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World War II Veterans Collection
S-2081 · Collection · 1989-1993

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.
General oral history transcript - Helen C. Carter
General oral history transcript - Helen C. Carter
General - Carter · Item · October 5 and October 12, 1977
Part of General Oral Histories
  • Carter Transcript.pdf
  • This was part of a 1970s oral history project conducted by the Central Minnesota Historical Center. At the time, the CMHC was administered by the Department of History.
  • The audio for this interview is missing.
General Oral Histories
182 · Collection · 1973-1993

These general oral histories were conducted from 1973 to 1993 predominantly in the late 1970s.  25 of the interviews are centered on the three cities of St. Cloud, Waite Park, and Sauk Rapids, while the remaining interviews are from communities north and east of that region.  Three interviews are from communities west of Duluth.

The people interviewed represent a wide spectrum of occupations including business owners in a variety of fields and farmers.  Journalists, teachers, musicians, peace officers, and medical care givers are also interviewed.  Each interviewee shares experiences from the early 1900s to the time of their interview and all discuss the changes to their community that they have seen in that time.  Many discuss how their parents or grandparents migrated to the United States and then to St. Cloud area, as well as giving family experiences in the area.  Experiences during the world wars, both at home and in the services, are provided, particularly economic effects on agriculture and manufacturing.  In some, experiences with the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression are also referenced.

Brief biographical and interview notes are given for all participants.  Date of birth and death were given when known using the oral histories, St. Cloud Times obituaries, Google search, or Findagrave.com.

Some interviews were actually transcribed. The typewritten transcripts were keyed into a Word document but have not been checked against the audio. Past experiences has suggested that the transcripts may not be complete. In the meantime, the transcripts are available here as PDFs.
Church oral history transcript - Vincent Santo
Church oral history transcript - Vincent Santo
Church - Santo · Item · July 5, 1978
Part of Church Oral Histories
  • Santo transcript.pdf
  • The audio for this oral history is missing. Also interviewed are Richard Rooney Brooten (1935-?), Helen Rooney Felling (1904-1997), Math Jennissen (1902-?), Josephine Roooney (1906-1980), and Adolf Weiner (1910-?).