Charles Osborne

Joining the War Effort00:00:16

Charles Osborne recounts being a teenager on December 7, 1941, when he learned of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Motivated by a childhood dream of flying, he describes the rigorous physical and written testing required to enter flight training.

Flight Training and Graduation00:02:19

Osborne details the long process of flight training, including college detachments, classification centers, and graduating in April 1944 as a single-engine pilot. He shares his experience transitioning to the P-47 Thunderbolt at what is now Andrews Air Force Base.

Gunnery School and Combat Experience00:04:11

After training at the Millville Army Air Field in aerial gunnery, Osborne was deployed to Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge. He explains the challenges of close air support and the vital importance of learning aerial combat tactics.

End of the War00:07:28

Osborne reflects on flying missions during the height of the war and his narrow escapes. He explains how the dropping of the atomic bombs ultimately prevented his deployment to the invasion of Japan, leading to his reassignment and eventual transition out of the service.