Oral History Interview with Thomas E. DuPree, June 5, 2007 Track: 1 of 1

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Thomas DuPree. DuPree joined the Navy in March 1941 (accepted as a naval cadet), went to Pensacola in May 1942, went to fighter school in Miami (finishing there on December 6, 1941) and then reported to the USS Wasp (CV-7) in Norfolk, Virginia. DuPree tells the story (while he was on the Wasp) of Admiral Wilcox falling off the admiral's bridge on the USS Washington during a North Atlantic gale; he was never found. After a couple of runs ferrying Spitfires from Scapa Flow to Malta, the Wasp headed for the South Pacific in early May 1942. DuPree was part of Air Group 7, Scouting Squadron 72. They were headed at flank speed towards Midway but the battle came off early so the Wasp turned around and went to San Diego. After refueling and reloading, the Wasp supported the Marine landings on Guadalcanal, August 7, 1942. DuPree gives a good description of the three torpedo hits on the Wasp by submarine I-19, the damage to the ship and his rescue after getting off the ship. After the sinking, he was eventually put on a Dutch transport that sailed for San Diego. DuPree was then assigned to the USS Lexington (CV-16) which was under construction at the Quincy Navy Yard. After a shakedown cruise to Trinidad, the Lexington sailed for the Pacific and supported the Marine landings at Tarawa. Throughout the interview, DuPree discusses numerous flights, targets attacked and landings supported by the Lexington Air Group including his flight (in a SBD) during the Battle of the Philippine Sea which ended in a water landing after running out of gas. He flew his last mission against Guam on the Orote Peninsula. He then went to Miami as a combat tactical instructor and spent the last year of the war there. DuPree won the Navy Cross. There are a lot of anecdotal stories throughout the transcript including one about a lunch with Admiral Nimitz.

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