Description
Mr. Campbell discusses his reasons, both practical and personal, for selecting service in Bomber Command over that in Coastal Command.
John Campbell
John Campbell was born in October, 1923 in Coleman, Alberta. He was the younger of two brothers. His father was a coal miner and Mr. Campbell credits the mine’s support of the local school for his good education. Following the death of both his parents, he went into the mine. Because of the diverse ethnic mix in Coleman, the onset of war saw many miners return home to serve in their respective forces. He enlisted in 1942, joining the Air Force and becoming a bomber pilot. He finished his full complement of thirty-two missions with the same crew. After the war he remained in the Air Force and was a first responder on the DEW Line.
Transcript
I had voiced that I did not really want to go on coastal command. I had other choices. So as it turned out I didn’t go on coastal command, but I ended up on bomber command. Coastal command at the time seemed like it was 8, 10, 12 hour long drawn out trips over the ocean and all the time you’re doing your best to see that periscope trail or whatever indication you could find of mainly U-boats attacking the convoys. And it was a very necessary operation, but I didn’t think it had as many risks or should have had as many risks and... for most of it what I actually wanted to do was more of a fighter bomber tactics rather than heavy bombers, but again you take what you’re given.