INTERVIEW LOG Name of person interviewed: Fred Wimmer
Other people present: Jacquie Hitzman
Researcher: Jake Sprenger
Date of interview: 11/11/15
Location of interview: Willowbrook Terrace, Pendleton, Oregon
Special conditions (noise, interruptions, etc.): People talking in background, and making noises in the kitchen
General description of contents: Interview of Fred Wimmer concerning his WWII experiences
Length of interview: 37:49
TOPIC SUMMARY Time and Contents
0:00 to 2:00 Military History: Branch & Rank
2:00 to 5:39 Events prior to joining the Air Force: Reason for enlisting First Day in service What it felt like
5:40 to 9:34 Experiences over Seas: What it was like Assignments Combat experiences
9:35 to 17:55 Life during the military: Staying in touch with family What the food was like Entertainment Activities on leave Places travelled to during service Opinions of officers
17:56 to 24:05 After the service: What happened the day it ended? Where were you? School and employment after Did you joint veteran originations
24:06 to 37:49 Later Years after returning home: Did your military experience influence your view on war? What else were you involved with, concerning the plane bombs? Do you go to veteran reunions? How did your military experiences influence your life? Additional Thoughts
Mr. Fred Wimmer Interviewed by Jake Sprenger, 2016
Mr. Fred Wimmer is an Army Air Force veteran who served in Italy during the Second World War, His highest rank was Buck Sergeant.
He was a bomb specialist who loaded and maintained bombs onto planes that would go on bombing raids over Europe.
Fred grew up in eastern Oregon's Grande Ronde Valley. He worked at a sawmill prior to joining the Army Air Corps. Fred started out taking an ordnance training camp in California for 8 weeks. After that, he went to Boise, Idaho for rifle training. Finally, he learned how to handle the bombs and put the bombs into the planes.
Once Fred was finished with his training, he traveled to Italy via ship for 28 days to avoid coming in contact with the Germans.
While he was in the service, he traveled from California to Utah, to Idaho, to Nebraska, to Virginia for shipping. He then changed ships in North Africa to get to Naples, Italy. Fred got to his first airbase via truck.
He changed airbases three times and ended up in Foggia, Italy. Fred then went back to Naples to be transported home on a troop ship.
He had a 30 day leave when he got home, which was in Echo, Oregon at the time, then was reassigned to Maine until the war ended.
Fred was discharged at Fort Lewis, Washington. He then made it safely home to quiet Echo, Oregon in 1945.