Description
Mr. Kondra discusses his reasons for enlisting, namely having a steady job and and feeling a sense on patriotic obligation.
William Kondra
On January 14, 1922, William Kondra was born in Prudhomme, Saskatchewan. He finished Grade 8 at his local school, and, with difficulty, finished high school through correspondence. He was working on local farms for a pittance, so he decided to enlist in the Air Force, where he trained as a bomb aimer/front gunner. Mr. Kondra's tour of duty was completed with his original crew members aboard a Lancaster Bomber, and primarily consisted of air strikes on industrial Germany. Mr. Kondra offers many insights into the technology, strategy and stresses of flying in a bomber.
Transcript
We knew that we were military age and we were either be volunteered for service or they would call us for service. So at an early age, I was interested in airplanes and that was my preference. I, myself, knew I would be called for service so I decided I would join the Air Force. Now as to reasons for enlisting in the armed forces, there again, some of it was economics. We knew that if you served in the armed forces, you’ll get paid so that was an incentive. And there was also some that were of patriotic reasons that we knew that from what we could understand from what was happening in Europe, then we thought well things are pretty bad, things can get pretty bad so maybe we should serve our country in time of need. So there again, it was economics and some would even venture to say well, big adventure.