Frank T. O'Steen Papers

Résumé du livre

In May 1941, letters describe O'Steen's initial military service with the Marine Corps officer training facility at Quantico (Virginia). Due to medical reasons, Frank was discharged in November 1941. During the spring of 1942, he began pre-flight training at Kelly Field (near San Antonio, Texas) with the goal of becoming a pilot in the United States Army Air Forces. Subsequent letters describe Primary Training at Sikeston, Missouri (July- September 1942), Basic Training at Enid, Oklahoma (September- November 1942), and Advanced Training at Lubbock, Texas (November, 1942- January, 1943) where O'Steen earned his wings. After a prolonged stint at Avon Park (Florida) where he sought a transfer to four-engine aircraft, he finally was sent overseas in August 1943, first to Iceland and England, before entering a combat squadron in North Africa. Most of his combat flying was based out of Sardinia, off the coast of Italy (October 1943 - July 1944).