[Carroll W. McColpin oral history interview (Part 1 of 2)]

In this two-part oral history, fighter ace Carroll W. McColpin is interviewed about his military service with the Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Forces during World War II. In part one, he describes his wartime experiences as a fighter pilot, including his time in Great Britain with No. 607 Auxiliary Squadron and the three Eagle Squadrons: No. 121, No. 71, and No. 133. Topics discussed include his personal background, his reasoning for joining the RAF as an American volunteer, and his training and service history during the war.

The interview is conducted by fellow fighter ace Eugene A. Valencia and by John Florea, a former war correspondent for Life Magazine, at Hamilton Air Force Base in California. Audio may be difficult to hear in some spots due to background noise from passing airplanes.

Carroll W. McColpin was born on November 15, 1914 in Buffalo, New York. He volunteered for the Royal Air Force in 1940 and quickly received his pilot wings due to his prior flight experience. After an initial assignment with No. 607 Auxiliary Squadron in Scotland, McColpin then served with all three of the Eagle Squadrons: No. 121, No. 71, and No. 133. In 1942, McColpin transferred to the United States Army Air Forces, where he commanded the 336th Fighter Squadron, the 407th Fighter Group, and the 404th Fighter Group. He remained in the military after the end of World War II and went on to serve in several command and senior staff positions, including commanding the Fourth Air Force at Hamilton Air Force Base in California. McColpin retired as a major general in 1968 and passed away in 2003.