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[Robert F. McMahon oral history interview]
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IntervieweeMcMahon, Robert F.InterviewerValencia, Eugene A.Datecirca 1960sLanguageEnglishDescriptionIn this nine-part oral history, fighter pilot Robert F. McMahon is interviewed about his military service with the United States Army Air Corps during World War II.
In part one, he describes his experiences as a military pilot, including his time with the 21st Pursuit Squadron in the South Pacific. Topics discussed include his personal background, stories from his flight training, and his time stationed in Australia.
In part two, he continues to describe his time stationed in Australia during late 1941 and early 1942. Topics discussed include military life in the Darwin area and initial encounters with Japanese forces. Special focus on the Bombing of Darwin in February 1942, during which McMahon’s airfield was strafed. McMahon later had to bail-out over a swamp and make his way back to base.
In part three, he continues to describe his time stationed in the Southwest Pacific during late 1941 and early 1942. Topics discussed include his experiences in Australia and Port Moresby, his thoughts on various aircraft, and stories about fellow pilots.
In part four, he continues to describe his time stationed in the Southwest Pacific during late 1941 and early 1942. Topics discussed include military life in Australia and Papua New Guinea and stories about fellow servicemen.
In part five, he continues to describe his wartime service history, including his 1941-1942 combat tour in the Southwest Pacific, his time as a training instructor in the United States, and the beginning of his 1944-1945 combat tour in the European Theater. Topics discussed include his time stationed in Australia, training incidents during his stateside assignments as an instructor, stories about fellow servicemen, and his experiences in Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge in 1944.
In part six, he continues to describe his combat tour in the European Theater during 1944 and 1945. Topics discussed include his capture by German forces following a bail-out from his disabled aircraft, his time as a prisoner of war in Belgium and Germany, his attempts to escape from a POW camp, and his eventual liberation by Russian forces.
In part seven, he continues to describe his wartime service history, including his 1941-1942 combat tour in the Southwest Pacific and his 1944-1945 combat tour in the European Theater. Topics discussed include his time as a prisoner of war in a German work camp, a memorable combat mission in Papua New Guinea, and his thoughts on various aircraft.
In part eight, he continues to describe his wartime service history, including his 1941-1942 combat tour in the Southwest Pacific. He also touches on moments from his post-World War II career. Topics discussed include memories of his dog Lucky, stories about fellow servicemen, his thoughts on fighter aircraft developments, and a combat mission in Papua New Guinea involving Lyndon B. Johnson.
In part nine, he describes his postwar efforts to form a task force of volunteer pilots and support personnel, likened to a Cold War-era American Volunteer Group. Topics discussed include the Bay of Pigs Invasion, which was the catalyst for his task force idea, and the project’s logistics. Biographical NoteBorn in Mitchell, South Dakota, Robert F. McMahon joined the United States Army Air Corps in 1940 and graduated from flight training in September of the following year. He was assigned to the 21st Pursuit Squadron and was en route to the Philippines when the United States officially entered World War II. Diverted to Australia, McMahon served in the South Pacific Theater with the 21st and 39th Pursuit Squadrons until late 1942. Returning to the United States, he joined the Fourth Air Force Headquarters and assisted in training new pilots for overseas service. In late 1944, McMahon embarked on another combat tour, this one in the European Theater with the 19th Tactical Air Command. He was captured by German forces in December following a bail-out from his disabled aircraft and spent the next several weeks as a prisoner of war. After World War II, McMahon worked as a federal marketing manager for a heavy equipment company. He also remained involved in military efforts, including making presentations at NATO and developing a concept for a re-envisioned American Volunteer Group for the Cold War era.
In part one, he describes his experiences as a military pilot, including his time with the 21st Pursuit Squadron in the South Pacific. Topics discussed include his personal background, stories from his flight training, and his time stationed in Australia.
In part two, he continues to describe his time stationed in Australia during late 1941 and early 1942. Topics discussed include military life in the Darwin area and initial encounters with Japanese forces. Special focus on the Bombing of Darwin in February 1942, during which McMahon’s airfield was strafed. McMahon later had to bail-out over a swamp and make his way back to base.
In part three, he continues to describe his time stationed in the Southwest Pacific during late 1941 and early 1942. Topics discussed include his experiences in Australia and Port Moresby, his thoughts on various aircraft, and stories about fellow pilots.
In part four, he continues to describe his time stationed in the Southwest Pacific during late 1941 and early 1942. Topics discussed include military life in Australia and Papua New Guinea and stories about fellow servicemen.
In part five, he continues to describe his wartime service history, including his 1941-1942 combat tour in the Southwest Pacific, his time as a training instructor in the United States, and the beginning of his 1944-1945 combat tour in the European Theater. Topics discussed include his time stationed in Australia, training incidents during his stateside assignments as an instructor, stories about fellow servicemen, and his experiences in Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge in 1944.
In part six, he continues to describe his combat tour in the European Theater during 1944 and 1945. Topics discussed include his capture by German forces following a bail-out from his disabled aircraft, his time as a prisoner of war in Belgium and Germany, his attempts to escape from a POW camp, and his eventual liberation by Russian forces.
In part seven, he continues to describe his wartime service history, including his 1941-1942 combat tour in the Southwest Pacific and his 1944-1945 combat tour in the European Theater. Topics discussed include his time as a prisoner of war in a German work camp, a memorable combat mission in Papua New Guinea, and his thoughts on various aircraft.
In part eight, he continues to describe his wartime service history, including his 1941-1942 combat tour in the Southwest Pacific. He also touches on moments from his post-World War II career. Topics discussed include memories of his dog Lucky, stories about fellow servicemen, his thoughts on fighter aircraft developments, and a combat mission in Papua New Guinea involving Lyndon B. Johnson.
In part nine, he describes his postwar efforts to form a task force of volunteer pilots and support personnel, likened to a Cold War-era American Volunteer Group. Topics discussed include the Bay of Pigs Invasion, which was the catalyst for his task force idea, and the project’s logistics. Biographical NoteBorn in Mitchell, South Dakota, Robert F. McMahon joined the United States Army Air Corps in 1940 and graduated from flight training in September of the following year. He was assigned to the 21st Pursuit Squadron and was en route to the Philippines when the United States officially entered World War II. Diverted to Australia, McMahon served in the South Pacific Theater with the 21st and 39th Pursuit Squadrons until late 1942. Returning to the United States, he joined the Fourth Air Force Headquarters and assisted in training new pilots for overseas service. In late 1944, McMahon embarked on another combat tour, this one in the European Theater with the 19th Tactical Air Command. He was captured by German forces in December following a bail-out from his disabled aircraft and spent the next several weeks as a prisoner of war. After World War II, McMahon worked as a federal marketing manager for a heavy equipment company. He also remained involved in military efforts, including making presentations at NATO and developing a concept for a re-envisioned American Volunteer Group for the Cold War era.
Related
CollectionAmerican Fighter Aces Association Oral InterviewsCollection AreaArchives
[Robert F. McMahon oral history interview] (circa 1960s). Museum of Flight Digital Collections, accessed 08/08/2026, https://digitalcollections.museumofflight.org/nodes/view/7731