Veterans stories

Scott Rose · **Posted:** Sun Jul 16, 2006 9:54 am

All right you slackers. Most if not all of you know a veteran of some sort and I am issuing a challenge for your to get them to tell you a story and either record it or write it down. Send it to me and I will include it in the podcast. I cornered my father yesterday and got 4 good ones out of him which you will be hearing one or more on the first podcast. These don't have to be combat stories but any interesting or humourous story. And if you want to tell me a story directly you can leave call 508-471-3959 and leave a voice mail or talk to me directly if I am on. If you want me to call you then leave a name and number and a good calling time in a PM to me and well set something up.

groundpounder · **Posted:** Sun Jul 16, 2006 1:31 pm

scott, my first post on the site has an interesting story of my dads friend richard jenkins who was a ball turret gunner on b 24s with the 34th bomb group. if you like go back on my file and check it out and see if its in line with what you are looking for. its a bit of a dark story but it was a dark time wasnt it? i have a couple of more pages from his diary if you would like me to type them out please let me know. cheers sim.

Scott Rose · **Posted:** Sun Jul 16, 2006 2:05 pm

groundpounder wrote:

scott, my first post on the site has an interesting story of my dads friend richard jenkins who was a ball turret gunner on b 24s with the 34th bomb group. if you like go back on my file and check it out and see if its in line with what you are looking for. its a bit of a dark story but it was a dark time wasnt it? i have a couple of more pages from his diary if you would like me to type them out please let me know. cheers sim.

That would be great, then I'll have them recorded as audio. Thanks.

systemofadown1162 · **Posted:** Sun Jul 16, 2006 5:21 pm

Ah man your going to make me get up from the computer arent you. :wink:

See what I can do.

Don Martin · **Posted:** Sun Jul 16, 2006 8:40 pm

Make This a Permenant Post/Sticky, Scott, so we all have a constant reminder!

Zachary · **Posted:** Sun Jul 16, 2006 9:20 pm

If you need an idea of what kinds of questions to ask to get a good interview, please email me at zbaughman@eaa.org. I can send you a list of sample questions for WWII vets that my volunteers use. I run EAA's "Timeless Voices of Aviation" oral history program, which has amassed a collection of over 650 video interviews. I've done over 150 of them myself. You can check some of them out at www.timelessvoices.org.

I think podcasting stories is an excellent idea. Scott, if there is anything I can do to help please let me know.

Zack

Paul Krumrei · **Joined:** Sun Apr 03, 2005 11:06 pm **Posts:** 1757

What about a modern vet?

I am a Desert Storm vet, and I know others here that newer vets.

Former Member · **Joined:** Mon Aug 29, 2005 1:40 pm **Posts:** 1493

As Paul mentioned there are a lot of newer vets out there that should think about documenting their experiences before their age and memory starts to fade.

Like Paul, I also fought in the Gulf War (as a Mechanized Infantryman on the Bradley Fighting Vehicle with the 1st Cavalry Division). About a year ago I donated a bunch of my pictures, letters, gear etc. to the Wisconsin Veterans Museum located in Madison. I eventually decided to write a book about my experiences during the war and eventually had it published. Although it's not cheap to get a book published (depending on the number of copies) there are plenty of "vanity publishers" out there that specialize in veteran's stories. You're not going to get rich by selling books but at least it is in print for future generations.

Somthing for you vets out there to think about if you have some time on your hands!

John

Zachary · **Posted:** Mon Jul 17, 2006 2:48 pm

Here is a list of sample questions that can be used for veterans - they are really geared towards WWII vets, but can be applied to others.

Hope this helps,
Zack

SAMPLE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR VETERANS

The following are questions to use when interviewing veterans who served in the United States armed forces during World War II.

Tips for a Successful Interview

¨ Every interview should contain several segments. Dividing
an interview into segments allows for gathering important details while nurturing memory. We are hoping to capture recollections of life experiences and of the most memorable moments in wartime. We also hope these interviews will shed light on how the veteran’s service influenced his or her postwar life.

¨ The questions below provide general guidance only. It is
important to let the veteran tell his or her own story, so do not feel obliged to ask all the questions we are suggesting or to limit yourself to these questions.

¨ To avoid asking questions that may not apply to the
person you are interviewing, have the participant complete the Biographical Data Form prior to the interview; then review it before the interview. It will help you ask the most relevant questions.

¨ Feel free to share a few general questions with the
participants beforehand. Often interviewees are more comfortable if they know what kinds of questions you might ask.

¨Interviewers are encouraged to prepare themselves by
reading about the war and reviewing maps and atlases. The local librarian may help in identifying appropriate books, articles, and other resources.

Segment 1: For the Record
Make an introductory announcement at the start of each audio or visual
recording. Record on tape the date and place of the interview; the name of the person being interviewed; his or her birth date and current address; and the name of the people attending the interview, including the interviewer and his or her relationship to the interviewee and the name of the camera or recording operator if different than the interviewer.

Segment 2: Jogging Memory
Where were you born and raised?
Did you have any siblings?
What did your parents do?
Did you have an interest in aviation before World War II?
What do you remember about the years leading up to the outbreak of war?
What are your memories of December 7th, 1941?
Were you drafted or did you enlist?
Where were you living at the time?
Why did you join?
Why did you pick the service branch you joined?
Do you recall your first days in service?
What did it feel like?
Tell me about your training experience(s).
Do you remember your instructors?

Segment 3: Experiences
Where did you go?
Do you remember arriving and what it was like?
What was your job/assignment?
* Make a good investigation of the job carried out by the
individual. Those who worked with aircraft should be asked about
specific types: what was it? What was it like to fly or maintain?
Combat techniques?
Did you see combat?
Were there many casualties in your unit?
Were you wounded?
Tell me about a couple of your most
memorable/harrowing/exciting
experiences.
Were you a prisoner of war?
Tell me about your experiences in captivity and when freed.
Were you awarded any medal or citations?
How did you get them?
Higher ranks may be asked about battle planning.

Segment 4: Life
Ask questions about life in the service and/or at the front or under fire.
How did you stay in touch with your family?
What was the food and accommodations like?
Did you have plenty of supplies?
Did you feel pressure or stress?
Was there something special you did for “good luck?”
How did people entertain themselves?
Were there entertainers?
What did you do on leave?
Where did you travel while in service?
Do you recall any particularly humorous or unusual events?
What were some of the pranks you or others would pull?
What did you think of officers or fellow soldiers?

Segment 5: After Service
Appropriateness of questions will vary if the veteran had a military career.

Do you recall the day your service ended?
Where were you?
What did you do in the days and weeks afterwards?
How did you feel about the atomic bombs?
Did you work or go back to school?
Did the G.I. Bill support your education?
Did you make any close friendships while in the service?
Did you continue any of those relationships?
For how long?
Did you join a veterans’ organization?

Segment 6: Later Years and Closing
What did you go on to do as a career after the war?
Did your military experience influence your thinking about war or about
the military in general?
If in a veterans’ organization, what kinds of activities does your post or
association have?
Do you attend reunions?
How did your sevice and experiences affect your life?
Is there anything you would like to add that we have not covered in this
interview?

Thank the veteran for sharing his or her recollections.

Scott Rose · **Posted:** Mon Jul 17, 2006 6:13 pm

Thanks Zach, those are great.

As for Modern Vets, they are more than welcome. Part of the reason I wasn't specific is I will except veteran stories from any service or time period or nationality. Those currently in service should feel free to contribute as well!

systemofadown1162 · **Posted:** Tue Jul 18, 2006 8:45 am

Paul Krumrei wrote:

What about a modern vet?

I am a Desert Storm vet, and I know others here that newer vets.

You cant interview yourself dude. :wink:

Zachary · **Posted:** Tue Jul 18, 2006 9:02 am

systemofadown1162 wrote:

Paul Krumrei wrote:

What about a modern vet?

I am a Desert Storm vet, and I know others here that newer vets.

You cant interview yourself dude. :wink:

Actually he can, all he has to do is start talking and record his experiences starting with how he joined the service and why, training, and then combat. I've had a number of vets send self-recorded interviews to me for the oral history program I run - some of them are actually much better than if someone else had done the interviewing!

Zack

Scott Rose · **Posted:** Tue Jul 18, 2006 10:08 am

systemofadown1162 wrote:

Paul Krumrei wrote:

What about a modern vet?

I am a Desert Storm vet, and I know others here that newer vets.

You cant interview yourself dude. :wink:

As long as he's not changing seats to ask himself questions (that would be a little bit creepy

) he could of course interview himself. But if you want Paul I can interview you via phone and record it. E-mail me your phone number and whats a good time to call you.

Mortmer · **Posted:** Thu Jul 20, 2006 7:58 am

I recently moved and found a collection of photographs that my parents had bought for me at an auction years ago (decades really). I have made scans of the photographs and album and am starting to build a web site with them.

I've been in touch with the veteran, he served in the 454th Bomb Group in Italy, and with luck he'll be helping me fill out information on the pictures. He is the last surviving member of his crew.

Last Friday I sent the album back to him, he had no idea how it ended up in the auction in the first place.

The pictures are at - http://spike.cs.umass.edu/~pbinder/bickford . There are five pages, navigation to the other pages is in the top left corner of the page.

I'm also working on being able to do something similar with a friend of a friend who was a mechanic in China late in the war but we'll see what comes of that...

Thanks for posting the list of questions it'll be a great help.

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Sat Jul 22, 2006 12:34 am

I wish more vets would write stuff down. after my 3rd great granfather got home he wrote "recollections of war" its not very big but worth reading......... I tell vietnam vets that nows the time, most will talk with me verbally, guess its harder for them to write stuff down.

Warbird Information Exchange

Veterans stories

Who is online