[William A. Daniel oral history interview (Part 1 of 3)]

In this three-part oral history, fighter ace William A. Daniel is interviewed by Eugene A. Valencia about his military service with the United States Army Air Corps. In part one, Daniel discusses his experiences as an Army Air Corps pilot and his time with the 31st Fighter Group during World War II. Topics discussed include his wartime missions in the Mediterranean and European Theaters and his memories of military life while stationed in Italy and Eastern Europe.

William A. Daniel was born on June 27, 1913 in Memphis, Tennessee. He joined the United Army Air Corps in 1936 and graduated from flight training the following year. Initially assigned to the 12th Observation Squadron as a reconnaissance pilot, Daniel joined the 31st Fighter Group when he was deployed to Italy in 1944. He served as Group Commander from December 1944 to October 1945, flying with the 307th, 308th, and 309th Fighter Squadrons. He remained in the military after the war and retired as a colonel in 1966. Daniel passed away in 1998.

Biographical information courtesy of: Boyce, Ward J., ed., American fighter aces album. Mesa, Ariz: American Fighter Aces Association, 1996.