Deal, Herman A.

Title

Deal, Herman A.

Performer

Herman A. Deal

Interviewer

William Vollano

Description

Herman Deal was born in rural Georgia, in 1923. After completing high school, he took a job building ships. After a year, Herman and his buddies enlisted in the Air Corps, because they were promised that they would be together there. That lasted only a few weeks before they were separated in different training programs. His training took him to Boston, Texas, and the Willow Run plant in Michigan where the B-24s were built. This is where he met his future wife, Helen. Herman learned everything there was to learn about the B-24, including how to pilot the plane. He became the third (emergency) pilot of one. Herman's plane was shot down by very heavy flak on his first mission, to attack a submarine base at Toulon. After he was captured, Herman occupied himself with useful activities, including attending classes, for which he eventually received 18 college credits. Herman's camp was in Austria, but when the Russians began getting close, the entire camp population marched through Germany to Lenz, in the so-called 600-mile death march. His group was finally liberated by the 3rd Armored Division, in Patton's group. After returning to civilian life, Herman became involved in several successful businesses. Today, he and his wife of more than sixty years live in Ann Arbor. Although he is "retired," he works every day. Herman has been honored as one of 21 successful business people in Ann Arbor.

Date Span

1942-1945

Dates of Service

Subject

Drafted; United States Army; Company B, 409th Regiment, 103rd Division; World War, 1939-1945; Second World War - European Theater; Private First Class; Prisoner of War

Publisher

Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Collection Location

1/35

https://memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/bib/loc.natlib.afc2001001.58441

Spatial Coverage

Second World War - European Theater

Item