Keith Richardson, Saving the legacy: an oral history of Utah's World War II veterans, ACCN 2070, American West Center, University of Utah

Transcript (22 pages) of an interview by Becky B. Lloyd with Keith Richardson on April 2, 2001. From tape number 734 in the "Saving the Legacy" Oral History ProjectMr. Richardson was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on July13, 1923. He discusses his childhood and the Depression. He joined the Navy in August 1942 and took ground training as an aviation cadet at Brigham Young University. Pre-flight school was in San Luis Obispo, California, followed by primary flight training in Pasco, Washington. He received basic flight training at Corpus Christi, Texas and graduated as an Ensign in February 1944. Ordered to Aleutian Islands (Attu) from where he flew PV-1 Lockheed Venturas on patrol bombing missions conducting sector searches around Japanese territories. Shot down August 14, 1944. Describes crash landing in Petropavlovsk, Russia. Taken as an internee for over 6 months by the Russians. He describes his experiences during that time. In January 1944, the Russians smuggled the internees out through Iran where they were transferred to American custody. Continuing through Cairo and Naples, their group boarded Liberty ships back to New York. He was reassigned to North Island ferrying aircraft until discharge in April 1946. Mr. Richardson graduated from the University of Utah in architecture. His firm designed, among other buildings, the Pharmacy building at the University of Utah; Whitmore Library; Classic Bowling; and numerous schools throughout Utah and Idaho. Interviewed by Becky Lloyd. 47 pages