Oregon Chapter
8th Air Force
Historical Society
Preserving the history of the Mighty 8th
Eighth Air Force War Experiences
1942 - 1945 Oregon Chapter Stories, In Their Words
The Oregon Memories Project
The Oregon Chapter started this "memories" project back in the late 1990s. Each member was sent a request to write down their memories of the time they served in the Eighth Air Force during World War Two. Some cover from the time they joined, their training, and their combat experiences to VJ day. Some items are just a paragraph. Original documents like log books have been donated.
Explanation of copyright usage and Options
Each Participant chose how they wanted the Oregon Chapter to "treat" the account of their experiences. Items donated to the 8thAFHS Oregon means that the copyright owner retains the rights and they may need to be contacted directly prior to using their works. Please respect Copyright laws!
Over 95% of items can be freely used without gaining prior permission from the owner. Documents in the chapter archive that can be freely used without prior permission are so stated by their respective authors on the notice sheet of each PDF document.
About the PDF Files
Most of the PDF files are old (late 90's), PDF 1.4 Acrobat V4 or younger and some are password/permission protected from being edited.
As a result...
These .pdf archives are optimally viewed with the Adobe Reader software. Adobe Reader is free and can be downloaded from the links below...
Index of Oregon Chapter Members Contributions
Clicking on a name below will take you to a brief bio of the Chapter Member.
Clicking on a colored tab in the "bio" opens a pdf file
A left mouse click will open the PDF document in your browser
a right mouse click will allow you to down load the PDF document for viewing in Adobe's Acrobat.
The Contributors:
- 306th BG
- Andrew Brown
- Bob Carter
- B-17 Painting
- Corbin B. Willis. Jr.
- Charles E. Gallagher
- Clinton A Gruber
- Charles W. Hawkins
- Dallas 0. Brooks
- Eldon Bevens
- Eldon R. Dahl
- Everett Perry
- Frank S. Payne
- Foster Rodda
- George Perry
- Hal Hagerty
- Jack B. Young
- Joe Conroy
- Lawrence J. Bellarts
- Lawrence R. Fick
- Mortin N. Terrill
- Nathaniel Glickman
- Richard T. Nielson
- Richard Knox
- Roland Stewart
- Tom Dougherty
- Vern Holmqueist
- Walter Groce
Crew Photos 306th BG
B-17 Squadrons
367
368
369
423
306th Bomb Group Newsletters 1975 - 2000
800 pages. [From Joe Conroy]
Andrew Brown
Navigator B-17
457th BG
Documents donated:
[1] Combat History
[2] List of Combat Missions
[3] Battle Casualty Report
[3A] Vote for President in 1944
Bob Carter
Co-Pilot B-17
388th BG
Documents donated:
Letters to His Grandchildren
[36] “My First Mission”
[37] Report on One Mission
[38] “A Pair”
[39] “Scrubbed”
[40] “A Piece of Cake”
Corbin B. Willis. Jr.
Pilot B-17
486th BG
Documents donated:
[44] Binder 26 pg Personal Memories Finance Officer.
Charles E. Gallagher
Engineer
Gunner I B-17
95th BG
World War 2 Memories Project
Webpage includes links to
[48] 96th Bomb Group Interview
and other WW2 Family Memories
Clinton A Gruber
Pilot B-24
93rd BG
Documented on website:
"http://www.merkki.com"
"World War II - Prisoners of War - Stalag Luft I"
Charles W. Hawkins
Squadron B-17
401st BG
Deceased 2001 - Widow, Dawn Hawkins
World War Two Memories Project
Documents donated:
[50] Citation for Distinguished Flying Cross
[51] Certificate of Proficiency [Combat Wing Lead Bombardier]
[52] Bomb Strike Photos [Fourteen]
[53] Picture of Hawkin’s Aircraft
[54] Pictures General Eisenhower Visit to Base to Dedicate B-17 in His Name
[55] Bomb Strikes Mission July 25, 1944
Web Page links above documents and more...
Eldon Bevens
Ball Turret B-17
390th BG
Documents donated:
World War Two Memories Project
[12] Story to His Grandchildren of Gunner Wartime Experiences
Elden R. Dahl
Pilot B-17
99th BG
Documents donated:
[24] 99th BG Press Release 15th Air Force
Everett Perry
Pilot B-17
95th BG
Documents donated:
[45] 42 pg My View of WWII (Binder)
Frank S. Payne
Pilot B-17
452nd BG
Documents donated:
[21] Report of “Shot Down over Wesphalia”
[22] German Civilian’s Report of His Landing
[23] Own Story of Being Shot Down
Foster Rodda
Pilot B-17
Documents donated:
[28] Report of November 1943 Mission to Bomb Sub Pens & Oil Refinery
George F. Perry
Pilot B-17
99th BG
No local document available, the story is online at the website "War Fare History Network" Article is "From Pilot to POW."
Hal Hagerty
Top Turret B-17
388th BG
Documents donated:
[13] B-17 Midair Collision Report Waist Gunner
[14] Hagerty’s Letter on Collision
[15] News Report on Finding Crash Site
Jack B. Young
Engineer B-17
401st BG
Documents donated:
[43] 47 pg 8th Air Force Memories Gunner (Binder)
Joe Conroy
Ball Turret Gunner B-17
306th BG
Documents donated:
[4] List of Combat Missions
[5] Combat Diary
[6] List of Targets
[7] List of WWII Stations
Lawrence J. Bellarts
Pilot B-17
490th BG
Documents donated:
[46] 100 pg Book “Red Tailed Peacemaker”
Lawrence R. Fick
Lead Navigator
458 BG(H)
Bomb Group 752 Squadron
Document donated:
[61] 127 Pages World War II in Europe and A Farm Boy From Oregon (Binder)
Mortin N. Terrill
Pilot B-17
351st BG
Documents donated:
[56] Combat Poem "Flight of the Fortress"
Courtesy Terrill’s widow Sandra Terrill
Nathaniel Glickman
Bombardier B-24
44th BG
Documents donated:
[30] Silver Star Citation
Richard T. Nielson
Pilot B-17
305th BG
Documents donated:
[24] Christmas 1944
Most Memorable Mission
List of Assignments and Missions
2002 Picture Nielson in front of B-17.
Richard Knox
Communications Officer
Tail Gunner
95th Bomb Group H
Chronological Record of Assignment to 95th Bomb Group H
Roland Stewart
B-17 Ball Turret
B-17 Waist Gunner
466th BG
Documents donated:
[26] Report by Stewart’s waist gunner on their Feb. 15, 1945 mission
[27] Report of Group’s Activities Sept. 6th, 7th, 8th and 19th
Tom Dougherty
Waist Gunner B-17
398th BG
Documents donated:
[31] A Night To Remember
[32] My Final Mission
[33] Tom Dougherty Reunion
[34] Tom Dougherty The Fall Guy
Deceased Jan. 17, 2002 Dawn Dougherty
Vern Holmquist
Bombsight B-17
390th BG
Documents donated:
[8] Personal Story of Base Life Technician
[9] Personal Story of Base Life
[10] Bear Cub - Geiger Field 1943
[11] “The A-I Autopilot Could Not Outsmart The Navigator” C121 The Norden Bombsight Department
Walter Groce
56 Fighter Group
Flying P-47 Thunderbolts
Videos of P-47 Thunderbolts from August 1944 till the end of the war.