[Mayo A. "Mike" Hadden, Jr. oral history interview (Part 4 of 4)]


AFAA interview with Mayo A. Hadden, Jr., Reel 4 of 4
Download
[Mayo A. "Mike" Hadden, Jr. oral history interview (Part 4 of 4)]
Download image
Download

Title

[Mayo A. "Mike" Hadden, Jr. oral history interview (Part 4 of 4)]

Description

In this four-part oral history, fighter ace Mayo A. “Mike” Hadden, Jr. discusses his military service with the United States Navy during World War II. Part four contains excerpts from Hadden’s collection of episodes of "The Front Line," a radio program that aired on WBBM in Chicago during the war. The excerpts, which were recorded circa 1942-1943, feature interviews with Fighting 9 (VF-9) members Jack Raby and Hugh Winters, as well as several dramatic performances that reenact VF-9’s experiences during Operation Torch.

As Hadden notes at the end of the recording, these "Front Line" episodes were originally recorded on glass records, which had been broken at some point and then glued back together. Because of this, audio may difficult to hear or understand due to crackling background noise, spots of distortion, and uneven volume levels.

Date

1942-1943 circa

Extent

1 sound reel (36 min., 39 sec.) : analog ; 1/4 in

Language

Rights

Bibliographic Citation

The American Fighter Aces Association Oral Interviews/The Museum of Flight

Identifier

2002-02-13_AV_089_01
2002-02-13_AV_089_01_transcription

Interviewee

Biographical Text

Mayo A. “Mike” Hadden, Jr. was born on August 14, 1916 in Holland, Michigan. He joined the United States Navy in 1941 and earned his Naval Aviator designation the following year. Assigned to Fighting Squadron 9 (VF-9), Hadden served aboard the USS Ranger (CV-4) during Operation Torch, flying missions over Morocco and supporting Allied forces during their invasion of French-controlled North Africa. He remained with VF-9 during their subsequent tours in the Pacific Theater and participated in missions in the South and Central Pacific. Hadden remained in the military after the war and went on to hold several command positions. During the 1960s, he commanded the USS Graffias (AF-29) and USS Hornet (CV-12), then served with the State Department, the Iceland Defense Force, and the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. He retired as a rear admiral in 1973 and passed away in 1986.

Note

This recording is presented in its original, unedited form. Please note that some interviews in this collection may contain adult language, racial slurs, and/or graphic descriptions of wartime violence.

Collection Organization

  • [Unavailable]