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

Creator:
Aarvig, Dean, 1920-1998
Date Created:
1989-07-19
Description:
This was an interview conducted on July 19, 1989 by David Overy. Dean H. Aarvig was born on October 15, 1920 in Wilmar, Minnesota. He graduated from high school in 1937 and was drafted into the Army in 1942. After completing basic training, Aarvig went to Officer Candidate School (OCS) and joined the 9th Armored Division in France as a platoon leader that conducted intelligence & reconnaissance missions. During his service, Aarvig participated in the Battle of the Bulge and the Battle of Remagen. After the wars end, Aarvig returned to Minnesota, where he and his wife ran a newspaper in Grand Meadow, as well as farmed. In November of 1950, Aarvig was recalled into the service and served with the 25th Infantry Division as a Company Commander in Korea. He talked about his thoughts on those in Vietnam burning their draft cards and going to Canada. Aarvig was married and had two children. He passed away on July 2, 1998.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

2. Interview with Edward V. Anderson, World War II Veteran Collection, St. Cloud State University, Winona, Minnesota

Creator:
Andersen, Edward V.
Date Created:
1991-10-07
Description:
In an oral history conducted by John Carter on October 7, 1991, Edward V. Anderson discussed his experiences both in training and combat as a B-24 pilot in the European Theater during World War II. Born and raised in Illinois, Anderson enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1942. In this interview, Anderson described his training experiences to become a B-24 pilot and flying several missions to bomb German oil storage tanks. Lastly, Anderson details what the final days of the war were like and briefly describes his life post-war, which included his wife, Lucy and their five children: David, Howard, Carol, Joyce and Timothy. Anderson was born on April 14, 1923, and passed away on March 13, 2011.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

3. Interview with Donald E. Anderson, World War II Veterans Collection, St. Cloud State University, Milaca, Minnesota

Creator:
Anderson, Donald E., 1922-1999
Date Created:
1990-02-11
Description:
This was an interview conducted on February 11, 1990 by Richard Olsen. Donald E. Anderson was born on April 5, 1922 in Milaca, Minnesota. He joined the National Guard in 1939 at the age of 16. Anderson entered World War II assigned to the 34th Division Field Artillery and spent most of his service in North Africa and Italy. Anderson discussed his frustration with ninety-day wonders. Anderson also experienced taking German prisoners, as well as interacted with civilians in Italy. He was also present when the body of Mussolini was hanging from a building. After being discharged from service in 1945, Anderson opened a restaurant as well as worked as a postal worker. Anderson passed away on August 29, 1999 at the age of 77.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

4. Interview with Charles Arnold, World War II Veteran Collection, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota

Creator:
Arnold, Charles
Date Created:
1990-12-25
Description:
In an oral history conducted by Daniel Lewis on May 18, 1991, Charles Arnold discussed his experience as a baker and typist in the United States Air Force during World War II. Raised in Preston, Minnesota, he was drafted into the Army in 1941, but enlisted in the Air Force and became a baker. In this interview, Arnold described day to day life living and working in the Matagorda Island Air Force Base in Texas. In 1945, Arnold was transferred to Fresno, California to attend typist school. In addition, he discussed his thoughts and feelings about his time in the Air Force and the several military bases he served on. In 1944, Arnold married his wife, Audrey, and had six children. Lastly, Arnold discussed life after the Air Force, becoming a farmer and raising his children. He died on December 9, 2009.
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 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. Interview with Bob Duoos, World War II Veteran Collection, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota

Creator:
Duoos, Bob
Date Created:
1993-09-06
Description:
In an oral interview conducted by Mike McDonald on September 6, 1993, Robert "Bob" Duoos discussed his training and service during World War II as a member of the 80th Infantry Division in Europe. Duoos was born on January 15, 1923 and was raised in St. Paul, Minnesota. Duoos was drafted in to the U.S. Army in December of 1942. In this interview, Duoos described his experiences in the European Theater, including his interactions with the foreign civilians and the time he spent in England, France, Germany, Luxemburg, and Czechoslovakia. In this interview, Duoos discussed his participation in the liberation of the Buchenwald concentration camp near Weimar, Germany. He described the horrors of "The Beast of Buchenwald" from his own experiences and recounts the stories he heard from survivors of the camp. Duoos voiced his opinions on the leadership of General Patton and General Dwight D. Eisenhower and the Pacific Theater of World War II.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

14. Interview with Clair Dziuk, World War II Veteran Collection, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota

Creator:
Dziuk, Clair
Date Created:
1992-09-04
Description:
In an oral interview conducted by David Overy on September 4, 1992, Clair A. Dziuk discussed his experiences in the construction of the Alcan Highway, from 1941 to 1943. Dziuk was born April 5, 1907 in Benton County, Minnesota, where he was raised. In this interview Dziuk describes the day to day life of building the Alcan Highway, from working with Canadians and the Army, camp life, and the wildlife of Canada.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

15. 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

16. Interview with William Faber, World War II Veteran Collection, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota

Creator:
Faber, William
Date Created:
1990-10-20
Description:
In an oral interview conducted by David Overy on October 1990, William "Bill" Faber discussed his twenty years of military service in the National Guard, Navy, Air Force, and Army from 1937 to 1962. Faber was born on January 15, 1921, in Anoka, Minnesota, where he was raised. Faber enlisted in the National Guard in January 1937 as a member of the 125th Field Artillery, then joined the Navy in 1940, and later the Air Force as a sergeant first class. He would then transfer to the Army as second lieutenant. Faber"s military career spans multiple wars, he describes his role in the Battle of Midway in June 1942 during World War II and later his time as a member of the Korean Military Advisory Group after the Korean War. Throughout his various military roles Faber detailed daily life, food, foreign civilian interactions, and fond memories of his time in the service. In 1962, Faber retired from the Army as a major. He returned to Anoka and worked from the Telect Company as a quality control director. On January 18, 2008, Faber died in Little Falls, Minnesota.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

17. 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

18. 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

19. Interview with Marcel Froneyberger, World War II Veteran Collection, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota

Creator:
Froneyberger, Marcel
Date Created:
1991-06-05
Description:
In an oral interview conducted by David Overy on October 30, 1991, Marcel Froneyberger discussed his experiences in United States Army in World War II and the Korean War. Froneyberger was born April 14, 1919, and was raised in Dupo, Illinois. In this interview, Froneyberger described his participation in rebuilding railroads and infrastructure in North Africa and Europe during World War II. He recounted his time on the frontlines on the Pusan Perimeter during the Battle of Bloody Ridge during the Korean War. In addition, he described how his military service affected his everyday life with family and employment, both good and bad. Froneyberger died December 19, 1996, and was buried in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in Missouri.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

20. Interview with Jim Gabriel, World War II Veteran Collection, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota

Creator:
Gabriel, James S.
Date Created:
1992-08-05
Description:
In an oral history conducted by David Overy on August 5, 1992, James S. Gabriel discussed his experience as an executive officer in the 143rd Battalion of the United States Army during World War II. Raised in St. Paul, Minnesota, He enlisted in the National Guard in 1938 and joined the United States Army in 1941 when the United States entered World War II. In this interview, Gabriel described his experiences in the Battle of the Bulge and the demilitarization efforts of Germany by the Allied Forces. In addition, he discussed his impression of the various foreign civilians that he encountered while serving in Europe. After World War II, Gabriel discharged from the Army, but served on active duty for the U.S. during the Korean War. Lastly, Gabriel recounted his life as a result of his military experience, both good and bad. He had married his wife, Beulah, and had three children. In 1973, Gabriel married his second wife, Joan, and had three stepchildren. Gabriel retired at the rank of Brigadier General (BVT) and was a supervisor at Western Electric for thirty years. He died on December 17, 2001.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

21. Interview with Clifton Gawtry, World War II Veteran Collection, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota

Creator:
Gawtry, Clifton
Date Created:
1992-09-27
Description:
In an oral history conducted by Kris Wiggs on September 27, 1992, Clifton L. Gawtry discussed his experience as a flight instructor for the United States Navy during World War II. Gawtry was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa, on September 29, 1923. In 1941, after graduating high school in Minneapolis, Minnesota, he enlisted in the United States Navy in the V-5 program. After various flight schools for eighteen months, Gawtry became a flight instructor in Jacksonville and Pensacola, Florida. Gawtry recounted his experiences and comments on various aspects of flight and flight instruction. In 1944, he married his wife, Alice, and had four children. From 1949 to 1963, Gawtry served in a reserve squadron until he retired. He died on April 2, 2000 at the age of 76.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

22. Interview with E.V. Gene Sundberg, World War II Veteran Collection, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota

Creator:
Gene, E.V.
Date Created:
1992-10-15
Description:
E.V. "Gene" Sundberg was born on February 2, 1925. A native of Brainerd, he enlisted immediately after high school in the Army Air Corps and trained to become a gunner but eventually became a B-17 pilot stationed in England. Despite flying 23 missions mostly over northern Germany, his crew suffered no wounds and his plane was never severely damaged. However, Sundberg told many stories of planes that were lost, comrades who did not return from missions, and of several near-misses for his crew. Sundberg described the many difficulties involved with a successful mission including flak fire, fighter escorts, the ever changing weather, the dangers involved in flying in tight formation, and flying with dangerous cargo. Sundberg also described base life, including food, dress, discipline, comradery, and specifically how quickly crews from other planes not returning from missions. After the German surrender in May 1945, he flew for the Army Airways Communication System where he was able to celebrate the Japanese surrender in London. He died on July 19, 2001, in Brainerd, Minnesota.
Contributing Institution:
St. Cloud State University
Type:
Sound Recording Nonmusical
Format:
Oral histories

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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
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