Dear Friends of the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program, As you will read in this exciting end-of- year progress report, SPOHP has reached more students, scholars, and members of the general public than ever. We have conducted community-based oral history workshops with churches, businesses, university classes, veteran’s groups, African American history museums, Native American nations […]
Please join military veterans and their families for a special Veterans Day film screening of the play “Telling Gainesville.” Telling Gainesville is part of a nationwide initiative by the National Endowment for the Humanities that connects civilian audiences with veterans in a creative, supportive environment. “Telling Gainesville” ran to standing-room- only audiences at the Actor’s […]
“A powerful book; a tale of heroism, volunteerism, and sacrifice.”—Gary R. Mormino, author of Land of Sunshine, State of Dreams: A Social History of Modern Florida “Personal anecdotes humanize the narrative and add a poignant impact. The use of newspaper editorials also provides an understanding of how North Carolinians responded to the war.”—Melton A. McLaurin, […]
Read more "Former SPOHP Director Julian M. Pleasants Releases New Book"
“Deciding to Join” with Coy Easter (WWII-109) By Caitlyn Ross, Intern Coy Easter is from North Carolina, and was drafted as a teenager into World War II following the attack on Pearl Harbor. Easter was inspired to participate in the war by President Roosevelt’s speeches. Easter gave a firsthand look at the public being encouraged by […]
Read more "“Deciding to Join,” Caitlyn Ross with Coy Easter, WWII-109"
“Training” with Morgan Welch (WWII-230) By Patrick Daglaris, Intern Listen: Oral history interview clip at UFDC with Morgan Welch 02:51 Morgan Welch grew up on the foothills of the Ozark Mountains in a small town. His life before the war was modest and was spent traveling trying to make a living. In 1940, he and his brother […]
Read more "“Training,” by Patrick Daglaris with Morgan Welch, WWII-230"
By Christian Wanamaker, Intern Listen: Oral history interview clip at UFDC with Alvina Bowen 00:55 Alvina Bowen was just seventeen years old when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. She recalls how, in the weeks and months following, most of the boys dropped out of Theodore Roosevelt High School in Dayton, Ohio to enlist in the military. Seeing […]
Read more "“Women Contributing to the War Effort” with Alvina Bowen (WWII-201)"
“Segregation,” Joseph Welch, AAHP-303 By Jasmine Reynolds, Intern Listen: Oral history interview clip at UFDC with Joseph Welch 00:55 Upon entering the military during World War II, Mr. Welch talks about his experiences in Europe. He states, When it came time to catch the bus to come back to camp for revelry, all black soldiers had to stand […]
Read more "“Segregation,” by Jasmine Reynolds with Joseph Welch, AAHP-303"
“Faith,” Colen Thomas (WWII-057) By Arielle Heinke, Intern Religion had always been an integral part of Colen Thomas’ life, and after his enlistment, his faith became a guiding force which shaped his attitude and decision-making about the war. It was his unwavering faith that carried him through his bloody tour through the Pacific Theater. In a […]
Read more "“Faith,” by Arielle Heinke with Colen Thomas, WWII-057"
“Letters to Home,” Robert Molosso (WWII-218) By Mariah Justice, Intern Listen: Oral history interview clip at UFDC with Robert Molosso 00:12 Robert Molosso is a World War II veteran who served in the Pacific theatre. He served in the Army in the 2nd Amphibious Brigade in the 532nd Engineer and Boat Regiment. He was stationed in several places in the […]
Read more "“Letters to Home,” by Mariah Justice, with Robert Molosso, WWII-218"
“Behind Enemy Lines,” Edward Wackowski (WWII-135) By Virginia Hamrick, Intern Listen: Oral history interview clip at UFDC with Edward Wackowski 00:43 On September 11, 1944, Eddie Wackowski’s family heard he was lost somewhere in the European Theater. Though he was never captured as a prisoner of war, Wackowski experienced war behind enemy lines and recalled both his survival […]
Read more "“Behind Enemy Lines,” by Virginia Hamrick, with Edward Wackowski, WWII-135"
“Mortality,” Leo McCracken (WWII-070) By Austyn Szempruch, Intern Listen: Oral history interview clip at UFDC with Leo McCracken 00:37 A reality that many people fear to acknowledge today, mortality was all too real for veterans of World War II. Leo McCracken, now a United States Army veteran, was assigned to the 128th Armored Field Artillery Battalion, 6th Armored […]
Read more "“Mortality,” by Austyn Szempruch, with Leo McCracken, WWII-070"
“Nursing,” Pauline Pepper (WWII-077) By Brittney Mejia, Intern Listen: Oral history interview clip at UFDC with Pauline Pepper 02:17 Pauline Pepper is a Gem. She served as a nurse in the war on the European front, mostly going back in forth the Atlantic to the English Channel on boat. She moved to Lake City Florida after completing her […]
Read more "“Nursing,” by Brittney Mejia, with Pauline Pepper, WWII-077"
“Fighting an Enemy,” Bill Cross (WWII-021) By Maria Fuentes, Intern Listen: Oral history interview clip at UFDC with Bill Cross 02:35 Bill Cross was born in Missouri during 1925 but raised in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He lived during the Depression and enlisted in the Marine Corps in April of 1943. He, along with his fellow male classmates, enlisted […]
Read more "“Fighting an Enemy,” by Maria Fuentes with Bill Cross, WWII-021"
“Prisoners of War,” Herbert Pepper (WWII-030) By Steven Houston Listen: Oral history interview clip at UFDC with Herbert Pepper 07:57 Herbert Pepper was an Air Force sergeant who served in the Pacific theater during World War II. Pepper underwent severe trauma as he survived the brutal prisoner of war experience in the Philippines and Japan; a determined and ardent survivor, […]
Read more "“Prisoners of War,” by Steven Houston with Herbert Pepper, WWII-030"
Occupations, Howard Lamar Long (WWII-200) By Bruce Hunt, Intern Howard Lamar Long, a veteran of the Second World War, was interviewed on the 2nd of April, 2012 and it was in that interview that he discussed, among other details of his service, his own account of living it Japan during the post-war occupation by America. […]
Read more "“Occupations” by Bruce Hunt with Howard Long, WWII-200"
By Annemarie Nichols, Intern While at the University of Texas in 1943, an aspiring architect named Frank Blair Reeves enlisted in the United States Army to fight in World War II. After basic training, he was sent by boat from New York City to Marseilles, France. As he stepped off of the boat, he witnessed […]