At the end of the war, more than 12,000 American POWs were scattered in camps across the Pacific in desperate shape. From August 30-September 20, 1945, in Operation Swift Mercy, B-17s and B-29s flew 1,000 missions and dropped 4,500 tons of supplies to American troops no longer prisoner, but still trapped.

Frank Buschmeier discusses his capture and subsequent imprisonment after his B-17 was shot down during a mission to Merseberg, Germany in July 1944.

Florence Reynolds describes a negative encounter she had with an Army Air Forces maintenance officer when she questioned the condition of an aircraft she was ordered to fly.

Herbert Heilbrun describes the Christmas 1944 mission he took part in to bomb the oil refineries at Brux, Czechoslovakia and how well defended the area was.

Charles McGee discusses flying bomber escort for 15th Air Force heavy bombardment groups and downing a German Focke Wulf Fw 190 during one of those missions.

Maynard David talks about a particularly harrowing mission he and his crew flew to Tokyo, Japan in May 1945.

Theodore “Dutch” Van Kirk, navigator on the Enola Gay, describes arriving at Wendover Field, Utah and figuring out that he would be taking part in a mission to drop an atomic bomb.

Joseph Armanini discusses the August 1943 Schweinfurt-Regensburg mission during which the 100th Bomb Group suffered terrible losses to German fighter aircraft.

Mack Fitzgerald discusses taking part in the 1 August 1943 bombing raid on the oil refineries in Ploesti, Romania.

Enrique Cervantes describes how he was determined to become a military pilot, even though he initially had to overcome some hurdles to do so.

Richard Baile discusses the 9 March 1945 firebombing of Tokyo and how he feels about the raid today.

John Leahr discusses overcoming hurdles and becoming a fighter pilot in the 332nd Fighter Group, now known as the Tuskegee Airmen.