[Thomas G. Lanphier, Jr. oral history interview (Part 1 of 2)]

In this two-part oral history, fighter ace Thomas G. Lanphier, Jr. is interviewed about his military career with the United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force. In part one, he describes his experiences as a fighter pilot during World War II and shares details about his personal background. Topics discussed include his time stationed in Fiji and Guadalcanal; his participation in Operation Vengeance, the mission to shoot-down Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto’s plane, on April 18, 1943; his college years at Stanford University; and the military service of his father, Colonel Thomas G. Lanphier, Sr.

The interview is conducted by fellow fighter ace Eugene A. Valencia and by John Florea, a former war correspondent for Life Magazine. Lanphier’s wife, Phyllis Lanphier, also participates in the interview. Audio is difficult to hear in some spots due to background noise and multiple, overlapping voices.

Thomas G. Lanphier, Jr. was born on November 27, 1915 in Panama City, Panama. He joined the United States Army Air Forces in January 1941 and graduated from flight training in October of that year. A member of the 70th Pursuit Squadron, Lanphier served in the Solomon Islands during the Guadalcanal campaign. On April 18, 1943, he participated in Operation Vengeance, the top-secret mission to intercept and shoot down Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto’s plane. After the end of World War II, Lanphier joined the Air Force Reserve and eventually retired at the rank of colonel. He served in several administrative and advisory roles at the Pentagon and, from 1951 to 1960, was vice-president of Convair. Lanphier passed away in 1987.