Personal Narrative Film, Video Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing Software, E-Resource Mary L. Hester Collection

Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: Korean War, 1950-1953
- Branch of Service: Air Force
- Service Unit/Ship: 801st Medical Air Evacuation Squadron (MAES); 90th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
- Location of Service: Scott Air Force Base, Illinois; Lowry AFB, Colorado; Montgomery, Alabama; Los Angeles, California; Tokyo, Japan; Korea; Forbes AFB, Kansas
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/32449
In 1950, Mary Weiss, who had never been more than 40 miles from her Indiana home, decided to join the Air Force, then recruiting students at her nursing school. Her desire to travel was fulfilled after she signed up for flight school and became a flight nurse, logging over 760 hours between Japan and Korea during her 14 months abroad. She also met her future husband, Kenneth Hester, in flight school, and they were married in Tokyo while still in the service.
Interview / Recording
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PlayMeeting her husband, Kenneth Hester, in flight school; her first time flying with casualties; a memorable New Year's Eve date. 00:05:19.0 - 00:07:55.0
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PlayFlight routines; foot problems among soldiers were quite common; continuing her romance; buying wedding rings in Tokyo; getting married twice. 00:08:00.0 - 00:14:05.5
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PlayGoing back to Korea in 1997 to receive medals from the Korean government for her and her husband's service in the war; noting how much the country had changed since they had been there. 00:22:24.2 - 00:23:56.1
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PlayAttending regular reunions of the 801st Medical Air Evacuation Squadron; history of her family's military service; her brother telling stories of U.S. casualties during the occupation of Japan. 00:25:09.7 - 00:27:08.7
About this Item
Title
- Mary L. Hester Collection
Names
- National Archives - Central Plains Region
- Bresette, Evie
- Wacht, Raymond J.
- Hester, Mary L.
- Emily Hughes Dominick
Home State
- Kansas
Headings
- - Hester, Mary L.
- - Korean War, 1950-1953 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Air Force.
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Female
Status
- veteran
Service History
-
Korean War, 1950-1953
- Branch of Service: Air Force
- Service Unit/Ship: 801st Medical Air Evacuation Squadron (MAES); 90th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
- Location of Service: Scott Air Force Base, Illinois; Lowry AFB, Colorado; Montgomery, Alabama; Los Angeles, California; Tokyo, Japan; Korea; Forbes AFB, Kansas
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Dates of Service: 1951-1953
- Entrance into Service: Enlisted
- Military Status: veteran
Materials
- Video: Digital Betacam [1 item] -- Digitized Copy (collected unknown)
- Photograph: Digital print [29 items] -- Photographs (collected 1951-2004)
- Computer File: CD [1 item] -- Multiple types of electronic files (collected 2004; 2005-05-13)
- Video: Hi-8/Digital 8 [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2004-10-05)
- Manuscript: Mixed (Multiple types of manuscripts) [3 items] -- Mixed (handwritten and typewritten documents) (collected 1953-2000)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/32449
Online Format
- image
- video
Additional Metadata Formats
IIIF Presentation Manifest
Part of
Physical Form
Wars & Conflicts
Service Branch
Location of Service
- Forbes AFB, Kansas
- Korea
- Los Angeles, California
- Lowry AFB, Colorado
- Montgomery, Alabama
- Scott Air Force Base, Illinois
- Tokyo, Japan