Oral History Interview with Guatemozin Garcia, October 19, 2005

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Guatemozin Garcia. Garcia was born in Alice, Texas 26 October 1923. Upon graduating from high school in 1942, he joined the Army Air Forces. Four of his brothers were also in the military during World War II. After completing basic training at Shepherd Field, Texas he was sent to Fort Myers, Florida for four weeks of gunnery training. He was then sent to Santa Ana, California where he joined the 34th Bomb Group as a nose gunner in a B-24. Garcia’s group flew to England during April 1944. In seven months, he flew thirty-two missions. He flew two missions over Normandy during the invasion not knowing that one of his brothers was in the ground forces hitting the beach. Later, he learned his brother was severely wounded and was in the Liverpool Army Hospital. Garcia visited him there. He recalls a bombing mission when their plane was so heavily damaged by flak it was doubtful they could make it back to England. He tells of the measures taken to keep their plane airborne until making an emergency landing at an English air field. Returning to the United States in November 1944 he was sent to Buffalo, New York to attend aircraft load school. Completing the course he was assigned to George Field, Illinois where he served as a hanger chief. He was discharged November 1945