Great Depression

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Shirkey, Robert Farm Boy to National Guardsman
Robert Leroy Shirkey was born in Vliets, Kansas in April 1924. He grew up on a farm with eight brothers and sisters....
Donovan, Harry Farm Boy to Navy Man
[Annotator's Note: A person off camera comments in the background throughout this clip.] Harry A. Donovan was born in...
Beard, Kenneth Farm Boy to Service in Alaska
Kenneth Beard was born on a farm in Sullivan, Ohio in March 1922. He took a farm wagon to school and grew up in a home...
Anderson, Gladys "Penni" Farm Life
Gladys Anderson was born in 1922 in Lisbon, North Dakota and had two brothers and two sisters. Her grandmother gave her...
Bowersox, Warren Farm Life to Army Life
Warren Bowersox was born in St. Charles, Pennsylvania in 1923 and grew up on the family farm in nearby Mahoning,...
Ellzey, William Farm Life to Navy Life
William C. Ellzey was born in September 1922 in Agricola, Mississippi. The oldest of nine children, he grew up on a 40-...
Strobel, Clarence Farm Life to Paratrooper Training
Clarence Strobel was born in Lodi, California in [Annotator’s Note: September] 1924 with four sisters and one brother....
Ledford, Robert Farm Life to Warfare
Robert Ledford was born in December 1924 in northern Missouri. His family moved to Illinois when he was about 12 years...
Giller, Edward Farming to Pilot Training
Edward Bonfoy Giller, Jr. was born in White Hall, Illinois [Annotator's Note: in July 1918]. During the Great...
Moret, Vernon Father's Military Service
Vernon Henry Moret was born in June 1925 in New Orleans [Annotator's Note: New Orleans, Louisiana]. [Annotator's Note:...
Gile, Richard Fighting in France
Richard Edward Gile was born in Buffalo, New York in March 1923. He recalled the Great Depression [Annotator's Note:...
Genrich, Howard Final Thoughts
Howard Genrich believes that his generation had more sense of duty to the country. World War 2 brought America out of...
Fontenot, Herbert Final Thoughts
Herbert Fontenot did not look back after leaving the Navy. He enjoyed his wartime experience and his career afterward....
Ganitch, Michael First Attack Wave at Pearl Harbor
Michael Mickey Ganitch enjoyed the sights and sports in Pearl Harbor. He was a bit of a loner because he did not drink...
Grabhorn, Edgar First Mission
Edgar A. Grabhorn was born in 1924 in Annapolis [Annotator's Note: Annapolis, Maryland]. The Depression [Annotator's...
Fulton, Joseph Flight Training
[Annotator’s Note: There is background noise throughout this segment.] Joseph Fulton Jr. was born in March 1923 in...
Wood, Edward Florida Boy to Navy Sailor
Edward O. Wood, Senior was born in January 1927 in Orlando, Florida. He had two younger siblings. During the Great...
Schilling, Ira From a Boy to a Marine
Ira Schilling was born in June 1924 in Saratoga, Texas. His parents separated when he was very young and he moved to...
Duffy, Donald From a Cleveland Boy to an Infantryman
Donald Louis Duffy was born in February 1924 and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. His father worked in a factory until he...
Colburn, George From Camp LeJeune to Camp Pendleton
George Colburn got a ten-day leave to go home after bootcamp. Two of his buddies were home at the same time. He then...
Wiswall, Frank From Cavalryman to Aviator
[Annotator’s Note: A woman interjects throughout this clip.] Frank A. Wiswall was born in September 1919 in Brooklyn,...
Dahlstrom, Russell From Childhood to Navy Experience
Russell Arnold Dahlstrom was born in July 1923 in Rockford, Illinois. [Annotator’s Note: A clock dings at 00:28.00] He...
DeCarlo, Mario From Connecticut to Paris
Mario DeCarlo was born Stamford, Connecticut in 1925. Even though he grew up during the Great Depression, he had a...
Mayes, Davis From Early Life to Attack on Pearl Harbor
Davis Gordon Mayes was born in February 1919 in Pontotoc, Texas. During his service in World War 2, he served on the...
Stokes, Howard From Early Life to Tropical Life
Howard Warren Stokes was born in 1926 in Lodi, California and was an only child. His father supported his family during...
Barnes, Walter From New Orleans to Anzio
Walter Barnes was born in New Orleans and grew up on Webster Street in the Uptown neighborhood. Life was good for him....
King, Rivers From New Orleans to Guadalcanal
Rivers Richardson King was born in October 1920 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Great Depression effected his family...
Bucksell, Norris From New Orleans to Italy
Norris Bucksell was born in August 1921 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He attended Valena C. Jones Elementary School. He...
Landwehr, Carl From New Orleans to Southampton, England
Carl Landwehr was born in 1925 in New Orleans, Louisiana. His family never had a lot of money, but they never really...
Darphin, Irma "Irma Boulet" From Orange, Texas to Liverpool, England
Irma Darphin was born in Orange, Texas in August 1922. Her family moved to Crowley, Louisiana when she was one year old...
Eustis, Lawrence From the Depression to the Army
Lawrence Eustis was born in March 1921 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was one of nine children. During the Great...
Faust, Virgil From the Mine to a B-17
Virgil Faust was born in Windber, Pennsylvania, an old gold mining town. [Annotator's Note: Faust was born in August...
Goldstein, Sam German Jew to Shoemaker in America
Sam Goldstein was born the second youngest of nine children in January 1920 in Obbach, Germany. His father served in...
Alexander, Samson Getting His Name and Learning to Spell Telemachus
Samson Alexander's grandfather was named Eddie Spencer. During the Great Depression, his grandfather ran off a...
Stern, Guy Getting Out of Germany
Guy Stern was born Guenther Stern in Hildesheim, Germany in January 1922. He lived in Hildesheim until he left for the...
Hull, Lester Going into the Army
Lester Hull was born in Hartford, Connecticut in April 1920. He remembers the Great Depression well. Hull's father was...

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