Kirk, Robert 1998-09-28
Attorney and judge Robert Kirk talks about the years he spent as a flight officer during World War II. He also talks about his childhood in Waco, Texas and going to law school at Baylor University.
General Interview Information
Interviewee Name: Robert Kirk
Additional Parties Recorded: None
Date: September 28, 1998
Location: Littlefield, Texas
Interviewer: Fred Allison
Length: 2 hours, 40 minutes
Abstract
Tape 1, Side 1: Robert Kirk,
U. S. Army Air Corps Air transport,
Flight officer,
Airplanes,
Flight missions,
B cards,
Flight crew,
Navigator,
Flying the foot soldiers,
Curtis Dumbo—cargo plane,
Flight missions (again),
Flying a B-24,
China-Burma,
Flight to Biac,
Gasoline leak.
Tape 1, Side 2: Flight missions (continued),
Flight to Biac (again),
Running low on gas over Pacific,
Made it to land,
Cuero, Texas,
Primary Cadet School,
Braden’s Flying Service,
Instructor,
Students,
Teaching different flight situations,
China (again),
India,
Rations,
Flying B-24s from India to China.
Tape 2, Side 1: U. S. Army Air Corps (continued),
Patrick Bard,
Wrote God Was My Co-pilot,
Dealing with cigarettes,
Chinese,
Fighting between Communists and Nationalists,
Superstitions of the natives, dragons,
Natives getting hit by B-24 propellers,
Hauling cargo, gasoline,
Flight missions,
Japanese,
Japanese bases,
Rations (again),
Calcutta, India,
Locals,
Beggars,
Snake charmers,
Born and raised in Waco, Texas,
Interest in flying (1936),
Lived 12 blocks from the airport,
Went to Baylor University,
Waco, Texas,
Waco High School,
Football (center),
Graduated (1933),
Father,
In charge of wholesale wall paper department at lumber company,
New York tabloids.
Tape 2, Side 2: New York tabloids (continued),
Depression (1930s),
Baylor University (again),
Tuition and terms,
Law school,
Assistant city attorney in Waco, Texas for one year,
Delinquent tax collections,
Salary $75 a month,
Repossessing homes,
Waco, Texas (again),
Cotton center,
Auditorium at fair grounds,
Depression,
Baylor University (again),
Courses,
Got a job grading sociology papers,
Interested in race relations (sociology professor),
Women in Baylor Law School,
Three out of 128,
Minority students not allowed on campus,
Women Lawyers,
Moody Johnson,
Football player for Waco High School,
Broke his leg playing for Baylor,
Went out for Baylor football team,
Quit because he was too small,
Waco, Texas (again),
Race relations,
Present at the last official hanging in Texas (early 1920s),
Robert Kirk,
Born in 1915,
Sold magazines at age 15,
Hanging (again),
Roy Mitchell,
Robbed and killed people,
An innocent black man was lynched,
Waco, Texas,
Race relations (1920s),
Ku Klux Klan,
Tar and feathers,
Lynchings.
Tape 3, Side 1: Ku Klux Klan (continued),
Martin Luther King, Jr.,
Assassination (April 1968),
Riots,
Came back to the United States on a hospital boat (December 6, 1945),
Lynchings (again),
Beginning interest in flying,
Hunted for rabbits and saw planes at the airport,
Airplanes,
Ran for County Attorney in Olton, Texas,
E. F. Roll,
Burt Dryden,
Law practice,
Howard Saunders,
Sanders Scott,
Stealing the election at Baylor University,
Patton Edwards,
Former governor,
President at Baylor University,
Wrote letters to ministerial students,
Lester Roloff,
Going to convention in Kansas City, Missouri,
Heard on the radio that his hotel roof collapsed,
Convention moved to Nashville, Tennessee,
Lester Roloff (again),
Election for the class of 1938 at Baylor.
Tape 3, Side 2: Election for the class of 1938 (continued),
Stole election,
Dean Jones,
Election revoked by President Edwards,
Olton, Texas (again),
General practice in Littlefield, Texas,
Divorce,
Probate,
Appointed to represent two men in murder case,
Put in many hours,
Only paid $250,
Pat Boone, District Judge,
Omaha, Nebraska,
Executive officer, 4 years,
Weather,
County Judge (early 1950s),
Law business,
Changes.
Range Dates: 1915-1998
Bulk Dates: 1933-1945
Access Information
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Transcript:
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