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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291. Thompson, Everett (Interview outline, video, and papers), 2007

Notes:: Everett Thompson served in the Army Signal Corps in World War II. He was drafted in March 1943. After doing basic training in Florida, he was sent to the University of Illinois where he took classes to prepare him to take care of large diesel engines. He was shipped out to New Guinea, and operated large diesel engine generators for radio stations until June of 1945. He spent a few weeks in Manila, waiting to be sent into Japan as part of a large convoy. Once there he witnessed the men boarding the USS Missouri to sign the armistice. After a few days he was able to leave the ships and see Japan. He helped build and operate a large radio tower in Tokyo and saw the devastation of the bombing within 100 miles of that city. He came home in January 1946 and entered Michigan State University, becoming a civil engineer. Photographs and correspsondence from Thompson's service are appended to this interview outline.
Date Created:: 2007-05-24T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:: Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Collection:: Veterans History Project (U.S.)

292. Timmerman, Robert (Interview outline and video), 2008

Notes:: Robert Timmerman was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In 1943 he got drafted at 29 years old. Robert was assigned to the 78th Division and was a Squad Leader. Robert landed in England and made his way through France and Belgium into Germany. He fought at the Hurtgen Forest and in some small towns in Germany, where he received a Purple Heart. His unit was one of the first across the Remagen Bridge.
Date Created:: 2008-04-28T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:: Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Collection:: Veterans History Project (U.S.)

293. Dykstra, Andrew (Interview outline and video), 2004

Notes:: Milton was born in Wyoming, Michigan and worked at General Motors until he was drafted. Albert was from Caledonia, Michigan and he worked on a farm. Andrew grew up in Kellogsville and he too was a farm hand for many years. Like Milton and Albert, he was drafted on April 16, 1941. All three men served with the 32nd Division and were sent to New Guinea and participated in the Buna campaign.
Date Created:: 2004-10-04T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:: Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Collection:: Veterans History Project (U.S.)

294. Platte, Gerard James (Interview outline and video), 2015

Notes:: Gerard Platte was born on December 30, 1921 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. With the United States dragged into the Second World War he enlisted in the Marine Corps on January 8, 1942 and was officially sworn in on January 20, 1942 at San Diego. He received basic training in San Diego along with rifle training at Camp San Luis Obispo. He was stationed at Naval Ammunition Depot Bremerton, Washington and Naval Ammunition Depot Indian Island, Washington before being sent to join B Company in the 21st Marine Regiment of the 3rd Marine Division at Camp Pendleton, California. He was stationed on New Zealand and Guadalcanal before taking part in the invasion of Bougainville (first wave), then Guam (first wave), and finally Iwo Jima where he was wounded while carrying a wounded fellow Marine. He was eventually evacuated back to the United States where he recovered in California and Chicago before being discharged from the Marines on January 20, 1946.
Date Created:: 2015-01-13T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:: Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Collection:: Veterans History Project (U.S.)

295. Sebuck, David J (Interview outline and video), 2015

Notes:: David Sebuck was born in May 1969. He enlisted in the Marines during college (c. 1987) and completed Officer Candidate School while in college. After graduating from college he entered active duty with the Marines. He completed four and a half years of Flight Training at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida and at Naval Air Station Meridian, Mississippi. He joined the Fleet as an F/A-18 Hornet pilot and went on a WESTPAC (Western Pacific) training deployment and flew combat missions during the Kosovo War (c. 1999). He also did training missions inside the United States. He did two deployments during the Iraq War, serving on the ground helping coordinate air support during the First Battle of Fallujah on his first deployment and flew combat missions on his second deployment. After 22 years in the Marines he retired (c. 2009).
Date Created:: 2015-05-17T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:: Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Collection:: Veterans History Project (U.S.)

296. Robert "Buster" Keeton interview (video and transcript, 7 of 10), 1991

Notes:: Interview of Robert B. "Buster" Keeton by filmmaker Frank Boring for the documentary, Fei Hu: The Story of the Flying Tigers. Keeton served in the American Volunteer Group as a Flight Leader in the 2nd Squadron "Panda Bears." He joined the AVG in September 1941, and 2.5 confirmed victories in air combat against the Japanese. He remained with the AVG for one year, and returned to the United States in December 1942. In this tape, Keeton discusses their last days in Toungoo during a period of strafing and bombing and how General Chennault didn't receive adequate supplies at the time.
Date Created:: 1991-05-29T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:: Grand Valley State University. University Libraries

297. Sutton, Carol (Interview transcript and video), 2019

Notes:: Carol Sutton of Muskegon was born in Davis, West Virginia on February 23, 1940. She went to Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing in Cleveland, Ohio, as well as West Virginia University after high school. After graduating in 1963, Sutton went on an extended international trip before joining the Air Force. In May of 1965, she underwent Basic Training in Montgomery, Alabama, and graduated as a Second Lieutenant since she was a nurse. She was then stationed at Wilford Hall in Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, where she met her husband in the labor and delivery unit of the hospital. They got married in July of 1966 before her husband was deployed to Vietnam. After his return in 1968, the couple moved to Austin, Texas and they both left the service. Sutton then worked as a nurse at the health center at the University of Texas before retiring in 2000.
Date Created:: 2019-06-07T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:: Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Collection:: Veterans History Project (U.S.)

298. Alioto, Michael (Interview outline and video), 2013

Notes:: Michael Alioto was born in 1947 in Detroit, Michigan. Despite having a college deferment, he received a draft notice in 1969, and rather than argue the issue, he decided to go into the Army anyway. Despite his high test scores, he was trained as an infantryman, and was deployed to Vietnam in April, 1970. Assigned to B Company, 1st Battalion, 501st Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, he spent most of his year in Vietnam on patrol in the northern part of South Vietnam, usually in or near the A Shau Valley. His platoon took heavy casualties in a number of firefights, and participated in the Ripcord campaign in the summer of 1970, reopening Firebase Gladiator to support Ripcord while it was under siege. When he tour of Vietnam was up, he was sent to Germany briefly, and then completed his enlistment in the United States.
Date Created:: 2013-03-05T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:: Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Collection:: Veterans History Project (U.S.)

299. Beard, Eric (Interview outline and video), 2011

Notes:: Eric Beard is from Lansing, Michigan. He enlisted in the Army after college and trained in Ft. Drum and Ft. Polk, and spent time in Ft. Drum before going overseas. He served as an E4 in Afghanistan for 10 months. He and his unit patrolled villages and made sure the Taliban and Al Qaeda did not interfere with the Afghanis setting up their own government.
Date Created:: 2011-05-20T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:: Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Collection:: Veterans History Project (U.S.)

300. Cooley, James (Interview outline and video), 2007

Notes:: James Cooley joined the Army National Guard in 2003 at age 17, and served in the Iraq War. He worked in transportation while he was there, specifically he operated the .50 caliber machine gun on a truck that guarded convoys. He served a yearlong deployment, and at the time of the interview is scheduled for another year tour of duty.
Date Created:: 2007-05-29T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:: Grand Valley State University. University Libraries
Collection:: Veterans History Project (U.S.)

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