World War, 1939-1945 -- Veterans -- Interviews.
Phillip A. Godwin served in the United States Navy as a hospital corpsman first class from 1946 to 1948. Interviewed by Pattie Johnston on June 18, 2007, Godwin talked about his experiences during the Second World War. Godwin was born on January 24, 1928, in Indiana. He moved to Hutchinson, Kansas in 1943. In May 1946, he enlisted in the Navy. He went to corpsman training at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center and to the corps school in Portsmouth, Virginia. He was assigned to the Philadelphia Naval Hospital, where he tended to the wounded, returning soldiers until 1948. Photographs of Godwin in his uniforms are also available.
Kansas Veterans of World War II Oral History Project / Lawrence Remembers: The World War II Years Project
Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.)
The original copy of this video is available through the Lawrence Public Library. The Watkins Museum of History and the Kansas State Historical Society also have interviews associated with this project, which was funded through a grant program passed by the Kansas State Legislature in 2005. This interview can be used freely for purposes beyond educational or scholarly research. Contact the Watkins Museum of History for additional information: https://www.watkinsmuseum.org/
To access the video recording of this oral history and photographs, go to: https://archive.org/details/godwin-phillips-wwii-interview
The Watkins Museum of History also holds items related to this collection.
Transcripts for this project are available through the Kansas Memory Digital Collection: https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/212773
Other resources for interviews with World War II veterans are available through the Library of Congress' Veterans History Project: https://www.loc.gov/vets/vets-home.htm
John Glinka served in the United States Army (106th Signal Corps Service) from 1942 to 1945. Interviewed by Pattie Johnston as part of the Lawrence Remembers the World War II Years Project, Glinka talked about his experiences during the Second World War. Glinka was born on May 24, 1920, in Kansas City, Kansas. He graduated high school in 1938. He volunteered for the Signal Corps in 1942. He attended training at Paine Field in Washington and then went to radio repair school in Chicago. He served throughout the Pacific theater in Guadalcanal, Morotai, the Philippines, and Okinawa. Following the war, he went to Emporia State Teachers College. He then worked at the University of Kansas Libraries until he retired in 1984. Glinka passed away on July 28, 2012.
The original copy of this video is available through the Lawrence Public Library. The Watkins Museum of History and the Kansas State Historical Society also have interviews associated with this project, which was funded through a grant program passed by the Kansas State Legislature in 2005. Researchers are responsible for obtaining any necessary permissions for uses other than educational or scholarly research. Contact the Watkins Museum of History for additional information: https://www.watkinsmuseum.org/
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/glinka-john-wwii-interview
Obituary: https://obituaries.ljworld.com/obituaries/ljworld/obituary.aspx?n=john-louis-glinka&pid=158837408
Jimmie L. Gill served as a first lieutenant in the Army Air Corps (Air Transport Command) from 1942 to 1946. Interviewed by Pattie Johnston on May 10, 2006, Gill talked about his experiences during the Second World War. Gill was born on March 3, 1924, in Benton, Kansas. He enlisted in the Air Corps after graduating high school in 1942. He served as C.B.I. Hump pilot during the Hump Operation. He accrued 750 flying hours and completed 96 missions. Gill received a Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, two Oak Leaf clusters, several other medals. Following the war, he joined the Reserve. He worked at Standard Oil for 36 years, before retiring in 1982. Gill passed away on August 11, 2011.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/gill-jim-wwii-interview
Obituary: https://obituaries.ljworld.com/obituaries/ljworld/obituary.aspx?n=jimmie-gill&pid=181052556&fhid=24990
Transcripts for this project are available through the Kansas Memory Digital Collection: https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/211946
Glen E. Freeman served in the United States Army (1371st Infantry, Company H) from 1940 to 1945. Interviewed by Deborah Pye on July 5, 2006, Freeman talked about his military experiences during the Second World War. Freeman was born in Kansas on December 23, 1921. He joined the National Guard in 1939 and the Army in 1940. He went to the South Pacific in 1942. He spent time in New Caledonia, Guadalcanal, Bougainville, the Fiji Islands, New Hebrides, and the Philippine Islands. He took part in major battles in Guadalcanal and in the Leyte Gulf. Freeman was discharged in 1945. He passed away on January 25, 2011.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/freeman-glenn-wwii-interview
Obituary: https://www2.ljworld.com/life-events/obituaries/2011/jan/27/glen-freeman-sr/
Transcripts for this project are available through the Kansas Memory Digital Collection: https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/211945
Don Fambrough joined in the United States Army (Air Corps) in 1942. During his service, he played football for the Second Air Force. Interviewed by Pattie Johnston on February 19, 2007, Fambrough talked about his experiences during the Second World War. Fambrough was born in Longview, Texas, on October 19, 1922. He was playing football at the University of Texas when the war began. After joining the Air Corps, he went to Officer Candidate School, and then began playing football for the military. After the war, he went to the University of Kansas and later became the head football coach. Fambrough passed away on September 9, 2011.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/fambrough-don-wwii-interview-2.19.07
Obituary: https://warrenmcelwain.com/obituary/Don-Fambrough/
World War, 1939-1945 -- Campaigns -- Belgium -- Bastogne.
J. D. King served as a Lieutenant in the United States Army (28th Division) from 1942 to 1946. Interviewed by Elena Alterman on November 23, 2003, as part of the Lawrence Remembers: The World War II Years Project, King talked about his experiences during the Second World War. King was born on September 5, 1919. After being drafted into the Army, he went to basic training at Fort Ringgold, Texas. He then went to Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, GA. King was a “Ninety-Day Wonder.” Following training, he became a second lieutenant in the Infantry. He was first sent to Hürtgen Forest, where he engaged in battle. The Germans captured King on the first day of the Battle of the Bulge. He spent roughly nine months at a prison camp, OFLAG XIII-B, in Hammelburg, Germany. Upon being released, he came back to America for medical care and was placed on non-active duty. He was discharged. King passed away on March 6, 2007.
The original copy of this video is available through the Lawrence Public Library. The Watkins Museum of History and the Kansas State Historical Society may also have interviews associated with this project. Researchers are responsible for obtaining any necessary permissions for uses other than educational or scholarly research. Contact the Watkins Museum of History for additional information: https://www.watkinsmuseum.org/
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/king-interview
Obituary: https://www2.ljworld.com/life-events/obituaries/2007/mar/08/jd_king/
Transcripts for this project are available through the Kansas Memory Digital Collection: https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/212310
Byron Harold Gilmore served in the United States Army (Air Force) from 1941 to 1966. During World War II, he served in the 23rd Fighter Groups, 76th Fight Squadron. Interviewed on May 14, 2003, as part of the Lawrence Remembers: The World War II Years Project, Byron talked about his experiences during the Second World War. Byron was born in Highland, Kansas, in 1920. After he enlisted, he went to flight school in San Antonio. He was then assigned to the Panama Canal Zone and later China. He flew the P-26, P-36, and P-40. Gilmore earned a Purple Heart, Silver Star, and Distinguished Flying Cross. He passed away on October 17, 2015.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/gilmore-wwii-interview
Obituary: https://warrenmcelwain.com/obituary/bryon-harold-gilmore/
A transcript of another interview with Byron Gilmore is available through the Kansas Memory Digital Collection: https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/212299
Byron Brooks enlisted in United States Navy in 1943. He served on the USS West Point, a troopship, transporting troops throughout the Atlantic and Pacific. Interviewed by Pattie Johnston in 2003 as part of the Lawrence Remembers: The World War II Years Project, Brooks talked about his experiences during the Second World War. Brooks was born on April 25, 1918. Prior to the war, he attended Emporia State Teachers College. Brooks was discharged in 1946 and joined the Reserve. Also featured in the interview is Julia Brooks, Byron’s wife. They married in May 1943. She talked about her experiences while her husband served in the military. Byron Brooks passed away on February 24, 2007.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/brooks-interview
Obituary: https://www2.ljworld.com/life-events/obituaries/2007/feb/27/byron_brooks/
Antonette Brecheisen World War II Interview
Antonette Louise Brecheisen grew up in Douglas County, Kansas, during the Second World War. Interviewed by Pattie Johnston as part of the Lawrence Remembers the World War II Years Project, Brecheisen talked about her experiences living in Kansas as a German American during the war years. Brecheisen was born on May 4, 1929. She married Lloyd Brecheisen in October 1952. Lloyd passed away in 1986.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/Brecheisen
Margery Hadl grew up in Douglas County, Kansas, during the Second World War. Interviewed by Pattie Johnston on June 23, 2003, as part of the Lawrence Remembers: The World War II Years Project, Hadl talked about her experiences and memories of the war. She was born in Lawrence, Kansas, in October 1933. She attended Liberty Memorial High School. In the interview, Hadl reflected on school and leisure time during the 1940s.
The original copy of this video is available through the Lawrence Public Library. The Watkins Museum of History and the Kansas State Historical Society may also have interviews associated with this project. This interview can be used freely for purposes beyond educational or scholarly research.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/hadl-interview
In this interview, Pattie Johnston talked with Mr. Findlay (first name unknown), as part of the Lawrence Remembers: The World War II Years Project. Findlay was born in Illinois in 1932. He was nine years old when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Findlay begins talking about life during the war but the video cuts off.
The original copy of this video is available through the Lawrence Public Library. The Watkins Museum of History and the Kansas State Historical Society may also have interviews associated with this project. Researchers are responsible for obtaining any necessary permissions for uses other than educational or scholarly research. Contact the Watkins Museum of History for additional information. https://www.watkinsmuseum.org/
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/findlay-wwii-interview
Richard Moore enlisted in the United States Navy in 1943. He served as an electronics and radar officer on the USS Rehoboth (AVP-50). Following the war, he joined the Reserve until 1951. Interviewed on May 11, 2003, as part of the Lawrence Remembers: The World War II Years Project, Moore talked about his experiences during the Second World War. Prior to enlisting, Moore went to Washington University. He graduated with a degree in electrical engineering in 1943. He trained at Fort Schuyler. In 1945, he went to Japan. Following the war, he received a PhD from Cornell University. Moore passed away on November 13, 2012.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/richard-moore-interview
Obituary: https://obituaries.ljworld.com/obituaries/ljworld/obituary.aspx?n=richard-k-moore&pid=161108904
A transcript of another interview with Richard Moore is available through the Kansas Memory Digital Collection: https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/218231
Richard A. Hewitt World War II Interview
Richard A. “Dick” Hewitt served in the United States Army Air Corps from 1942 to 1946. Interviewed by Kristen Miller on January 9, 2003, as part of the Kansas Veterans History Project, Hewitt talked about his experiences during the Second World War. Hewitt was born on December 15, 1920, in New York. He went to Niagara University. After enlisting in the military, he trained for fifteen months as a fighter pilot. He then went to England and joined the 78th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force. He accrued 440 combat flying hours. After the war, he joined the Reserve. He retired from the military in 1963. Hewitt published a book about the war, Target of Opportunity: Tales & Contrails of The Second World War. Hewitt passed away on July 20, 2014.
American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.03816/
Obituary: https://obituaries.niagara-gazette.com/obituary/richard-hewitt-733112862
Great Britain. Royal Air Force -- History -- World War, 1939-1945.
Les Hannon served in Britain’s Royal Air Force from 1941 to 1945. Interviewed as part of the Lawrence Remembers: The World War II Years Project, Hannon talked about his experiences during the Second World War. Hannon was born on December 31, 1923, in Ballymoney, Northern Ireland. He came to the United States in 1963 and moved to Lawrence, Kansas, in 1973.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/hannon-interview
A transcript of another interview with Hannon is available through the Kansas Memory Digital Collection: https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/218561
John "Buck" W. Newsom World War II Interview
John W. “Buck” Newsom served as a Captain in the United States Navy from 1941 to 1964. Interviewed by Kristen Miller in 2002 as part of the Kansas Veterans History Project, Newsom talked about his experiences during the Second World War. Newsom was born on July 24, 1919, in Durham, North Carolina. He attended Duke University before going to the Naval Academy in 1937. He first served on the USS Hopkins DMS-13 as Chief Engineer and Gunnery Officer. Newsom spent time in Pearl Harbor and took part in the invasion of the Solomon Islands. He then trained as a blimp pilot in 1944. He was assigned to the USS California as an air-defense officer. He took part in the Okinawa campaign and was part of the Japanese invasion fleet. After retiring from the military, he worked at Centron Productions in Lawrence, Kansas. Newsom passed away on November 26, 2015.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/newsom-interview_202008
Obituary: https://obituaries.ljworld.com/obituaries/ljworld/obituary.aspx?n=john-newsom-buck&pid=176696155&fhid=24990
A transcript of another interview with Newsom is available through the Kansas Memory Digital Collection: https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/218569
James "Jim" Stokes World War II Interview
World War, 1939-1945 -- Campaigns -- Japan -- Okinawa Island.
James A. “Jim” Stokes served in the United States Navy on the USS Erben, Third Fleet, from 1943 to 1946. Interviewed by Kristen Miller on August 30, 2002, as part of the Kansas Veterans History Project, Stokes talked about his military experiences during the Second World War. Stokes was born on August 11, 1923, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Stokes attended North Carolina State University and was in the ROTC. After joining the Navy, he went to Midshipmen training at Cornell University. He then went to the Pacific, where he took part in the campaigns in Okinawa and Tokyo. He was discharged on June 11, 1946.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.04714/
A transcript of another interview with Stokes is available through the Kansas Memory Digital Collection: https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/218577
Bruce A. Linton served in the United States Army (104th Infantry Division, 4th Platoon, Company C, 414th Regiment) from 1942 to 1945. Interviewed by Kristen Miller on January 14, 2003, as part of the Kansas Veterans History Project, Linton talked about his experiences during the Second World War. Linton was born on December 3, 192, in Ottawa, Illinois. He graduated high school in 1941. After enlisting in the Army, he joined the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP) at the University of Illinois. He then trained at Camp Carson, Colorado, before going to Europe in May 1944. He returned home in 1945. Linton is a Purple Heart recipient. Following the war, he attended graduate school at Northwestern University and worked at the University of Kansas.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.03811/
Lauren McClure served in the United States Army (62nd Signal Corps, Company B) from 1942 to 1945. Interviewed by Pattie Johnston on August 21, 2003, as part of the Lawrence Remembers: The World War II Years Project, McClure talked about his military experiences during the Second World War. McClure was born and raised in Lawrence, Kanas. He graduated from Liberty Memorial High School in 1939. He enlisted in the Army in 1942 and completed basic training at Camp Crowder in Missouri. He then went to Ohio Bell Installation and Repair School in Cleveland, Ohio, where he learned how to operate switchboards for the Teletype. In 1943, he went to North Africa, where he took part in the battle at Kasserine Pass. He also spent time in Italy and Japan. He was discharged in 1945. McClure passed away on February 5, 2007.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/mc-clure-interview
Obituary: https://www2.ljworld.com/life-events/obituaries/2007/feb/09/lauren_mcclure/
Transcripts for this project are available through the Kansas Memory Digital Collection: https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/215538
Kenneth Rehmer served in the United States Army (607th Graves Registration; 3rd Platoon, 78th Division) during World War II. Interviewed by Pattie Johnston on August 23, 2003, as part of the Lawrence Remembers: The World War II Years Project, Rehmer talked about his experiences during the Second World War. Rehmer was born in Wichita, Kansas, and raised in Yates Center, Kansas. He enlisted in the Army in February 1942. He was inducted at Fort Leavenworth and completed basic training at Camp Lee in Virginia. Rehmer spent over a year working as a truck driver on the Alcan Highway in Canada. He then went to Fort Warren, Wyoming, where he was assigned to the 607th Graves Registration. He then went to Europe. While there, he established cemeteries in France, Belgium, and Germany. Throughout the interview, he discussed creating cemeteries and identifying fallen soldiers. Rehmer passed away on August 21, 2005.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/rehmer-interview
Obituary: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/30562134/kenneth-j_-rehmer
Transcripts for this project are available through the Kansas Memory Digital Collection: https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/212318
United States. Army. Air Corps -- History.
Homer Frank served in the United States Army Air Corps (155th Photo Recon Outfit) from 1942 to 1945. Interviewed by Pattie Johnston on November 23, 2007, Frank talked about his military experiences during the Second World War. Frank was born on March 20, 1922, in Grand Island, Nebraska. He enlisted in the Army Reserve in 1942 and was called for active duty in March 1943. He was inducted at Fort Logan in Denver, Colorado. He completed basic training at Shepherd Field, Texas, and photo school at Lowry Field, Colorado. In 1944, he went to Europe. He took the reconnaissance photographs for Patton’s Third Army. He spent time in England, France, and Germany. He also took photographs at two concentration camps, Buchenwald and Dachau. Frank shared some of his photographs from Europe during his interview. Frank passed away on January 13, 2008.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/frank-interview
Obituary: https://www2.ljworld.com/life-events/obituaries/2008/jan/14/homer_frank/
Transcripts for this project are available through the Kansas Memory Digital Collection: https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/212294
David McKee was a flight instructor in the Army Primary Flight program during the Second World War. He was also a member of the Air Corps Reserve. Interviewed by Pattie Johnston on September 10, 2003, as part of the Lawrence Remembers: The World War II Years Project, McKee talked about his experiences training Army pilots during the war years. McKee was born on August 12, 1920, in St. Joe, Missouri. He graduated from the University of Kansas. He attended Aviation Cadet School and joined the Air Corps Reserve. He then attended Civilian Pilot Training and became a primary flight instructor at Mustang Field in El Reno, Oklahoma. After the flight school closed in 1945, he flew for the TWA until June 1947. McKee passed away on December 4, 2010.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/mc-kee-interview
Obituary: https://warrenmcelwain.com/obituary/David-E-McKee/
Marvin Connelly served in the United States Army from 1942 to 1945. Interviewed by Pattie Johnston on August 22, 2003, as part of the Lawrence Remembers: The World War II Years Project, Marvin talked about his military experiences during the Second World War. Connelly completed basic training in Midland, Texas. He worked as a B-34 mechanic in Saipan for the duration of the war. Rhea Connelly, Connelly’s wife, is also featured in the interview. Marvin Connelly passed away on October 30, 2012.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/connelly-interview
Obituary: https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/marvin-connelly-obituary?pid=160760296
Transcripts for this project are available through the Kansas Memory Digital Collection: https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/213274
Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands)
United States. Army Air Forces -- History.
Clyde Bysom enlisted in the United States Army (Air Force) in 1944. He served as a B29 tail gunner in the 393rd Squadron. Interviewed by Pattie Johnston on October 27, 2006, Bysom talked about his experiences during the Second World War. Bysom was born in Adrian, Missouri on October 13, 1917. He grew up in Lawrence, Kansas. He graduated from Liberty Memorial High School in 1936 and then went to the University of Kansas. Bysom started building B29 parts at Boeing Aircraft in January 1942. After working there for two years, he joined the Air Force. He completed basic training at Sheppard Field in Wichita Falls, Texas. He then went to B29 School at Lowry Field in Denver, Colorado. After joining the 393rd Squadron, he was stationed in Roswell, New Mexico. Following the war, he worked at the Reuter Pipe Organ Company for twenty-five years. At the time of the interview, Bysom had been working at Hume Music in Lawrence for eleven years. He passed away on June 1, 2015.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/bysom-wwii-interview
Obituary: https://obituaries.ljworld.com/obituaries/ljworld/obituary.aspx?n=clyde-leon-bysom&pid=175024240&fhid=24990
A transcript of another interview with Bysom is available through the Kansas Memory Digital Collection: https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/211714
Roy Johnston served in the United States Army as a Master Sergeant in the 86th Infantry Black Hawk Division, Company 1 from 1943 to 1946. Interviewed by Pattie Johnston as part of the Lawrence Remembers: The World War II Years Project, Johnston talked about his military experiences during the Second World War. Johnston was born on January 25, 1923, in Lawrence, Kansas. He served in the Home Guard for a year before he was drafted into the Army. He completed basic training in Gainesville, Texas. He went overseas to Europe in February 1945. Following V-E Day, he went to the Philippines. Johnston was discharged in February 1946. He passed away on March 5, 2010.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/roy-johnston-interview
Obituary: https://warrenmcelwain.com/obituary/Roy-L-Johnston/
William R. Schott World War II Interview
William R. Schott served in the United States Army from 1942 to 1946. Interviewed by Pattie Johnston as part of the Lawrence Remembers: The World War II Years Project, Schott talked about his experiences during the Second World War. Schott was born on September 14, 1920, in Globe, Kansas. As a teenager, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). He was inducted into the Army on July 6, 1942, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He completed basic training at Fort Eustis, Virginia. In 1944, he went to Europe. He served in England, France, Belgium, and Germany as a searchlight repairman. Schott passed away on October 17, 2012.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/schott-interview
Obituary: https://obituaries.ljworld.com/obituaries/ljworld/obituary.aspx?n=william-roscoe-schott-bill&pid=160500786