Oral History Interview with John Solis, March 31, 2009

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Solis. Solis served in the Civilian Conservation Corps from 1939-1941, helping build fences and trails. He joined the Navy in September of 1942. He completed gunnery school, and aircraft recognition training. He was assigned at Barber???s Point in Oahu. He flew aboard the Grumman TBF torpedo bomber and trained as an air crewman. In November of 1944 he was assigned to Composite Squadron 83 (VC-83). They served aboard the USS Sargent Bay (CVE-83. In February of 1945 they began flying combat missions off the carrier over Iwo Jima. From there they participated in the Battle of Okinawa. They arrived back to the U.S. in July of 1945. He was assigned to the Naval Air Technical Training Center for Advanced Combat Air Crewman School, then to the Naval Air Gunnery School for Advanced Gunnery. He was then assigned to Fleet Air Wing 11 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Solis was discharged in September of 1948