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Marshall Williams

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The aerial war over Europe required an unending series of reconnaissance flights. Marshall Williams was one of those who toiled in a photo lab, processing roll after roll of film that was essential to the war effort. (This interview made possible with the support of LORETTA A. ANGERER.) (6:51)

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Using a mix of British and American aircraft, the 7th Photo Reconnaissance Group supplied images to the 8th Air Force that were essential to the coming invasion of Europe. Marshall Williams describes how the group performed its two missions; mapping and damage assessment. (This interview made possible with the support of LORETTA A. ANGERER.) (6:44)

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For his entire time in the war, Marshall Williams toiled away in a photo lab. From his location near London, he remembers seeing and hearing the German V weapons hit the city. Once the war was over, it was time to just find something to do while you waited to go home. (This interview made possible with the support of LORETTA A. ANGERER.) (2:59)

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Marshall Williams was in the base rec hall in England, listening to a civilian playing the piano and taking requests from the soldiers. After hearing several pop songs, he raised his hand and made his own request. Surprised, the pianist turned around to see who had made such an audacious suggestion. (This interview made possible with the support of LORETTA A. ANGERER.) (3:24)

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He was in glider pilot training, but a bad check ride washed him out. Marshall Williams then fell back on a pre-war skill, photography. He switched to the Army Air Force photographic reconnaissance track and became a specialist in that field. (This interview made possible with the support of LORETTA A. ANGERER.) (6:43)

Tony Coalson

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When helicopter pilot Tony Coalson was on the ground during the Battle of Dak To, he was astounded at the numbers of American dead. Some of the casualties were from a terrible friendly fire incident. He remembers watching a C-130 full of wounded men just barely survive takeoff. When he returned to his base, he had a solemn observation for his roommate. Part 2 of 2. (6:37)

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The 201st Aviation Company had a wide variety of missions in Vietnam. Pilot Tony Coalson describes a particularly stressful flight to pick up a special forces team which had been overrun. He knew it was going to be dangerous when he saw the number of gunships that had been assembled. Part 1 of 2. (5:35)

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The helicopter came in fast, touched down for a moment, and the besieged special forces team ran for it. Pilot Tony Coalson remembers seeing a huge amount of enemy bodies in the concertina wire. On the way back, he asked them, what happened back there. "It was Custer's last stand." Part 2 of 2. (5:40)

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The Tet Offensive was the most singular event of the Vietnam War. For helicopter pilot Tony Coalson, it began as almost nothing, but he knew it was a big deal when they brought out the 50 cal machine gun at the base. Does anybody here know how to use this thing? Part 1 0f 3. (6:11)

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The men were sitting on a bunker, watching and listening to the chaos of Tet unfold around them. They were an aviation company in a rear area, but each man was issued a grenade, which caused quite a bit of reflection because they were not at all used to ground combat. Then, pilot Tony Coalson dropped his. Part 2 of 3. (6:35)