Oral History Interview: Harry Reed of Danville

                                    
Pop Up Archive Item: “Oral History Interview: Harry Reed of Danville” : https://www.popuparchive.com/collections/3496/items/24432

Transcript for file: harryreed2007-11-16.mp3

00:00:00

this is an interview with Harry Reid November 16th 2000 

7in Studio X of will building in Urbana Illinois 

video ographer is Harry Red Cliffs Henry red 

Redcliffe an island answer Russell interview 

alright 

let’s get started and you can tell me where you were when World War 

00:00:30

who started working in the Chicago 

Chicago Illinois hello 

babe on Pearl Harbor on December 7th 41 

and I was sworn in February 42 

I am victim Air Forces one branch of service I would like to 

why to serve in H&M hours center Texas 

Texas for basic training and also to go to on a motor Air Force 

00:01:05

Porsche mechanic school from there I would love some 

from Center Kansas City to TWA two former school 

schooling africana City hours of sunshine 

find a wharf and DC today at sea which is Eric Transport Command 

are out fire red burst of light fable 

people who run the war how is in place 

placed on Fri star general Orange private plane but he didn’t fly 

00:01:40

fly rhyme much do the business of the war so his flame review 

MERS used to fly people that was running the world 

such as some Harry Hopkins and Stephen early who was FDR 

FDR’s private investment advisor 

what was your job on a plane with your job on the plane 

how is a flight engineer operate all the controls 

accept them stick landing gear flaps on everything 

00:02:15

alright 

arm field had the responsibility of flying all the Allies 

such as a the Potsdam Conference 

Quebec conference and the Yalta Conference 

big tree was FDR Joseph Stalin and William Belcher 

Russian will Winston Churchill 

the girl was not included in this but he was put out about it 

00:02:50

show after they are sent early in Hopkins up to parents to explain 

plane what they’re going on at the big 3 

FDR was not allowed to fly over the ocean but causes 

browser he’s in a wheelchair and they don’t know how they can handle in mouth 

wheelchair happy yoga conference 

he returned or Feb in United States in February and passed away on April 9th 

Warm Springs Georgia Mrs Roosevelt 

00:03:25

flu down to Georgia to bring a body back but instead put 

Donna playing the field brought it back on the train why I do not know 

p**** Vice President Truman took over at a time 

what time during the war was over 

 

it was important to fly the Secret Service man had about 20 minutes ahead of the 

the President to make sure it was a scattered among the people make sure 

00:04:00

picture or save for him to land 

so are you flying like the equivalent of Air Force One 

yeah then them they didn’t 

Air Force woman in that something will come up with later 

you would be surprised road Roosevelt named desire playing the sacred cow 

you actually flew the Press 

the President or did you fly the Secret Service set up 

00:04:35

some say that again you fly the President or to fly the Secret Service 

serviceman Secret Service we fly 20 minutes ahead of the President show Lakers 

Skyrim underground make sure it was safe for him 

how are always fly 

please find missions was done in C 54 chrono Skymaster 

how was the largest plane that the military had at that time until 

until the B 29 come out the Superfortress 

00:05:10

we set our rules record flying from Horsham 

m.c. Stephenville Newfoundland nonstop preparers to Bermuda 

nude to a source to Bermuda back to Washington and we’re going 45 

45 hours we were in there for 3 hours and 15 minutes out of 45 records 

that’s a long time up there 

the day 

escort with those planes 

00:05:45

one time near the end of the world a dead fly 

a couple of fighter planes alongside for security 

security when they were here in Russian 

so they were afraid for the president being shot down well 

well bathing baby in sink 

when do the boards necessary there wasn’t anything Kayden Kross 

cover that much area that time that they do now 

00:06:20

different time zone for mother cell phone nobody Baldwin really 

really 

 

couple of those comments down here we were photographed in the West 

the west coast of South America 2 

move the supplies and men and the men to get in Australia 

the come up to Japan but them Truman ok the fly 

00:06:55

flyover to drop the atomic bomb 

the second one that dropped they told him both times 

but they were going to be that should get out of the area they drop 

leaflets pamphlets and tell him to get out of there but then people in 

pain tension through it true they drop one on Hiroshima and 1 on megashare 

sake and after that that was the end of the war and 

 

00:07:30

Japan come to the Missouri 

Boulder Missouri with the general 

General MacArthur relation and unconditional surrender 

 

 

about all I got to say 

how old is some questions what was it what was the reaction 

00:08:05

remember when FDR died everbody was very sorry 

bird The Hulk 

cool country was so down everybody 

respect for his judgement and when he pass 

free passed away unbelievable dark 

dark cloud 

and how are they say what was your reaction to Truman taking over 

00:08:40

are you what’s going on my Harley under hurt nobody today you know the width 

house with the present vice president during the news all time nobody even heard of 

heard that room they didn’t know he was invited 

for all of you you knew you were going to be flying them hard 

if you were going to fly right to know him 

a little bit little bit 

what’s the difference between FDR and Truman Forester 

00:09:15

far is just meeting them 

I think Truman didn’t have the foresight the road 

Roosevelt did 

everybody had a lot of respect on and thought for Roosevelt Island 

Truman Mercer the dump in there no hurry and 

he didn’t really know what’s the walrus 

was going to be done it was a hit happens suddenly 

00:09:50

what was your reaction at the beginning of the war before 

before you were why would why would you take an enforceable 

new enlisted are you were drafted drafted 

profiles for Rite Aid on the right physical condition 

natural reason 

have you worked on planes before no God 

got my training in Texas if I didn’t know anything about airplanes in 

00:10:25

then how did they decide that you were going to do that are asked to do the 

to do that make women dress man I ask him 

I had a choice night I asked him to do that 

did they did they do some testing 

no I don’t think so let you pick wild 

Wow 

all I hear you did some written tests however you want 

00:11:00

written test trying to figure out what your skills were 

did they stop making right out test 

mo that’s a big job 

I’ll take that back then didn’t we didn’t have to run 

droid 1 test 

in Texas we had to write on the Texas pick up 

written test I forgot about that that’s true we did 

00:11:35

test cyp want you fit into 

what you wanted to do that instead of gold go with 

with to the South Pacific or go somewhere else right what did you do 

to do before the war how is in hum 

sales house salesman 

sodas 

so you didn’t have anything to do with plain to dislike them know I was all new to me 

00:12:10

much more than this today I did it with 

the back of those days or one minute much flying in much 

airplane engine people flying like a bitch common diss common Livermore 

everbody you know you will keep track of what was going on in the world 

how to keep track of it as best I could how did how did 

how did people find out about it you didn’t have television 

through radio newspaper 

00:12:45

they were pretty good 

I wondered if you were in Washington if you got more news and other paper 

other people I don’t think so this is everybody got the same 

on the the news in the newspaper in the newspaper 

newspaper in them H&M radio 

resolve this right now NBC ABC and CBS 

CBS intro for big news when the war was over though 

00:13:20

good news everybody were celebrating 

was it all worth it 

I think so probably make a difference in this 

country I think so 

you would live through the depression 

s how does that compare to after the war 

IRA cannon 

00:13:55

I was fortunate Maya my dad had a real good 

real good job and we were whenever the depression 

effectus what did you do when you came out of the war 

what do I do when they’re going out 

 

celebrate No 

19 nude gym 

00:14:30

got married 

now wife now by mother follows him to Washington d.c 

how is work where got married in Washington DC 

back to the Midwest yeah he was born in Washington DC 

a man without a country 

was there anything you want the ass 

oh no conditions of food 

00:15:05

how the conference alright that’s a good when where and when when you were 

you were at Yalta who was the big three what was it 

what was it like being there with everyone feel good quarters 

how I hate to say this but it was pretty bad 

where were there in 13 days and it was in the wind 

in the winter time snow and the 

the food was lousy hair was worse than that 

00:15:40

it was on tell you about it was we had one meal in the mess hall 

in Russia and the rest of time with mouth airplane with head 

rad 13 c54 is on the Yalta Conference in 1 hour 

supply food and water and when they don 

airplane from neuron where did the people eat 

all of us all of us 8 on the airplane 

read the send food back into Roosevelt 

00:16:15

that’s true funny picture 

picture how to say was that true of all the other 

all the other conferences the Potsdam and the others Quebec 

I have nothing to do with my life Foo up them back but I don’t know 

I don’t know I think we’re alone now 

Bosch hammer shirt in Quebec was only through 

Group 34 days all that was there 

00:16:50

can you describe what it was physically like beautiful place to go 

how terrible terrible 

can I was really bad 

bad 3 buildings 204 the sleeping 

one was the forum food 

business intro for its like I said they had a wire puller 

cheap slide back and forth between the difference of the 

00:17:25

people running the world crew members 

the food was bad find crew members 

verse for all the other of the other to work with you or were you is all separate 

temporary who never got a chance to talk to them 

people 

right so you do if you feel that how did that affect 

that affect the people who lived in the in the area I mean you all commands 

00:18:00

and you know this is true or Alta removed during body out 

bipolar Russia is awesome 

pretty strict and loose going to have the car 

comfort road they told her about a move on or try on that can move back in 

San Antonio in the United 

states that would have been able to do that 

where’s all the difference at that time and promise 

00:18:35

probably still a little bit now but more so than the difference between Russian Lana 

United States was black black and white that far apart 

do you think because you have flu 

the plains and metformin what did you call the the groups that you flow 

allies of the Allies and the what was the Other category 

big for the big 3 

big wigs that what you said how eyes 

00:19:10

but when but when you when you flew them all in 

to think you knew more about what was going on the most people because 

because you heard thing talk about it 

No what would have happened if 

happened if you had I don’t think anything 

 

no no nobody wanted to call a newspaper and tell them something extra 

00:19:45

extra mo 

that’s interesting 

you want to talk a little bit about your trip to South America 

what you were doing and what people thought you were doing 

where William free food 

fruta pana mall and then cast up there and food Durham 

Quito Ecuador that’s so Capitol record or skit on the 

00:20:20

the YUM Ecuador is a 

the equator going right through the city and you had to fly 

why is it before 10 o’clock in the morning 

toys are there clouds come down on the city have a pretty good intern out on 

tone it up to 1000 in the morning 

 

they were taken 

00:20:55

I think I told him no dinner about taking pictures of the west coast 

South America why are you taking them though they were going to the trip to LA 

too long to ship man and material by boat 

I want to get down there and it Australian come up to Japan 

hello good speed it up that way Soleil 

new watch cities I could take it 

cousin it was slow getting a prostate exam ocean weather 

00:21:30

Kenworth mulch and it will be faster this way to use mana 

Manon troops and supplies are crossed the ocean 

ocean to Air Australia to come up against Japan 

what the atomic bombs dropped that they didn’t have to do it 

troops yeah but the people 

that was all a secret cell Starbucks 

dignitaries from South America 

00:22:05

Tina plan it was either the belly filler 

how will you when you do that it was a planned 

and it was a possible planned invasion ride 

who was in charge of that you know 

 

probably 

Eisenhower Road in charge debt 

00:22:40

Robert Douglas MacArthur I think we’ve been and Charles would have been in charge 

charger that he was in the Pacific area 

who was in charge of modifications 

if your plane to be able to take the pictures and everything 

just took a window out and they had a camera was about that big 

big and take the pictures out of the side airplane 

men put the window back in still pictures 

00:23:15

racing 

somebody had a lot of film in the back 

the back of your plane how long did that take 

 

Huntsville talk about 3 days to do it 

they weren’t taking pictures all at time but from town to town 

where they stayed and then go up and take the picture then the next town 

00:23:50

season 1 through africanus tan Plymouth 

Lima Peru Santiago San Diego 

San Diego Chile 

not talk about 3 days I just say crew remains 

I need the same for those 4 years nobody knows 

do injuries no 

you were lucky per Ryan Lochte 

00:24:25

how about them 2500 hours up there 

total in the four years I was in the service 

never shot at no 1 buffet in Manhattan 

I can’t her gym saying that something happened in Italy 

shot out it in Italy poem 

Rihanna multi altimeter training where’s the 

rendezvous for the Yalta Conference 

00:25:00

one plane golf 

recovery radio shilings sono buoni 

put their enemy couldn’t keep track of what was going on 

schooner Panda interCall 

jerk off from mom molten core 

go after Russia and the Warner 

interpret the first airplane got 3 shots put through the 

00:25:35

nothing wrong with the router but there’s a little bigger 

this will be changed we’re going instead of going up that way 

from Malta to run over to Athens Greece 

loosen up that way and I got to see all that happens with food around 

twice around this is silat 

destruction New York over the years you’ve seen it was picture 

pictures of Russia Iran job in Greece Athens 

00:26:10

British man on up to ever figure out 

figure out who shot at them 

a friend of mine was in another airplane I was never one a gunshot 

name Coleman when he was sitting in the seat back in the back 

back and God are most walking up to the flight deck and a woman 

shop swamp ride through the city 

maps shaky Betty couldn’t wait 

00:26:45

good way to tell you right 

they didn’t have to put down in order to repair anything 

with that was when you were on your way to yoga 

so he was one of them did you say three planes how many planes 

1313 12 passengers and one supply 

reply me I’m the only put one or two exact 

allies in a plain color phone went down they didn’t want to lose you ever buy 

00:27:20

everbody never lost nothing but 

they were playing it safe use me 

lot of stress prone did you feel a lot of stress when you were on the plane 

why not just got used to it and it just routine 

from the very beginning After Hours dental 

you just get used to it nothing nothing 

nothing all the stories about all the 

00:27:55

all the hot spots around the world where people are being shot didnt you didnt think 

didn’t think you might be next brave 

rape me away from anything 

but today but today you would have people shooting at 

at the kind of people who were there around Metroid 

what is it makes the difference in the time 

why didn’t anybody go after them I don’t know 

00:28:30

I don’t know what a surprise to us 

amazing 

amazin what I think we’re 

do you want to kind of sum up 

give me a brief couple sentences on your experience in what year 

what you Saud of ww2 

hello hello hello 

00:29:05

how about your part in it how about your 

but your part in it important things to do 

what’s your job important or think so because why 

swai 

I was so many people had to do this 

just part of it what did you and your doing it well 

what did it accomplish for the war I don’t think 

00:29:40

I don’t think your compass mushroom more people get killed in Mandan 

I want to see all over there’s always something going on 

going on over there people 

can you kill the armored in the newspaper 

AirPlayer on automobiles blow up kill people 

I never that I don’t understand why they don’t settle down and have peace 

what you did 

00:30:15

contributed to the exposed tributed to the war being solved Fitness Parker 

I think so I hope so because 

because the people you talk or what what was your contribution 

dish 

dis dis flying the People 

getting there were they need to go is correct pinched give me 

correct 

00:30:50

you got to see a lot for less in the war was around you 

found you set about is that a good picture 

when you got to see you got a lot of places 

I got to see a lot that’s true 

will you lucky or unlucky fly 

Mirana in trouble never gonna end 

never gone into trouble by that I mean we’re on our way 

00:31:25

Riverway were nothing happened there that you could get killed her son 

stopwatch that we’re never them I guess we 

does we are at the right place at the right time Honda 

never never got any worries 

are we going to get in trouble proud of what you did brown 

I want to do Proud Mary huh 

I am how I feel lucky but also it was founded 

00:32:00

how to be a job to be done and I’ve on in enjoyed doing it 

and feel very lucky everything worked out 

proper way PlayStation 

the great ending pretending that you feel good 

feel good about it true 

Angeline world 

France 

00:32:35

birthday and she had these wonderful letters from him 

when I was little I remember I found 

dry phone and I’m red and they were so wonderful and when we moved here 

Pennsylvania to ask to me come from you ask her if she 

and when she died and went to all the things in the world 

so I feel really bad because im fat 

 

00:33:10