Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
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The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. Kenneth Mueller (Ken) has been a part of this community for nearly all his ninety-four years! He was raised on a farm north of Potter, NE. He graduated high school and knew of the war raging in Europe and in the Pacific. Right out of high school, he used the farm deferment to help his parents on...
The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. This particular Veterans History Project story is not like most of the others. It'll be told in three segments, like a good Clint Eastwood movie, "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly". The Good: Yuri Barilo has his family roots and some of his early life...
The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. Vernon Dean Worthington, "Dean", graduated early from Creston, Iowa High School. He was aware there was lots of war going on in countries far away. In that he was only seventeen, he didn't consider his own involvement quite yet. He worked at the local...
The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. There was a resident in Sidney named Winifred Johnston Nichols. She was only 94 years of age and lived with some assistance at Sloan Estates. She moved to Colorado to be closer to family members. She was very engaging and has quite a history of service to others. In 1937 Winifred Johnston graduated...
The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. After WWII, the Army-Air Forces became the US Air Force. Keeping in mind the bureaucratic process involved, change wasn't really noticeable right away. Among other things, there was quite a surplus of uniforms. The Eisenhower jackets were still in the...
The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. Many of the kids in high school in Cheyenne, WY followed the things going on overseas every chance they could. They helped with the scrap drives, were affected by the rationing, and knew of other young men who had come home wounded or worse. According...
The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. When a young man or young woman graduates high school, that person should take a personal assessment of a few things. One of the biggest questions is whether he or she is mature enough to know what they plan to do or could they use some growing up befo...
The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. Like many kids coming out of high school in the early 1970's Patrick Michael Callaway (Mike) wasn't ready for the college experience. One of his high school teachers had served in the US Navy as an Electricians Mate. The teacher often talked of his...
The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. The Veterans History Project is about gathering and preserving the stories of those people who have given so much of themselves while in military service to the United States of America. The subject of the interviews could have been at Omaha Beach on...
The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. Cheryl L. Koski was in college at the University of Connecticut. She learned of a scholarship program offered by the US Navy. The Navy would fund a student's year in college and would expect two years payback in return. By 1973, she had an obligation...
The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. Writer’s note: While working as a support driver for RASDAK (Ride Across South Dakota), a 7 day bicycle ride w/brother doing the biking, a local person from Bison, SD approached the writer and inquired about the event going on. As the conversation progressed, she learned about the bicycle ride. She a...
The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. Just before graduating from high school, Erwin Lee Kuling (Lee) and other seniors took a week off from school and likely did some things they weren’t supposed to do. It significantly irritated the administrators of the school who told Lee and group that they would have to go through their senior y...
The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. Wilfred Nelson (“Nig”) made the 100 year mark at the end of last July. 100 years! He was the fifth of eleven kids born on a small homestead in SW Cheyenne County. In addition to joining his older brothers as farm help for his parents, he was a talented young man. By the time he was nineteen, he had...
The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. Thomas Stiller (Tom) was inspired by President John F. Kennedy. The late President commanded a Patrol Torpedo boat (PT boat) in the Pacific during WWII. The pictures and stories of that piece of history stuck with this young man from Indiana. When the...
The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. David C. Sundberg (Dave), from Red Wing, Minnesota, was recruited as a football player for the University of Nebraska. He came to Lincoln, NE to take advantage of that offer/scholarship. Within the first year, he was injured. The University of...
The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. Gilbert Miller (Gil) came from Vincennes, Indiana, a smaller community in the southwest part of the state. A decision needed to be made pertaining to which branch of service Gil was going to join. His father was a disabled veteran from WWII. The elder had lost the lower part of a leg and foot from a...
In 1962, there weren’t many jobs to be had. A young man who had quit school might not get a job if there was one to be had. Walter Cummings (Walt) had wanted to help out at his Grandparent’s farm and didn’t consider school so important so he went to the farm at about age 14. He did learn how to work and applied himself. As he grew a couple of years older, he made a deal with his Grandfather. “If you’ll sign the papers for me to get in the Navy, I’ll get a GED diploma.” Walt went to the recruiting station and once all the admin details were...
The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. A bundle of roofing shingles weighs 86 pounds. Clarence W.R. Mellott (Clarence) was working for a roofer and was carrying bundles of shingles over his shoulder up a long extension ladder. They needed to be placed at various spots on the roof of a three story house. He checked a nearby thermometer and...
The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. A father’s advice is often very useful and timely. Veral Smedley (Smed) was a twenty year old man, working construction jobs in Utah. In the World War II time line, his life is going well. He’s making money, has a roof over his head, there aren’t many fast food places so he eats well too. His fathe...
The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. In 1940, Roland L. Thomas (Roland) and his buddy went to see the US Navy recruiter in Springfield, Mass. Both were given the dates for their physical examinations and soon, both were enlisted. The buddy went to the US Marine Corps, Roland went to the Navy. Roland went to “boot camp” at Newport, Rho...
The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. Soon after graduating high school, Paula Stevens (Paula) was interested in doing something different, something exciting, and something like being away. She was in Lawrence, MA. She had an aunt that she respected and looked up to. The aunt liked the Navy and Paula thought she would like it as well....
The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. In 1967, the Selective Service System was a major factor in the lives of many families. Young men had decisions to make. Before being drafted, one could have a choice of the branch of service. However, when the letter from the Draft Board arrived, and assuming a passing grade on the physical exam,...
In the years 1941 through 1945, America’s teenagers had serious decisions to make. America was engaged in war. The teens, mostly young men, could pick a branch of the US Military to serve in. The US Navy would take them at age 17! The Marines, Army Air Corps, and Army wanted them a bit more mature. Harold, “Hal” Armstrong chose the Army Air Corps. He liked the aspect of aviation and couldn’t get real excited about marching and eating one’s food from a can. He had completed more than a year in college at the Colorado School of Mines. In Decemb...
The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. In 1957, growing up in Sidney, NE, Little League Baseball was an important thing to be a part of. A kid had to have some skills and he had to be a member of a team. He had to do his part.He had to practice as hard as the others, batting and fielding...
Hello, I am Larry Nelson, a volunteer interviewer for the Veterans History Project. This wonderful program aims at interviewing Veterans from all branches of the military during any time of their service. The purpose of the interviews is to obtain the Veteran’s story and keep it alive…that is, at the Library of Congress, and with the respective families involved. The United States Congress created the Veterans History Project in 2000. The authorizing legislation (Public Law 106-380), sponsored by Representatives Ron Kind, Amo Houghton, and Ste...