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26. Interview with Roy F. Kuhlman, World War II Veteran Collection, St. Cloud State University, Winthrop, Minnesota

Creator:
Kuhlman, Roy F.
Date Created:
1991-08-21
Description:
In an oral history conducted by Daniel T. Lewis on August 21, 1991, Roy F. Kuhlman discussed his experiences as a bomber pilot and flight instructor during World War II. Kuhlman was born on February 5, 1922, in Madelia, Minnesota. In 1940, he graduated from Truman High School and attended the University of Minnesota until his enlistment in the Army Air Corp in 1942. After Kuhlman completed his basic and advanced training in Texas, he graduated as a pilot and was commissioned at second Lieutenant. He flew twenty combat missions in a B-24, until he was shot down near Gospic, Yugoslavia. Kuhlman was a prisoner of war in Germany from October 16, 1944 to April 29, 1945. Kuhlman described his experiences at Stalag Luft III, Stalag XIII-D, and Stalag VII-A. He recounted the harsh conditions of the camps and the reliance on the Red Cross parcels to supply food and living with sixteen men to a room or tent, and sleeping on wood shavings or straw. Throughout the interview, Kuhlman remained optimistic and acknowledged that this time allowed him leisure time to learn the game of chess and become closer to his religion. Kuhlman received five Bronze Stars and the Air Medal with one Oak Leaf Clusters. Lastly, he discussed life after the military, and adjusting to civilian life and his marriage to his wife, Mollie. He returned to farming and was an active member of the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Winthrop, Minnesota. On September 19, 2013, Kuhlman died at the age of 93.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

27. Interview with Willis Kingsbury, Regional Oral History Project, Moorhead, Minnesota

Creator:
Kingsbury, Willis
Description:
Willis Kingsbury, 47 years old, was born and reared in Minneapolis. He graduated from North Dakota State University with a degree in architecture. Mr. Kingsbury has served as community development director of the city of Moorhead and director of the Red River Valley Interpretive Center. He describes his experiences as a city employee and outlines the changes in Moorhead resulting from urban renewal and economic development programs.
Contributing Institution:
Heritage Education Commission
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

28. Interview with Wayne Ingersoll, Regional Oral History Project, Moorhead, MN

Creator:
Ingersoll, Wayne
Description:
Wayne Ingersoll was born in 1945 in Texas. Mr. Ingersoll was elected mayor of Moorhead in 1978. He discusses his political background, duties as mayor, and issues with which he was confronted. Mr. Ingersoll has taught 7th, 8th, and 9th grade levels for eighteen years.
Contributing Institution:
Heritage Education Commission
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

29. Interview with John William Ingersoll, Regional Oral History Project, Abercrombie, ND

Creator:
Ingersoll, John William
Description:
John Ingersoll was born November 6, 1908 in Moorhead, Minnesota. Mr. Ingersoll begins the interview with a short description of his family history. He briefly describes his time in college graduating from Moorhead State Teacher's College in 1932 and his military service which began in 1942 at Fort Snelling. Mr. Ingersoll discusses business in Moorhead, his Black Hawk Cafe, and his involvement in local politics.
Contributing Institution:
Heritage Education Commission
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

30. Interview with Joseph Hoppe, World War II Veteran Collection, St. Cloud State University, Avon, Minnesota

Creator:
Hoppe, Joseph
Date Created:
1990-06-20
Description:
In an oral history conducted by David Overy on June 20, 1990, Joseph B. Hoppe discussed his experiences as a mechanic for the United States Air Force in World War II. He was born on February 2, 1920, and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Hoppe graduated from the Dunwoody Institute in April 1941 and taught machine work there until he was drafted into World War II in December 1941. Hoppe was assigned into the 57th Air Service Squadron, part of the 332nd Air Service Group. Hoppe described how he provided repair and maintenance for fighter aircraft in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, and France. He recounted the repair on various types of airplanes, from welding to machine work. Hoppe described the impact his military experience had on his life. It provided not only an education, but an experience that cannot be bought. After the war, Hoppe owned and operated the Avon Machine Shop for four years, was employed as a tool and die maker for DeZurik Corporation and then Rimco Manufacturing of Rice. He married Veronica Blenker in 1950; she passed away in 1970. In 1973, Joseph married Colette Wedl; she passed away in 1989. In 1991, he married Mathilda �Babe� Maile; she passed away in 2009. Hoppe died on December 22, 2012.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

31. Interview with Edward T. Haats, World War II Veterans Collection, St. Cloud State University, Willmar, Minnesota

Creator:
Haats, Edward T., 1914-1999
Date Created:
1990-01-20
Description:
This interview was conducted on January 20, 1990 by David Overy. Edward T. Haats was born on February 21, 1914, in Raymond, Minnesota. He entered the military as part of the Army's 105th Infantry Division in 1942. He served in the Medical Corp Detachment. Haats saw action in Saipan and was wounded in battle on July 8, 1944. Haats told of several events he observed where Japanese military and civilians committing suicide rather than surrender. Haats was wounded on July 8, 1944, the day he said that Saipan was secured. Haats was discharged from the military on April 5, 1945, and returned to Minnesota. Haats and his wife, Muriel P. Sell, owned and operated several businesses in Echo and Winthrop, Minnesota. Haats died on January 14, 1999.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

32. Interview with James A. Grunerud, World War II Veterans Collection, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota

Creator:
Grunerud, James A., 1917-2010
Date Created:
1990-05-09 - 1990-06-06
Description:
This was an interview conducted on May 9 and June 6, 1990 by David Overy. James Grunerud was born on December 11, 1917 in Waseca, Minnesota. Shortly after his birth, his parents moved back to Saskatchewan, Canada, where he grew up on a farm. After graduating high school, he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Dragoons (First Armored Regiment) in 1940, shortly after the Battle of Dunkirk. Grunerud arrived in England during the height of the Battle of Britain and he described the aftermath of the Germans bombing an elementary school and a movie theatre filled with children. Gross was involved in military action in Sicily, Italy, France (D-Day), Germany, Belgium, and Holland. From September 1943 to May 1944, he saw action in Italy, including at Monte Cassino. He was wounded in action three times. Grunerud told of a visit to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp shortly after it was liberated. After the war was over and while waiting to be evacuated, Grunerud had the opportunity to travel in Europe.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

33. Interview with Clara Schrom Gruber, World War II Veterans Collection, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota

Creator:
Gruber, Clara Schrom, 1921-2002
Date Created:
1989-12-07
Description:
This interview was conducted on December 7, 1989 by Nancy Baker. Clara Schrom Gruber was born in Albany, Minnesota, on July 3, 1921. After graduating high school in 1939, she enrolled in St. Cloud Hospital nurses training at Fort Leavenworth and Fort Riley, Kansas, finishing in 1942. In June 1943, Gruber entered the United States Army Nurse Corps as a first lieutenant. Gruber helped establish two general hospitals, one outside of London, the other near Glasgow, Scotland, where wounded soldiers were evacuated directly from the war zone. In addition to her nursing responsibilities Gruber described the German and Italian prisoners of war who were housed next to the hospital in Glasgow. Upon discharge from the Army in December 1945, Gruber returned to St. Cloud and worked as a private nurse at the St. Cloud Hospital. In 1946, she married Roland Gruber, a paratrooper during World War II, and they raised five children. She worked as a registered nurse at the St. Cloud VA Hospital from 1967 until she retired in 1981. In this interview Gruber also discussed her nurses training at the St. Cloud Hospital and being encouraged to enlist by one of the doctors, the benefits of having served, and life after returning to St. Cloud. Gruber passed away on July 5, 2002.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

34. Interview with Stewart Gross, World War II Veterans Collection, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota

Creator:
Gross, Stewart, 1921-2013
Date Created:
1989-12-07
Description:
This was an interview conducted on December 7, 1989 by Nancy Baker. Stewart Gross was born in New England, North Dakota, on November 9, 1921. He moved to Minnesota when he was less than one-year old. He graduated from St. Cloud Technical High School in 1939 and enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corp, trained as a radio operator, in aerial gunnery, and basic navigation. Gross served in both the Pacific and European Theatres as a navigator/bombardier, first with the 20th Fighter Pursuit Group and 14th Fighter Group (China) in 1942-1943. While in China, Gross was shot down twice, once by anti-aircraft and the second time by Japanese fighters. Gross left China in November 1943, having flown 85-90 missions. Later in 1944 he served with the 321st Bomber Group (Italy, Corsica) and the 10th Bomb Division. Near the end of the war, he was transferred to the 15th Air Force. After the war, Gross re-enlisted and was stationed first in Garden City, Kansas, then later in Alaska with the 7th Weather Group. Gross left the military in May 1948. Gross passed away on December 25, 2013.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

35. Interview with Joseph S. Grams, World War II Veterans Collection, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota

Creator:
Grams, Joseph S., 1924-2009
Date Created:
1990-10-03
Description:
This was an interview conducted on October 3, 1990 by David Overy and Karen Wenz. Joseph S. Grams was born on March 15, 1924 in St. Cloud, Minnesota. After graduating from St. Cloud Technical High School in 1942, Grams was drafted into the Army. After being drafted, Grams trained with the Glider Infantry and flew 52 glider missions. Grams trained in North Carolina at Camp McCall. He was part of the 82nd Airborne Division and was wounded at the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944. Grams went back into action as the Allied forces moved in and captured Berlin at the end of the war. Grams remained in Berlin to aid in the restoration and occupation before returning to the United States. After the service, he worked for the Great Northern Railroad and as a police officer for the City of St. Cloud. Grams retired in 1985 as a captain. Grams married his wife Alma Thielman on November 3, 1948 and had five children together: Timothy, Stephen, Susan, Vivian, and Paul. Grams concluded the interview with a discussion on Vietnam War comparisons to World War II and a discussion of post-war life. Grams passed away on December 12, 2009.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

36. Interview with James Graham, World War II Veteran Collection, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota

Creator:
Graham, James
Date Created:
1990-06-06; 1990-06-18
Description:
In an oral history conducted by David Overy on June 6, 1991, James C. Graham, Sr., discussed his experiences as a bombardier in the United States Air Force during World War II. When World War II broke out, he was drafted into the United States Army in 1942, then transferred into the Army Air Corps and became a bombardier. He described his responsibilities as a bombardier - identifying ground targets, studying maps, briefings, and dealing with weather issues. On Graham's 16th mission, his plane was shot down and was taken as a prisoner of war to Stalag Luft 1 Camp in Germany, where he would spend the rest of the war. He discussed the harsh realities of being a prisoner of war, the starvation, sickness, cold weather, all while never giving up hope. Towards the end of the war, the Germans fled the prison camp because the Russian Army was advancing. As a result, the prisoners were left to fend for themselves until help arrived. After returning home, Graham maintained that his military experience was a positive one. The military provided him with discipline, physical training, and allowed him to be surrounded by like-minded people. This interview concludes with Graham's thoughts and feelings toward the Vietnam War and the Gulf War. Graham married his wife, Jeanne Sauer, in 1947. The couple had four children, Michael, James Jr., Mary, and Elizabeth. Graham was employed as a brakeman and conductor for Burlington Northern Railroad for forty-three years, he retired in 1983. James C. Graham, Sr., died on May 7, 1994, at the age of 73.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

37. Interview with Walter Gerzin, World War II Veteran Collection, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota

Creator:
Gerzin, Walter
Date Created:
1991-07-01
Description:
In an oral history conducted by David Overy on July 1, 1991, Walter J. Gerzin discussed his experiences as a bomber pilot and flight instructor during World War II. Gerzin was born on September 4, 1916, and raised Chisholm, Minnesota. In 1939, he graduated from St. Cloud State Teacher's College and enlisted into the flying cadet program of the United States Air Force. After his training, Gerzin flew anti-submarine patrols off the East Coast, until he was assigned to Project X. He described the bombing missions in North Africa, the Middle East, and India. Gerzin was a member of the 513th Bomb Squadron, which was detailed by Captain Rowan T. Thomas in "Born in Battle: Round the World Adventures of the 513th Bombardment Squadron." In 1943, Gerzin became a squadron commander and trained squadrons in Walla Walla, Washington and Avon Park, Florida. Gerzin flew twenty-five bombing missions, earning himself an Air Medal and a Silver Star along the way. Lastly, he discussed the positive outcomes of his military service. It allowed him to travel and live all around the world and gain self-discipline and respect for others. He served in the United States Air Force for twenty-one years before leaving to become a teacher. On September 30, 2013, Gerzin died at the age of 97.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

38. Interview with Milon George, World War II Veterans Collection, St. Cloud State University, Sauk Rapids, Minnesota

Creator:
George, Milon, 1918-2012
Date Created:
1989-07-25
Description:
This was an interview conducted on July 25, 1989 by David Overy. Milon George was born on March 17, 1918 in St. Cloud, Minnesota. He graduated from St. Cloud Technical High School and was drafted into the Army Air Corps in 1942. George trained at Randolph Field, Texas, before moving onto Fresno, California. After training, George and his crew spent a little time in North Africa before ending up in Spinazzola, Italy. George was a pilot of a B-24 bomber and was part of 51 combat missions. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross after a mission over Austria in 1944. After the war, Milon worked as a parts manager for Otto Brothers Dodge dealership as well as a rural mail carrier out of Sauk Rapids. George married Margaret Sova, and they had two children, Milon and Janet. George concluded the interview with a summary of his post-combat life as well as his thoughts on Vietnam. George passed away on April 2, 2012.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

39. Interview with Marvin Fellman, World War II Veteran Collection, St. Cloud State University, Anoka, Minnesota

Creator:
Fellman, Marvin
Date Created:
1990-11-21
Description:
In an oral history conducted by David Overy on November 21, 1990, Marvin R. Fellman described his experiences as an infantryman in the United States Army during World War II. Fellman was born in Red Lake, Minnesota, on November 15, 1919, and raised in Pipestone County, Minnesota. After graduating from Pipestone High School in 1937, Fellman went to Macalester College for a year and a half when he was drafted in the United States Army. He was assigned into the 82nd Airborne in the European Theater. Fellman described his combat experience in Normandy, the invasion of Holland, and the Battle of the Bulge. He discussed his participation in liberation of the Wobbelin concentration camp and his perceptions of the German people. After the war, he and his infantrymen marched in the New York City victory parade in 1946. In 1949, Fellman joined the Minnesota Army National Guard, where he would serve as a battery commander of the 47th Division during the Korean Conflict. Lastly, Fellman discussed his thoughts and feelings toward the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War. He received many awards and decorations for his military service including the Purple Heart, Army Occupation Medal (German), European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, and the Minnesota Medal of Merit. Fellman married his wife, Marjorie, and had five daughters. Fellman died in September 2012.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

40. Interview with Bohn E. Fawkes, World War II Veterans Collection, St. Cloud State University

Creator:
Fawkes, Bohn E., 1919-2007
Date Created:
1988 - 1993
Description:
This was an interview conducted in the late 1980s to early 1990s by John Carter. Bohn E. Fawkes was born on September 2, 1919 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was part of the ROTC program when World War II began, and was called to active duty initially in antiaircraft battery, but he took up the opportunity to attend flight school and be a pilot. Fawkes was a B-17 pilot with the 8th Air Force and participated in bombing raids on a manufacturing facility at Schweinfurt, Stuttgart, and Hamburg in Germany. He flew 25 missions before returning to the United States. Fawkes was stationed at Rapid City Airbase in South Dakota as a B-17 flight instructor, and eventually transferred to a B-29 training instructor in Fairmount, Nebraska. Fawkes left the military in 1962 to become a stock broker. He passed away on February 17, 2007 and is buried in Fort Snelling National Cemetery.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

41. Interview with Carl Erickson, World War II Veteran Collection, St. Cloud State University, Brainerd, Minnesota

Creator:
Erickson, Carl
Date Created:
1990-11-17
Description:
In an oral history conducted by David Overy on November 17, 1990, Carl E. Erickson discussed his experiences as a lawyer before being called to duty as a training officer and Civil Affairs officer in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Born and raised in St. Cloud, Minnesota, Erickson had joined the National Guard ROTC while studying law at the University of Minnesota. In this interview, Erickson described his experiences that led him to being assigned as part of General Douglass MacArthur's staff, and how he contributed to the rebuilding of the Pacific communities destroyed by the war. Lastly, Erickson detailed being reassigned from going into service in Korea to continue being a lawyer in Tokyo while the Army engineers rebuilt the area. Erickson was born on June 22, 1911 and is believed to have passed away on January 13, 1992.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

42. Interview with Donald Dean, World War II Veterans Collection, St. Cloud State University, Willmar, Minnesota

Creator:
Dean, Donald
Date Created:
1989-07-07
Description:
This interview was conducted on July 7, 1989 by David Overy. Donald Dean enlisted into service on July 5, 1942 and joined the 133rd Ordinance Maintenance Battalion as a vehicle repairman. He was present at the Battle of the Bulge as well as the liberation of Mauthausen concentration camp, and described the scene of the former prisoners and their actions towards their former German captors. Dean had gotten married prior to being shipped overseas and had two sons. Dean concludes the interview by sharing a personal story about his son refusing to fight in Vietnam if drafted.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

43. Interview with Donald O. Davis, World War II Veterans Collection, St. Cloud State University, Bloomington, Minnesota

Creator:
Davis, Donald O.
Date Created:
1990-05-07
Description:
This was an interview conducted on May 7, 1990 by John Carter. Donald Davis enlisted in 1942 to serve as a cadet with the Army Air Corps as a pilot. Davis participated in the College Training Detachment (CTD) in Utah. The majority of his time was spent stateside, flying trainers and fighter aircraft. This program exposed Davis to flight testing, and went to Tulare, California for pilot training in a Boeing Stearman bi-wing airplane. While in training, Davis earned the rank of flight officer and wore a blue bar. Three days prior to the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Davis arrived in Spain to assist in pilot training to fight against Japanese forces. Davis was discharged in October 1945 after two and a half years of service. Davis attended the University of Minnesota and graduated with a journalism degree. He worked various jobs within the water conditioning business until retirement. He married later in life. He concluded the interview by stating his favorite plane to fly was the AT-6.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

44. Interview with Lawrence Cohen, Judges and Lawyers Oral History Project, St. Paul, Minnesota

Creator:
Cohen, Lawrence
Date Created:
2008-11-24
Description:
In this interview, Judge Lawrence Cohen, mayor of St. Paul during the 1970s, gives an account of his life as a Jewish Minnesotan, politician and legal practitioner. Cohen recounts that he was born in St. Paul and has always lived in the western part of the city. He continues talking about how his father was a merchant who sold general wares. Cohen mentions that he belonged to Temple of Aaron, Talmud Torah, St. Paul Central, and the University of Minnesota and University of Minnesota School of Law, where he also belong to a Jewish fraternity. Cohen continues giving an account of his life, giving details about his law practice, his involvement in the Young Democratic Family Labor Party, his association with Hubert H. Humphrey and work as county commissioner. A discussion follows about Jews and politics in Minnesota. They discuss the differences between St. Paul and Minneapolis from a religious and Jewish perspective. Finally, the two discuss how Judaism affected Cohen's work throughout the years. This interview was conducted by Helen Rubenstein as a part of the Jewish Historical Society of the Upper Midwest Jewish Judges and Lawyers History Project.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

45. Interview with William Chirhart, World War II Veteran Collection, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota

Creator:
Chirhart, William
Date Created:
1990-12-17
Description:
In an oral history conducted by David Overy on December 17, 1990, William "Bill" Chirhart discussed his experiences as an infantryman in Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II. In 1939, Chirhart joined the Minnesota National Guard and called into active duty by the United States Army in 1941. In this interview, Chirhart discussed his training in anti-aircraft defense, searchlight, and automatic tracking. Once deployed to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, he spent time on and near the islands of the Philippines, New Guinea, Bougainville, and Cebu. Chirhart's division often spent time on ships, doing patrols while on sea duty. He detailed difficulties of living in a tropical climate, the water restrictions, food shortages, body rashes, and interactions with scorpions and beetles. In 1949, he married his wife, Alice Pierkskalla, the couple had four children. Shortly after returning from World War II, Chirhart was deployed as a reconnaissance platoon sergeant during the Korean Conflict. Chirhart concluded that his military experience as a positive one, it gave him discipline that made him the man he needed to be, and allowed him an easy transition into police work in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Chirhart died on September 11, 2008 at the age of 85.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

46. Interview with William Cheeseman, World War II Veteran Collection, St. Cloud State University, Little Falls, Minnesota

Creator:
Cheeseman, William
Date Created:
1990-12-08
Description:
William Cheeseman was born in Little Falls, Minnesota, on April 22, 1918. He enlisted in the Minnesota National Guard in 1938 and was called to active duty in 1941. Mr. Cheeseman was part of a transportation company that was attached to the 34th Infantry Division when it was deployed to Ireland for training. Sent to North Africa in 1943, he participated in the North African campaign including the retreat at Kasserine Pass. Cheeseman was given a field promotion and was the supply officer with the headquarters battalion when it moved to Italy in mid-1943. There he experienced frequent artillery bombardments and served on the court martial board. Cheeseman made several comments about the various nationalities he came into contact with including international allies, German and Italian opposition, and civilian population in Ireland, Italy, and Africa. He also made observations about the quality and efforts of the Nisei Regiment and the African American 92nd division. As a junior member of the court martial board, Mr. Cheeseman speculated about the motivations of the many offenders that were tried, the severity and effectiveness of their punishment, and shared some notable cases. He observed the action at Monte Cassino before being shipped home in 1944. He remained with the National Guard and eventually rose to the rank of general. Mr. Cheeseman married and raised a family in St. Paul before retiring to Little Falls. He died in Little Falls, Minnesota, on February 4, 2014.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

47. Interview with Dick Carroll, World War II Veteran Collection, St. Cloud State University, Burnsville, Minnesota

Creator:
Carroll, Dick
Date Created:
1990-04-18
Description:
In an oral history conducted by David Lewis on April 18, 1991, Richard L. Carroll discussed his experiences in training, combat and as a prisoner of war as a heavy bomber pilot in the European Theater during World War II. Born and raised in Rosemount, Minnesota, Carroll enlisted in the Army Air Force in 1942 and was called to active duty in 1943. In this interview, Carroll described his training to become a bomber pilot and his combat missions, including his fifteenth when he had to bail-out of his airplane only to be shot and captured by Hungarian civilians. Carroll described his experiences as a prisoner of war with a bullet lodged in the muscle of his heart, including his medical complications and multiple prisoner transfers. Lastly, Carroll describes his liberation and being used in prisoner negotiations between the Soviet Union and the United States as well as a brief mention of getting married, being placed on disability, and retiring from military service, all while the bullet remained lodged in his heart. Carroll was born on October 19, 1920, in Rosemount, Minnesota.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

48. Interview with Herbert Blad, World War II Veterans Collection, St. Cloud State University, Hector, Minnesota

Creator:
Blad, Herbert, 1920-1997
Date Created:
1990-04-07
Description:
This was an interview conducted on April 7, 1990 by David Overy. Herbert Blad was born on January 12, 1920. He joined the Army on March 22, 1942 and served as a 60mm mortarman in the 32nd Infantry, 7th Division. Blad primarily spent World War II in the Pacific theater, where he participated in the Aleutians, Kwajalein, Leyte, and Okinawa campaigns. One of the most shocking things Blad witnessed was the treatment of native civilians by the Japanese military which included mass slaughter and use of civilians for bayonet practice. Blad described an incident when a kamikaze pilot struck the ship he was on, sending one man overboard. World War II concluded with Blad stationed on Okinawa, but he was sent to Pusan, Korea to police the area until the Japanese troops left. He was discharged on November 15, 1945. Blad concluded the interview with his thoughts on those draft-dodging Vietnam, and how he felt they did not appreciate America by their actions. Blad passed away on December 27, 1997.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

49. Interview with Stanley Biniek, World War II Veterans Collection, St. Cloud State University, Foley, Minnesota

Creator:
Biniek, Stanley, 1912-2008
Date Created:
1992-01-019
Description:
This was an interview conducted on January 19, 1992 by Karen Wenz. Stanley Biniek was born in Raczyce, Poland on November 3, 1912. Biniek and his family were separated in 1939 into concentration camps by the German Army. Biniek recalled witnessing prisoners being sent to killing chambers and the side effects of those on the camps water supply. Biniek spent over three years in Buchenwald before escaping with two other prisoners. After 72 days of travel, Biniek made it safely to Luxembourg, where he married his wife Victoria Adaszak in 1948. Biniek and his wife moved to Minnesota in 1952, and he worked for Woodcraft Industries and St. Regis Paper Mill. He had two daughters and one son. Biniek passed away on June 7, 2008 in Foley, Minnesota.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

50. Interview with Vernon Bigalke, World War II Veteran Collection, St. Cloud State University, Little Falls, Minnesota

Creator:
Bigalke, Vernon
Date Created:
1990-12-08
Description:
Vernon A. Bigalke was born in Little Falls, Minnesota, on February 18, 1917. Before the war, he served in the Minnesota National Guard and then was drafted into the Army in 1941. For the first years of the war, Bigalke was part of an anti-aircraft artillery unit that guarded American shores. He was reassigned to the 259th Infantry in Mississippi and sent to Le Harve, France in December 1944 as part of the 65th Infantry Division. While at the Seigfried Line he was captured by the Germans in January 1945 and held as a prisoner until the end of the war. He described his treatment by the Germans, his survival mechanisms, and his experiences as a POW until liberation, which included a brief stop at Dachau concentration camp. After the war, Mr. Bigalke became a farmer and raised a family. He died in Little Falls, Minnesota, on November 22, 2007.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories
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