Wide-ranging oral histories from Grand Valley, Capital Area District Library, and Michigan State that capture the perspective of citizens and veterans across the state.
Paola Doyle was raised in Oak Park and Oakbrook, Illinois and spent her childhood summers in Saugatuck. In this interview, Paola remembers visiting her grandparents' cottage near Mt. Baldhead during the summers as a child, and bringing her own children to Saugatuck during the summers as an adult.
Date Created:
2018-10-09T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
George Anderson was born on February 5, 1931 in Coopersville, Michigan. He enlisted in the Navy in 1951. He was sent to the Great Lakes training center in Chicago, and then transferred to Newport, Rhode Island, where he took torpedo training. He was sent to San Francisco and assigned to the USS Curtis. He did not see any combat, but he went through patrols that took him all across the country and to Pearl Harbor. He worked in the armory of the ship.
Date Created:
2005-02-01T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Born in Racine, Wisconsin, Donald Brazones enlisted into the Army Air Corps at the age of 18 in retaliation to the Japanese's bombing of Pearl Harbor. Brazones trained to be a navigator and was sent to England to fly missions over Europe. On Brazones' 18th mission, he was shot down and captured by German Officers. His interview is a detailed recollection of his time in the service, especially his memories from the day he was shot down, and his subsequent capture, imprisonment and release from captivity.
Date Created:
2009-04-06T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Jeremy Binder was born in Benton Harbon, Michigan in 1978, and grew up in the area. After high school, he tried college briefly and then held various jobs before enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2003. After training in San Diego and Camp Pendleton, California, he joined the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines and took demolitions training with them at 29 Palms, California, while awaiting transfer to Iraq. They flew to Iraq in February, 2004, and he served as part of the squad that guarded the battalion commander. He was wounded in May, and was injured badly enough that he could not return to active duty. He now works as a counselor for veterans.
Date Created:
2012-05-22T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Al Dewitt was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan and joined the Army Air Corps in 1942. Al was assigned to be a glider pilot and received his glider wings. He then trained as a fighter pilot but remained based in the US. He became a farmer after the war, but was called back into duty for 21 months during the Korean War. He was first a test pilot for the AT-6 and then was put on a B-36 crew. They did training runs and went over Russia at high altitudes, and Al survived a particularly dangerous crash landing.
Date Created:
2008-08-07T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Andrew Gill, Born May 9th 1966 in England, served in the Royal Navy from September of 1984-April of 2000. During his service, Andrew served on many cruises including one that evolved NATO operations as well as another that traveled around the world. His primary tasks included ship navigation as well as warfare tactics.
Date Created:
2012-05-31T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Thaddeus Kling grew up working on a farm in Muskegon, Michigan. He was drafted and trained in Oklahoma where he made first class sergeant and helped run the C Battery of the 308th Field Artillery. He fought at the Hurtgen Forest, the Battle of the Bulge, and at Remagen Bridge. At Remagen Bridge they fired constantly for 3 days and 3 nights. The day before the war was over they captured 5,000 Germans.
Date Created:
2008-06-30T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Chuck O'Conner enlisted in the U.S. Marines while living in Illinois and served 3.5 years in the service. During his service Chuck obtained the rank of Staff Sergeant and fought in the field during the Vietnam War. He was involved in the battle at Khe Sanh, but does not say much about it.
Date Created:
2010-05-15T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Barry Kleinjans was born in Holland, Michigan in October 1942. After graduating from high school in 1960 he enlisted in the Navy. He received basic training at Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois then received sonar training at Key West, Florida. While at Key West he also helped with recovery from the aftermath of Hurricane Donna. He served aboard the USS Thomas J Gary (DER 326) on the Distant Early Warning Line searching for Soviet submarines and bombers, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the search for the USS Thresher. He left active duty in 1963 and worked as a Navy recruiter in the Navy Reserves until he returned to active duty in 1980. He served aboard the USS O'Callahn (FF 1051), received advanced sonar training in San Diego, and served aboard two Oliver Hazard Perry Class frigates and helped with the evacuation of personnel when Mount Pinatubo erupted in 1991. He worked as an instructor in the U.S. until he retired in 1997.
Date Created:
2015-04-02T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Jim Vanden Hout is a Vietnam War veteran who was born on February 7, 1942 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. When he was twenty five he was drafted into the Army on January 22, 1968. He received training at Fort Dix, New Jersey and Fort Polk, Louisiana before being deployed to Vietnam in May 1968. He was sent to Chu Lai where he was assigned to Echo Company of the 4th Battalion of the 21st Infantry Regiment of the Americal Division (23rd Infantry Division). He momentarily served with the mortar platoon before volunteering to join the recon platoon. He conducted numerous patrols in the area between Chu Lai and Da Nang and near the Laotian border. On January 23, 1969 he was wounded in combat and was ultimately evacuated to the United States. He finished his service at Fort Carson, Colorado and was discharged on January 22, 1970.
Date Created:
2015-02-12T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Steve Pullen was born on Ramey Air Force Base, Puerto Rico, where his father was serving at the time. His family eventually settled in Florida, where he finished high school and started college, but his status changed and he was drafted into the Army in 1968. He opted for officer training, and then trained to fly Cobra attack helicopters. Sent to Vietnam in 1970, he was assigned to lead an aerorifle platoon in the 2/17 Cavalry in the 101st Airborne Division. He did this between May and September, 1970, and participated in the Ripcord campaign. He then became a scout helicopter pilot for another six months, participating in the Lam Son 719 operation in Laos in 1971. He returned fora second tour in 1972, again as a scout helicopter pilot, and was there during the 1972 offensive, and served with F Troop of the 4th Cavalry until he was wounded. He spent another thirty years in the Army, including twenty in the Special Forces, and served in Grenada, Bosnia, Somalia and Iraq.
Date Created:
2014-10-10T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Karen Morgan moved to the Saugatuck area after she graduated from high school and began waitressing at the new West Point restaurant in the 1960s. In this interview, Karen reminisces about her young adulthood in Saugatuck.
Date Created:
2018-06-04T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Interview of Robert "Moose" Moss by filmmaker Frank Boring for the documentary, Fei Hu: The Story of the Flying Tigers. Moss was a Flight Leader for the American Volunteer Group (AVG) 2nd Squadron "Panda Bears." In this tape, Moss discusses the AVG's arrival in Rangoon, his first impression of General Chennault, and the living conditions upon their arrival in Toungoo.
Date Created:
1991-06-09T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Interview of Bill Schaper by filmmaker Frank Boring for the documentary Fei Hu: The Story of the Flying Tigers. Bill Schaper was Crew Chief for the American Volunteer Group (AVG) 1st Squadron "Adam and Eves." He joined the AVG in 1941 after serving in the US Army as a Staff Sergeant in the 77th Pursuit Squadron. It was his responsibility to maintain the aircrafts. In this tape, Schaper discusses his life as a staff sergeant in the United States Air Corps prior to joining the American Volunteer Group, in addition to their journey overseas from San Francisco to Rangoon aboard the Jaegersfontein.
Date Created:
1991-04-23T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Rauland Whiteis was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1946 and graduated high school in 1966. Whiteis was drafted into the Army in 1969 and attended Basic Training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, as well as Advanced Individual Training at Fort Polk, Louisiana. He was then deployed to Vietnam with the B Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne Division as an infantryman. He participated in the combat at Firebase Ripcord and was only injured once in the back while in Vietnam. After being discharged from the Army in 1971, Rauland attended Southwest Texas State University, where he completed two degrees in psychology. He then accepted a position teaching at Fort Hood, where he taught high school classes for over 20 years before retiring.
Date Created:
2017-10-03T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Louis Berra was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1942. He attended the University of Detroit and was part of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) there. He received his Officer Candidate School training at Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio and received his commission as a 2nd lieutenant in August 1965. In June 1966 he received orders for Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming where he served as a staff officer and the chief of operations until 1969. He was transferred to Canadian Forces Base Goose Bay in Canada where he helped with base operations until 1970. From 1971 to 1995 he served in the Air Force Reserve at Selfridge Air Force Base, Michigan, various bases all over the continental United States, and and at NATO bases in Europe. From 1990 to 1995 he served in the Office of Civil Engineers in the Pentagon and reached the rank of colonel.
Date Created:
2015-08-13T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Interview of Ed Rector by filmmaker Frank Boring for the documentary, Fei Hu: The Story of the Flying Tigers. Ed Rector served as Vice Squadron Leader of the American Volunteer Group (AVG) 2nd Squadron "Panda Bears." He joined the AVG after discharging his commission from the US Navy, and left the AVG when it was disbanded in 1942. In this tape, Rector discusses what he was doing prior to joining the military and being recruited by the American Volunteer Group with Tex Hill.
Date Created:
1991-05-16T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Interview of Erik Shilling by filmmaker Frank Boring for the documentary, Fei Hu: The Story of the Flying Tigers. Shilling served in the American Volunteer Group (AVG) 3rd Squadron "Hell's Angels" as a Flight Leader. In this tape, Shilling describes his first taste of battle and his impression of the Japanese pilots and airplanes they fought against. He also describes the loss of Lacy Mangleburg and his impression of General Chennault.
Date Created:
1991-09-25T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Harold Soper was born on April 16, 1920 in Indianapolis, Indiana and settled into Grand Rapids in 1929. Soper was drafted into the Army before finishing college and went on to supervise the American Oil Dump being shipped through Iran and Iraq to the Soviet Union. After being turned away from the Army Corps of Engineering and officers' training, he was relocated to Chicago and Indianapolis to close domestic military contracts. After leaving the service, Soper finished his schooling and earned a master's degree in accounting.
Date Created:
2017-04-25T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Fred Breuninger was born on April 22, 1922 and enlisted in the Air Force during WWII. He had gone to Castle Lake Military Academy, and was put into a HQ company. Fred was sent to England with the 8th Air Force in the 446th bomb group that used B-24 planes. He was part of operations in the HQ Company. They would work 14 hour shifts and alternate from days one week to nights the next. After VE day Fred went back to the US and thought he was going to be sent to Japan, but was discharged and returned home to Michigan.
Date Created:
2008-06-01T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries