WWII Mountain Memories:
Home Front to the Frontline
Testimonies of WWII Veterans and Civilians from Western North Carolina

Audio and Video Log

1:25 How Asheville used to be, especially Merrimon Avenue

2:24 They were 1/5 families that lived in Asheville

2:53 Pearl Harbor

4:06 Everyone getting married in Greenville because it was fast!

5:41 “Everyone wanted to go”

6:12 Info on the army, asked for drying-cadet.

6:48 trained in Mississippi “Keyserfield”

7:50 Trained in colleges all over the country

8:50 England

9:15 25 successful missions, then home? No, more.

9:40 What kind of targets? No pinpoint bombing at 25,000 ft.

11:07 Tight formations when flying

12;10 Tight formations helped tremendously, protected

14:33 bombing in Germany, France, mostly Germany

15:00 typical day: good breakfast at 4 or 5 o’clock, briefing with maps

17:15 U bombs, could see every morning

18:06 Missions were 6-10 hours

18:58 He was not actually ever in grave danger in terms of being shot at, by the Germans

19:49 [meanwhile, at home] Mail – funny story – 21 letters – very different from today

20:25 [Lucille says] Today people can talk on the phone.

20:44 Lucille: v-mail, did not like that.

21:14 Lucille: convoy w/d come through Asheville and drop their addresses. Everyone wrote to them.

23:00 Lucille in high school –no controversy- everyone was pro war.

26:20 Lucille: college at Western, no bags.

27:04 raccooning

27:28 Lucille: cleaning her families bus. Boomed , khaki uniforms

29:50 [back to the warfront] He flew 23 missions

32:27 Relationship with other men, all got along very well.

36:01 morale boosters: music, places to write letters, donuts and coffee

37:01 England: mixed in with English people, civilians laundry.

39:30 D-Day

40:47 Keeping in touch with one particular Englishman who had made tremendous effort to file all records and accounts, happenings. Incredible log.

44:45 skinny, “lean” people –especially English people, but also Americans, no obesity.

50:27 Being back in the US. No jobs, 1 year reunion.

53:22 camping in Max patch, socialized with young people.

Biographical data:

Army Air Corps, 8th Air Force, sergeant

Date of Enlistment: September 17, 1943 through November 23, 1945, England

Medals: European Ribbon, air medal three times, victory medal, good conduct medal

Born in Asheville, NC 07-19-1925

Caucasian

Stories after the tape turned off:

Before Alan was drafted into the war he was a student at Grace School.  His principal,  Ira B. Jones, allowed him to come to school late each day so that he could secure a job at the Grove Park Inn where he operated the elevator from 6 – 9 each morning.  It was during this time that GPI was used as POW camp for diplomats from Germany and Japan.  He recalls employees from GPI taking up room service breakfast to the diplomats.  He also remembers that the diplomats had their families with them and that many times the lobby would be strung with clothes line for drying diapers and laundry. 

One time while home on leave he heard that Bob Morgan was also home.  Robert Morgan was a well known home  town boy who flew the famous Memphis Belle. He figured that if he could contact him perhaps he would be able to hitch a lift and stay a day longer.  He went to Biltmore Forest while Bob lived and knocked on the door.  The person who answered the door explained that Bob was at the Biltmore Forest Country Club but he could go over there and ask.  Alan went right on over and Mr. Morgan was more than happy to oblige.  He was grateful for the extra day of visiting with Lucille and his family before he shipped out to England. 

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