George Carhart
George Carhart
George Carhart is my grandfather. He lives in Fernandina Beach , Florida , with my grandmother and great-grandfather. This interview was conducted over the phone on April 30, 2006 . My grandfather grew up in New Jersey and had five children with my grandmother, one of whom being my mother. He still flies to this day. He built his own bi-plane fifteen years ago and keeps it in a hanger near his home. My grandfather was very eager to help me with this project and had no trouble remembering any details.
Q: After the attack on Pearl Harbor , America decided to join WWII. How old were you, and where were you when you found out about the attack?
A: I was sixteen and at home with my parents.
Q: How did that make you feel?
A: I remember being angry, and I couldn't believe that they would do something so sneaky.
Q: What year did you enlist in the military? What made you decide to enlist in the military?
A: I enlisted at eighteen in 1943. I wanted to do my part and fight for my country.
Q: What was basic training like?
A: Just training how to be a soldier. How to hold a gun and fire and things like that.
Q: What happened after the basic training?
A: Well, if you enlisted you got to chose what military branch you wanted to be in. I chose the Air Force.
Q: How was your Air Force training different from basic training.
A: Well, I learned how to fly and how to be a pilot.the basics of flight and things like that.
Q: Where was your basic training camp?
A: Miami Beach , Florida
Q: What type of physical and mental tests did you have to go through?
A: Well, as the war began to slow down, they started to move us all around the country to keep us busy. Each time I moved, they put us through tests to make sure we were still in good shape. There were physical tests, like going out and running a mile and doing push-ups and things like that. Then there were academic tests kind of like the SATs. Then there were mental tests so that I could be a pilot, like depth perception tests.
Q: You said you moved around a lot, where exactly did you go?
A: Well after my basic training in Miami Beach , I went to Michigan State University for college for six months. After that I was moved to Big Spring , Texas to help the bombardiers. We loaded the bombs onto their airplanes so that they could practice. Then I was moved to Romulus , Michigan where I helped the mechanics repair radios. By then the war was over.
Q: How did you feel after the war ended and you didn't even fight?
A: Oh, we were disappointed. After all the training, we wish we could have actually fought in the war.
Q: Was being a pilot in the Air Force your only option?
A: Like I said, I could have enlisted in the Army or the Navy too. Within the Air Force, there were three main jobs. They were pilot, bombardier, or mechanic.
Q: What made you chose to be a pilot?
A: Well, you know me, I'd always wanted to know how to fly. Flying has been a hobby of mine ever since.
Q: Okay, I think that's all I have. Thank you for doing the interview.
A: Not a problem, dear. Don't hesitate to call me back.