World War, 1939-1945 -- Veterans -- Interviews.
Maynard Bauleke was drafted into the United States Navy in 1943 and served until 1945. Interviewed by Deborah Pye, Bauleke talked about his experiences during and after the Second World War. Bauleke was born on May 5, 1925, in Minnesota. He attended boot camp at the Farragut Naval Base and the San Diego Naval Base. He also received training as an electrician at the University of Kansas. He was stationed at Pearl Harbor and Midway Island. After the war, Bauleke worked at the Green Giant Company. He then went to the University of Kansas and transferred to the University of Alabama and later attended the University of Illinois and Iowa State University. He received a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in ceramics and a Ph.D. in Ceramic Engineering. Following graduate school, he worked at Honeywell in Minneapolis and at the University of Kansas. Bauleke passed away on December 6, 2015.
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. 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/bauleke-maynard-wwii-interview
Obituary: https://obituaries.ljworld.com/obituaries/LJWorld/obituary.aspx?n=Maynard-Paul-Bauleke&pid=176817073
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/211937
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
World War, 1939-1945 -- Campaigns -- Belgium -- Bastogne.
George Berlin enlisted in the United States Army in December 1942. He served in the 75th Infantry Division until he was discharged in October 1945. Interviewed by Pattie Johnston on March 12, 2007, Berlin talked about his military experiences during the Second World War. Berlin was born on July 15, 1921, in Ottawa, Kansas. He went to basic training at Fort Riley, Kansas, before joining the 75th Infantry Division at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri in 1944. He was then stationed in Wales. While in Europe, he fought in the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium, the Battle of the Colmar with the First French Army in Alsace, and the Battle of the Ruhr. After the war, Berlin moved to Topeka, Kansas. He received a bachelor’s degree from Washburn University and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Kansas.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/berlin-george-wwii-interview
Transcripts for this project are available through the Kansas Memory Digital Collection: https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/211938
United States. Army Nurse Corps -- History.
World War, 1939-1945 -- Women -- United States.
Mildred Biggar served in the Army Nurse Corps. Interviewed in 2004 by Pattie Johnston as part of the Lawrence Remembers: The World War II Years Project, Biggar talked about her experiences during the Second World War. Biggar was born and raised in Arkansas. Upon graduating high school in 1939, she left for Memphis, Tennessee to attend nursing school. After three years of training, she joined the Army Nurse Corps. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Biggar worked at the Schofield Barracks in Oahu, Hawaii. Throughout her interview, Biggar reflected on her nursing training and duties before and during the war, her interactions with wounded soldiers, leisure time in Oahu, and meeting her husband, Bill. Bill was an engineer and fellow Officer in the Army. They married in Hawaii in 1944. Prior to the end of the war, Mildred and Bill lived in South Gate, California. Biggar discussed life in California after the war.
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/biggar-mildred-wwii-interview
World War, 1939-1945 -- African Americans.
World War, 1939–1945 -- Campaigns -- France -- Normandy.
Gilbert Borom was drafted into the United States Army in 1944. He served in the 3rd Army, 13th Engineers. Interviewed on July 12, 2006, Borom talked about his military experiences during the Second World War. Borom was born in Alabama in February 1916 and grew up in Ohio. He fought in the invasion of Normandy in 1944. Borom passed away on April 25, 2007.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/borom-gilbert-wwii-interview
Obituary: https://www2.ljworld.com/life-events/obituaries/2007/apr/27/gilbert_borom/
Transcripts for this project are available through the Kansas Memory Digital Collection: https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/212512
Howard Breitenbucher World War II Interview
Howard Breitenbucher was drafted into the United States Navy in 1943. He served as a Fireman First Class on the USS Lexington until 1946. Interviewed by Helen Krische on July 14, 2006, Breitenbucher talked about his military experiences during the Second World War. Breitenbucher was born on April 6, 1925. He attended boot camp in Farragut, Idaho, and he is credited with participating in ten battles in the Pacific. Following the war, Breitenbucher received a degree in agriculture from Northwest Missouri State. He then worked for Farmland Industries. He passed away on August 1, 2009.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/breitenbucher-howard-wwii-interview
Obituary: https://warrenmcelwain.com/obituary/Howard-L-Breitenbucher/
Transcripts for this project are available through the Kansas Memory Digital Collection: https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/211939
Everett E. Buhler World War II Interview
Everett Buhler joined the Navy in May 1941. He served until 1945. Interviewed by Pattie Johnston on October 1, 2007, Buhler talked about his experiences during the Second World War. Bugler was born in Pretty Prairie, Kansas on June 27, 1919. He attended Lawrence High School. Following his graduation in 1937, he went to the University of Kansas. He volunteered for the Navy in 1941 and became a flight instructor in Pensacola, Florida. He then went to San Diego, California, for Patrol Plane Commander School, where he got into the Transitional Land Plant Unit (TLU) as a patrol plane commander in long-range patrol bombers. He spent most of his military career flying PB4YIs. In 1944, he went to the South Pacific. After the war, he returned to Lawrence and worked a variety of jobs. Buhler passed away on June 26, 2007.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/buhler-everett-wwii-interview-1
Obituary: https://www2.ljworld.com/life-events/obituaries/2007/jun/28/everett_buhler/
Transcripts for this project are available through the Kansas Memory Digital Collection: https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/211713
Women veterans -- United States -- History -- 20th century.
World War, 1939-1945--Participation, Female.
United States. Army. Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps.
Hazel (Leeper) Burgert served in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) from 1943 to December 1945. Interviewed by Pattie Johnston on June 26, 2007, Burgert talked about her experiences during the Second World War. Burgert was born on June 21, 1918, in Brooklyn, Iowa. She graduated high school in 1935 and became a teacher. She and her sister, Elizabeth Leeper, joined the WAAC. Burgert went to Fort Des Moines for training and then spent time in Casper, Wyoming before being stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she worked as a bomb scorer. During the interview, she shared newspaper clippings, photographs from her wedding, and shows her uniform. Burgert passed away on November 12, 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. 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, go to: https://archive.org/details/burgert-hazel-m-wwii-interview-20070626
Obituary: https://obituaries.ljworld.com/obituaries/ljworld/obituary.aspx?n=hazel-m-burgert&pid=160979486
Kirtland Air Force Base (N.M.)
Archer Carlson served in the United States Army from 1942 to 1946 in the 306th Combat Engineers, 81st Division, Eighth Army. Interviewed by Helen Krische and Brian Grubbs on June 13, 2006, Carlson talked about his experiences during the Second World War. Carlson was born on January 27, 1926, in Scandia, Kansas. He grew up in Baldwin City, Kansas. In 1942, at 17, he had a short-term duty with the US Navy V-12 Officer Procurement Program. Upon turning 18, he registered for the draft and was inducted into the Army on July 12, 1944, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He attended basic training and entered the Cavalry Replacement Corps at Camp Whiteside, both at Fort Riley, Kansas. Carlson was on his way to Europe the day before Germany surrendered (V-E Day). The ship then turned around and Carlson went to the Pacific theater. He was stationed on Leyte in the Philippines. Carlson then went to Japan. He was discharged on August 17, 1946.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/carlson-archer-wwii-interview
Transcripts for this project are available through the Kansas Memory Digital Collection: https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/211941
Harold Cartwright World War II Interview
Harold Cartwright was drafted into the United States Army (Infantry) in 1944. He served as a rifleman in the 32nd Division. He also served as a Corporal in General MacArthur’s Honor Guard in Tokyo for nine months. Interviewed by Deborah Pye on November 10, 2006, Cartwright talked about his military experiences during the Second World War. Cartwright was born in Kansas on September 9, 1924. He attended basic training at Camp Fannin in Texas. He was discharged in 1946. Cartwright passed away on May 26, 2010.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/cartwright-harold-wwii-interview-2
Obituary: https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/harold-cartwright-obituary?pid=143177493
Transcripts for this project are available through the Kansas Memory Digital Collection: https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/211715
Barbara Caruthers World War II Interview
Interviewed by Helen Krische on June 14, 2006, Barbara (Danley) Caruthers talked about growing up during World War II. Caruthers attended Baldwin High School from 1941 to 1945. Her mother was a housewife and her father worked as a house painter. She had seven siblings, including a brother, Albert, who served in the Navy. He was stationed at in Great Lakes, Illinois. Caruthers married Dale Caruthers, who served in the Navy during the war, in 1946. In this interview, Caruthers reflected on life in Baldwin City during and after the war. She passed away on April 23, 2019.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/caruthers-barbara-wwii-interview
Obituary: https://www.lamb-roberts.com/obituaries/Barbara-Caruthers/#!/Obituary
Betty Caruthers was interviewed at the Watkins Museum of History as part of the Lawrence Remembers the World War II Years Project. Caruthers talked about working for Sunflower Ordnance Works (Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant) and her time in the United States Organizations (USO) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, during the Second World War. She also discussed rationing, music, and leisure time during the war, and shared photographs of her uniforms. Caruthers was born on October 19, 1922, in Kansas. Following high school, she worked as a beauty operator. Her husband, Walter Caruthers, served in the Navy. He was stationed at Pearl Harbor and was on the USS Narwhal during the attack on December 7, 1941. Caruthers shared stories about her husband’s time in the Navy and their life together following the war.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/caruthers-betty-wwii-interview
John Clifford served in the United States Army from 1941 to 1946. Interviewed by Pattie Johnston on August 28, 2007, Clifford talked about his experiences during and after the Second World War. Clifford was born in Springfield, Illinois, on October 19, 1918. He was drafted into the Army in 1941. He was first assigned to a film school at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, and then worked as a clerk in the battalion headquarters at Camp Crowder, Missouri. He later joined a hospital company at Fort Leonard Wood. After going overseas, his company built a hospital in Hollandia. Clifford then went to Manila Bay in the Philippines. Following the war, he attended Marian Elwood’s Hollywood School for Writing to continue his writing career that began before he was drafted. After completing the school, he moved back to Kansas and attended Kansas State Teachers College in Emporia, Kansas. Clifford taught high school journalism in Lawrence and worked as a copy editor for the Topeka Daily Capital. He then got a job at Centron Films, where he worked for the next twenty-three years. While there, he wrote the horror film, Carnival of Souls. He also authored a novel, The Shooting of Storey James.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/clifford-john-wwii-interview-20070828
Transcripts for this project are available through the Kansas Memory Digital Collection: https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/214315
Merchant marine -- United States -- History.
Herman Cox was a Merchant Marine during the Second World War. Interviewed by Pattie Johnston on March 15, 2007, Cox talked about his experiences, and how the Merchant Marine contributed to the war effort. Cox was born on August 23, 1927, in Pleasanton, Kansas. As a teenager, he worked at the Kansas City Terminal Railway Company. He joined the Merchant Marine on September 26, 1944. He received training on Santa Catalina Island. During his service, he worked on several tankers transporting oil along the West coast. Following the war, Cox married his wife, Bettie Weems, on September 26, 1947. He passed away in 2017.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/cox-herman-wwii-interview-20070315
Obituary: https://obituaries.ljworld.com/obituaries/ljworld/obituary.aspx?n=herman-cox&pid=185219176&fhid=24989
Curtis William Dalton World War II Interview
United States. Army. Signal Corps -- History.
Curtis William Dalton served as a Corporal in the Army Signal Corps in the Pacific during the Second World War. Interviewed by Pattie Johnston on August 29, 2006, Dalton talked about his experience working as a teletype maintenance technician in Hollandia, New Guinea during the war. Prior to being sent to New Guinea, Dalton was stationed at Camp Crowder, Missouri. Johnston also interviewed Cleda (Haight) Dalton. Curtis and Cleda married on June 22, 1941. Cleda reflected on life in Lawrence during the war. Following the war, Curtis was discharged and worked at the Lawrence Paper Company until he retired in 1985. He passed away on June 13, 2012. Cleda passed away on December 2, 2016.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/dalton-curtis-wwii-interview
Obituary: https://obituaries.ljworld.com/obituaries/ljworld/obituary.aspx?n=curtis-w-dalton&pid=158047279
Obituary (Cleda Dalton): https://obituaries.ljworld.com/obituaries/ljworld/obituary.aspx?n=cleda-dalton&pid=182976562&fhid=24990
Aircraft industry -- United States -- History -- 20th century.
Bill Deel worked for North American Aviation in Kansas City, Kansas, during the Second World War. Interviewed by Brian Grubbs on June 13, 2006, Deel talked about working in the defense industry and how the war affected his family. Deel was born on June 2, 1919. He attended Baldwin High School and then Baker University. Following the war, Deel owned and operated a restaurant in Baldwin City, the Corner Buffet, for twelve years. He then worked for the State of Kansas until he retired in 1982. Deel passed away on December 15, 2008.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/deel-bill-wwii-interview
Obituary: http://signal.baldwincity.com/obituaries/2008/dec/17/william-deel/
Donald Cobb served as a combat medic in the United States Army (271st Engineer Battalion, 71st Infantry Division) during the Second World War. Interviewed by Pattie Johnston on April 26, 2007, Cobb talked about his military experiences. Cobb was born in Marysville, Kansas, on April 30, 1924. He was drafted into the Army in May 1943. He then went to the Medical Replacement Training Center at Camp Barkeley, Texas. Once he became a medic, he went to Fort Carson, Colorado where he joined the 271st Engineer Battalion, 71st Infantry Division. He then spent a year at Fort Benning, Georgia, before going to France in January 1944. After the war, Cobb spent eight months in Augsburg, Germany. He was discharged in 1946 but later reenlisted for three years. He worked at the Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth. Following his military service, Cobb worked at the Cooperative Farm Chemicals Association. He passed away on October 31, 2009.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/cobb-don-wwii-interview-20070426
Obituary: http://signal.baldwincity.com/obituaries/2009/nov/02/donald-cobb/
Transcripts for this project are available through the Kansas Memory Digital Collection: https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/211942
United States. Naval Reserve. Women's Reserve -- History.
Dayle Durkin enlisted in the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) of the United States Navy in 1943. She worked in Communications as a code room watch officer in Norfolk, Virginia, until 1945. Interviewed by Helen Krische on June 15, 2006, Durkin talked about her experiences during the Second World War. Durkin was born in New York. Prior to enlisting, she worked as an editorial assistant at Woman’s Day Magazine. Following the war, she went to graduate school at Columbia University and taught English at Kansas Wesleyan University. Durkin passed away on May 15, 2010.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/durkin-dayle-wwii-interview
Obituary: https://heartlandcremation.com/obituary/Dayle-Durkin/
Transcripts for this project are available through the Kansas Memory Digital Collection: https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/211944
Galen Miller served in the United States Army during the Second World War. Interviewed by Pattie Johnston, Miller talked about his experiences in North Africa and Italy. Miller was born on January 31, 1924, in Hopkins, Missouri. His father served in World War I and worked as a mechanic. Prior to being drafted into the Army, Miller worked at the Selina Airport. He attended boot camp at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Throughout his service, he had many responsibilities, including driving, maintaining communications, camp maintenance, and collecting items from German prisoners of war. Following the war, he returned to Lawrence, Kansas. Miller passed away on May 30, 2010.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/galen-miller-wwii-oral-history
Obituary: https://www2.ljworld.com/life-events/obituaries/2010/jun/02/galen-miller/
Frances Hill lived in Kansas during the Second World War. Interviewed by Brian Grubbs on June 14, 2006, Hill talked about her experiences during and after the war years. Hill was born on June 16, 1918, in Chapman, Kansas. After graduating high school in 1936, she attended Kansas State University. She then became a teacher. Hill’s husband, Sam, served as an Officer and First Lieutenant in the Army. He received basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, before shipping out to the European theater. He spent time in Belgium, Germany, and France before returning home in 1942. Frances and Sam married once he returned.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/hill-frances-wwii-interview
Harold Jehle was inducted into the United States Army in 1942 and served in the Flying Grasshoppers, 2nd Army Air Force LTE at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, until 1946. Prior to enlisting, he worked as a mechanic for the Army Air Corps in Kansas as a civilian. Interviewed on June 13, 2006, by Helen Krische, Jehle talked about his experiences during the Second World War. He also discussed the prisoner of war camp in Lawrence, Kansas. Jehle was born in Lawrence on September 15, 1922. After the war, he worked at International in Lawrence. He passed away on March 13, 2018.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/jehle-harold-wwii-interview
Obituary: https://obituaries.ljworld.com/obituaries/ljworld/obituary.aspx?n=harold-jehle&pid=188456375&fhid=24989
Transcripts for this project are available through the Kansas Memory Digital Collection: https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/211950
Kenneth Pine was in the U.S. Army from 1943 to 1946. He served as a replacement in Italy and was assigned to the 276th Infantry Company I in France. He also served as a military policeman. Interviewed by Pattie Johnston on June 30, 2006, Pine talked about his experiences during the Second World War. Pine was born in Lawrence, Kansas, on September 1, 1924. He attended Liberty Memorial High School and the University of Kansas. He took part in the Army Specialized Training Program at the KU to become an engineer. He then took classes at the University of Nebraska before being sent to Camp Robinson in Arkansas and Camp Rucker in Alabama.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/kenneth-pine-wwii-interview_202008
Transcripts for this project are available through the Kansas Memory Digital Collection: https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/211747
Arthur Lamb served in the United States Navy from 1942 until 1946. He was a radioman in the Amphibians. Interviewed by Pattie Johnston on September 27, 2007, Lamb talked about his military experiences during the Second World War. Lamb was born on February 23, 1924 in Carmel, Indiana. He completed basic training at Great Lakes Training Station. He also received a degree in liberal arts from the University of North Carolina. Lamb passed away on October 9, 2015.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/lamb-art-wwii-interview-9.27.2007
Obituary: https://obituaries.ljworld.com/obituaries/ljworld/obituary.aspx?n=arthur-wendell-lamb&pid=176091903
Transcripts for this project are available through the Kansas Memory Digital Collection: https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/214668
Elmer Earl Lindell was a Combat Engineer in the United States Army during the Second World War. Interviewed by Pattie Johnston on January 19, 2007, Lindell talked about his military experiences. Lindell was born in Douglas County, Kansas on January 23, 1922. He graduated high school in 1941 and was drafted into the Army in October 1942. Lindell took part in invasions of Leyte, Philippines and Okinawa, Japan. He was discharged on January 12, 1946. He passed away on June 13, 2014. This is a two-part interview.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/lindell-elmer-wwii-interview-1
Obituary: https://obituaries.ljworld.com/obituaries/ljworld/obituary.aspx?n=elmer-earl-lindell&pid=171357635&fhid=24989
Claudine Scottie Lingelbach World War II Interview
Claudine “Scottie” Lingelbach served in the United States Navy WAVES (Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service) as a courier for the Joint Chiefs of Staff. She enlisted in 1944 and attained the rank of Ensign. Interviewed on June 18, 2007, by Pattie Johnston, Lingelbach talked about her military experiences during the Second World War. Lingelbach was born in Colorado on April 8, 1922, and grew up in Topeka, Kansas. She earned a business degree from the University of Kansas before joining WAVES. She completed basic training at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. Lingelbach passed away on April 3, 2018.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/lingelbach-claudine-scottie-wwii-interview
Obituary: https://rumsey-yost.com/2018/04/thelma-claudine-scottie-lingelbach/
Claudine Lingelbach was also interviewed as part of the Kansas Veterans History Project; the video recording of that interview can be accessed at https://memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.05594/
United States. Army. Air Corps -- History.
Bill F. Mayer enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1943. He served as a B24-Navigator (458 bomber group, 752 squadron). Interviewed by Pattie Johnston on October 18, 2007, Mayer talked about his experiences during the Second World War. Mayer was born in Kansas City, Kansas on April 11, 1925. He attended Wyandotte High School. At 17, he volunteered for the Army Air Corps. Following the war, he received a degree in journalism from the University of Kansas. He then worked at the Lawrence Journal-World for sixty years. Mayer passed away on April 3, 2014.
To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: https://archive.org/details/mayer-bill-f-wwii-interview-20071018
Obituary: https://obituaries.ljworld.com/obituaries/ljworld/obituary.aspx?n=bill-f-mayer&pid=170508234&fhid=24990
Horsham St. Faith (England)