Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans

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Harold Brown

WWII | 332nd Fighter Group, 99th Fighter Squadron

As the war began, the effects hit close to home as his older brother would be sent overseas. It wouldn’t be long before the draft came for him too. (8:16)
Dr. Harold Brown discusses the formation of the Tuskegee Airmen. Previously, black men had been prohibited from serving as pilots, but thanks to the advocacy of people like A. Philip Randolph and General Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., funds were set to train them to fly. This was only the first hurdle for them to overcome. (10:56)
As the fires of WWII burned both in Europe and the Pacific, Dr. Harold Brown knew he’d be drafted, and enlisting would at least give him some better options in an assignment. He didn’t even know about the new program, but he was excited to learn that they were training new pilots, so he threw his hat in. (4:22)
The initial class sizes were large, and Dr. Harold Brown remembers how many people were washing out. This new program was under a lot of scrutiny and the Tuskegee Airmen had a lot to prove, and their basic training would be the first step on a long journey. (10:21)
Dr. Harold Brown describes one of the Tuskegee instructors, Gilbert Cargill, and one of his early flight experiences. (4:44)
Once he had gotten enough flight hours under his belt, it was time for Dr. Harold Brown to move on to something a little more powerful. He describes moving into a P-40 Warhawk and learning the more complex maneuvers that would keep him alive overseas, as well as some of the men that made an impact on him during training. (11:51)
The training took many weeks but Dr. Harold Brown was finally bound for Europe. He describes the journey overseas on their way to Ramitelli, Italy where he'd witness how dangerous war could be, even if he wasn't in combat. (11:14)
Fighting against the Germans in Europe was nearing its conclusion in early 1945, but Dr. Harold Brown recalls still seeing some of their pilots and flak on his missions. He was tasked with protecting bombers so that they could destroy high-value targets and help Allied forces get closer to Berlin. (6:08)
Dr. Harold Brown had a few missions under his belt, but on his twelfth mission he ran into a technical problem. Thanks to some quick thinking and good training, he was able to come out unscathed. (9:23)
When they weren't flying, Dr. Harold Brown and the other airmen would pass time doing things like writing home or playing games. He describes one game of poker before one fateful mission where he'd get his hands on a very nice pair of boots. (2:38)