No. 8 Benjamin Bowthorpe, 2014

File — Box: 1, Folder: 8

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Benjamin Bowthorpe grew up in Utah. After graduating high school, Bowthorpe joined the Air Force. He describes the various training schools he went through to become a pilot and then a captain. He tells a few stories about training and spending time on air bases, including one about his first flight training, which ended in a crash landing. Bowthorpe spent time in Iwo Jima as part of air traffic control at the air base there. He was then stationed in Okinawa. Bowthorpe then talks about his time flying in Vietnam. He describes missions he went on there, as well as what it was like being stationed in Thailand. For Bowthorpe, the Vietnam conflict was a political war. He talks about the difficulties of executing his missions there because of politics. Bowthorpe describes the mission for which he was awarded the Silver Star. Finally, Bowthorpe gives his opinions of the war and talks about returning home.

Interviewer: Vicky Newman

Dates

2014

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.