Hegstrom, Stanley: my Air Force recollections (March 14, 2013)

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An interview/narrative of Stan Hegstrom's experiences whilst serving with the Air Force. Interview took place on March 14, 2013.

ABSTRACT: The interview began with Stan explaining a bit about his family background, growing up in Dawson, Yukon and his previous education and employment. He discussed his motivations to enter the air force and he enlisted on August 18, 1951 in Nanaimo, British Columbia. He entered the air force as an air cadet where he attended ground school and training and eventually gained the position of flight officer. Stan discusses how he gained the nickname 'Skimo' and how he believed the cadets were treated. He joined the 421 squadron, located in France, where he monitored the 'Russian Wall' from Munich to Berlin. He participated in a recreational film where he played the part of a fighter pilot. He retired from the air force in January 1958 and joined Air Canada airlines. He was laid off the same year and started flying freight to Cuba for two years. Then, for a summer he flew B17s in the arctic where high-level surveys took place. He was re­-employed by Air Canada as a crew scheduler in 1964. After four months of working as a crew scheduler, he was given the opportunity to be hired as a co-pilot. The highlight of Stan's career was flying pilgrims from Casablanca to Jetta in Saudi Arabia. He retired from commercial flying at the age of fifty four in 1986. 00:20-02:39 - Biographical Information, growing up in Dawson, life before enlistment 02:40-04:01 - Motivations to join the air force 04:02-09:31 - Joining the air force, starting rank, training as a cadet 09:31-14:44 - Description on how cadets were treated, how he acquired his nickname,relationship with superiors 14:45-19:57 - First time flying in the air force, types of planes flown, reactions to flying,first mission in the air force 19:58-30:09 - Things he brought on flights, communications and technical difficulties 30:09-35:35 - How often he was flying, transporting pilgrims from Casablanca to Jetta,participating in a recreational film 35:36-53:26 - Departure from the air force, employment with Air Canada, working in the arctic and Greenland, re-hired with Air Canada 53:27-1:08:44 - Planes flown as a first officer and as captain, similarities and differences between air force and commercial aviation, retirement

Interviewee: Hegstrom, Stan, 1932-

Interviewer: Hayward, Madi

In Collection:
Contributor Subject Language Date created Relation
  • Part of the Military Oral History Class collection of interviews.
Resource type Rights statement Extent
  • 1 sound recording (MP3)
Geographic coverage Coordinates
  • 21.71667, -78.53333
  • 25, 45
  • 64.04321, -139.41668
  • 33.58831, -7.61138
Additional physical characteristics
  • Original sound recording (MP3) also available.
Physical repository Collection
  • Canadian Military Oral History Collection
Provider Genre Archival item identifier
  • HS_782
Fonds title Fonds identifier Is referenced by Date digitized
  • April 7, 2013
Technical note
  • 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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file details SC141_MilitaryOralHistory_GenericThumbnail Public
file details Hegstrom_S_0782_01.mp3 Public