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This is a collection of material created and acquired from 129 mostly central Minnesota WWII veterans. The collection has 116 separate oral histories done from 1989 to 1993 for a project headed by St. Cloud State University History faculty member David Overy.

The material included that are not oral histories range from newspaper clippings, photographs, and paperwork related to an individual's service in the military, as well as souvenirs picked up while in Europe and from European Axis forces.

Most veterans included in this collection have an oral history with a handful that do not.  Also included material the veterans donated that relate to their experiences to go along with the oral histories that were conducted.

If there was no oral history for an individual, it was noted.

A few veterans had served solely during the Korean War and some served both in WWII and in Korea.

Alan R. Woolworth went right into Signal Corps Radio School following his high school graduation in June 1942. He was inducted into the military at Fort Snelling on February 15, 1943. Because of the lack of deployment, Woolworth chose to transfer into an infantry position and sent as a replacement to the European theater. He joined the 79th Division and was in combat from June 1944 until May 1945. Woolworth was active in the advance through Germany until the end of the war. He was awarded a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. Alan R. Woolworth was a longtime employee at the Minnesota Historical Society. He passed away on August 13, 2014.

No oral history.

Archival material available

https://reflections.mndigital.org/catalog/stc:9864#/kaltura_audio

Biographical Information: Sherby Roy Woods was born August 17, 1918 in Iowa, where he worked on his family dairy farm. After they moved to Minnesota, he worked in the Civilian Conservation Corps and the lumber industry as a heavy equipment operator in northern Minnesota. Woods was drafted into the Army on October 14, 1941 at the age of 23. During the war, he was attached to Company B, 6th Armored Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division. Discharged as a Technician Fifth Grade, Woods worked in heavy equipment and demolitions during campaigns in North Africa and Italy. After returning to the U.S. in 1945, Woods married Cora Lillian Moe, attended heavy equipment maintenance school on the GI Bill, and began a long series of treatments for a facial injury at the Veterans’ Administration hospital. He worked on heavy equipment for Milaca County until his retirement. He passed away on January 23, 2007 at the age of 88 and is buried in Forest Hill Cemetery in Milaca, Minnesota.

Transcript Summary: Sherby R. Woods described his experiences serving with the 6th Armored Infantry Regiment in the 1st Armored Division during World War II. He described his upbringing on a dairy farm in Iowa and argued that his experiences as a hunter and a heavy equipment worker for the Civilian Conservation Corps in northern Minnesota made him better prepared for war than many others. Woods described his training and several wartime experiences. These included helping train the first Ranger battalion, driving heavy equipment including tanks, and working as a demolitions expert in campaigns from the invasion of North Africa to Italy’s Brenner Pass on the border of Austria. Woods shared many of his thoughts on the war, including his opinions of Allied soldiers and Axis Power POWs and what he described as the poor training given to replacement troops. He also described how the war changed the U.S. military, including his improvised invention of a more efficient automatic transmission system for light tanks. After the war, Woods chronicled his employment as a heavy equipment operator and his recurring struggles with finding adequate treatment for a tic douloureux injury through Veterans Affairs. Woods concluded the interview with a discussion of contemporary events such as apartheid in South Africa and stated that embargos are a more effective tool than war.

Interview by Richard Olson

Includes archival material

One 90 minute audio cassette

https://reflections.mndigital.org/catalog/stc:9882#/kaltura_audio

Biographical Information: Raynold John Winter was born March 15, 1918 in Watkins, Minnesota. He was drafted into the Army in 1941. His company was trained in southern California as military police in the 506th MP Battalion and was assigned to guard Boulder Dam, which was later renamed Hoover Dam. His company, Company D, was reassigned to combat in Europe and retrained as infantry before being shipped overseas. Winter and many others were captured at the Battle of the Bulge. They became prisoners of war in Leipzig, Germany, where Winter was hospitalized for malnutrition before being liberated. He was awarded the Bronze Star for his service. After the war, he married Catherine Klein of Watkins, where he worked for Kraft Foods. In 1958, they moved to Maple Lake, where he worked for Tem Tee Bakery. He became a member of the Northstar Baseball Hall of Fame as manager of the local Lakers team. Winters passed away at the age of 90 on December 2, 2008 at the VA Medical Center in St. Cloud and is buried in St. Anthony's Catholic Cemetery in Watkins. He was survived by Catherine, their six children, and many grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Transcript Summary: Raynold J. Winter described his experiences serving with Company D, 506th MP Battalion and the 422nd Infantry during World War II. He discussed his initial training at Camp Roberts, California, his company’s duties as military police guarding Boulder Dam, and their retraining as an infantry company in South Carolina before being shipped to Europe. Winter recalled how his company was captured by German forces during the Battle of the Bulge. They were brought to Leipzig, Germany, as prisoners of war, and much of the interview covers Winter’s experience as a POW. Winter described how American planes bombed the prisoner camps and how American POWs got along with each other, the German guards, and French POWs. Winter most vividly recalled how poorly fed the American POWs were and noted that they received only small rations of bread and turnip soup. He recalled that some POWs died from malnutrition while others found ways to supplement their rations. Winter described being admitted to a German hospital for malnutrition, and recalled a amicable relationship with a German orderly there until the camp was liberated. He also briefly described how he returned home and the medical treatment he received after being liberated from Germany.

Interview by David Overy

Includes archival material

One 90 minute audio cassette

https://reflections.mndigital.org/catalog/stc:8619#/kaltura_audio

Biographical Information: Robert Wick was born on January 23, 1913, in Mount Union, Iowa. He originally volunteered for service in 1941, but was turned away due to myopia. However, in 1942, he received his draft notice and reported to Camp Carson in Colorado. After graduating from basic training, Wick served as an officer in a signal information and monitoring company in Italy. Prior to the war, Wick was a teacher at Newton High School and lived with his wife, Alice, in Newton, Iowa. After the war, Wick went on to receive his PhD from the University of Iowa, and would serve as a faculty member and, later, president of St. Cloud State University from 1965 to 1971.

Transcript Summary: Robert Wick described his experiences serving with a signal information and monitoring group during World War II. He originally volunteered for service in 1941, but due to myopia, he was turned away. However, in 1942, Wick received his draft notice and reported to Camp Carson in Colorado Springs, Colorado for basic training. Wick described his experiences as an intelligence officer working in a signal information equipment truck while stationed in Italy. He would often sit-in on a general’s briefings and report relevant information back to headquarters. He described the process of training to be an officer as well as his assignment to signal information and monitoring. He also discussed the process of memorizing communication codes. Lastly, he discussed what experiences he took away from his time in the Army as well as his thoughts of the Vietnam War.

Interview by David Overy

One 90 minute audio cassette

https://reflections.mndigital.org/catalog/stc:9867#/kaltura_audio

Biographical Information: Donald Ursus Weiler was born July 12, 1923 in St. Cloud. He was drafted in spring 1943 and served as a machine gunner in the 34th “Red Bull” Infantry Division of the Army National Guard in North Africa and Italy. After being wounded in the leg during the Battle of Monte Cassino, he underwent an experimental treatment using a high-calcium diet at a hospital in North Africa. While recovering and working in a military production factory in Iowa, Weiler met Thelma “Ruth” Lair, whom he married on January 27, 1945. Weiler lived his entire life in St. Cloud and had a long career as a service technician at the Typewriter Shop and later retired as a sales representative of Marco Business Products. As a recipient of the Purple Heart, Weiler dedicated time to supporting wounded and sick veterans at the St. Cloud Veterans’ Affairs Medical Center. He passed away on March 1, 2011 at the VA Center, and is buried at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery at Camp Ripley. He was survived by two sons who followed him into the military; two daughters, and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Transcript Summary: Donald Weiler described his experiences serving as a machine gunner in the 34th Infantry Division of the Army National Guard during World War II. He spent a significant amount of time discussing how he would climb poles to listen for enemy movements, describing it as scary and dangerous work. He also described at length the ways in which his unit would support riflemen and vehicle convoys as they advanced through Italy. Among the topics Weiler focused on the most was an experimental medical treatment he received after being wounded at Monte Cassino in Italy. This treatment, conducted at a hospital in North Africa, focused on healing Weiler’s broken leg through a high-calcium diet. He recalls that the paperwork was lost and nothing came of the experiment, leaving him bitter and ornery as he recovered in the United States and after he was discharged. Other topics Weiler discussed include his training at several locations, gratitude towards and appreciation for combat medics, attitudes towards officers, thoughts on Italian prisoners of war, and opinions regarding military service today.

Interview by David Overy

Includes archival material

One 90 minute audio cassette

https://reflections.mndigital.org/catalog/stc:9873#/kaltura_audio

Biographical Information: Albert Wedell was born September 29, 1911 in Milaca to Andrew and Hilma Wedell. He spent most of his life around Milaca, though his family briefly relocated to Amery, Wisconsin, when he was 19, and he worked in the Dakotas as a farmhand in the late 1930s. He enlisted in the Navy in 1942 and trained in California. He was assigned to the repair division of the U.S.S. Louisville, on which he served in the Aleutian Islands and the South Pacific. While in the Navy, Wedell married Velma Swenson on March 14, 1945, and was honorably discharged on October 27, 1945. After the war, he ran a dairy farm near Milaca for 45 years and served on the Chase Brook School Board, the local telephone and creamery boards, and the county ASCA. Wedell passed away on March 16, 2000 and was buried in Borgholm Cemetery in Bock, Minnesota. He was survived by his wife, two sons, two grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Transcript Summary: Albert Wedell described his experiences in repair division on the U.S.S. Louisville during World War II. He summarized his experiences while training in Southern California and his service near the Alaskan Aleutian Islands and in the South Pacific. He discussed the armaments of the ship, the conditions aboard, men he met in the crew, and some of the attacks on the ship by Japanese ships and aircraft. Wedell also shared some of his thoughts on the training he received, the quality of Japanese servicemen, and the benefits of military service.

Interview by Richard Olson

Includes archival material

One 60 minute audio cassette

Frederick Wandersee joined the National Guard on October 12, 1926. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant January 2, 1929, and then promoted for first lieutenant early in 1933. In mid-1940, the National Guard was alerted for active duty, and Wandersee was sent to Camp Caliborne, Louisiana in February 1942. He was transferred to Fort Dix until April 29, 1942, and then arrived in Belfast around May 14, 1942. Wandersee was a supply officer while deployed. He saw action in nine different locations in Algeria, Tunisia and Italy. After his time in service, Wandersee married Dorothy and they had one child together. Wandersee passed away on March 16, 1993.

No oral history

File includes archival material

https://reflections.mndigital.org/catalog/stc:9828#/kaltura_audio

Biographical Information: John Voth was born on February 9, 1921 in Fair Haven, Minnesota. After graduating from St. Cloud Technical High School in 1939, Voth attended St. Cloud Teacher’s College until volunteering for duty in World War II with the Army Air Corps on October 6, 1942. Voth had experience as a pilot prior to his war years, which led him to the Air Corps. Voth spent time in the south as well as in Minnesota training pilots before moving to airplane maintenance. After the war, Voth owned the St. Cloud Hobby Shop as well as earned his Doctoral Degree in Industrial Education. He taught at both Hutchinson and Sartell High Schools as well as the Minnesota State Reformatory. He is an enlistee in the Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame. He was married to his wife, Adeline (Dickie) Dickinson and they had two children, Diane and John. Voth passed away on June 3, 2013

Transcript Summary: John Voth discussed his service with the Army Air Corps as a flight instructor during World War II. As a flight instructor, Voth’s discussed specific instances and individuals that he worked with. At a point during the war, Voth switched from flight instructor to plane maintenance. In the interview, Voth discussed specifically training pilots at the War Training Service (WTS) at St. Cloud State. Voth detailed how students were trained and typical reasons they would “washout” of school. Though training accidents would sometimes result in lost lives, Voth maintained that he never lost a student during training. Voth’s wife was also in the military working at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio. In 1945, those personnel that were married were allowed to put in for a discharge to be stationed at the same location. Also during this time, Voth accepted a position as a flying officer with the aero-med lab. His job was to assist the lab with the study of condition surrounding a pilot before, during and after flight. This lab was focused on inventing and improving conditions for pilots in-flight. Voth concluded the interview by stating he estimated he contributed over 3,000 flight hours to the Air Corps during his service.

Interview by David Overy

One 90 minute audio cassette

https://reflections.mndigital.org/catalog/stc:8568#/kaltura_audio

Biographical Information: Carl F. VonderHaar was born on June 21, 1913, in Albertville, Minnesota, and was raised in Little Falls, Minnesota. He joined the Minnesota National Guard at age 18 and participated in the construction and operation of Camp Ripley. Activated for World War II, VonderHaar commanded a motor repair unit that was stationed in Ireland, Africa, France, and the Philippines before the war’s end. He was reactivated during the Korean conflict and commanded an African American supply battalion in France. In Little Falls, he was a business man starting Von’s Supply Company in 1946. The father of four he died on April 27, 2014, at the age of 100 in Little Falls, Minnesota.

Transcript Summary: Carl F. VanderHaar details his military experience from 1931 to 1952. He joined the Minnesota National Guard as part of the construction project at Camp Ripley where VanderHaar worked in excavating and surveying. Later, having been commissioned a lieutenant, VanderHaar oversaw the construction and quartermaster duties for the camp until activated for war duty in December 1941. He commanded a repair and maintenance unit that was stationed in Ireland and later Africa as part of the Tunisian campaign. He rotated back to the United States for more training and returned to his unit in France in 1944. With the German surrender in April 1945, VanderHaar’s unit was sent to the Philippines where, upon the Japanese surrender, he returned home. As part of the Korean conflict, VanderHaar was reactivated and commanded an ordnance unit in France made up of African American soldiers. In addition to his wartime experiences, VanderHaar described the creation of his business between the wars and the impact of his military service upon it. He also discussed his opinions on Japanese internment during World War II, the Vietnam conflict, and the first Persian Gulf War.

Interview by David Overy

One 90 minute audio cassette and one 60 minute cassette

https://reflections.mndigital.org/catalog/stc:8563#/kaltura_audio

Biographical Information: Lee Trunnell was born on July 10, 1922 and grew up in Monticello, Minnesota. He was 19 when America entered the war and served as an aircraft mechanic in the Pacific theater. He worked in an aircraft factory in San Diego, CA as a riveter prior to joining the Air Corps. Rather than complete pilot training, he studied aircraft armament and traveled across the United States preparing planes and training crews in gunnery maintenance. He was trained as a B-29 mechanic and sent to Guam in late 1943 where he spent the remainder of the war. After World War II, he owned and operated Lee's Appliance from 1949 to 1969. He continued to work in the heating and plumbing fields until the late 1980s when he retired. In 1946, he married Marvel Miller and had four children: Pat, Mike, Renee, and Denise. he died on November 15, 1994 and is buried in the Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Transcript Summary: Trunnell discussed his experience as a member of the Army Air Corps as an aircraft mechanic. In his interview, Tunnell described his training and preparation for his duties as a soldier in Guam. From 1942 to 1943, Trunnell repaired and maintained the armament on multiple aircraft as well as trained future mechanics and gunners. He traveled extensively across the southern United States, including California, Colorado, Texas, Kentucky, Florida, Georgia, and Nebraska. After being trained on the overall maintenance of B-29 bombers, he was sent to Guam. Trunnell recounts experiences and thoughts on homesickness, rebuilding Guam, the roles of African-Americans and women in the war effort, and the Japanese POWs he encountered from late 1943 until the war’s end. Trunnell told how he was part of the crew that prepared the Enola Gay for its flight over Hiroshima to drop the first atomic bomb as well as the effect on the maintenance crews when crewman or planes did not return to base.

Interview by Dick Westveer

One 90 minute audio cassette

Art Troness was drafted for military service in April 1941. He was deployed overseas October 1, 1941, and was captured by the Japanese in the Philippines four months later. As a POW in the Philippines, Troness spent time at the Bilibed, Cabanatuan, and Dapecol camps. He plowed, harrowed, planted, harvested, and threshed the rice fields in Dapecol. Troness experienced punishments similar to the stories of others, but he did not just fall over when hit by the Japanese, he stood back up at attention, which made the punishments worse. In 1944, Troness was evacuated with others from Cabanatuan by ship for Japan, which took weeks as they dodged American submarines. While in a POW camp in Japan, Troness would seek medical help for ulcers, which were lanced and had to stay open to heal for months. Troness was left in a ditch when walking to work in the mines because he could no longer move, he was left there for the day and then grabbed when they were returning from the mines to the camp. Troness was liberated on September 16, 1945. When back in the states, Troness returned home to family before spending time at the VA for psychological disabilities. He was married to Letha Vivian Troness, and passed away on January 4, 2005.

No oral history

File includes archival material

https://reflections.mndigital.org/catalog/stc:9855#/kaltura_audio

Biographical Information: Keith Trimble was born in Agenda, Kansas on February 19, 1915. He joined the National Guard at the age of 15 by lying on the form. He went overseas to France in 1943. He died on June 22, 1991 and is buried in the Forest Hill Cemetery in Milaca, Minnesota.

Transcript Summary: In an oral history interview, Keith Trimble discussed his experience during World War II in the National Guard. He first enlisted with the Guard at age 15 by lying on his form. Trimble went overseas in February 1943 and worked with Headquarters Company in France during World War II as counter intelligence. Trimble was shot during combat and was put into a Prisoner of War (POW) hospital. After American forces bombed the hospital, Trimble and other patients made an escape towards the woods nearby. There, they found some of their German captors and roles switched, as Trimble and his allies took the Germans prisoner. Trimble was also involved in the Battle of the Bulge and earned a bronze star for running communications through combat zones. Trimble also discussed throughout the interview his displeasure for World War II and the United States’ involvement. Trimble concluded the interview with his personal comments on distrust with politicians.

Interview by Richard Olson

Includes archival material

One 90 minute audio cassette

https://reflections.mndigital.org/catalog/stc:8610#/kaltura_audio

Biographical Information: Neil Torssell was born on April 18, 1920, in Wisconsin. Torssell describes his experiences with the 322nd Signal Aviation Company as a photographer during World War II. He discussed traveling to England on the Queen Mary and what England was like. Torssel talked about the build-up for the North African invasion, going to North Africa, and what he did during the war. He gave a detailed account of his camera equipment and how he used it to photograph enemy positions and where bombs were dropped. He also described being shot down in Italy and tells what it was like being a prisoner of war and finally escaping and making it back to the U.S. He and his wife Elfrieda married in 1946 and had four children: Steve, Marlene, Teresa, and Carol. Torssell passed away on October 16, 2016 and is buried at the Catholic Cemetery in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota.

Transcript Summary: Neil Torssell was born on April 18, 1920, and joined the Army in 1940. He was assigned to the 322nd Signal Aviation Company as a photographer. He described his travel and training experiences at the start of the war as he moved about the United States and then was shipped to England. He was part of the preparations for the invasion of Africa and described camp life and interactions with civilians in both England and North Africa. As a photographer he accompanied at least 16 bombing missions of Italy, taking aerial photographs for intelligence and analysis purposes. On July 5, 1943, the bomber he was in was shot down. Torssel was wounded and captured by Italian forces. He moved from various camps in Italy and described both camp life, the spirit among American POWs, and interactions with the Italians. As Italy was in transition and close to surrender, the behavior and attitude of the Italians, particularly guards, are described. Torssell detailed life in the POW camp and the various people he interacted with. He participated in a large, impromptu escape and spends the next 10 months moving across eastern Italy with other American POWs, working on farms and evading capture. He gave a detailed description of the work he was asked to do and the tension that came from possibly being discovered. He was repatriated by American forces on June 29, 1944, and rejoined his unit before being sent home in 1945. He discussed his efforts to return to civilian life and reflected on the impact his experiences had on him.

Interview by David Overy

Includes archival material

One 90 minute audio cassette and one 60 minute cassette

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/worldwar_oh/30

Biographical Information: Glenn A. Thornberg, born in 1922, resided in Minneapolis, Minnesota both before and after his time in World War II. Thornberg joined the National Guard in 1940 and was then inducted into the military in February 1941. Thornberg was a member of the Red Bull 34th Infantry Division and the 175th Field Artillery Battalion serving in both Ireland and North Africa. Thornberg was injured in action during his campaign in Africa against the German 88th and was discharged. Thornberg was awarded a Silver Star and a Purple Heart for his actions in Africa. After the war, Thornberg was married twice to Marion and Vivian. He had five children – Mary, Connie, Patricia, Bill, and Tom. Thornberg died on July 20, 2002 and buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on December 27, 1990, Glenn A. Thornberg discussed his experiences in the Civilian Conservation Corps during the late 1930. Those experiences influenced him to join the National Guard and then the active military services shortly after. Thornberg’s military career took him to Ireland where he volunteered for the Rangers and spoke highly of the British officers that trained him. Later, Thornberg left the Rangers to rejoin the 175th Field Artillery Battalion shortly before they were stationed in Africa. Thornberg detailed the unit’s first meeting with the Free French troops as well as their initial action against German troops. Thornberg described how he and two others discovered the location German 88th unit where he was wounded. After discharge, Thornberg chronicled his journey home, the army hospitals within the United States he was at, and his life after the Army. Thornberg said that since he was never a POW he does not suffer from the same ailments nor have nightmares. He did not regret his service and proud of his time in the military. But Thornberg did note that after his first 4th of July party when he returned to civilian life, he told his wife he would never go to another. The interview concluded with his perception of conflicts that have followed World War II - Korea, Vietnam, and the Gulf War.

Interview by David Overy

Includes archival material

One 90 minute audio cassette

https://reflections.mndigital.org/catalog/stc:9894#/kaltura_audio

Biographical Information: Norman James Thomas was born February 29, 1924 in south Minneapolis. After graduating from Roosevelt High School in 1942, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He was deployed to the South Pacific with the 64th Troop Carrier Squadron and later the 13th Air Force Service Command Headquarters. He flew several types of airplanes, primarily C-47s, on 140 missions in Australia, New Guinea, the Dutch East Indies, the Solomon Islands, the Adele Islands, the Halmaheras, and the Ryukyus. In the Philippines, Thomas flew missions in support of the OSS—what became the CIA—and the Filipino resistance. Shortly after being discharged in January 1946, he met Marjory Brady, and the two were married on June 28, 1947. Thomas remained a reservist for five years after the war until finding a job as a corrections officer at the Minnesota Correctional Facility – St. Cloud. He worked there for thirty years and retired in 1979. After Marjory passed away on March 3, 1984, he later remarried Lorraine Noyes on June 30, 1989. During his work and retirement years, Thomas was a member of St. Cloud VFW Post 428, Waite Park American Legion Post 428, and St. Cloud Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 622. He passed away on September 17, 2006 and was survived by two sons and two grandsons.

Transcript Summary: Norman Thomas described his experiences serving as a C-47 pilot in the 64th Troop Carrier Squadron and the 13th Air Force Service Command Headquarters in World War II. Here he flew missions in Australia, New Guinea, the Dutch East Indies, the Solomon Islands, the Adele Islands, the Halmaheras, the Ryukyus, and the Philippines. In the interview, Thomas detailed the several steps that he went through as a recruit during pilot training, crediting that training with saving his life. He also described the nature of the missions he flew in the South Pacific, including several in support of the OSS, which became the CIA, and the Filipino resistance in the Japanese-occupied Philippines. Thomas detailed several noteworthy experiences, including retrieving VIPs and delivering ammunition and supplies to surrounded infantry, as well as times when he narrowly avoided crashing. Thomas chronicled his life after the war, including his thoughts on how the war had changed him and his south Minneapolis home, his initial struggle to find a job, his thirty-year career at the Minnesota Correctional Facility – St. Cloud, and his continued love for flying.

Interview by John Carter

One 90 minute audio cassette

https://reflections.mndigital.org/catalog/stc:8613#/kaltura_audio

Biographical Information: Neal Tholen was born in Little Falls, Minnesota, on March 20, 1919. He graduated from Little Falls High School in 1939 and was drafted into the U.S. Army in April 1941. He trained for the infantry and, while stationed in Ireland in the early months of the war, transferred to a Military Police Platoon within the 85th Division. He served as an MP throughout the war in Ireland, Tunisia, and Italy before being discharged in 1945. He returned to Little Falls, married and raised seven children. Tholen worked at Camp Ripley as a member of the National Guard for 36 years before retiring. He died in Little Falls, Minnesota, at the age of 81 on July 12, 2000.

Transcript Summary: Neal Tholen was born in Little Falls, Minnesota, on March 20, 1919. He graduated from Little Falls High School in 1939 and was drafted into the U.S. Army in April, 1941. He trained for the infantry and, while stationed in Ireland in the early months of the war, transferred to a Military Police Platoon within the 85th Division. Tholen described the voyage across the Atlantic and his time in Ireland including his training to become an MP and interactions with the local population. Tholen served as an MP throughout the war in Ireland, Tunisia, and Italy before being discharged in 1945. He described the arrest procedures and his personal philosophy of what his role was for the soldiers. He also describes the organization of his particular MP platoon, the procedures for directing large convoys of traffic, policing soldiers on leave, and guard duty. Tholen shared stories about how locals in Tunisia and Italy interacted with the troops and various raids to local “cathouses” he participated in. Tholen also described the effect his service had on him after the war and his appreciation for the friendships he made there. Tholen returned to Little Falls, married, and raised seven children. Tholen worked at Camp Ripley as a member of the National Guard for 36 years before retiring. He died in Little Falls, Minnesota, at the age of 81 on July 12, 2000.

Interview by David Overy

One 90 minute audio cassette

https://reflections.mndigital.org/catalog/stc:9861#/kaltura_audio

Biographical Information: Romuald Thibault was born on December 22, 1918 in Garden, Michigan. He enlisted in the military twice, first in 1937 and again in 1942. During World War II, Thibault spent most of his service in Alaska patrolling the North Pacific Ocean with the Navy. After the war, Thibault came to St. Cloud where he worked for the railroad, retiring in 1980. He married Rachael Kramer on January 2, 1945 and they had two sons, Jack and Pat. Thibault passed away on May 28, 2002.

Transcript Summary: In an oral history interview, Romuald Thibault discussed his experiences in the military during World War II. Thibault first enlisted in the Army in 1937 with the 7th Tank Company. His first overseas duty was in the Philippines, and he discussed his interactions with the local civilians and life there before the outbreak of World War II. Thibault also discussed typical military discipline practices, including disciplinary barracks (DBs) as well as Alcatraz when it used to be a military prison. Thibault had returned to the States in 1940 after his tour in the Philippines, and reenlisted into the Army shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor. After some displeasure with his outfit’s organization, Thibault transferred to the Army Air Corps while stationed in Alaska. Thibault participated in multiple salvage trips with the Navy around Kodiak. His duties during the war were to continuously patrol the Alaskan areas of the North Pacific Ocean to keep enemy occupants out of the region. Thibault concluded the interview with his thoughts on the Vietnam War and how he was against the draft process.

Interview by David Overy

Two 90 minute audio cassettes

https://reflections.mndigital.org/catalog/stc:9846#/kaltura_audio

Biographical Information: Margaret Theisen was born October 12, 1914 in Wesley, Iowa. After graduating from high school, she moved to Iowa City, where she worked for the editor of Better Homes and Gardens. After attending the University of Iowa School of Nursing, she took a position at the VA hospital in St. Cloud, where she met her future husband, Earl Theisen. Both served in World War II, he in Hawaii and she as an Army nurse in England, France, Belgium, and Norway. Theisen was awarded the Bronze Star for her service as a surgical nurse during the Battle of the Bulge. After the war, she and Earl were married on November 29, 1945 and then went to work at St. Cloud Hospital. She later returned to the VA hospital, where she worked for another 25 years before retiring in 1978. Theisen passed away on June 16, 2007 and buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.

Transcript Summary: Margaret Theisen discussed her experiences as a nurse with the 46th Field Hospital during World War II. She briefly described her early life growing up in Iowa and working as a nurse at the VA hospital in St. Cloud, but she mostly focused on her World War II experiences during training and as an Army nurse in England, France, Belgium, and Norway. Her descriptions of these events included the living conditions nurses faced, ranging from accommodations in tents to nights in European chateaus, and the ways in which the nurses bonded. She particularly chronicled the lasting relationships she formed with a Belgian family she lived with while stationed in Pepinster and a couple she befriended and traveled with while stationed in Norway. She also described the fear nurses had of being captured during the Battle of the Bulge, the emotional impact of treating some of her patients, and the importance to her of the letters her and her husband exchanged during the war. She concluded the interview with a brief description of her postwar life, including moving back to St. Cloud and working at the VA.

Interview by Nancy Baker

Includes archival material

One 60 minute audio cassette

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/worldwar_oh/20/

Biographical Information: Hortense Terhaar was born October 14, 1915 in Holdingford, Minnesota to Nicholas and Amanda (Thull) Terhaar. After graduating from high school, she moved to Iowa City, where she worked for the editor of Better Homes and Gardens. She worked as a nurse in the St. Cloud Hospital and then the St. Cloud VA before volunteering for the Navy in 1943. During the war, she took on a variety of roles, including dietetics and surgical supply at Norman, Oklahoma; Seattle, Washington; and Camp Pendleton, California. After the war, she attended the University of Minnesota, where she studied public health. She returned to work, but remained on reserve status and was recalled to serve in the Korean War, during which she was a ward supervisor in San Diego and Oakland. She returned to the St. Cloud VA after the Korean War, and retired from there as a nurse and instructor. She was a member of the St. Cloud Hospital Nurses Association and the Veterans Hospital Nurses Association. Terhaar passed away on March 9, 2008, and is buried at the St. Boniface Catholic parish cemetery in Cold Spring, Minnesota.

Transcript Summary: Hortense Terhaar discussed her experiences as a Navy nurse during World War II and the Korean War. She briefly described her early life growing up in central Minnesota and working as a nurse at the St. Cloud Hospital and VA hospital in St. Cloud. She primarily focused on her World War II experiences as a nurse in Norman, Oklahoma, Seattle, Washington, and Camp Pendleton, California, as well as her Korean War experience in San Diego. Her descriptions of these events included the living conditions of nurses, which she often described as excellent, and the nature of their work. Terhaar particularly talked about how World War II nurses had to learn new jobs that they had not done as civilians, how being recalled from reserves for the Korean War was upsetting and disrupted her life, and the social lives of nurses and male officers. She also described how civilians reacted to women in the service and how civilian treatment of veterans had changed since World War II. Terhaar also described her life in between the wars and after the Korean War, including attending the University of Minnesota and returning to the St. Cloud VA despite losing the position she had held before being recalled from the reserves.

Interview by Nancy Baker

One 90 minute audio cassette

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/worldwar_oh/33/

Biographical Information: Raymond (Swede) Swedzinski was born in Taunton, Minnesota on March 6, 1921. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corp following the World War II draft and later completed his training as a B-24 co-pilot. Swedzinski was assigned to the 15th<span> </span>Air Force stationed in Spinazzola, Italy where he completed 37 missions between April and July 1944. During his last mission on July 19, 1944, Swedzinski and his crew were shot down and spent 42 days behind enemy lines with the French resistance. Raymond returned to the United States as a heavily decorated veteran. In July 1945, he married his wife Irene in which they raised four children together. They lived in Taunton and farmed. Swedzinski remained an active member of his community until his death on July 26, 2000. He is buried at the Saints Cyril and Methodius Catholic Cemetery in Taunton. Swedzinski received the following awards for his military service: Distinguished Flying Cross, Victory WWII, Air Medal w/ Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart, Presidential Unit Citation, European Theater Operations, and the French Cour de Gurre.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on February 3, 1990, Raymond (Swede) Swedzinski discussed with his life prior to the World War II draft and his fascination for aircrafts. As the draft approached Swedzinski knew his draft number was approaching, so he joined the Air Force Cadets to learn to fly. Swedzinski recalled his initial failure of the eye exam, resulting in becoming an aircraft mechanic. He was not satisfied with performing maintenance and took the eye exam a second time and passed. Swedzinski detailed his experiences during training, earning his wings, his assignment, and flight course to Italy, as well as his crew in which he was assigned co-pilot. In Italy, Swedinski’s crew was assigned to the 460th and the 762nd Bomb Squadron. Here he recalled missions to bomb strategic German factories and other important Axis strongholds. Swedzinski recalled in much detail about the day his crew was shot down over France in July 1944 and the events that followed. He and his crew spent 42 days in hiding with the French resistance. They were finally liberated after the Allied forces pushed the Germans out of France from the south. The crew made their way back to their base where they were sent back to the United States. After some rest, Swedzinski spent the rest of World War II flying gunners and became an instructor. At the end of the interview, Swedzinski discussed the Vietnam War and the draft evaders.

Interview by David Overy

First tape missing.

Includes archival material

One 90 minute audio cassette

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/worldwar_oh/21/

Biographical Information: Russell Leroy Swearingen was born June 27, 1914 in Groton, South Dakota to William and Cora (Carper) Swearingen. After moving to the Brainerd area and joining the National Guard, he married Eleanore Hilda Palmer on June 30, 1939, with whom he would have three children. He trained at Camp Ripley with the 34th Divisional Tank Company of the Minnesota National Guard from Brainerd before his unit was federalized in January 1941, becoming Company A of the 194th Tank Battalion. After training at Fort Lewis, they were sent to defend Clark Air Base in the Philippines as part of the Provisional Tank Group. As a staff sergeant and chief mechanic in the battalion Headquarters Company, he helped coordinate the withdrawal of American forces down the Bataan Peninsula when Japanese forces invaded the islands. Captured alongside most of the American forces, he became a prisoner of war and survived the Bataan Death March. He mustered out as a first lieutenant and was awarded the Bronze Star. He worked as an electrician after the war and was a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers local 292 of Minneapolis, the American Legion of Deerwood, and the VFW of Brainerd. He passed away on October 23, 2001, and is buried next to Eleanore at Lakewood Cemetery in Crosby, Minnesota.

Transcript Summary: Russell Swearingen discussed his World War II service as a chief mechanic and prisoner of war in the Philippines. He briefly described his training in the 34th Divisional Tank Company of the Minnesota National Guard from Brainerd, with which he served in the Philippines during World War II when it was federalized as part of the 194th Tank Battalion. The bulk of the first half of the interview focuses on the Battle of Bataan and the events leading up to it. Swearingen described the roles he played as a staff sergeant and chief mechanic in the Headquarters Company of the 194th, which included helping coordinate the withdrawal of American tanks down the Bataan Peninsula. The second half focused on his experiences as a prisoner of war following the American surrender on Bataan. As a survivor of the Bataan Death March, Swearingen described the conditions he and other POWs faced, including inadequate food and water, disease, and brutal punishment by Japanese guards. He also describes his final liberation from Japan at the end of the war and the ways in which being a POW affected him and others, psychologically and physically, including a stress-induced ulcer he developed that the Veterans Affairs hospital had failed to diagnose.

Interview by David Overy

Two 90 minute audio cassettes

https://reflections.mndigital.org/catalog/stc:8554#/kaltura_audio

Biographical Information: E.V. “Gene” Sundberg was born on February 2, 1925. A native of Brainerd, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps and trained to become a gunner. He eventually became a B-17 pilot. During World War II, he was sent to England. There, Sundberg and his crew flew 23 bombing raids into Germany. After the surrender of Germany in May 1945, he flew for the Army Airways Communication System until returning home to Minnesota. He died on July 19, 2001, in Brainerd, Minnesota.

Transcript Summary: In this interview, Sundberg discussed his experiences in the military and how his military service affected his life after the war. He entered the service immediately after high school and participated in extensive training, eventually becoming a B-17 pilot. Despite flying 23 missions mostly over northern Germany, his crew suffered no wounds and his plane was never severely damaged. However, Sundberg told many stories of planes that were lost and comrades who did not return from missions. Sundberg described the many difficulties involved with a successful mission including flak fire, fighter escorts, the ever changing weather, the dangers involved in flying in tight formation, and flying with dangerous cargo. Sundberg also described base life, including food, dress, discipline, comradery, and specifically how quickly crews from other planes not returning from missions. He told many stories about the near-misses his crew encountered. In August 1945, Sundberg was in London when the news of the Japanese surrender was announced and he labeled the atmosphere there. Sundberg also speculated about the differences between World War II and later wars especially the mission of the wars and home front patriotism.

Interview by Gordon Johnson

One 90 minute audio cassette

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/worldwar_oh/22/

Biographical Information: Victor Stein was born April 20, 1922 to Frederick and Barbara (Muggli) Stein in Cold Spring, Minnesota. He began working in banking in 1940, but was drafted and joined the Army Signal Corps when World War II began. Three of his brothers, Roger, Joseph and Frederick, also served, and interviews of Joseph and Frederick are also in this collection. Victor married Delphine Nierenhausen in Cold Spring on May 2, 1943 shortly before shipping to Sacramento, California for basic training. He studied radio repair at Newark, New Jersey, and airborne radar repair at Camp Murphy, Florida, before being sent to North Africa and southern Italy, where he worked as a radar mechanic. After the war, Victor and Delphine raised a daughter and four sons while he returned to banking and eventually retired as co-owner and vice president of First National Bank of Cold Spring. He was Cold Spring village clerk for four years, a member of the Cold Spring Planning Commission from 1965 to 1985, and a board of directors member for Assumption Nursing Home, and an announcer for Cold Spring Springers baseball. He was also a member of St. Boniface Catholic Church, Catholic Order of Foresters, Knights of Columbus, American Legion, VFW, Cold Spring Sportsmen’s Club, and Stearns County Historical Society. He passed away on May 25, 1996.

Transcript Summary: Victor Stein described his experiences as a radar mechanic in the Army Signal Corps during World War II. He first covers aspects of his training. This consisted of basic training at Sacramento, California, radio repair school at Newark, New Jersey, and airborne radar repair school at Camp Murphy, Florida. He also discussed the trips across the Atlantic and later the Mediterranean with the Merchant Marine. Most of the interview consists of a few stories Stein shared of his experiences in North Africa and Italy, where he was stationed at Foggia, Cerignola, and Gioia del Colle. In one instance he discussed at length, describing how he found a solution to repairing about one hundred Army planes that had been unable to fly, although another mechanic received credit for it. Stein also described in detail his strained relationships with two officers, one of whom he described as overly ambitious to be promoted. The interview concluded with a brief discussion of his thoughts on the Vietnam War and men who avoided the draft.

Interviewed by Lois Gaetz

One 90 minute audio cassette

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/worldwar_oh/23/

Biographical Information: Joseph Stein was born November 3, 1918 to Frederick and Barbara (Muggli) Stein and grew up in Cold Spring, Minnesota. He worked as an electrician for Cold Spring Granite Company and married Margaret Salzer on May 1, 1940. He was drafted into the Army on in June of 1944. Three of his brothers, Roger, Victor and Frederick, also served, and interviews of Victor and Frederick are also in this collection. After basic training at Buckley Field in Denver, Colorado, and engineer training at Geiger Field in Washington, Joseph shipped out with other Army Air Corps engineers from Fort Lewis to Ie Shima in the Pacific Theater. There, he served in various capacities until the Japanese surrender, particularly as an electrician. He was stationed in Japan as part of occupation forces after the war. When he went back to work for Cold Spring Granite until retiring in 1985, and he and Margaret raised six children. He was a member of St. Boniface Catholic Church, American Legion, VFW, Cold Spring Sportsmen’s Club, and the Booster Club. He passed away on April 21, 2003.

Transcript Summary: Joseph Stein described his experiences as an Army Air Corps engineer during World War II. He briefly covered aspects of his basic training at Buckley Field in Denver and engineer training at Geiger Field in Washington, but the bulk of the interview focused on his service in the Pacific Theater, starting with his unit’s trip from Fort Lewis to Ie Shima aboard Landing Ship, Tanks (LSTs). He detailed some of the various jobs he was assigned to in Ie Shima, including electrical maintenance, distributing beer rations, and managing the supply of cement. He noted how he and other engineers used surplus supplies as trading materials. Although he recalled having little contact with enemy forces, Stein noted occasional air raids and sniper activity on the island. He also described his experiences during the occupation of Japan, including seeing bombed-out cities like Hiroshima and spending time with a former Japanese army officer. Stein also briefly shared his thoughts on the Vietnam War and men who avoided the draft.

Interviewed by Lois Gaetz

One 90 minute audio cassette

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/worldwar_oh/24/

Biographical Information: Frederick “Fritz” Stein was born February 5, 1917 to Frederick and Barbara (Muggli) Stein in Cold Spring, Minnesota. He graduated from St. John’s Preparatory School in Collegeville. He was drafted and went into service on March 1, 1942 after his brother, Roger, had already volunteered. Two of his younger brothers, Victor and Joseph, also served, interviews of whom are also in this collection. He initially trained as a Signal Corps radio operator for amphibious landing craft in Missouri, Massachusetts, Florida, and California, but transferred into the Army Air Corps and completed training as a navigator in California, New Mexico, and Texas. Commissioned as a second lieutenant, he served on B-24 crews in the 453rd Bomb Group, flying 32 missions, including the D-Day invasion. For the last year of the war, he was a navigation instructor in Charleston, South Carolina for pilots set to serve in the Pacific. After his discharge in October 1945, he began working at the first National Bank in Cold Spring, from which he retired as President in 1990. He married Margaret (Bowers) Schwanki on October 15, 1957 in St. Boniface Catholic Church, and the two raised six children. He was a member of the Cold Spring Lion’s Club, Catholic Order of Foresters, Knights of Columbus, and the school board of the Rocori School District. He passed away on August 11, 2005.

Transcript Summary: Frederick Stein described his experiences as an Army Air Corps navigator during World War II. He began by summarizing the initial training he received at several bases around the United States as a Signal Corps radio operator for amphibious landings before transferring to the Air Corps. He then detailed the time he served on a B-24 crew in the 453rd Bomb Group in the European Theater, including camp life in England and some of the 32 missions he flew in over occupied France and Germany. Stein described four missions in particular: two to Friedrichshafen, Germany, one to southwestern France, and one to Brunswick, Germany when his plane had to make a crash landing when returning to England. He briefly discusses camp life and shared his thoughts on his commanding officers, including his group commander, the famous actor James “Jimmy” Stewart. Stein described his role as a navigation instructor in Charleston, South Carolina, for pilots training to serve in the Pacific as well. The interview concluded with his thoughts on the United States rebuilding Germany and Japan and his perspective on the Vietnam War and men evading the draft.

Interview by Lois Gaetz

Includes archival material

One 90 minute audio cassette

George Leonard Smith served as a staff sergeant with the 515th Coast Artillery Regiment during World War II. He was taken as a Japanese prisoner of war, and saw time in six different prisoner of war camps from May 6, 1942 until liberation on September 11, 1945. Smith spent time in Corregidor (Philippines), Cabanatuan (Philippines), Lipa (Philippines), Manila (Philippines), Formosa, and Kosaka, Japan. Over his time in the different prisoner of war camps, Smith was hospitalized for dengue fever, flu, dysentery, beri-beri, boils, and frost bite. He worked in many of the camps, and described the punishments received for working to too slow. When he was liberated from Sendai Camp #8, Smith weighed 85 pounds, being the third lightest man in the camp. He married Jean Eleanor Galbraith Smith, and passed away on April 25, 2001.

No oral history

File includes archival material