Oral Histories 1857 items

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.

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1841. Sampson, John (Interview outline and video), 2010

Notes:: Born in Detroit, Michigan in 1942, John Sampson joined the ROTC while at Western Michigan University. Following graduation from Western Michigan and graduate school at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Sampson went through signal corps training at Fort Gordon, Georgia and Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. After completing his training, he shipped out to Korea, where he served in the G4 for Eighth Army, working with both the Korean and US military. Following his tour in Korea, Sampson returned to Fort Monmouth and served until March 1970.
Date Created:: 2010-10-28T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:: Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Collection:: Veterans History Project (U.S.)

1842. Vu, Hung M (Interview outline and video), 2010

Notes:: Hung M Vu was born in Hanoi, Vietnam in 1952. His father worked in the National Government of Vietnam, managed by the French. After the Geneva Peace Accord in 1954, Vu's family moved to Saigon, Vietnam and settled there. He lived in Saigon when the Tet Offensive took place but it did not affect him. He joined the Navy in 1970 and received electronic and electrician military training. He initially worked on rivers on a reinforced fishing boat, stopping any potential threats. Vu eventually moved closer to home and worked in a shipyard fixing and working on boats. Because his sister was a stewardess, Vu was able to get a flight out of Vietnam in 1975.
Date Created:: 2010-04-02T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:: Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Collection:: Veterans History Project (U.S.)

1843. VanSlooten, Ben (Interview outline and video), 2006

Notes:: Ben VanSlooten served in the United States Army during WW II from May 13, 1943 to October 30, 1946 in the European Theater. VanSlooten discusses life on the home front, his time in basic training, D-Day, the Battle of the Bulge, Operation "Market Basket" (Market Garden), interactions with soldiers from other countries, and his first air raid. He talks about the chow lines in Belgium, a restaurant in France, acts of kindness in England, and the Red Ball Express in Belgium.
Date Created:: 2006-05-31T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:: Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Collection:: Veterans History Project (U.S.)

1844. Frazine, Gerald (Interview outline and video), 2016

Notes:: Gerald Frazine was born in Muskegon, Michigan, in 1925. He enlisted in the Navy in 1943, and went to Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois, for his boot camp and Radio School. Upon completing training, he boarded a Landing Ship Transport (LST) and sailed to San Diego (via the Mississippi River and the Panama Canal) before going to the Pacific Theater. He served as the radio operator on the flotilla flagship, but also handled supplies and knew how to operate a 20mm antiaircraft gun. Gerald participated in the invasion of Guam, Tinian, and Saipan during the Mariana Islands Campaign; the invasion of Leyte during the Philippines Campaign; and the final battle of the Pacific Theater, Okinawa. After the war, he sailed back to San Diego then returned to Great Lakes Naval Station to be discharged from the Navy in late 1945.
Date Created:: 2016-10-18T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:: Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Collection:: Veterans History Project (U.S.)

1845. Jones, Frank (Interview outline and video), 2015

Notes:: Frank Jones is a Vietnam War veteran that was born on February 15, 1950 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. After graduating from high school in June 1970 he was drafted into the Army in August 1970. He trained at Fort Knox, Kentucky; Fort Polk, Louisiana; and Fort Benning, Georgia. He was stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma and was deployed to Vietnam in October 1971. In Vietnam he was assigned to Headquarters Company for the 101st Airborne Division in Phu Bai. He worked as a clerk for a captain, but also went out into the field on a few patrols. In February 1972 he received an early out and his tour in Vietnam ended.
Date Created:: 2015-01-29T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:: Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Collection:: Veterans History Project (U.S.)

1846. Laidlaw, James Dennis (Interview outline and video), 2015

Notes:: James Laidlaw was born in Detroit on December 13, 1938. After turning 18 he volunteered for the draft and was inducted into the Army. He received basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri and truck mechanic training at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas. He was stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma with an artillery battalion and served as a lieutenant's driver. In September 1957 the unit sailed to Italy and was stationed in the area around Vicenza near the Austrian and Yugoslavian borders. During his time in Italy the unit conducted war games and maintained a presence in northern Italy to keep the Soviet Union from any attempts to move into Austria or Italy. Upon the death of his father he received an emergency leave home, and after 30 days was discharged from the Army in Chicago.
Date Created:: 2015-05-28T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:: Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Collection:: Veterans History Project (U.S.)

1847. Cherington, Milford (Interview outline and video), 2004

Notes:: Milford Cherington Served in the Air Force during World War II. He joined the Air Corps after being classified 4F by the Army draft board. He wanted to train as a pilot, but wound up as a gunner on a B-17 bomber and flew numerous bombing missions over Germany. He was also part of the first group to bomb Berlin in daylight.
Date Created:: 2004-04-18T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:: Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Collection:: Veterans History Project (U.S.)

1848. Doren, Mark (Interview outline and video)

Notes:: Mark Doren was born in 1919 in Kent City, Michigan and served into the Army in World War II. He was drafted into the Army and attended basic training in Florida and was then sent to Europe. He served in the 6th Armored in France and Germany as a mechanic, and was part of the group that liberated the Buchenwald Concentration Camp.
Data Provider:: Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Collection:: Veterans History Project (U.S.)

1849. Fortier, Harry L. (Interview outline and video), 2011

Notes:: Harry L. Fortier grew up in Saginaw, Michigan, and was drafted into the Army in 1972. He served primarily at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, loading and unloading helicopters, and did not have to go overseas. When he left the Army at the time when the Vietnam War was ending, he experienced some of the same negative treatment that returnees from Vietnam went through.
Date Created:: 2011-05-31T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:: Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Collection:: Veterans History Project (U.S.)

1850. McConnon, James (Interview outline and video), 2009

Notes:: James McConnon was drafted into the Army in October of 1971 and went through basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky for 8 weeks. He then went through secondary advanced individual training at Fort Bliss, Texas where he worked with the Air Defense Missile System. After training James was sent to South Korea in April of 1972 to work with Air Defense Artillery. James spent 14 months in the Northern area of South Korea working on air defense where he spent most of his time in field training.
Date Created:: 2009-05-29T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:: Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Collection:: Veterans History Project (U.S.)

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