Papers and photographs of George H. Spiering, a officer and pilot with Marine Fighting Squadron 123 during World War II. A transcribed diary from 1945 tells the story of this Milwaukee native's service, including raids on the Japanese mainland in the final year of the war. Military papers detail his military career, beginning with entry into the Navy's V-5 program and his later enlistment into the United States Marine Corps Reserve. Flight log books document his continuing interest in flying through 1962. Several Japanese propaganda leaflets, acquired by Spiering during his service, remain untranslated. Other materials focus on his role with the Reserve after the war. Some correspondence shows his interest in military history, as he exchanged letters with an author. Photographs include several shots of Spiering flying various planes, training in Santa Barbara in 1943, and serving aboard the U.S.S. Bennington in 1945. There are group shots of his squadron, nicknamed the "Eight Balls." Other photographs show Spiering at the dedication of the U.S.S. Bennington memorial.
