Spratt, Richard: my Air Force recollections (March 9, 2013)
An interview/narrative of Richard Spratt's experiences whilst serving with the Air Force. Interview took place on March 9, 2013.
ABSTRACT: Richard describes growing up in Manotick, Ontario with his family, his education and employment before enlistment. He enlisted at the age of eighteen in Toronto on March 1, 1949. His starting rank was a flight cadet and he finished as a flight officer. He had never been in an airplane before enlistment and was exhilarated by the experience. His first missions were surveying the land all the way up to the Arctic. Soon after, Richard was told to report to Montreal and became a part of the 426 squadron in the Korean Air Lift. He flew US combat troops into the Korean War zone and experienced flying wounded troops back to North America. He retired from the air force in March 1955 and gained employment with Bristol Aircraft as a test pilot for a year. Richard then gained employment with Canadian Pacific and worked with the airline from 1956 to 1986. He worked with many people who came from the air force at Canadian Pacific. After Canadian Pacific sold their fleet of 747s, Richard gained employment with Singapore airlines. He worked with this airline from 1986 to 1991 and was forced to retire at this point because he reached the age of sixty. He was able to see many aspects of the world through his career as a commercial pilot. Richard and his wife retired to Vancouver and eventually moved to Vancouver Island. 00:24-03:30 - Biographical information, family life, education 03:31-05:00 - Motivations to enlist in the air force 05:00-10:10 - enlistment, types of planes flown, training 10:11-12:10 - Discussion of shortages of cadets, previous skills that applied to training 12:11-19:18 - Treatment of cadets, how enlistment affected family life, relationship with superiors and instructors 19:19-27:40 - Impression of aircraft, death of his brother, relationships with other cadets 27:41-33:00 - Survey flying, joined the 426 squadron in the Korean Air Lift 33:01-48:00 - Carrying US combat troops to Korea, near-death experience, injured soldier with amputated feet 48:01-52:16 - Experiences carrying wounded troops, frequency of flying 52:17-55:03 - Medals obtained from air force 55:04-1:05:06 - Retirement from the air force, employment with Bristol aircraft,employment with Canadian Pacific, eclipse flight 1:05:07-1:19:38 - Types of planes flown with CP, left CP in 1986, joined Singapore airlines 1:19:39-1:32:40 - Influence of military career on post-military career, retirement from Singapore airlines, retirement plans, moved to Vancouver Island Suggested Clip(s) for Archive: 56:12-57:00 - Eclipse Flight
Interviewee: Spratt, Richard, 1931-
Interviewer: Hayward, Madi
- In Collection:
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Contributor
Subject
Language
Date created
Relation
- 1 sound recording (MP3)
- 45.50884, -73.58781
- Original sound recording (MP3) also available.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- SR_783
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/military-oral-history-collection
- April 7, 2013
- Digital sound recording in .mp3 format at 128 kbps and 44 kHz. Recorded in digital format by interviewer, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Interview recorded in digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2013. Migration metadata by KD and MT.
- Rights
- This interview has been posted with the understanding that it may be used for research purposes only. Should the interviewee or their heirs have any objections to this interview being accessible on the Internet, it will be removed promptly. Contact UVic Special Collections for permission if using for other than research purposes: speccoll@uvic.ca
- DOI
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