William V. Luetke, an Ontario, Wisconsin native, discusses his experiences as a Navy flight surgeon in the Pacific theater of World War II. Luetke touches on his childhood, earning his medical degree in 1942, enlisting in the Naval Hospital Corps, and applying for a commission so he could attend aviation medical school. He explains the difference between a flight surgeon and regular doctors, emphasizing the importance of testing sight and balance. Based in San Francisco for a year, Luetke speaks of being the aviation medical examiner for the 12th Naval District and having the power to reject applicants for flight training. He comments on working with Mormons and doing flight physicals all over the western United States. He portrays wartime San Francisco, bending Navy rules about drinking alcohol, and rationing of food and gasoline. Luetke tells of getting orders for overseas shore duty, getting a butch hair cut, and saying goodbye to his family. He discusses conditions aboard the troop transport ship, stopping in Hawaii, and assignment to a transport outfit on Kwajalein, where he got the flight time he needed to qualify as a flight surgeon. Luetke talks about having a lot of free time, recreation and USO shows in the Marshall Islands, duty as wine mess officer, and trading alcohol for services and supplies. He describes tending ambulatory wounded and psychologically affected soldiers in transit between Iwo Jima and Guam. Luetke comments on seeing battle fatigue, magnesium bomb burns, and people who went "rock happy," a form of depression experienced by some people stationed on Iwo Jima. On Kwajalein, he touches on escorting female flight nurses and transporting ex-prisoner of war civilians from the Philippines. Luetke speaks of his contact with natives on Guam, an American nurse who earned extra money by prostituting herself, and cheering up depressed guys by showing them women working at the Officers Club and hospital. He recalls flying to Ie Shima and Okinawa to visit friends and witnessing the last Japanese air raid on Okinawa. Luetke describes the discipline within the Medical Corps and not getting along with one of his commanding officers. Luetke tells of his roommate's preparations for the invasion of Japan and the relief everyone felt when the atom bomb ended the war. After returning to the States, he recalls running into a buddy who'd been sent home wounded and going AWOL for three days in Los Angeles. Luetke talks about his homecoming, having a wild leave with his wife and some recently-returned veterans, and assignments in Olathe (Kansas), St. Louis (Missouri), and Columbus (Ohio). He states his duties were mostly doing tonsillectomies, flying around the county, and wasting time. Luetke explains being dissatisfied with his job, describes his efforts to resign from the Navy, and being released after writing a letter to the President. He talks about returning to Madison, his tight financial status while doing his residency in OB-GYN, and using the GI Bill for house loans. Luetke mentions refusing to join the Naval Reserves and being an inactive member of the American Legion.
