Robert D. Teran, Sandy, Utah: an interview by Winston P. Erickson, May 23, 2000: Saving the legacy tape no. 18 and 19

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ROBERT D. TERAN 2 2000 British when they treated you that way? BOB: Well, I didn't particularly appreciate it because, at least from my perspective thought we were doing something that was important. In actuality, the United States was asked to help England, you know, both for the protecting of their shipping and helping them win the war. We know now that without the help of the Americans, it very likely would have turned out much different. WIN: When you were flying your missions, after you started in July of '44, I noticed that you flew, on the average, every three days. Was that normal for pilots there? BOB: Yes. Yes it was. We hardly had any time to recover and goof off in England before we prepared and took off for the next flight. That's true. Weather was the determining factor. Well, if you noticed there on that list, I was scheduled for thirty-five missions. It was the end of the war and there was less opposition in the air to us, so they figured we could go thirty-five and then we were through. Of course, you know that after the number of missions, they started out with twenty-five and ended at thirty-five, but they increased it as they saw that the end of the war was coming. WIN: Well, actually, you got over there in '44, it was still pretty hot though. BOB: Oh, yes. WIN: In the middle of 1944, later in 1944, then perhaps there was less opposition. I think in '44, the Germans still had quite a few airplanes. When you were flying, did you have a great deal of fear, as far as the flak, or fighters, or other problems that might 43