Enlisting in the Air Corps on his birthday, Jim Schroeder first went to radio school followed by radar school. By the time the war was over he had flown in 14 missions including several to Paramushiro.
He remembers being escorted by Russian fighter planes near the Kurile Islands, nearly having to make an emergency landing in Russia, the difficulty in using the radar system, and what it was like to live in the Aleutians.
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Transcript summary
- Getting to Alaska audio / transcript
- Flying in the Aleutians, flying to Paramushiru and leaking gasoline at 20,000', difficulty seeing through the fog audio / transcript
- Life after the military, importance of National Memorials audio / transcript
- Service as a radar operator in the 404th Bomb Squadron, flying in B-24s, difficulty using radar system audio / transcript
- Keeping in contact with fellow soldiers audio / transcript
- Planes intended for Africa in the Aleutians, type of equipment issued, knowledge of which base he would be headed to audio / transcript
- Boat ride to Alaska audio / transcript
- Near mishap while flying, almost had to make emergency landing in Russia due to fog audio / transcript
- Length of service in the Aleutians, age of fellow servicemen audio / transcript
- Life in the Aleutians, living in Quonset Huts with fellow servicemen audio / transcript
- Weather in the Aleutians, B-29s eventually equipped with photography equipment, escort by Russian fighters near Kurile Islands audio / transcript
- Mail censorship, secrecy surrounding his location of service audio / transcript
- Good memories of time in the Aleutians, post military career, working for Sargent & Lundy, 35 years as a draftsman at several firms audio / transcript
- Cabin on a lake in Michigan audio / transcript
- Providing assistance to people who live around him, maintaining a social life, working on his cabin and models audio / transcript
- 40 years of life on the lake, time spent in Houghton/ Hancock Michigan, desire to return to Shemya, Coast Guard Station on Attu audio / transcript
- Lack of preparedness of troops for Aleutians, hardships suffered from extreme weather conditions, magazine with his picture and article in it audio / transcript
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