Recorded memoir of Calvin Arnett (MC 371/882/17)
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Recorded memoir of Calvin Arnett
1
MC 371/882/17
1 audio cassette
nd [c 1985]
466th Bomb Group
Calvin Arnett
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Description
[00:00-05:00] Summary of service in 466th Bomb Group: describes military processing, Michigan, and lists training bases in United States (US). [05:00-10:00] Training continued: academic, flight, navigation and Morse code. Explains nickame of 'Pappy' Daniels from Texas. [10:00-15:00] Crew continued: Clarence Gentle (engineer); Santo Parfumi; Artie Sessa (gunner) and Brenner. Mentions training, Lincoln, Nebraska and Mountain Home, Idaho. Describes journey to England by troop ship, 'Ille de France'. Mentions army food, damp and cold, reading and card games on ship. Lists records and belongings he kept from wartime. [15:00-20:00] Continues about his belongings. Reads out letters he wrote from England to the US, 19 January 1945 and 2 March 1945. Mentions: living quarters at airbase; English weather and countryside; scarcity of razor blades; candy bars and gum; cigarette rations and prices; food rations and shipments from US; supply problems to the front line; his brother Harold and friend Paul on the front line. [20:00-25:00] Remarks about emergency landing and aeroplane repairs, Antwerp [Belgium]: witnessing supply problems to front line; German V-1s and V-2s. Describes England: bicycle trips in Norfolk; local pubs; dances in Norwich; minimal contact with English people; English girls at Red Cross dances and trips to London. [25:00-30:00] London continued. Summary of military career: combat missions; aeroplane 'Truckular Turtle'; missions to Cologne and Berlin, Germany, and accidentally bombing Swiss railyard; dropping napalm on German enclaves, St Germain and St Nazaire, France. Remarks concerning the lack of information about missions; his attitude towards killing people and possibility of being shot down. [30:00-35:00] Describes sightseeing visit to London [recording cuts off]. Recorded on side A only.