{"id":553,"date":"2025-03-14T13:25:33","date_gmt":"2025-03-14T18:25:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.forgottensquadron.com\/?page_id=553"},"modified":"2025-03-14T13:25:34","modified_gmt":"2025-03-14T18:25:34","slug":"doughty-jerry-449th-fighter-squadron","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.forgottensquadron.com\/?page_id=553","title":{"rendered":"Doughty, Jerry \u2014 449th Fighter Squadron"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Interview by Daniel Jackson. June 24, 2007<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hello?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hi, is Mr. Doughty there?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes. You want me to go get him?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, please, if you could.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hello?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hello, sir. This is Daniel Jackson from the Air Force Academy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just a minute I have to adjust my hearing aid. Just a minute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okay?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hello, sir. This is Daniel Jackson from the Air Force Academy. I’m doing that project on the 449th Fighter Squadron, and I was wondering if you had a few minutes for a phone interview or if another time would be better for you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yeah. Just a minute. Can you relay this for me, what he’s saying?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s the Air Force Academy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Relay to me what he’s saying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who am I corresponding with?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’m a cadet from the Air Force Academy doing a project on the 449th Fighter Squadron.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes. You’re the one that he wrote to, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That’s correct, ma’am. I was wondering if there was time for a quick phone interview today, or if another time would be better for you all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He’s the cadet from the Air Force Academy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can he interview you from the phone?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, I’m having trouble hearing him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, do you want to go in another room?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ll try it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He’s going to try another phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okay, that’s fine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Excuse me. Let’s check and see if this is any better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you hear me now, sir?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yeah. Can you to speak up a little bit, not talk too fast. Damn it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ll do my best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have a hearing problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you hear me?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yeah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okay. My name is Daniel Jackson from the Air Force Academy and you wrote to me earlier and you provided me a lot of good information on the 449th. I was wondering if you had time to\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you speak up just a little bit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was wondering if you had time to answer some questions over the phone?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mm-hmm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First of all, I wanted to ask you, you arrived in China in July of 1944, is that correct?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yeah. Mm-hmm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did you arrive at Chengkung or were you stationed at Yunnanyi for any period of time?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’m not hearing you too well. I’m awful sorry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ll try and\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try a little louder and maybe it can work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ll try talking a little louder if this works for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Uh-huh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was wondering sir, if when you got into China, if you were stationed at Chengkung or if you were stationed for a time at Yunnanyi?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where was I over there in China?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While I started in Kunming and then we all moved to Mengtze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Were you stationed at any time at Yunnanyi when the squadron was operating to Burma?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We weren’t stationed in Burma. We flew missions in there, over Burma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Right, from Yunnanyi. And were you stationed at any time there?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Huh?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did you fly missions into Burma personally?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is very embarrassing. You must be pretty irritated with me. Can you try once more?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s fine, sir. I was wondering if you personally flew any missions into Burma?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you recall any of these missions? When they were, what kind of targets you were operating against, et cetera?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, normally, our targets were strafing against enemy convoys, mostly, and shipping, the docks at Hanoi\u2014Haiphong\u2014and bridges and ships and so on. We seldom had any air contact. I didn’t have any myself, but those two other fellows did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Were you involved in any of the missions against the walled city of Tengchung in South China?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Say that again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Were you involved in any of the missions against Tengchung? It was the old walled city in South China on the Burma Road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You know, if it’ll be all right with you, and I’m not keeping you on the phone, you can ask my wife and she can relay it. She can hear you better on this. Just a minute, please.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yeah, no problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He will ask the question and I will answer it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okay. I’ll try to be the interpreter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okay. Can you hear me okay, ma’am?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yeah, I can hear you but you’re not as loud as some people. I don’t know why. It must be the connection or something. Go ahead. I’ll interpret for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I appreciate that, thank you. I was asking if your husband was involved in any of the missions against Tengchung. It’s the ancient walled city in South China on the Burma Road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Any missions on\u2014where was that now?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tengchung.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tengchung?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Right. In the south of China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

South of China? Yes. He flew missions over there. The squadron.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Was he personally involved in any of those missions?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Were you personally involved in any of those missions?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ve flown some over there, yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is one of the areas in the squadron history that I don’t have a lot of information on, so I was wondering if he had any memories of any of those particular missions?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you have any memories of those particular missions?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not really. They were mainly strafing and skip-bombing and dive-bombing. We hit a couple of towns that were communist [Japanese] occupied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you at the Air Force Academy?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am ma’am, actually. Yeah. And I-<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was one to that that wrote to him, and he’s sending him some information. Is that you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes ma’am. That’s me. I’m actually calling to just get some clarification on some of the information. I’m actually trying to\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His name is Jackson?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yeah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That’s you, isn’t it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes ma’am.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yeah, it’s Jackson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’m actually hoping to put together a history of the squadron and so I’m just calling to clarify some of the information that he sent me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okay. Did you get hold of any other ones that were in that squadron?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Say what, ma’am?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did you get hold of any of the other officers that was in that squadron?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, I’ve gotten hold of two other officers that were in the squadron. Three other officers plus two of the enlisted men. There aren’t a lot of people left around, but I’ve gotten hold of about, it looks like about seven people so far. So, a decent\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That’s good. I hope you do all right on that. We’d like to have a copy of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oh, you can bet that when I finish it, which hopefully will be the end of the summer here, I’ll send you all a copy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okay. Anything else we can help you with?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was just wondering, he provided some stories about a couple of particular missions that stood out in his memory. Two were missions to Haiphong. One, he called his most lonely mission, when he got lost after a mission to Haiphong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Haiphong?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Right. And the other was one of his most distasteful missions, also to Haiphong, where he saw one of the pilots that was shot down that the Japanese actually put in a crucifix position on the docks. And I was wondering if he had any dates for those missions so that I can place them in time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you have any dates when that boy was on the docks and the Japanese were killing him?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No, I don’t have any dates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No, but you know the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was in the later part of the war. He was over there on a second tour. He was in the European theater and came over to China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The man that was killed?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerry Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yeah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was on his second tour, he’d been in the European Theater and then he came over to the China-Burma Theater. And that stood out in his mind; I guess it’s pretty horrible to see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yeah, I can only imagine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okay, those were all the clarifying points. Please thank him for all the information that he sent me. It’s very helpful, actually. Since there aren’t that many people left around, the personal memories that you gave are going to be a big help. And I’ll make sure to send you a copy when I’m done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okay. What year are you in up there at the academy?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’m supposed to graduate in 2009, so I just finished my sophomore year. And this next semester I’ll be starting my junior year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That first year is pretty rough, isn’t it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, it is. But once you get past it’s not so bad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You’ll come out a second lieutenant?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yeah, I’ll come out as a second lieutenant. And right now I’m a soaring instructor pilot here too, so it’s actually a lot of fun right now. For the summer I’m just teaching people how to fly gliders, so it’s a good time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, okay Jackson. Thanks for calling us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, thank you. And I’ll make sure to get you a copy when I’m done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said to tell you he’s awful sorry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oh, there’s no problem. There are just a couple of things I was hoping to clarify.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But he has a hearing problem, but you aren’t coming through as clear as other people I talk to. I don’t know what the problem is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yeah, I don’t get the best reception up here. All I’ve got is a cell phone, so I apologize for that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, thank you very much. You have a nice day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Doughty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Same to you. Bye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Jackson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bye.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Interview by Daniel Jackson. June 24, 2007 Mrs. Doughty: Hello? Daniel Jackson: Hi, is Mr. Doughty there? Mrs. Doughty: Yes. You want me to go get him? Daniel Jackson: Yes, please, if you could. Jerry Doughty: Hello? Daniel Jackson: Hello, sir. This is Daniel Jackson from the Air Force Academy. Jerry Doughty: Just a minute…<\/p>\n

Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-553","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","category-interview"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forgottensquadron.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/553","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forgottensquadron.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forgottensquadron.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forgottensquadron.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forgottensquadron.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=553"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.forgottensquadron.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/553\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":554,"href":"https:\/\/www.forgottensquadron.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/553\/revisions\/554"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forgottensquadron.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=553"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forgottensquadron.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=553"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forgottensquadron.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=553"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}