jobs he worked after the war. He says he worked at Studebaker's until it closed down, then found a job at a bank doing bookkeeping before beginning work drafting plans for offices.

Keywords: Banks; Betty Bowerman; Bookkeeping; Churches; Closed; Drafting; Jobs; Kentucky; Offices; Studebakers; Transfers

Subjects: Employment; Georgetown (Ky.); World War, 1939-1945--Veterans.

Partial Transcript: So do you think about flying very much?

Segment Synopsis: Bowerman talks more about flying in Alaska during the war, including more of his story about his one-day round trip flight.

Keywords: Adak Island; Aleutian Islands; Aleutians; Anchorage (Alaska); Douglas C-47 Skytrain; Elmendorf Air Force Base; Flying; Food; Islands; Round-trips

Subjects: Alaska.; United States. Army Air Forces; United States. Army--Military life.; World War, 1939-1945--America; World War, 1939-1945--Regimental histories--United States

Partial Transcript: Butch and Linda, do you guys--anything else you wanted to add or bring or add--you might want to discuss here?

Segment Synopsis: Bowerman talks about moving to Scott County and going to church. He talks more about his childhood Boy Scout troop and his father taking them camping. Bowerman became an Eagle Scout. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Betty Bowerman; Camp Brian (Mich.); Camping; Choirs; Clothes; Eagle Scouts; Fathers; Singing

Subjects: Boy Scouts.; Childhood; Churches; Georgetown (Ky.); Scott County (Ky.); South Bend (Ind.)