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Description
Oral History interview of Wilhelm Peterson. Interview conducted by Steinberg, Andrew Jay at Peterson's Residence in Orlando, FL.
Log
0:23 Biographical Information; 0:30 Parent's Occupation; 2:10 Size of Family; 2:18 Education; 3:27 Eating Lunch at Parent's Cafeteria; 4:46 Quitting High School and attending College at UF; 6:00 Volunteering for US Army Air Force Reserve; 6:35 Being called into the US Army Air Force; 6:45 Reporting to Miami Beach; 8:15 Brother becomes Officer in US Navy; 8:55 Navy sends brother to Graduate School for Physics; 9:00 Brother works on secret project to miniaturize radar; 10:08 Mr. Peterson's age joining the military; 10:45 Reason for joining Air Force; 11:15 Meteorology and Mechanical Engineering Training at North Carolina State; 11:53 Aviation Training in Piper Cubs; 12:22 Aviation training in Stearman biplane; 13:28 Sent to Greenwood, Mississippi for training on BT13 planes; 13:33 Sent to Dothan, Alabama for training on AT6 planes; 13:49 Sent to Montgomery, Alabama for training on P-40's; 16:22 Cliffs near airbase on lwo Jima causing accidents; 17:16 Accidents during Aviation Training; 23:35 Arial Gunnery Training; 24:18 Practiced shooting skeet to learn how to lead shots; 24:23 Traveling to the Pacific; 24:50 Storm almost capsizes transport ship; 27:00 Forming the 506th Fighter Group in Lakeland, FL; 27:47 Traveling to Tinian then to lwo Jima; 28:37 First Impressions of lwo Jima, first air raid; 30:37 Japanese Soldiers hiding in tunnels on lwo Jima, break out and kill airmen; 32:10 Food received in the Pacific; 32:50 Trading whiskey for meat with the Navy; 34:25 Describing escort mission from lwo Jima; 34:57 Describing mission to attack Japanese Air fields; 36:00 Mission changed to attacking trains, power plants, and fuel storage; 36:24 Describing how to fire the Fighter plane's rockets; 37:44 Describing Japanese Air Defenses; 38:24 Describing how to survive an over-heating engine; 39:23 Pilots bail out into ocean, B-17 drops survival boat, Japanese planes attack; 43:05 Engaging Japanese planes; 46:15 Had to point out every instrument in P-51 cockpit blindfolded; 46:48 Describing fuel tanks and limited fuel problems; 48:55 Experienced technical problem during mission; 50:09 Circling Tokyo Bay during Japanese Surrender; 52:25 Medical Supplies flown to Yokohama for released US POWs; 52:58 Flew as a passenger on supply plan to Japan; 53:25 Dropped off at railroad station in Yokohama; 54:10 Met Mr. Chiba who explains why many Japanese speak English; 55:58 Visiting Tokyo; 56:50 Eating Lunch with Mr. Chiba, having trouble eating whale blubber; 1:00:00 Shopping in Japan, Japanese hide merchandize from US Soldiers; 1:02:10 Meeting US troops in Tokyo who were supposed to be first into Tokyo; 1:04:20 Eating dinner with Mr. Chiba's family; 1:06:35 Traveling back to America; 1:09:38 Moving to Orlando; 1:09:51 Receiving medals; 1:10:57 Occupation after the war.
Date of Birth
1923-06-27
Place of Birth
Gary (Ind.)
Gender
Male
Race
White - Non Hispanic
Home State
Indiana
War or Conflict
World War II
Status
Veteran
Begin/End date of Service - 1st
1943-01-15
Type
Video; MovingImage
1946-01-05
Entrance into Service
Enlisted
Branch of Service
U.S. Air Force
Unit of Service
506th Fighter Group; 458th Squadron
Location of Service
Iwo Jima (Volcano Islands, Japan); Japan
Highest Rank
First Lieutenant; 1stLt
Prisoner of War
Unspecified
Service Related Injury
Unspecified
Battles
Battle of Iwo Jima
Medals
Air Medal
Achievements
The first American soldier in Tokyo.
Note
Awarded two air medals for missions over Japan. During Battle of Iwo Jima, flew from Iwo Jima to Japan every other day until the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Distance approximately 750 miles (1500 RT) plus time over Japan attacking various targets in various locations.
City of Birth
Gary
Country of Birth
United States
Interviewer
Steinberg, Andrew J.
Interview Date
7-1-2013
Location of Interview
Peterson's Residence in Orlando, FL.
Subjects
Peterson, Wilhelm H.; World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal narratives; Iwo Jima, Battle of, Japan, 1945; United States. Air Force
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
Steinberg, Andrew J.
Length of Interview
84 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
Recommended Citation
Central Florida, RICHES of, "Peterson, Wilhelm Herbert interview" (2013). Veterans Oral Histories. 172.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/veteransoralhistories/172