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1. Interview with William Nunn, World War II Veteran Collection, St. Cloud State University, Maple Plain, Minnesota

Creator:
Nunn, William
Date Created:
1991-04-09
Description:
In an oral history conducted by David H. Overy on April 9, 1991, William H. "Bill" Nunn discussed his experiences as a personnel administrator in the Army stationed in India during World War II. Born and raised in Texas, Nunn enlisted in the Army Reserve Corps and was called to active duty in 1943. In this interview, Nunn described his experiences as a military administrator in India and his interactions with the Indian population during his tour. He discussed often using his free time to travel to different cities and looked to explore India's culture. Lastly, Nunn discussed segregation in the Army, and how it had begun to integrate by the end of World War II. After his service in World War II, Nunn returned to college and received his master's degree in Political Science in 1948. He taught high school in Galveston, Texas, before accepting a position at St. Cloud State College in 1954. Nunn was born on January 15, 1922 and passed away on April 17, 2016.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. Interview with Stuart Lindman, World War II Veteran Collection, St. Cloud State University, St. Paul, Minnesota

Creator:
Lindman, Stuart
Date Created:
1991-03-13
Description:
In an oral history conducted by David H. Overy on March 13, 1991, Stuart A. Lindman discussed his experiences both in training and combat as a field-medic in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Born and raised in Minnesota, Lindman enlisted in the Army Reserve Corps in 1943. In this interview, Lindman was assigned to the Pacific Theater where he served on Leyte Island in the Philippines and Okinawa, Japan. He discussed his basic training and the antics some of the soldiers prior to being shipped out to the Philippines. Lindman's primary responsibility was as a litter-bearer who would carry soldiers, sometimes for miles, away from the frontlines to aid stations. On numerous occasions, Lindman discussed his survival of his time in Japan as being credited to luck, narrowly avoiding deadly situations by chance. Lastly, Lindman detailed being hit by a Japanese airplane attack and sent home from the wounds suffered. He concluded with a brief mention of how he and his fellow soldiers coped with combat and some effects he had of post-traumatic stress disorder. After being discharged from the service due to wounds suffered in combat, Lindman returned to earn his college degree in broadcasting and psychology from the University of Minnesota. Lindman then received a job working for what is now television channel KARE 11, retiring in 1987. Lindman was born on August 11, 1922, and passed away on January 12, 2010.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

7. 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

8. Interview with Sherby R. Woods, World War II Veterans Collection, St. Cloud State University, Milaca, Minnesota

Creator:
Woods, Sherby R., 1918-2007
Date Created:
1990-02-18
Description:
This interview was conducted on February 18, 1990 by Richard Olson. Sherby Roy Woods was born August 17, 1918 in Iowa. After moving to Minnesota, he worked in the Civilian Conservation Corps and the lumber industry as a heavy equipment operator in northern Minnesota. Woods was drafted into the Army on October 14, 1941 at the age of 23. During the war, he was attached to Company B, 6th Armored Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division. Discharged as a Technician Fifth Grade, Woods worked in heavy equipment and demolitions during campaigns in North Africa and Italy. Woods shared his opinions of Allied soldiers and Axis Power POWs and what he described as the poor training given to replacement troops. He also described how the war changed the U.S. military, including his improvised invention of a more efficient automatic transmission system for light tanks. After returning to the U.S. in 1945, Woods married Cora Lillian Moe, attended heavy equipment maintenance school on the GI Bill, and began a long series of treatments for a facial injury at the Veterans Administration hospital. He worked on heavy equipment for Milaca County until his retirement. Woods concluded the interview with a discussion of contemporary events such as apartheid in South Africa and stated that embargos are a more effective tool than war. He passed away on January 23, 2007 at the age of 88 and is buried in Forest Hill Cemetery in Milaca, Minnesota.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

9. 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

10. Interview with Romuald Thibault, World War II Veterans Collection, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota

Creator:
Thibault, Romauld, 1918-2002
Date Created:
1989-12-12
Description:
This interview was conducted on December 12, 1989 by David Overy. Romuald Thibault was born on December 22, 1918 in Garden, Michigan. He enlisted in the military twice, first in 1937 with the 7th Tank Company and again in 1942. During World War II, Thibault spent most of his service in Alaska patrolling the North Pacific Ocean with the Navy. His first overseas duty was in the Philippines, and he discussed his interactions with the local civilians and life there before the outbreak of World War II. After the war, Thibault came to St. Cloud where he worked for the railroad, retiring in 1980. He married Rachael Kramer on January 2, 1945 and they had two sons, Jack and Pat. Thibault concluded the interview with his thoughts on the Vietnam War and how he was against the draft process .Thibault passed away on May 28, 2002.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

11. Interview with Robert Wick, World War II Veteran Collection, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota

Creator:
Wick, Robert
Date Created:
1990-06-22
Description:
In an oral history conducted by David H. Overy on June 22, 1990, Robert Wick discussed his experiences in training and overseas as a signal information officer in the European Theater during World War II. Born and raised in Iowa, Wick was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1942. In this interview, Wick described his training experiences, including officer's training school, and his responsibilities working in an intelligence company while stationed in Italy. Lastly, Wick details what his time in the service had provided him with and his thoughts of the Vietnam Conflict. Prior to the war, Wick was a high school teacher in Newton, Iowa and married to his wife Alice. Wick was born on January 23, 1913, and passed away on March 8, 2006, in St. Cloud, Minnesota
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

12. Interview with Paul V. Meyer, World War II Veteran Collection, St. Cloud State University, Little Falls, Minnesota

Creator:
Meyer, Paul V.
Date Created:
1992-07-16
Description:
In an oral history conducted by David H. Overy on July 16, 1992, Paul V. Meyer discussed his experiences as National Guardsman during World War II. He was born on May 18, 1918 and raised in Mankato, Minnesota. In 1935, Meyer graduated from Mankato High School and enlisted in the Minnesota National Guard. He attended Mankato Business College and graduated from Mankato State College. Meyer married his first wife, Wilda Gifford, in 1940, they had four children. Meyer spent most World War II stationed in Kodiak, Alaska. In this interview, Meyer described his experiences in the Minnesota National Guard as an infantryman during World War II. He enlisted in 1935 and was inducted into the Army in June 1941. He discussed his unit's duties at Fort Greely in Alaska - to defend the most northern U.S. military base and to build infrastructure. In addition, he described the day to day life on the base, along with living conditions, road construction, hunting, and leisure activities, as well as the boredom. Meyer also discussed his interactions with civilians, natives, and regular army personnel, adding that each relationship was more different than the next. Meyer stressed that his experience in the National Guard was positive and his only regret was not staying in longer. He retired from the service in 1974 at the rank of major general and as Commander of the 47th Infantry Division, ending 39 years of service to his county. Outside of his military career, Meyer partnered into the family business, Meyer & Sons, an appliance business in Mankato, Minnesota. After Wilda's death in 1997, Meyer married his second wife, Doris Beyer, in 2000. Meyer died on January 10, 2016, at the age of 97.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

13. Interview with Norman J. Thomas, World War II Veterans Collection, St. Cloud State University, Sauk Rapids, Minnesota

Creator:
Thomas, Norman J., 1924-2006
Date Created:
1990-01-28
Description:
This interview was conducted on January 28, 1990 by John Carter. Norman James Thomas was born February 29, 1924 in south Minneapolis. After graduating from Roosevelt High School in 1942, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He was deployed to the South Pacific with the 64th Troop Carrier Squadron and later the 13th Air Force Service Command Headquarters. He flew several types of airplanes, primarily C-47s, on 140 missions in Australia, New Guinea, the Dutch East Indies, the Solomon Islands, the Adele Islands, the Halmaheras, and the Ryukyus. In the Philippines, Thomas flew missions in support of the OSS what became the CIA and the Filipino resistance. Shortly after being discharged in January 1946, he met Marjory Brady, and the two were married on June 28, 1947. Thomas remained a reservist for five years after the war until finding a job as a corrections officer at the Minnesota Correctional Facility � St. Cloud. He worked there for thirty years and retired in 1979. After Marjory passed
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

14. Interview with Neill Torssell, World War II Veteran Collection, St. Cloud State University, Sleepy Eye, Minnesota

Creator:
Torssell, Neill
Date Created:
1991-06-12
Description:
Neil Torssell was born on April 18, 1920, in Wisconsin. Torssell describes his experiences with the 322nd Signal Aviation Company as a photographer during World War II. He discussed traveling to England on the Queen Mary and what England was like. Torssel talked about the build-up for the North African invasion, going to North Africa, and what he did during the war. He gave a detailed account of his camera equipment and how he used it to photograph enemy positions and where bombs were dropped. He also described being shot down in Italy in 1943, when he was wounded and captured by Italian forces. As Italy was in transition and close to surrender, the behavior and attitude of the Italians, particularly guards, are described. Torssell detailed life in the POW camp and the various people he interacted with. He participated in a large, impromptu escape and spends the next 10 months moving across eastern Italy with other American POWs, working on farms and evading capture. Repatriated by American forces in the summer of 1944, he rejoined his unit and was sent home in 1945.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

15. Interview with Neal Tholen, World War II Veteran Collection, St. Cloud State University, Little Falls, Minnesota

Creator:
Tholen, Neal
Date Created:
1990-12-29
Description:
Neal Tholen was born in Little Falls, Minnesota, on March 20, 1919. He graduated from Little Falls High School in 1939 and was drafted into the U.S. Army in April, 1941. He trained for the infantry and, while stationed in Ireland in the early months of the war, transferred to a Military Police Platoon within the 85th Division. He served as an MP throughout the war in Ireland, Tunisia, and Italy before being discharged in 1945. He described the arrest procedures and his personal philosophy of what his role was for the soldiers. He also describes the organization of his particular MP platoon, the procedures for directing large convoys of traffic, policing soldiers on leave, and guard duty. Tholen shared stories about how locals in Tunisia and Italy interacted with the troops and various raids to local "cathouses" he participated in. Tholen also described the effect his service had on him after the war and his appreciation for the friendships he made there. He returned to Little Falls, married and raised seven children. Mr. Tholen worked at Camp Ripley as a member of the National Guard for 36 years before retiring. He died in Little Falls, Minnesota, at the age of 81 on July 12, 2000.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

16. 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

17. 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

18. Interview with Margaret Haverly Theisen, World War II Veterans Collection, St. Cloud State University, Sauk Rapids, Minnesota

Creator:
Theisen, Margaret Haverly, 1914-2007
Date Created:
1989-11-30
Description:
This interview was conducted on November 30, 1989, by Nancy Baker. Margaret Theisen was born October 12, 1914 in Wesley, Iowa. After graduating from high school, she moved to Iowa City, where she worked for the editor of Better Homes and Gardens. After attending the University of Iowa School of Nursing, she took a position at the VA hospital in St. Cloud, where she met her future husband, Earl Theisen. Both served in World War II, he in Hawaii and she as an Army nurse in England, France, Belgium, and Norway. Theisen discussed her experiences as a nurse with the 46th Field Hospital during World War II. Theisen was awarded the Bronze Star for her service as a surgical nurse during the Battle of the Bulge. After the war, she and Earl were married on November 29, 1945 and then went to work at St. Cloud Hospital. She later returned to the VA hospital, where she worked for another 25 years before retiring in 1978. Theisen passed away on June 16, 2007 and buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

19. 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

20. Interview with Joseph P. Plakut, World War II Veterans Collection, St. Cloud State University, Swanville, Minnesota

Creator:
Plakut, Joseph P., 1921-2005
Date Created:
1990-10-30 - 1991-01-21
Description:
This interview was conducted on October 30, 1990 and January 21, 1991 by David Overy. Joseph Plakut was born in Swan River Township, Minnesota, on March 17, 1921. He entered the Army in October 1942. Plakut was trained as an airplane mechanic and .50 caliber machine gunner on a bomber plane in England. On his first mission, his plane was shot down while trying to bomb a German plant at Bremen and he spent the remainder of the war in a German prison camp. During a camp evacuation march in 1945, Plakut and the rest of the surviving prisoners were liberated by the American 3rd Armored Division Plakut married his wife Anna Maciej on June 11, 1946 and they had four children: Richard, JoAnn, Kathleen, and David. Plakut concluded his oral history with a discussion about how his treatment as a prisoner and the treatment of prisoners in Iraq were very different experiences. Plakut passed away on June 24, 2005 at the VA Medical Center in St. Cloud.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

21. 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

22. Interview with John Voth, World War II Veterans Collection, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota

Creator:
Voth, John, 1921-2013
Date Created:
1988 - 1993
Description:
This was an interview conducted by David Overy. John Voth was born on February 9, 1921 in Fair Haven, Minnesota. After graduating from St. Cloud Technical High School in 1939, Voth attended St. Cloud Teachers College until volunteering for duty in World War II with the Army Air Corps on October 6, 1942. Voth had experience as a pilot prior to his war years, which led him to the Air Corps. Voth spent time in the south as well as in Minnesota training pilots before moving to airplane maintenance. Voth detailed how students were trained and typical reasons they would washout of school. After the war, Voth owned the St. Cloud Hobby Shop as well as earned his Doctoral Degree in Industrial Education. He taught at both Hutchinson and Sartell High Schools as well as the Minnesota State Reformatory. He was an inductee in the Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame. He was married to Adeline (Dickie) Dickinson and they had two children, Diane and John. Voth concluded the interview by stating he estimate
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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
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