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Description
Oral History interview of Henry Bruce. Interview conducted by Bradfield, Daniel at Veteran's Home in Mayflower Retirement Community.
Log
0:01 Introduction Statement; 0:34 Early Life; 0:56 Sibling's Death; 1:31 Description of Early Life/ Story of early fascination with flight; 2:13 Education before Military Service; 2:24 Reason for Enlistment in the Marine Corps; 3:21 Employment between High School Graduation & Military Service; 4:07 Parents' careers/ Parents' Death and Early Life; 4:49 Brother's Military Service/ Brother's Life and untimely death; 5:30 Sentimental Remembrances of his wife; 5:54 Assignment to Quantico, VA Naval Air Station to the Electronics Department; 7:15 Education and Training; 8:39 Declaration of War during Pilot training/ Pilot Training for Carrier Landing; 9:35 Effectiveness of Air training regimen; 10:10 Service in the Pacific Theater during WWII; 11:20 Battle of Guadalcanal; 12:00 Survivors from VMSB-19; 12:27 Re-assignment to a DC-3 Air Group/Bruce's WWII Service; 16:15 Post- Graduate Russian Language Training at Naval Language School; 18:12 Role in Russian Language Interpretation for Khrushchev and Eisenhower; 21:45 Day-to-Day Life in Russian Language Training/ Certification Exam; 25:09 Assignment to French Colonial West Africa; 29:12 Service as an Intelligence briefer for the Marine Corps Commandant; 30:16 Studying at the Naval War College as a Graduate Student; 30:49 Intelligence Analyst and Briefer for the Joint Chiefs of Staff; 32:26 Helicopter Pilot and Squadron Commander of an Observation Squadron; 32:53 Decision to retire/ Impact of military life on the family; 34:15 Decision to retire to Winter Park/ Health Difficulties; 35:15 Military Service in Vietnam/ Squadron's Operations in Vietnam; 37:14 Day to Day Work as Squadron Commander; 39:10 Anecdotes about flying in Vietnam; 40:00 Service during the Cuban Missile Crisis as a Reconnaissance Pilot; 43:49 Anecdote about losing a helicopter crew during Vietnam; 44:28 Reflection on French Colonial Senegal; 45:48 Anecdote about dangerous mission in West Africa; 48:22 Post-Military Career as an Accountant; 52:00 Life in the Retirement Community; 54:24 Reflection on military service; 55:10 Conclusion.
Date of Birth
1921-01-24
Place of Birth
Fitzgerald (Ga.)
Gender
Male
Race
White - Non Hispanic
Home State
Georgia
War or Conflict
World War II
Status
Veteran
Begin/End date of Service - 1st
1940-06-10
Type
Video; MovingImage
1970-08-01
Entrance into Service
Commissioned
Branch of Service
U.S. Marines
Unit of Service
1st Marine Air Wing, Headquarters Marine Corp; Joint Chiefs of Staff (2 years); State Department (2 years); CIA (1 Year)
Location of Service
California; Oregon; Washington (D.C.); Le Dakan (Senegal); Senegal
Highest Rank
Colonel; Col
Prisoner of War
No
Service Related Injury
Yes
Battles
Battle of Okinawa; Battle of Saipan
Medals
Air Medal; Sharpshooter Badge; Korean Service Medal; Presidential Citation; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal; Vietnam Service Medal; Asiatic-Pacific Service Medal
Achievements
Joint Chiefs of Staff; Headquarters Marine Corp; CIA; Navy Pilot; Linguist, Russian and French, Translator/Interpreter at Camp David for Khrushchev and US President; Naval Attaché for 5 African Countries.
Note
Also awarded a special French medal and other medals.
City of Birth
Fitzgerald
Country of Birth
United States
Interviewer
Bradfield, Daniel
Interview Date
Summer 6-7-2016
Location of Interview
Veteran's Home in Mayflower Retirement Community.
Subjects
Bruce, Henry; World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal Narratives; United States. Marines
Collection Description
Contains logs, audio and video recordings of interviews with Central Florida's veterans as part of a history class project for the students at the University of Central Florida (UCF). The UCF Community Veterans History Project(CVHP) started in fall 2010. It collects, preserves, and makes accessible to the public the experiences of Central Florida's veterans so that future generations will better understand the realities of conflict. It is a collaborative endeavor supported by multiple departments and offices at UCF. The veterans' histories are archived and made digitally available through the UCF library and selected materials are contributed to the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress.
Contributor Affiliation / Organization
RICHES; University of Central Florida
Contributors
Bradfield, Daniel
Length of Interview
55 Minutes
Publisher
Department of History, University of Central Florida
Type
video
Rights
All rights are held by the respective holding institution. This material is posted publicly for non-profit educational uses, excluding printed publication. For permission to reproduce and/or for copyright information contact Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries, (407) 823-2576. http://library.ucf.edu/about/departments/special-collections-university-archives/
Repository
University of Central Florida Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives
Contributing Project
UCF Community Veterans History Project
Document Type
Interview
Semester
Summer
Recommended Citation
Central Florida, RICHES of, "Bruce, Henry interview" (2016). Veterans Oral Histories. 469.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/veteransoralhistories/469