- Collection:
- Veterans History Project: Oral History Interviews
- Title:
- Oral history interview of Walter Cohen
- Creator:
- Glustrom, Alex
Cohen, Walter, 1924- - Date of Original:
- 2003-09-27
- Subject:
- World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American
Douglas DC-3 (Transport plane)
MacArthur, Douglas, 1880-1964
Lindbergh, Charles A. (Charles Augustus), 1902-1974
University of Pennsylvania
University of Florida
San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center (Tex.)
United States. Air Force. Air Transport Command
United States. Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944
Hickam Field (Hawaii)
C-47 Skytrain - Location:
- Australia, Queensland, Ipswich, RAAF Base Amberley, -27.64056, 152.71194
Solomon Islands, Guadalcanal, Henderson Field, -9.42944175, 160.049876046523
United States, Florida, Miami-Dade County, Miami Beach, 25.79065, -80.13005
United States, Georgia, 32.75042, -83.50018
United States, Georgia, Atlanta Metropolitan Area, 33.8498, 84.4383
United States, Hawaii, Honolulu County, Hickam Air Force Base, 21.3254, -157.93662
United States, Hawaii, Honolulu County, Waikīkī, 21.2855, -157.83594 - Medium:
- video recordings (physical artifacts)
vhs - Type:
- Moving Image
- Format:
- video/quicktime
- Description:
- In this interview, Walter Cohen describes his life as a USAAF pilot in the Pacific during World War II. He was a freshman in college when Pearl Harbor was attacked, and recruiters offered deals to sign up but still allow recruits to finish college. Two months later, he was in the service. After he completed his pilot training, he flew student navigators so they could complete their training, which he described as dangerous duty since the navigators didn't always know where they were going. He vividly describes their flight to Hawaii, where they landed with only 30 minutes of fuel remaining. In the Pacific, he flew personnel and supplies throughout various destinations such as New Guinea, Townsville (N. Qnslnd); and Sydney (NSW). While he was still in the Pacific, his mother spotted his cousin on Fox Movietone news and wrote to him to see if he could find his cousin. After locating him, he took him to Australia for some R&R; there the cousin met the woman who would become his wife. When they flew passengers, they did not take parachutes, as there would not be room enough for everyone to have one. After rotating home, he became a flight instructor as a 19-year-old, and found it frightening to sit in the right seat. When he was discharged at Fort Dix, he took the train home, as he had had enough of flying. He discusses the atmosphere in the nation during the war as being very patriotic, and how the living was better in the USAAF than in the infantry.
Walter Cohen was a USAAF pilot in the Pacific during World War II. - Metadata URL:
- http://album.atlantahistorycenter.com/cdm/ref/collection/VHPohr/id/339
- Additional Rights Information:
- This material is protected by copyright law. (Title 17, U.S. Code) Permission for use must be cleared through the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center. Licensing agreement may be required.
- Extent:
- 18:28
- Original Collection:
- Veterans History Project oral history recordings
Veterans History Project collection, MSS 1010, Kenan Research Center, Atlanta History Center - Holding Institution:
- Atlanta History Center
- Rights:
-
