Oral History Interview with Erwin Wilhite, August 31, 2012

Oral History Interview with Erwin Wilhite, August 31, 2012

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Track One 0:59:25

Description

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Erwin Wilhite. Wilhite earned his wings in February of 1942. He then conducted anti-submarine patrols off the coast of Louisiana. Later, he served with the 376th Bombardment Group, piloting B-24s out of North Africa and Italy. He describes in vivid detail his first flight to Africa, landing in Khartoum in July of 1942. From there they traveled to Lydda, Palestine where they joined the Halverson Provisional (HALPRO) detachment. He describes running out of fuel over Lebanon, parachuting from the plane, injuring his ankles and his interactions with the Lebanese … continued below

Physical Description

1 sound recording (59 min., 24 sec.)

Creation Information

Wilhite, Erwin August 31, 2012.

Publisher

National Museum of the Pacific War
Place of Publication: Fredericksburg, Texas

Audiences

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Provided By

National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Established in 1967, the Museum honors the 8 million Americans who served in WWII in the Pacific Theater by sharing their stories with the world. Located in Fredericksburg in the restored Nimitz "Steamboat" Hotel, the Museum partners with the Texas Historical Commission to preserve the historical resources of the era.

Description

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Erwin Wilhite. Wilhite earned his wings in February of 1942. He then conducted anti-submarine patrols off the coast of Louisiana. Later, he served with the 376th Bombardment Group, piloting B-24s out of North Africa and Italy. He describes in vivid detail his first flight to Africa, landing in Khartoum in July of 1942. From there they traveled to Lydda, Palestine where they joined the Halverson Provisional (HALPRO) detachment. He describes running out of fuel over Lebanon, parachuting from the plane, injuring his ankles and his interactions with the Lebanese people. Wilhite returned to the U.S. in January of 1943 for additional treatment of his ankles. In mid-1943 he was sent to Dayton, Ohio to serve as a test pilot, and later served as an engineering officer in Columbus, Ohio through the end of the war. He provides some details of the planes he flew as a test pilot. He was discharged in late 1945.

Physical Description

1 sound recording (59 min., 24 sec.)

Subjects

Keywords

Library of Congress Genre/Form Terms

Library of Congress Subject Headings

World War, 1939-1945

University of North Texas Libraries Browse Structure

Language

English

Item Type

Sound

Identifier

Unique identifying numbers for this recording in the Portal or other systems.

Accession or Local Control No: OH03860
Archival Resource Key: ark:/67531/metapth1610154

Relationships

Oral History Interview with Erwin Wilhite, August 31, 2012, [transcript] ark:/67531/metapth1606500

Collections

This recording is part of the following collections of related materials.

National Museum of the Pacific War Oral History Collection

This oral history collection depicts an instrumental era in American history. In these transcripts of interviews with World War II veterans are personal experiences with the war, from the Doolittle Raid and D-Day to the Battle for Bataan.

National Museum of the Pacific War Digital Archive

The Digital Archive presents digitized collections from the Center for Pacific War Studies collections at the National Museum of the Pacific War. Collections and material are continuously being added and represent only a small portion of the archives' physical holdings.

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