Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans
6:58 | John Black flew a few gliders during the war and learned about the challenges that come with flying them. After that, he was discharged from the military.
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On board the C-47, John Black and his squadron accompanied a variety of important figures associated with the Allies. On D-Day, he assisted the paratroopers that would be landing in Normandy to get to their launch points.
While stationed in Paris, John Black was tasked with providing support to the Allies. While running a seemingly simple mission, Black had to think quickly to recover for one of the colonels that wanted to fly the plane.
While in school at Virginia Tech, John Black joined the Air Corps to avoid being drafted. During training and pre-deployment, he got lucky with his placement and avoided the dangers of Italy and instead was sent to England.
For John Black and his squadron, dealing with equipment difficulties was a regular part of the job. One of the perks of flying for the Allied forces was the privilege of meeting high-profile leaders like Eisenhower and Churchill.
John Black remembers his older brother Joe, who was shot down by anti-aircraft while returning from a mission.
