Prewar life

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Alexander, Joseph 1939 Division of Poland
In 1939, the Germans came into Poland and divided it into two parts. One was annexed by Germany and the other was...
Rugeley, Robert 285th Signal Pigeon Company
Robert S. Rugeley moved into France to a holding area. He then went to Etampes [Annotator's Note: Étampes, France],...
Little, Keith A Dream on Iwo Jima
[Annotator's Note: This interview is conducted with a group of Navajo veterans present, many of whom answer questions...
Kneflin, Charles A Family of Soldiers
Charles Kneflin was born in December 1923 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He had a very nice childhood. His mother was a home...
Jackson, Earnest A Great Country
Ernest Jackson was born in Sumter, South Carolina. His family migrated [Annotator's Note: Great Migration, or Black...
Lee, James A Japanese Friend
When James Lee was a young kid, he was close buddies with a Japanese boy whose name was Toshi Yamamoto. They were...
Klein, Gerda A Jewish Girl in Catholic School
[Annotator's Note: Annotator's Note: Gerda Klein can be very difficult to understand at points throughout this clip.]...
Gillette, Thomas A Kid in Hawaii
Thomas W. Gillette moved from Bath, Maine to Hawaii [Annotator's Note: in 1940 to live with his sister, Lydia Grant...
Geist, Lloyd A Love for Planes
Lloyd Geist was born in New Orleans [Annotator's Note: New Orleans, Louisiana] in July 1921. His family moved to Houma...
Jackson, Earnest A Proud Moment
Ernest Jackson received his draft notice. He did not know if he was going to qualify. He was amazed he passed that day...
Caudle, John Active Duty and Gunnery School
John Caudle did not have a lot of notice when he was called to active duty. He came home after work one Friday and had...
Ebersole, William Advanced Flight Training
After finishing Army Air Forces basic training in Miami Beach, Florida, William Ebersole was sent to Nashville,...
Bellecci, John Advanced Training
John Bellecci completed engineering training at Clemson [Annotator’s Note: Clemson College in South Carolina]. He...
Sapp, Walter Advanced Training Overseas
Walter Sapp went to Camp Walter, Texas for basic training. He did not want to be drafted and did not want to go into...
Matsumoto, Roy After High School
Roy H. Matsumoto went to work in a fruit stand after his high school graduation [Annotator's Note: in 1933]. Jobs were...
Taylor, Amelia After Pearl Harbor
Amelia Taylor discussed the developments of the war while she was in high school. It was very real to them. They...
Bache-Wiig, John Air Corps to Infantry to France
John Bache-Wiig, Jr. went to Mather Field in Sacramento [Annotator's Note: Sacramento, California] for special unit...
Beck, Carl Airborne Training
Carl Beck joined the Army at 17 in November 1942. He was born in 1925. He had been working with his father during the...
Yamamoto, Albert American Boy in Prewar Japan
Albert Yamamoto [Annotator's Note: a Japanese American who went to Japan in 1940] was enrolled in school as a fifth...
Shatz, Ewalt American Boy to Navy Man
Ewalt "Walt" Shatz was born in April 1923 in Visalia, California. During the Great Depression, his father worked for...
Tadewaldt, Gordon American Traveler
Gordon Tadewaldt was born in June 1926 in Aurora, Illinois. He was one of five children. When his father lost his job...
Nakagawa, Ittsei Ancestry to Atomic Illness
Ittsei Nakagawa's father's side of the family came over to the United States [Annotator's Note: from Japan] around 1904...
Higgins, Francis "Jack Higgins" Andrew Jackson Higgins
Francis Higgins says a female off camera had his uncle in a spell. [Annotator's Note: His uncle was Andrew Jackson...
Morrow, John Angry About Pearl Harbor and Overseas Deployment
John Morrow was born in April 1924 in Marksville, Louisiana. It is a small town and he knew almost everyone in town. He...
Hirschmann, Peter Anti-Semitism in Germany and the US
Peter Hirschmann and his Jewish family were an accepted part of the German population prior to Hitler's [Annotator's...
Fitzmorris, James Applying to OCS
James Fitzmorris did not have much college education when he enlisted. He was studying business but wanted to be a...
Nussenbaum, Seymour Army Anti-Semitism
[Annotator's Note: There is a loud hissing noise throughout this clip.] In headquarters [Annotator's Note: Headquarters...
Mathews, James Army Experience
[Annotator’s Note: Interviewee refers to notes throughout segment] James Mathews [Annotator’s Note: born in 1917] grew...
Geisler, James Army Service Overview and Early Life
James "Jim" Geisler was born and raised in Pittsburgh [Annotator's Note: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]. He was 18 years old...
Meyers, William Army Training
William S. Meyers, Jr. was born in February 1924 in Tulsa, Oklahoma with one sister. He grew up in Tulsa where he...
Yip, Wallace Arrival in England
Wallace Yip, Sr. went to England and the Germans were sending the V-bombs [Annotator's Note: V1 Buzz Bomb, V-1 pulse...
Nordstrom, Clyde Atomic Bombs
Clyde Nordstrom cannot say that his life changed much after the declaration of war [Annotator's Note: on Japan, after...
Purvis, Frank Attack on Pearl Harbor
Frank Purvis volunteered before Pearl Harbor [Annotator's Note: the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 7...
Brignac, Martin Attack on Pearl Harbor and Defending Puget Sound
Everybody was scraping by during the Great Depression. Martin Brignac and his family made out with what they had. They...
Childs, Charles "Chuck" Aviation Cadet and Marriage
Charles Childs was lucky to graduate [Annotator's Note: in 1938]. He had some friends going to college and they needed...
Brewer, Chester Aviation Cadet Training
Chester Brewer joined the Army Air Corps and was sent to Midland-Odessa [Annotator's Note: Midland-Odessa, Texas] and...

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