>> INSTRUCTOR: I'VE BEEN GIVEN
THE SIGNAL FOR ALL SYSTEMS GO. 
SO GOOD AFTERNOON, AND WELCOME
AGAIN TO THE KANSAS AND THE
WORLD WAR II CLASS.  I WANT TO
CONGRATULATE YOU GUYS.
(NO AUDIO) ALL LOWERCASE. 
THAT'S REBECCA JANE TANNER WITH
TANNER@GMAIL.COM.  IF THERE ARE
OTHER STORIES THAT KIND OF
PROMPT YOUR MEMORY THIS WEEK,
FEEL FREE TO SEND THEM TO ME.  I
WAS SO IMPRESSED WITH JUST THE
RICH STORIES THAT YOU CAME UP
WITH, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
THE SECOND THING I WANTED TO
ADDRESS IS THAT SINCE LAST WEEK,
IT HAS BECOME MORE OF AN
IMPORTANT THING FOR PEOPLE TO
UNDERSTAND, THAT THERE NEED TO
BE FACE COVERINGS FOR ALL
STUDENTS, FACULTY, STAFF, AND
VISITORS TO ALL THE W -- TO WEAR
FACE COVERINGS OVER THEIR MOUTHS
AND NOSES WHILE ON WICHITA STATE
UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES.  AND ALL
THE HALLWAYS, PUBLIC SPACES,
CLASSROOMS AND COMMON AREAS OF
THE CAMPUS BUILDINGS.
AND AS YOU NOTE, I'M WEARING A
FACE SHIELD TODAY BECAUSE OF
THAT.  AND SO I JUST WANT YOU
GUYS TO BE AWARE OF THAT AND
THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE ON
THAT.  TO START TODAY'S CLASS
OUT, I INVITED A DEAR FRIEND OF
MINE, STAN FINGER, TO SHARE THE
STORIES OF HIS FATHER.  AND HIS
FATHER -- WELL, I'LL LET STAN
TELL THE STORY, BUT IF THAT NAME
STAN FINGER RINGS A BELL WITH
YOU, IT'S BECAUSE STAN WORKED
WITH ME AT THE WICHITA EAGLE. 
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I
ALWAYS FELT KIND OF HONORED TO
BE WORKING AT THE EAGLE, AND TO
WORK WITH PEOPLE SUCH AS STAN
FINGER WHO IS SO FIFTHED AND
TALENTED IN WRITING.  AND HE
WOULD TELL THESE -- SO GIFTED
AND TALENTED IN WRITING.  HE
WOULD TELL THESE WONDERFUL
STORIES ABOUT HIS DAD.  STAN,
ARE YOU WITH US?
>> YEAH.  CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> INSTRUCTOR: I CAN HEAR YOU. 
THIS IS LIKE A VERIZON
COMMERCIAL.  WHICH CELL PHONE?
>> YEAH.
>> INSTRUCTOR: TELL US A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT YOUR DAD.  WHO DID HE
FIGHT ALONGSIDE WITH?
>> HIS COMPANY COMMANDER WAS
AUDIE MURPHY, THE MOST DECORATED
SOLDIER IN U.S. MILITARY
HISTORY.  HE WAS ASSIGNED TO
COMPANY --
>> INSTRUCTOR: HOLD ON, STAN, WE
HAD TO RAISE THE VOLUME, AND I
JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE, WHO
WAS IT THAT HE FOUGHT WITH?
>> AUDIE MURPHY.  ARE YOU
HEARING ME BETTER NOW?
>> INSTRUCTOR: THAT GUY.  OKAY.
THE MOST DECORATED SOLDIER IN
U.S. MILITARY U.S.  DAD'S FIRST
DAY ON THE FRONT LINES WAS THE
DAY OF THE BATTLE IN WHICH
MURPHY, HIS EXPLOITS EARNED THE
MEDAL OF HONOR.  DAD ARRIVED AT
THAT BATTLE SCENE, A SMALL TOWN
IN FRANCE LITERALLY MINUTES
AFTER THE BATTLE ENDED BECAUSE
THE TANKS AND THE PERSONNEL
VEHICLES WERE STILL BURNING, AND
THE WOUNDED AND DEAD WERE STILL
ON THE -- YOU KNOW, ON THE
GROUND IN THE FIELD OR WHATEVER,
IN THE WOODS, THE ROADS.  AND
DAD TOLD ME WE WERE ABLE TO GO
BACK TO EUROPE TO RETRACE HIS
COMBAT PATH AS PART OF HIS
ATTEMPT TO RECOVER FROM THE PTSD
HE BROUGHT HOME FROM THE WAR. 
WE WALKED THE SAME ROUTE HE DID
TO JOIN HIS UNIT LITERALLY JUST
AFTER THAT BATTLE ENDED, AND HE
SAID YOU COULD HEAR THE WOUNDED
MOANING AND GROANING, BOTH
GERMANS AND AMERICANS, AND HE
THOUGHT TO HIMSELF, I'LL NEVER
MAKE IT HOME ALIVE.
AND A SERGEANT THAT WAS WITH
THEM LEADING THEM TO WHERE THEIR
UNIT WAS COULD TELL THEY WERE
ALL SPOOKED BECAUSE HE SAID,
DON'T WORRY, BOYS, THEY'RE NOT
ALL THIS BAD.  YOU'LL MAKE --
YOU KNOW, DON'T WORRY, YOU'RE
GOING TO BE OKAY, BECAUSE HE
COULD TELL THE AFTERMATH OF THAT
BATTLE WAS SO INTENSE THAT THE
REPLACEMENTS WERE GETTING PRETTY
SPOOKED.
>> INSTRUCTOR: WOW.
THEN HE ENDED UP SERVING WITH --
UNDER MURPHY UNTIL MURPHY WAS
SENT BACK A FEW MONTHS LATER. 
BUT THEN DAD WAS ON THE FRONT
LINES UNTIL HE WAS WOUNDED
SHORTLY BEFORE THE WAR ENDED, OR
VE DAY TOOK PLACE IN MAY.
>> INSTRUCTOR: OKAY.  IN THE
PHOTOTHAT'S ON THE SCREEN IS OF
YOUR DAD IN HIS MILITARY
UNIFORM.  IT LOOKS LIKE MAYBE IN
FRONT OF THE FAMILY HOUSE?
>> YEAH.  THAT WAS TAKEN BEFORE
HE LEFT FOR -- JUST BEFORE HE
WAS -- LEFT FOR BASIC TRAINING
IN CAMP ROBINSON.  I THINK IT
WAS EITHER JUST BEFORE HE WENT
FOR BASIC TRAINING OR BETWEEN
WHEN HE GOT DONE WITH BASIC
TRAINING AND HE WAS SHIPPED
OVERSEAS BUT, YEAH, THAT'S THE
FAMILY FARM THERE, NORTH ANDS
WEST OF LARNED IN PAWNEE COUNTY.
>> INSTRUCTOR: ALL RIGHT.  NOW,
THERE'S ANOTHER COUPLE OF PHOTOS
THAT WE HAVE FOR YOU
SPECIFICALLY.  CAN YOU SWITCH TO
THEM?  THAT'S A HEAD AND
SHOULDERS SHOT OF YOUR DAD.  IS
THERE ANOTHER ONE?  AUDIE
MURPHY, OKAY.
YEAH, THAT'S HIM IN -- DAD WAS
NOT INITIALLY A -- HE BECAME
KNOWN AS A BAR MAN, BROWNING
AUTOMATIC RIFLE BUT HE WAS YOUR
GARDEN VARIETY INFANTRYMAN UNTIL
ABOUT TWO WEEKS INTO HIS FRONT
LINE DUTY BECAUSE THE BRA, THE
CASUALTY RATE FOR THEM WAS
UNUSUALLY HIGH.  THE FIRE POWER
OF A UNIT COULD BE CUT IN HALF
IF BAR GUYS WERE ELIMINATED. 
THEY WENT THROUGH A LOT OF THEM 
NOT EVERYONE COULD CARRY THOSE
LARGE SUBMACHINE GUNS FOR LACK
OF A BETTER WAY TO PUT IT.  THEY
WOULD HAVE TRIPODS ON THE END OF
THE BARREL SO YOU COULD LAY IT
FLAT AND SPRAY INTENSE ROUNDS OF
FIRE ON THE ENEMY.
AND DAD FOUND OUT THAT'S HOW THE
GERMANS WOULD FIND OUT WHO HAD
THE BAR.  IT LOOKED DIFFERENT
THAN THE OTHER RIFLES.  BEING
THE KANSAS FARMER INGENUITY TYPE
HE TOOK THE TRIPOD OFF AND MADE
HIS BAR LOOK VERY MUCH LIKE ANY
OTHER M-1 SO HE WOULD NOT STAND
OUT IN THE CROWD.  AND HE WOULD
PICK THE BAR GUY BASED ON WHO
WAS STRONG ENOUGH TO CARRY IT. 
HE WAS 6'5", 160 POUNDS BUT
BECAUSE HE HAD GROWN UP ON A
FARM AND DID A LOT OF MANUAL
LABOR HE WAS REALLY STRONG AND
LEARNED TO HANDLE THE BAR VERY
QUICKLY AND AUDI RECOGNIZED THAT
AND WOULD TAKE HIM ON SPECIAL
MISSIONS BEHIND ENEMY LINES
BECAUSE DAD WAS REALLY QUICK
WITH THE TRIGGER AND IF HE
DIDN'T -- HE SAID IF I DIDN'T
HIT MY TARGET WITH THE FIRST
ROUND OF FIRE I DID WITH MY
SECOND.  I HAD TO LEARN IT THAT
WELL.  SO AUDIE LOOKED FOR HIM
WHEN THINGS GOT TOUGH.
>> INSTRUCTOR: CAN YOU SWITCH TO
MY POWERPOINT?  AGAIN, IT'S A
FIRST PHOTO OF YOUR DAD.  LET'S
GO TO THE SECOND PHOTO IF WE
CAN, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.  AND
COUPLE OF THINGS THAT OUR
STUDENTS MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN
KNOWING.  WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT
SLIDE ON THAT, IF YOU WANT.  WHO
WAS IT WHO MARRIED YOUR FOLKS?
>> OH.
>> INSTRUCTOR: SOME PRIEST.
FATHER AMEL CAPON, NOW UNDER
CONSIDERATION FOR PRIEST --
SAINTHOOD BY THE VATICAN, BY
ROME.  HAPPENED TO BE MOM'S
PARISH PRIEST IN 1948 WHEN THEY
GOT MARRIED, AND HE WAS OUT
THERE BECAUSE TIMPKAN WAS A
SETTLEMENT WHERE BOHEMIAN WAS
THE PRIMARY LANGUAGE.  MANY
DIDN'T SPEAK MUCH ENGLISH AT ALL
SO THEY NEEDED A PRIEST WHO
COULD HEAR CONFESSIONS IN CZECH
OR BOHEMIAN SO THE FATHER WAS
TRANSFERRED THERE, AND HE WAS
THERE FOR THEIR WEDDING WHEN
THEY GOT MARRIED IN '48 AFTER
THE WAR.  IT WAS THE ONLY DOUBLE
WEDDING HE EVER CELEBRATED AS A
PRIEST.
>> INSTRUCTOR: NEAT.  OKAY.  SO
YOUR PARENTS -- YOU AND AND YOUR
PARENTS WERE ABLE TO RETRACE
YOUR DAD'S STEPS IN GERMANY. 
WHAT YEAR WAS THAT?
>> FRANCE, 2002.  THAT'S DAD
THERE NEXT TO THAT MONUMENT
THERE, THAT'S A MONUMENT TO
AUDIE MURPHY THAT WAS
CONSTRUCTED IN THE WOODS WHERE
THE BATTLE TOOK PLACE.  AND
DAD'S STANDING THERE IN THE, YOU
KNOW, NEXT TO IT.  AND THE HOUSE
IS WHERE DAD WAS BORN OUTSIDE OF
ODEN ON A FARM IN 1924.  HAS
PART OF HIS COMBAT EXPERIENCE,
HE STORMED THE ZIG FREED LINE
WITH HIS UNIT, THE BOXES THAT
WENT FOR HUNDREDS OF KILOMETERS
ALONG THE WESTERN GERMAN BORDER,
AND HE HELPED TAKE PILL BOX, AND
WE WERE TRYING TO FIND THAT PILL
BOX, AND IT DROVE DAD CRAZY
BECAUSE HE JUST -- THAT WAS VERY
IMPORTANT TO HIM I GUESS BECAUSE
SO MANY INTENSE MOMENTS HAPPENED
THERE.  AND SO WHEN GERMANS IN
THE AREA FOUND OUT WHAT WE WERE
DOING, THEY RESPONSIBILITY --
SPONTANEOUSLY PULLED TOGETHER
EXPERTS AND MAPS AND PHOTOS AND
SAID GO TO THIS HOUSE, WE'LL
GIVE YOU THE DIRECTIONS, COOKED
US A MEAL, BROUGHT OUT WINE AND
HISTORIC PHOTOS.  YOU CAN SEE
HITLER TOURING THE CONSTRUCTION
OF ZIGFRIED LINE IN THE PHOTO
AND THE PHOTOS ABOVE IT, OF THE
WORK IN PROGRESS.  WE WERE
TRYING TO FIND THE ACTUAL PILL
BOX.  BUT AFTER THE WAR ENDED
THE GERMANS WERE SO DETERMINED
TO ERASE ANY PHYSICAL REMINDERS
OF THE NAZI PERIOD THAT THEY
BLEW UP OR BURIED VIRTUALLY
EVERY PILL BOX THAT REMAINED
ALONG THAT DEFENSIVE
FORTIFICATION.  SO WE WERE NOT
ABLE TO FIND THE ACTUAL PILL
BOX.  WE WERE PLANNING A SECOND
TRIP TO SEE IF WE COULD HAVE
MORE SUCCESS BECAUSE THEY SENT
ME MORE MAPS AND MORE
INFORMATION TO HELP US AFTER WE
GOT BACK TO THE STATES.  WE WERE
PLANNING THE SECOND TRIP WHEN HE
HAD HIS STROKE AND DIED.
>> INSTRUCTOR: OKAY.  AND WE CAN
GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, NOW, TOO. 
AND THAT'S --
>> YEAH, SEE, THAT'S THE MEETING
I'M TALKING ABOUT THERE.
>> INSTRUCTOR: OKAY.
ONE OF THE -- THAT'S A LOCAL
POSTMASTER, A LOCAL HISTORIAN
AND EXPERT ON THE ZIGFRIED LINE.
>> INSTRUCTOR: AND THE NEXT
SLIDE IS --
>> THAT'S FATHER CAPON THERE
FROM THE WEDDING.
>> INSTRUCTOR: I WANT TO --
FORGIVE ME FOR PUSHING YOU ON
BUT THERE WERE MORE THAN 50
STORIES FROM STUDENTS.
THAT'S FINE.
>> INSTRUCTOR: BUT I WANTED YOU
TO TELL ABOUT WHEN YOUR MOM
DROVE YOUR DAD TO THE -- WAS IT
THE HOISINGTON DEPOT?
>> YEAH.
>> INSTRUCTOR: FOR HIM TO GO
FIGHT.  RIGHT?
>> RIGHT.  WELL, THIS WAS IN
LATE DECEMBER AFTER -- AFTER
THEY'D GONE TO -- HE'D GONE
THROUGH BASIC TRAINING, AND HE
WAS SENT BACK BECAUSE HE WAS --
THEY WERE BOTH PART OF A
WEDDING, IN A WEDDING, AND
REALLY THEY WEREN'T ENGAGED OR
ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THEY JUST
STARTED DATING BUT HE ASKED HER
IF HE'D WAIT FOR HER BECAUSE
THEY KNEW THIS ONE'S PRETTY
SPECIAL, AND I'VE TOLD FAMILY
MEMBERS AND OTHERS THERE WAS A
SNOWSTORM THAT DELAYED THE TROOP
TRAIN SCHEDULED TO PICK HIM UP
SO THEY WAITED AT THE DEPOT FOR
HOURS -- THE TRAIN WAS SUPPOSED
TO BE THERE AT MIDNIGHT BUT
DIDN'T GET THERE TILL 2:30 OR
3:00 SO THEY WERE WAITING FOR
HOURS IN THAT COLD DEPOT JUST,
YOU KNOW, MOM WONDERING, YOU
KNOW, WILL I EVER SEE HIM AGAIN,
IS HE GOING TO MAKE IT HOME. 
THEY WERE DEVOUT CATHOLICS, THEY
WERE PRAYING HARD, THAT
CONTINUED OUT.  I REMEMBER
THINKING, MAN, YOU'RE IN THAT
DEPOT EARLY IN THE MORNING OF A
COLD DECEMBER NIGHT, A SNOWSTORM
HAD JUST HAPPENED WONDERING IF
YOU WERE EVER GOING TO SEE HIM
AGAIN.  NOW EVEN WHEN MILITARY
FAMILIES ARE SEPARATED BY
DEPLOYMENTS THEY STILL HAVE
EMAIL AND SAT PHONES WHICH
DIDN'T EXIST BACK THEN.  YOU
WERE LUCKY IF YOU GOT A LETTER
EVERY NOW AND AGAIN.  THAT WAS
THE EXTENT OF THE COMMUNICATE.
>> INSTRUCTOR: HOW LONG WERE
THEY MARRIED?
>> 58 YEARS.
>> INSTRUCTOR: 58 YEARS.
DIED IN 2006, YEAH.
>> INSTRUCTOR: THAT IS
INCREDIBLE.  WELL, I WANT YOU TO
THANK STAN FOR JOINING US TODAY.
(APPLAUSE)
>> INSTRUCTOR: THANK YOU SO
MUCH, STAN.
YOU BET.
>> INSTRUCTOR: ALL RIGHT.  LET'S
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT
SOME OF THE THINGS YOU SENT IN. 
AND I WANT AS MANY OF YOU HERE
THAT SENT STORIES AND ALSO THAT
MAY HAVE STORIES THAT THEY
WEREN'T ABLE TO SEND, TO FEEL
FREE TO SHARE THOSE STORIES. 
NEXT SLIDE.  OF NORMAN COTA. 
ERIC SAID WE SHOULD EXPLORE HIM,
A GENERAL, U.S. ARMY OFFICER WHO
FOUGHT DURING WORLD WAR II,
INVOLVED IN THE PLANNING AND
EXECUTION OF THE ALLIED INVASION
OF NORMANDY, AND IT WAS CODE
NAMED OPERATION NEPTUNE, AND
THEN THE BATTLE OF NORMANDY. 
HE'S MOST FAMOUS FOR RALLYING
THE DEMORALIZED TROOPS ON OMAHA
BEACH.
LET'S SEE.  A COUPLE OF THINGS
THAT -- I JUST THINK HE'S AN
INTERESTING GUY.  HE TRAINED --
I THINK HE LATER WENT ON TO -- I
THINK HE LIVED HERE IN WICHITA
FOR SOME TIME.  I COULD BE WRONG
ON THAT.  I WISH ERIC WAS HERE. 
I DON'T SEE HIM.  TO WHERE HE
COULD ADD SOME TO THAT.  BUT
ANYWAY . . .
      GAIL SMITH HAD FORWARDED A
STORY OF -- IS SHE HERE BY
CHANCE?  SHE HAD FORWARDED A
STORY THAT WAS SENT TO HER IN
2009 BY HER AUNT WINSOME WHO --
AND SHE TITLED IT "A SAD STORY. 
SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE RECEIVED
THAT AS AN EMAIL THAT WAS SENT
OUT EARLIER TODAY.  I -- GOOD,
YOU'VE GOT IT, OKAY, GOOD.  AND
IT IS AN INCREDIBLE STORY, AND I
HOPE YOU AT YOUR OWN LEISURE CAN
READ THAT.  BUT I JUST THINK
IT'S AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF HOW
IN WAR A LOT CAN HAPPEN.
JULIUS HOLMES IS ANOTHER
CHARACTER WHO WAS BORN IN
KANSAS, WENT TO KU.  HE
MARRIED -- SOME OF YOU, THE
ALLEN LAM HOUSE THAT WAS THE
FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT-DESIGNED
HOUSE IN COLLEGE HILL, JULIUS
HOLMES MARRIED HENRIETTA, THE
ALLENS' DAUGHTER.  BUT HE WAS
RESPONSIBLE FOR HANDLING GENERAL
De GAULLE FOR GENERAL
EISENHOWER, AND WAS GIVEN CREDIT
FOR CONVINCING EISENHOWER TO
OPEN UP THE ARSENALS TO
De GAULLES FORCES DURING THE
LIBERATION, THUS PREVENTING A
FRENCH COMMUNIST TAKEOVER.  HE
THEN LIVED IN WICHITA IN LATER
YEARS.
HE DID EVERYTHING.  HE WAS BORN
AT PLEASANTTON, HE SERVED AS A
FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICER, AN
OFFICER WITH THE U.S. JOINT
CHIEFS OF STAFF.  HE WAS AN
ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE,
SERVED IN THE AMERICAN EMBASSY
IN LONDON, THEN WAS WITH THE
STATE DEPARTMENT, AMBASSADOR TO
IRAN IN 1955.  JUST INCREDIBLE
THE THINGS THAT HE DID.
WE HAVE -- IT'S A SEGMENT FROM
BBC.  DO WE HAVE THAT SO WE
COULD LISTEN TO IT?  IT'S OF A
KANSAS FARM BOY AND HIS
RECOLLECTION OF PEARL HARBOR,
AND IT WAS BROADCAST A FEW YEARS
AGO.  IT'S A WONDERFUL WITNESS
ACCOUNT.
>> FROM THE BBC WORLD SERVICE. 
THIS WEEK WE'RE LOOKING BACK AT
KEY MOMENTS IN THE SECOND WORLD
WAR IN THE PACIFIC WHICH ENDED
75 YEARS AGO.  AND WE START IN
DECEMBER 1941 WHEN JAPAN FIRST
DREW THE UNITED STATES INTO THE
WAR WITH THE SURPRISE AIR RAID
ON THE U.S. NAVAL BASE AT PEARL
HARBOR.  IN 2015 SIMON SPOKE TO
ADOLPH, A SURVIVOR OF THE
ATTACK.
>> YESTERDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1941,
A DATE WHICH WILL LIVE IN INFAMY
.  UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA WAS SUDDENLY AND
DELIBERATELY ATTACKED BY NAVAL
AND AIR FORCES OF THE EMPIRE OF
JAPAN.
>> EVERYWHERE I LOOKED THERE
WERE SHIPS, THERE WAS EXPLOSIONS
GOING ON, AND THERE WAS -- SHIPS
WERE SINKING, I COULD SEE SOME
OF THEM LEAN TO THE STARBOARD
SIDE, SOME TO THE PORT SIDE.  IT
WAS A NIGHTMARE, NIGHTMARE ALL
THE WAY THROUGH.  (BOMBS).
>> ADOLPH WAS WORKING AS A
MECHANIC FOR THE U.S. NAVY WHEN
THE JAPANESE ATTACKED PEARL
HARBOR, THE SON OF WHEAT FARMERS
FROM THE MIDWEST HE HAD
VOLUNTEERED ENTHUSIASTICALLY A
YEAR EARLIER.
♪.
>> I JOINED THE NAVY AT 18 YEARS
OLD.  PRETTY SOON THE WORD CAME
UP ON THE BULLETIN BOARD WE NEED
PEOPLE FOR ALASKA, GUANTANAMO
BAY, AND PEARL HARBOR.  MY HAND
WENT UP FOR THE PEARL HARBOR
ONE.  BASE WAS JUST EVERYWHERE
YOU LOOKED WERE SAILORS, I
ENJOYED ALL MY DUTIES, YOU KNOW 
TOOK THE BUS AND WENT INTO ON
HONOLULU, WILDCAT WAIKIKI BEACH,
SENT SOUVENIRS TO ALL MY FAMILY
IN KANSAS EVERY TIME I SEE
SOMETHING NEW.
THE JAPANESE PLANNED THEIR
ASSAULT FOR A SUNDAY MORNING
BECAUSE THEY KNEW MANY OF THE
SAILORS WOULD BE OFF BASE AND
OFF DUTY.
JAPAN HAD IT ALL FIGURED OUT. 
THEY KNEW WHEN TO HIT, AND
THAT'S WHY THEY PICKED SUNDAY
BECAUSE SUNDAY WAS CHURCH DAY
AND FUN DAY.  FUN.  I WAS ON MY
WAY TO CHURCH, TWO SAILORS CAME
ALONG IN A MODEL A FORD AND
SAID, GET IN, WE'RE AT WAR, AND
THEY STARTED HEADING FOR THE
PEARL HARBOR NAVY BASE, AND I
WAS IN THE BACK, BULLETS CAME
ALL THE WAY DOWN THE ROAD,
AROUND THE LITTLE CAR.  NOT A
BULLET HIT US.  OH, GOD, THEY
WERE SO CLOSE, THE LANDING GEAR
WAS TOUCHING THE TOP OF THE PALM
TREES SO YOU COULD SEE HOW LOW
THEY WERE.  THAT'S WHY WE COULD
SEE THE RINGS OF THEIR
WRISTWATCHES AND ALL THAT.  I
LOOKED AHEAD AND THE MARINE GOT
HIS HEAD BLOWN OFF, AND I SAID A
PRAYER FOR HIM BECAUSE IT WAS
CHURCH MORNING.
WHEN ADOLPH REACHED THE WATER'S
EDGE HE FOUND A SCENE STRAIGHT
FROM HELL.
AND I GOT OUT, AND I START
RUNNING TO MY BOAT LANDING.  ALL
THE BOAT DOCKS AND EVERYTHING
WAS ALL ON FIRE BURNING FROM THE
OIL THAT'S IN THE WATER, YOU
KNOW?  I SAW THE AMERICAN FLAG
UP THERE ON FIRE ON THE USS
NEVADA, AND THE GUYS ON THE
SHIPS WERE JUMPING INTO THE
WATER AND SWIMMING FOR REFUGE,
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN BECAUSE
THEIR SHIPS WERE SINKING. 
EVERYWHERE YOU LOOKED SOME SHIP
WAS HAVING PROBLEMS.
>> STILL THE JAPANESE KEPT
COMING IN WAVE AFTER WAVE.  AS
WELL AS THE NEVADA THE BOMBERS
STRUCK THE CALIFORNIA AND THE
OKLAHOMA AS THEY SAT IN DOCK,
AND THEN A JAPANESE BOMB IGNITED
AMMUNITION STORES ON THE USS
ARIZONA.
THAT SHIP EXPLODED, A BIG CHUNK
ABOUT THE SIZE OF A GARBAGE CAN
LID CAME ALL THE ACROSS THE
PEARL HARBOR CHANNEL AND TOUCHED
MY RIGHT EARLOBE.  MIND YOU IF
IT HAD MISSED A COUPLE OF INCHES
I WOULD HAVE BEEN BEHEADED. 
WITH A MEGAPHONE, WE NEED HELP
TO GO ON THE SHIPS, GUYS ARE
STILL IN THEIR SKIVVIES.  I SAID
I'M HEADED FOR THE ARIZONA, IT
WAS LOPSIDED, ALL OF THAT, ALL
THE HANDRAILING WAS BURNT OUT,
ALL OF THAT, AND I HAD TO GRAB
THE RAILING, AND I FINALLY MADE
MY WAY UP.  BY THE TIME I GOT UP
ON TOP MY SHOE SOLES WERE
SMOKING BECAUSE THE STEEL WAS SO
HOT ON TOP, AND THERE WAS FIVE
BODIES, FIVE GUYS UP THERE ALL
BURNT OUT, THEIR OWN MOTHERS
WOULDN'T RECOGNIZE THEM.  PRETTY
SOON I HEARD (MOANING) THERE WAS
ONE GUY OVER BY THE GUN TURRET,
AND I WALKED OVER TO HIM, HE
FELL AGAINST THE TURRET, AND
ST. PETER CALLED HIM HOME TOO. 
THAT'S THE WAY IT WENT ALL DAY.
>> ADOLPH WENT TO THE AIRCRAFT
HANGAR.  CAUGHT BY SURPRISE MOST
OF THE PILOTS HADN'T EVEN
MANAGED TO TAKE OFF, AND NOW THE
JAPANESE WERE DESTROYING THE WAR
PLANES OF THE PACIFIC FLEET AS
THEY STOOD ON THE TARMAC.
>> I START CRAWLING IN THAT
AIRPLANE HANGAR AND UNDER A
WELDING BENCH, DRAINED MY SHOES,
OIL WAS RUNNING OUT OF MY SHOES,
I'M ALL COVERED, THINKING I'M
THE ONLY GUY IN THE BUILDING,
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN A BOMB CAME
CRASHING THROUGH THE RUSH AND
TORE THE PURLOINS OUT AND ALL
THAT STUFF.  AND IT LANDED ABOUT
FROM HERE TO THE DOOR IN FRONT
OF ME.  IT LANDED ON THE
CONCRETE AND STOOD THERE, ALL OF
A SUDDEN A VOICE FROM THE FAR
END OF THE BUILDING SAID "LET'S
GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE BEFORE
SHE BLOWS!."
>> ONCE OUTSIDE THE HANGAR
ADOLPH TRIED TO DRAG HIS PLANES
OUT OF THE FIRING LINE.
AND NOW HERE I AM A KANSAS
FARMER TRACTOR DRIVER, AND THEY
WERE ALL ON FIRE.  THE TIRES
WERE BURNING OFF, THE MACHINE
GUNS IN THE COCKPIT WERE GOING
OFF, YOU KNOW?  SO I YELLED FOR
SOMEBODY TO GET A CABLE OR SO
FOR ME TO TOW THEM PLANES DOWN
TO THE BONE YARD WHICH IS THE
SCRAP PILE, YOU KNOW?  AND I GOT
ON THIS MINNEAPOLIS ORANGE
TRACTOR HEADING ON DOWN THE
RUNWAY, AND JUST AS I'M GETTING
FAIRLY CLOSE TO WHERE I'M GOING
TO DROP IT OFF A JAPANESE PILOT
CAME OVERHEAD, AND I SAW HIS
BOMBAY DOORS OPEN, AND I SAID
ADOLPH, THIS IS IT.  I REALLY
DID.  AND THE BOMB CAME, AND IT
WENT INTO THE CONCRETE RUNWAY,
AND IT THREW CHUNKS OF STEEL THE
SIZE OF A VOLKSWAGEN WITH A
REINFORCING STEEL, REBAR, CHUNKS
LANDING ON TOP OF THE TREES,
LANDING ON TOP OF THE BUILDINGS,
LANDING ON TOP OF THE BARRACKS. 
ALL THAT LANDED ON ME WAS LITTLE
TINY PEBBLES GOING PING, PING,
PING, PING, PING, PING, SO THE
GUARDIAN ANGEL WAS LOOKING AFTER
ME, YOU KNOW THAT.  ALL THAT
EXPLOSIONS GOING ON, AND ALL
THAT DEATH GOING ON EVERYWHERE,
AND ME BEING IN TOTAL SAFETY,
THAT'S UNHEARD OF, YOU KNOW?  I
AM STILL ALIVE AFTER 19 CLOSE
CALLS, I'M STILL ALIVE.  SO I
HAVE TO HAVE A GUARDIAN ANGEL
HERE.  THERE'S NO OTHER WAY. 
IT'S NOT JUST SAYING OH IT'S
JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS, YOU
KNOW, THAT HAPPENS.
>> BY THE END OF THE PEARL
HARBOR ATTACK ABOUT 2,500
AMERICAN SERVICEMEN LAY DEAD
ALMOST HALF OF WHOM HAD BEEN ON
BOARD THE BATTLESHIP ARIZONA. 
THE NEXT DAY THE U.S. CONGRESS
DECLARED THAT AMERICA WAS NOW AT
WAR WITH JAPAN.  ADOLPH SPOKE TO
ME FOR WITNESS HISTORY IN 2015. 
HE DIED IN CALIFORNIA IN 2018 AT
THE AGE OF 96.  THAT EDITION WAS
WRITTEN AND PRESENTED BY SIMON
WATTS.  IN TOMORROW'S PROGRAM
THE FORMER ACTOR GEORGE TAKEI
TALKS ABOUT BEING IMPRISONED IN
A CAMP AS A CHILD IN WORLD WAR
II BECAUSE JAPANESE AMERICANS
WERE SEEN AS A THREAT TO
NATIONAL SECURITY.  IF YOU'D
LIKE TO HEAR MORE FROM THE
PAST --
>> INSTRUCTOR: EXCELLENT.  I
JUST THOUGHT YOU MIGHT ENJOY
HEARING FROM A KANSAS FARM BOY,
HIS ACCOUNT.  LET'S GO AHEAD TO
THE NEXT SLIDE WHENEVER YOU CAN
GET THAT UP.  AND IN THE
MEANTIME, I HEARD AGAIN, I
CANNOT STRESS THAT ENOUGH FROM
SO MANY OF YOU, IS WALLACE
JENSEN IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY? 
WELL, HE SENT IN A STORY, AND
I'M GOING TO READ IT FOR YOU.  I
HOPE THIS IS OKAY THAT I GO
AHEAD AND READ YOUR STORIES.  IN
NEAR ZERO VISIBLE ON MAY 3rd,
1943 A B-24 LIBERATOR BOMBER
CRASHED INTO ICELAND'S MOUNT --
I MISPRONOUNCED IT, CARRYING THE
COMMANDING GENERAL OF U.S. ARMY
EUROPE FRANK ANDREWS AND HIS
STAFF.  ALL WERE KILLED ALONG
WITH THE PLANE'S CREW EXCEPT FOR
THE TAIL GUNNER.  GENERAL
ANDREWS HAD BEEN DIRECTED TO
RETURN FROM EUROPE TO BE NAMED
SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER OF ALL
FORCES IN EUROPE.  THE ROLE THEN
GIVEN TO DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER TO
LEAD THE BUILDUP AND INVASION OF
EUROPE ON D-DAY.  SO WHAT IF?
TO ADD TO THE TRAGEDY OF THE
EVENT, IRONICALLY THE B-24 WAS
RETURNING TO THE U.S. BEING THE
FIRST HEAVY BOMBER TO COMPLETE
ITS MISSION WITHOUT BEING SHOT
DOWN.  RADAR STATIONS WERE
INSTALLED ALONG THE MOUNTAIN
SLOPES WATCHING THE MOVEMENT OF
GERMAN SHIPS.  MY FATHER WAS A
RADAR TECHNICIAN CHARGED WITH
DAILY MAINTENANCE WHICH MEANT
TRAVERSING THE TERRAIN DAILY TO
ENSURE OPERATION.  23 MONTHS HE
DID THIS.  NO FURLOUGH.  OFTEN
NIGHT ABOVE THE ARTIC CIRCLE
MEANT STAYING OVERNIGHT WITH THE
EQUIPMENT TO STAY WARM.  MANY OF
THE SOLDIERS CLIMBED THEIR WAY
TO THE CRASH SITE.  IN IDLE TIME
MY FATHER FORMED A RING FROM A
PIECE OF METAL FROM THE AIRCRAFT
THAT MY DAUGHTER WEARS AROUND
HER NECK.  ISN'T THAT
INTERESTING?  THIS IS FROM
JOAQUIN SANTOS.  MY NAME IS
JOAQUIN SANTOS, A RECENTLY
RETIRED PHYSICIAN WHICH ALLOWS
ME TIME TO TAKE COURSES AND READ
ALL THE BOOKS THAT I HAVE BEEN
COLLECTING OVER MY 70-PLUS
YEARS.  I AM ONE OF YOUR ONLINE
STUDENTS.  I ENJOYED YOUR FIRST
SESSION ON THURSDAY.  I WOULD
LIKE TO TELL YOU MY FAMILY'S
CONNECTION TO WORLD WAR II AND
SUBSEQUENTLY KANSAS.  THEY ARE
ENTWINED BY HISTORY AND
CIRCUMSTANCE.  MY FAMILY'S
CONNECTION TO WORLD WAR II
REVOLVES PRIMARILY WITH OUR
FATHER BUT ULTIMATELY HIS WIFE
AND CHILDREN AS WELL.  MY FATHER
WAS BORN ON THE ISLAND OF GUAM
AND SINCE THE SPANISH-AMERICAN
WAR IN 1898 GUATEMALANS ARE BORN
AMERICAN CITIZENS AS ARE THE
CITIZENS OF OTHER TERRITORIES. 
HE WAS BORN IN 1917 AND WAS AN
ADOLESCENT AND TEENAGER DURING
THE GREAT DEPRESSION.  LIKE SO
MANY YOUNG MEN ON THE ISLAND AS
WELL AS THE MAINLAND WITH LITTLE
EDUCATIONAL OR VOCATIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES, HE JOINED THE
NAVY WITH HIS BROTHER IN 1938.
ON DECEMBER 7th, 1941, HE AND
HIS BROTHER WERE CREW MEMBERS OF
THE USS NEVADA DOCKED WITH THE
OTHER PACIFIC FLEET BATTLESHIPS
IN PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII. 
ACCORDING TO MY FATHER, IT WAS A
QUIET, EARLY SUNDAY MORNING WITH
VERY LITTLE ACTIVITY UNTIL ALL
HELL BROKE OUT.  HE TOLD ME THAT
HE WAS BELOW DECK WHEN HE HEARD
THE NOISE ABOVE AND HEARD "ALL
HANDS ON DECK, THIS IS NOT A
DRILL."  THE NEVADA WAS THE
SISTER SHIP OF THE USS ARIZONA
JUST A LITTLE OVER 50 FEET
APART.  AS EVERYONE KNOWS, THE
ARIZONA SUFFERED A FATAL BOMB TO
ITS MUNITION STORES AND
SUBSEQUENTLY SUNK IN ITS DOCK. 
THE FIRST TIME I VISITED PEARL
HARBOR I WAS SHOCKED BY JUST HOW
CLOSE ALL THE BATTLE SHIPS WERE
DOCKED.  I REALIZE THAT BUT FOR
THOSE 50 FEET MY SIBLINGS AND I
WOULD NOT BE HERE. 
FASCINATINGLY THE NEVADA WAS THE
ONLY BATTLESHIP THAT HAD
MANEUVERABILITY THAT MORNING. 
THEIR CAPTAIN ATTEMPTED TO GET
THE SHIP OUT OF THE HARBOR BUT
THE JAPANESE WERE ATTEMPTING TO
SINK IT IN THE MOUTH OF THE
HARBOR THAT'S BLOCKING ENTRY OR
EXIT FOR ANY SHIPS.
AFTER RELENTLESS STRAFING, THE
CAPTAIN DECIDED TO BEACH THE
NEVADA IN FRONT OF THE BASE'S
HOSPITAL THUS SAVING THE LIVES
OF MANY SAILORS INCLUDING MY DAD
AND UNCLE.  A COUPLE OF SIDES IF
I MIGHT.  ALL OF THE BATTLESHIPS
WERE EVENTUALLY REPAIRED AND
RECOMMISSIONED WITH THE
EXCEPTION OF THE ARIZONA, OF
COURSE, AND THE OKLAHOMA WHICH
SANK IN THE PACIFIC AS IT WAS
BEING TOWED TO THE MAINLAND FOR
REPAIRS.
THE NEVADA SURVIVED THE WAR AND
WAS SUBSEQUENTLY SUNK FOR TARGET
PRACTICE IN 1948.  THE WRECK WAS
FOUND JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO
ABOUT 65 MILES FROM PEARL
HARBOR.  INTERESTINGLY ON
JULY 8, 1941, THE JAPANESE
INVADED GUAM AND OCCUPIED IT FOR
SOME TIME BEFORE IT WAS RETAKEN 
I REMEMBER READING THAT EVEN
INTO THE 1960s JAPANESE
SOLDIERS WOULD COME OUT OF THE
JUNGLE HAVING BEEN TOLD THEY
WERE NEVER TO SURRENDER.  AFTER
THE WAR, MY FATHER CONTINUED HIS
NAVAL CAREER THROUGHOUT THE
'40s AND '50'S.  MY PARENTS
MET AFTER THE WAR AND MARRIED
AND STARTED THEIR FAMILIES.  MY
BROTHER AND I WERE BORN AT THE
GREAT LAKES NAVAL TRAINING
STATION NORTH OF CHICAGO, THREE
OF MY SISTERS AT THE
PHILADELPHIA NAVAL STATION.  IN
1954 MY DAD RECEIVED ORDERS THAT
HE WAS BEING TRANSFERRED TO A
SMALL NAVAL AIR STATION IN
HUTCHINSON, KANSAS.  MY MOTHER
WAS FRENCH CANADIAN, HAVING
IMMIGRATED IN THE 1910s.  BY
THE TIME THEY ARRIVED IN
HUTCHINSON THEY HAD FIVE YOUNG
CHILDREN I BEING THE OLDEST.  MY
MOTHER MADE IT CLEAR THAT SHE
WAS -- SHE WAS -- THIS WAS TO BE
HER LAST MOVE.  AND MY FATHER IN
FACT RECEIVED SUBSEQUENT
TRANSFER ORDERS TO OTHER DUTY
STATIONS AND OTHER SHIPS OVER
THE YEARS.  MY MOTHER ALWAYS
LEFT THE HOME FIRES BURNING FOR
HIM.  WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, I
REMEMBER A REPORTER FROM THE
HUTCHINSON NEWS WOULD COME AND
TALK WITH MY FATHER AS DID
REPORTERS FROM OTHER -- OUR
LOCAL RADIO STATIONS AND FROM
CHANNEL 12 WHICH WAS THE FIRST
OF OUR LOCAL TELEVISION
STATIONS.  I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE
BUT I THINK HE WAS A
PARTICULARLY GOOD INTERVIEW.  HE
WAS FAIRLY QUIET AND TENDED TO
TALK ABOUT MILITARY DISCIPLINE
MORE THAN HE DID ABOUT THE
EXPERIENCES.
ANYWAY, I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS
AN INTERESTING STORY TO SHARE.
EVELYN GREG, ARE YOU HERE BY
CHANCE?  WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT
SLIDE.  AH, YES, THIS IS ROBERT
BUDGE.  HE WAS FROM ST. JOHN,
AND WAS THE FATHER OF A GOOD
FRIEND OF MINE, JILL BOWDEN. 
SHE SENT THIS IN.  IT IS A
COLLAGE OF THE PHOTOS HE WAS IN 
HE WAS A PILOT AND HE WAS ONE OF
THOSE THAT WENT OFF SHIPS AND
ALL THOSE KIND OF THINGS.  HE
WAS ABLE TO GET THROUGH WORLD
WAR II, ALSO SERVED IN THE
KOREAN WAR.  HE WAS KILLED WHEN
HE -- AFTER HE CAME HOME FROM
SERVICE.  HE WAS DRIVING A FUEL
TRUCK AND SOME HUNTERS IN
WESTERN KANSAS RAN A STOP SIGN
AND RAN INTO HIS TRUCK, AND HE
WAS KILLED WITHIN THE TRUCK.
BUT HE WAS AN INCREDIBLE MAN
THAT GAVE LOTS OF SERVICE, AND A
PRETTY INTERESTING CAREER. 
EVELYN GREG, LET'S SEE, WHAT'S
THE NEXT SLIDE THAT WE HAVE? 
OKAY, THAT'S COY ALLEN'S.  I'M
GOING TO READ MAYBE A COUPLE OF
MORE, AND THEN I'M GOING TO ASK
IF THERE'S ANY FOLKS HERE, I
KNOW THERE ARE, WHO WOULD LIKE
TO SHARE SOME OF THEIR STORIES. 
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A SMALL
BREAK AFTER I READ A COUPLE OF
MORE STORIES.  I ALSO WANT TO
CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO THE PHOTO
IN FRONT OF ME, IT'S THE USS
WICHITA DURING THE WAR TIME. 
AND I THOUGHT YOU GUYS MIGHT
LIKE TO SEE THAT.  EVELYN GREG. 
SHE CONTRIBUTED THIS STORY.
FAMILY CONNECTIONS TO WORLD WAR
II AND HOW IT AFFECTED THE
FAMILY.  YOUR MENTION OF LEWIS
SEEINGEN DOLLAR SPARKED A MEMORY
FOR ME AND MY HUSBAND.  MY
COUSIN CHARLES, A NOTED CHEMIST,
ALSO WORKED ON THE MANHATTAN
PROJECT.  CHARLES DU BOIS WAS AN
AMERICAN CHEMIST, ONE OF THE
DISCOVERERS OF THE ELEMENT
PROMYTH YUM, AMONG SCIENTISTS
WHO IN 1945 SIGNED THE PETITION
URGING PRESIDENT HARRY TRUMAN
NOT TO USE THE FIRST ATOMIC BOMB
WITHOUT RESTRICTION.  THIS IS A
LETTER THAT WAS SENT TO THE
FAMILY AFTER THE PASSING OF HIS
WIFE GRACE MARY.  WE ALWAYS
HEARD THAT SHE COMMITTED SUICIDE
FROM HAVING TO LIVE WITH THE
IDEA OF HER HUSBAND'S
INVOLVEMENT WITH THE ATOMIC
BOMB.  IN THE LETTER IT STATES
THAT SHE HAD A HEART ATTACK
BROUGHT ON BY THE STRAIN OF
WORLD WAR II.
MRS. CHARLES D. PASSED AWAY
YESTERDAY IN CAMBRIDGE
MASSACHUSETTS AFTER TEN DAYS OF
UNCONSCIOUSNESS FOLLOWING HEART
STOPPAGE APRIL 25th.  SHE DIED
A VICTIM OF PRESSURES OF THE
COLD WAR.  SHE WAS 50 1/2 YEARS
OLD.  SHE WAS THE FORMER GRACE
MARY OF COLORADO SPRINGS WHO
CAME IN 1935 TO LIVE WITH HER
UNCLE, THE LATE EDWARD G. THOMAS
OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA,
AFTER THE EARLY DEATHS OF HER
MOTHER GRACE LOUISE THOMAS AND
HER FATHER, FRANK SEELY.  I'M
GOING TO SKIP A LITTLE BIT.  SHD
IN LEXINGTON MASSACHUSETTS WITH
HER HUSBAND WHO IS PROFESSOR OF
CHEMISTRY AT THE MASSACHUSETTS
INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY.  BEFORE
HER MARRIAGE, SHE HAD RECEIVED
RECOGNITION, POET OF PROMISE
WITH 15 POEMS IN PRINT, TWO MORE
ITEMS THAT HER BRIDEGROOM HAD AS
SCIENTIFIC PAPERS IN PRINT.  SHE
WROTE VERY LITTLE AFTER 1936
BEING ENGULFED WITH PRESSURES OF
THE WORLD OF SCIENCE AND.WAR.
HER ONLY MAJOR POEM IN THE LATER
PERIOD OF HER LIFE WAS WRITTEN
IN AUGUST 1945 AFTER RECEIVING A
COLOR PHOTO OF THE BOMB TEST OF
JULY 17th, 1945.  IT IS TITLED
"ON MY MANTLE THERE IS A PICTURE
OF THE ATOMIC BOMB."  IT IS LIKE
AN UNANSWERED TELEGRAM.  JUST AN
INTERESTING NOTE.
SECOND FAMILY CONNECTION ALSO A
DISTINCT COUSIN TO MY HUSBAND
WAS DAVID SHILLING, SALINA
REGIONAL AIRPORT WAS THE SITE OF
THE FORMER SCHILLING AIR FORCE
BASE PREVIOUSLY KNOWN AS THE
SMOKY HILL ARMY AIR FIELD AND
AIR FORCE BASE.  I JUST THINK
THAT'S INTERESTING.  ARE YOU
GUYS IN THE MOOD TO TAKE A BREAK
RIGHT NOW?  WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO
THAT?  LET'S DO THAT, AND WE'LL
COME BACK AFTERWARDS.  ALL
RIGHT?  THANK YOU.
(BREAK)
>> INSTRUCTOR: ALL RIGHT.  I'VE
BEEN GIVEN THE ALL SYSTEMS GO
SIGN.  SO LET'S COME BACK.  AND
I WANTED TO BACK UP JUST A
LITTLE IN TERMS OF THE COLLAGE
THAT JILL BOWDEN SENT IN. 
HERE'S BACKGROUND INFO ON
LIEUTENANT JAMES ROBERT BUDGE. 
HE WENT TO WILLIAM JEWEL COLLEGE
IN LIBERTY MISSOURI AND
GRADUATED IN 1943 AS A NAVAL
AVIATION CADET AND AFTER
GRADUATING FROM ST. JOHN HIGH
SCHOOL IN 1941 HE RECEIVED HIS
PILOT WINGS NAVAL AVIATOR FROM
THE NAVAL AirTranING CENTER
IN CORPUS CHRISTI, THEN FLYING
DURING WORLD WAR II AND RECALLED
TO SERVICE FOR THE KOREAN WAR. 
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE HAD THAT ON RECORD.  PAT
SENT IN THIS STORY THAT HER
FATHER WAS -- IS SHE HERE BY
CHANCE?  I THINK SHE MIGHT BE
ONLINE.  HER FATHER WAS BORN IN
1918.  HE JOINED THE NAVY RIGHT
OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL.  HE WAS A
LIEUTENANT JG DURING WORLD WAR
II, STATIONED IN THE SOUTH
PACIFIC.  WHEN HE CAME BACK FROM
THE WAR HE SUFFERED FROM ANXIETY
AND PANIC ATTACKS.  THE PANIC
ATTACKS SEEMED TO GET BETTER BUT
HE SUFFERED FROM ANXIETY AND
DEPRESSION FOR THE REST OF HIS
LIFE.  I GUESS NOW DAYS WE CALL
THAT PTSD.  HE SMOKED TO KEEP
CALM.  HE MANAGED TO HAVE A
SUCCESSFUL MEDICAL PRACTICE, BUT
IN LATER YEARS HE STARTED
SELF-MEDICAL INDICATING TO COPE 
HE WAS A GOOD FATHER.
SOMETIMES I WOULD HEAR HIM
WANDERING THE HOUSE AT NIGHT
TRYING TO RELAX.  OR HE WOULD
SIT IN HIS RECLINER AND READ
UNTIL HE COULD FALL ASLEEP.  I
DON'T THINK THIS AFFECTED ME SO
MUCH AS A CHILD.  I JUST
THOUGHT, THAT'S THE WAY DADS
WERE.  BUT AS I GOT OLDER AND
REALIZED WHAT WAS GOING ON, I
STARTED WORRYING MORE ABOUT HIM 
AND I KNOW MY MOTHER FELT SHE
HAD TO BE STRONGER FOR HIM. 
TOWARDS THE END, HE JUST GAVE UP
TRYING TO COPE AND DIED.
HIS DEATH MADE US ANGRY BECAUSE
WE FELT LIKE HE SHOULD HAVE
FOUGHT HARDER.  BUT I THINK THE
WAR JUST RUINED LIFE FOR HIM.
I READ THAT BECAUSE I THINK
THERE ARE SOME -- I MEAN, I JUST
THINK THE WAR AFFECTED PEOPLE IN
SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.  AND
THERE WEREN'T ANY RIGHT OR WRONG
WAYS.  IT AFFECTED PEOPLE.  AND
I THINK IN MANY WAYS IT ALSO
AFFECTED THE CHILDREN AND
SOMETIMES GRANDCHILDREN AFTER
THE FACT.  SO I WAS REALLY VERY
APPRECIATIVE OF PATRICIA FOR
SENDING THAT IN.  COY ALLEN, I
LOVE WHEN HE TAKES MY CLASSES
BECAUSE HE ALWAYS SENDS SUCH
GREAT MATERIAL.  AND CAN WE BACK
UP ONE SLIDE?  I THINK THAT'S OF
HIS DAD'S.  THERE WE GO.  AS
EARLY -- AND THIS IS COY'S
ACCOUNT.  I KNOW HE'S TAKING
THIS ONLINE.  HE WROTE THAT AS
EARLY AS FALL/WINTER OF 1942 MY
DAD WAS INVOLVED IN THE WAR
EFFORT.  DOING DIRT WORK FOR P
POW CAMP IN TONKAWA OKLAHOMA. 
EARLY IN THE WAR MY DAD WAS VERY
SADDENED BY THE COMBAT DEATH OF
HIS FIRST COUSIN TOM ALLEN.  DAD
TOLD US THAT TOM AND SEVERAL OF
HIS BUDDIES WERE SHOT TO DEATH
BY JAPANESE WHILE SLEEPING IN
THEIR BUNKS.  I REMEMBER THE END
OF THE WAR WITH GERMANY.  THE
LIBERTY UMC CHURCH BELL RANG,
AND PEOPLE GATHERED IN THE
STREET FOR -- AND OR A FEDERAL
HIGHWAY NUMBER 169.  I REMEMBER
RATIONED FOOD AND TIRES.  I SAW
BLACK MARKET TIRES COMING FROM
WICHITA TO OUR COUNTY AND
CHANGING HANDS.
MY DAD WAS DRAFTED IN THE MARINE
CORPS.  MOM AND DAD THOUGHT HE
WAS BEING DRAFTED INTO THE NAVY 
MY DAD WAS SHORT AND STOCKY
BUILT.  THE STORY DAD TOLD WAS
OF A LONG LINE OF SAILORS TO BE
WITH A COUPLE OF MARINE OFFICERS
STANDING NEARBY.  THERE WERE TWO
OR THREE DRAFTEES STANDING
BEHIND THE MARINE OFFICERS. 
WHEN THE LINE WORKED MY DAD UP
TO THE MARINE OFFICERS, ONE OF
THEM CALLED OUT TO HIM AND SAID,
COME HERE, SHORTY, YOU'D MAKE A
GOOD MARINE!  MOM AND DAD'S
FORMAL PICTURE TAKEN IN A
PORTRAIT STUDIO.  MOM MADE NAVY
UNIFORMS FOR MY BROTHER AND
MYSELF BEFORE WE KNEW HE WAS TO
BE A MARINE.  MOM, WE TWO BOYS
AND A NEIGHBOR SOLDIER WIFE
HEADED TO CALIFORNIA TO BE WITH
MY DAD.  MOM AND OUR FAMILY JUST
KNEW DAD WOULD BE FIGHTING IN
THE PACIFIC THEATER
ISLAND-HOPPING OR INVADING
JAPANESE HOMELAND.  THE ODDS OF
BEING KILLED WERE PRETTY GOOD. 
AS A FAMILY, WE WERE THANKFUL
THAT PRESIDENT HARRY TRUMAN
DECIDED TO DROP THE ATOMIC BOMB 
AND COY'S FROM MONTGOMERY
COUNTY, SO I JUST THOUGHT I
WOULD SHARE THAT WITH YOU:
THIS WAS A PORTION OF A LETTER
THAT HIS MOM SENT IN SEPTEMBER
OF 1944.  SPENT SECOND GRADE IN
A CALIFORNIA CHURCH BASEMENT DUE
TO THE TREMENDOUS INFLUX OF
SOLDIERS, TEACHERS WAS
INVARIABLY LATE TO CLASS.  THIS
IS COY'S ACCOUNT.  SEVERAL OF US
SECOND GRADERS DECIDED TO LOCK
THE TEACHER OUT OF THE BAIT. 
OUR PUNISHMENT WAS TO BE PARADED
AROUND THE SCHOOL CLASSMEN WITH
RING BINDER CIRCLE REINFORCEMENT
PIECES STUCK ALL OVER OUR FACES 
OH THE MEMORIES.  I LOVE THAT. 
LET'S SEE.
I THINK WE HAVE -- MARIE
GILLISPIE, WOULD YOU MIND COMING
UP AND TALKING ABOUT THIS NEXT
SLIDE?  CAN YOU GET US TO THE
NEXT SLIDE?  THERE WE GO.  AND
THAT IS PRESIDENT OBAMA'S
CONNECTION TO KANSAS.  MARIE,
TELL THEM WHAT YOU DID.
I WAS ON A COMMITTEE IN
EL DORADO WHERE WE RESEARCHED
OBAMA'S KANSAS ROOTS.  WE DIDN'T
CARE EACH OTHER'S POLITICAL
AFFILIATION, WE JUST DID IT FOR
HISTORY, AND WE FOUND THAT THE
ROOTS WERE VERY DEEP HERE IN
KANSAS.  IF YOU'RE INTERESTED
I'LL GIVE YOU TWO WEBSITES YOU
CAN LOOK UP.  THE COMMITTEE
DEVELOPED A REPORT AND WE SENT
COPIES TO THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN
MUSEUM IN D. C., WE SENT A COPY
TO THE WHITE HOUSE.  THERE'S A
COPY IN THE HISTORICAL MUSEUM AT
AUGUSTA, BUTLER COMMUNITY
COLLEGE.  IT'S
OBAMAKANSASHERITAGE.ORG.
>> INSTRUCTOR: OKAY BUT LET'S
BACK UP JUST A SECOND.  WHO WAS
HE RELATED TO?
>> HE WAS RELATED TO -- AND MOST
OF YOU MAY KNOW THAT HIS
GRANDPARENTS GREW UP IN OUR
AREA.  MADELYN PAYNE, HIS
GRANDFATHER STANLEY DUNHAM WAS
BORN AND RAISED IN EL DORADO,
AND THEY MET IN WICHITA AS I
UNDERSTAND.  HIS GRANDMOTHER WAS
A ROSIE THE RIVETER AT BOEING. 
LET'S SEE.
>> INSTRUCTOR: AND HIS MOTHER'S
NAME WAS?
>> HIS WHAT?  MOTHER'S NAME,
STANLEY ANN, AND SHE WAS BORN AT
ST. FRANCIS.  BUT THEY DIDN'T
LIVE HERE LONG, STANLEY HAD
RESTLESS FEET AND THEY MOVED A
LOT.  THERE WAS ANOTHER WEBSITE
THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTING TO
YOU, WE TRACED BACK THAT HE HAS
IN NINE DIFFERENT CEMETERIES IN
KANSAS SOME ANCESTORS ARE
BURIED.  LET'S SEE, LENEXA,
OLATHE, EL DORADO, PERU,
WINFIELD, TWO IN WICHITA, AND
THERE IS A WEBSITE WHERE THERE
IS A FANTASTIC PHOTOGRAPHER THAT
LIVES IN LENEXA, BUT HE LOVES TO
TAKE PHOTOS OF MANY DIFFERENT
AREAS.  BUT HE HAS THIS
PARTICULAR WEBSITE ON THE PHOTOS
OF OBAMA'S ANCESTORS' GRAVE
SITES.  AND IT IS KANSASTRAVEL
.ORG.
>> INSTRUCTOR: OKAY.
THEN THE FORWARD SLASH
OBAMAKANSASANCESTORS.  THAT'LL
GET YOU TO PICTURES OF THE
WEBSITE.
>> INSTRUCTOR: EXCELLENT.
IF YOU CLICK ON THE NAME, WHICH
IS HIGHLIGHTED, OF EACH PERSON
YOU WILL GET MORE TEXT.  HIS
FAMILY, THE DUNHAM SIDE,
ORIGINALLY STARTED IN OHIO, THEN
MOVED TO INDIANA WHEN THE MIAMI
INDIAN LANDS BECAME OPEN FOR
SETTLEMENT.  WHEN THE OSAGE LAND
BECAME OPEN IN SOUTHEAST KANSAS,
A BUNCH OF THE INDIANA FOLKS
MOVED TO SOUTHEAST KANSAS.
>> INSTRUCTOR: OKAY.
THE SAME HAPPENED WITH MADELYN'S
FAMILY.  THEY WERE FROM ARKANSAS
AND MISSOURI.  SEVERAL OF THEM
MOVED TO SOUTHEAST KANSAS AND
THAT'S WHERE THE ORIGINAL FAMILY
MEMBERS MET EACH OTHER.
>> INSTRUCTOR: EXCELLENT.  THANK
YOU VERY MUCH.
YOU BET.
>> INSTRUCTOR: I APPRECIATE YOU
SHARING THAT.
CAN I GIVE THE WEBSITE AGAIN IF
ANYBODY MISSED IT OR IS IT OKAY?
>> INSTRUCTOR: SURE.
DID EVERYONE GET THE WEBSITES? 
DID YOU WANT ME TO REPEAT?  THE
ONE ON OUR RESEARCH IS
OBAMAKANSASHERITAGE.ORG.  THE
ONE FOR THE PHOTOS OF THE GRAVE
SITES IS
KANSASTRAVEL.ORG/OBAMAKANSASANCE
STORS.
>> INSTRUCTOR: EXCELLENT.  THANK
YOU VERY MUCH.  ROBERT BELL HAD
SENT IN THIS ACCOUNT, AND, YOU
KNOW, I HAVE TO SAY, I SO
APPRECIATED IT BECAUSE I WAS
BORN IN 1956, AND YOU'RE
WONDERING, MY GOSH, HOW COULD I
BE AFFECTED SO MUCH BY WORLD WAR
II.  BUT WE WERE.  IT HAD A
PROFOUND EFFECT ON OUR PARENTS
AND SO, ANYWAY, HE SENT IN
REGARDS TO WORLD WAR II I HAVE
LITTLE TO SHARE.  I WAS BORN IN
1955.  SO I MAY BE, I HOPE, ONE
OF THE YOUNGER PEOPLE IN THE
ROOM.  OH, NO, ROBERT, YOU'RE
NOT.
OF COURSE, MY EXPERIENCE IS WHAT
MY PARENTS TOLD ME.  THEY MAY
NOT HAVE BEEN ENTIRELY CANDID
ABOUT IT AS THEY WERE TEENAGERS 
MY FATHER MAINLY TALKED ABOUT
LISTENING TO RADIO BROADCASTS OF
FDR, WHOM HIS PARENTS ADORED,
AND HIS COUSIN WHO WAS INJURED
IN THE LEG DURING THE CAMPAIGN
TO RETAKE ITALY.  MY FATHER --
OR MY MOTHER MAINLY REMEMBERED
THE WAR RATIONING, ESPECIALLY
SUGAR, AND THEY BOTH TALKED OF
GROWING A VEGETABLE GARDEN AT
HOME.  I MEAN, THAT'S SOMETHING
I CAN VERY MUCH RELATE TO.
CLEO RUCKER SENT IN SOME
WONDERFUL STORIES.  I WOULD --
HE SAYS JOYCE HIS WIFE WAS BORN
IN 1934 BUT IN THE LITTLE GERMAN
MENNONITE COMMUNITY OF BUEHLER. 
SHE TOLD ME DURING WORLD WAR II
WHENEVER THE FAMILY WENT TO
HUTCHINSON FOR SHOPPING HER
PARENTS TOLD THE FAMILY TO MAKE
SURE THEY ALWAYS SPOKE ENGLISH
AND NOT GERMAN, WHICH WAS THE
LANGUAGE THEY SPOKE IN HOMES,
CHURCH AND OTHER PLACES IN
BUEHLER.  SHE SAID THEY NEVER
HAD ANY PROBLEMS, BUT THEY JUST
WANTED TO MAKE SURE THERE WERE
NONE.  YOU HAD ASKED ABOUT OUR
EDUCATION.  JOYCE AND I BOTH
GRADUATED FROM WICHITA
UNIVERSITY IN 1956.  AND THEY
WENT ON -- HE HAD A TEACHING
FELLOWSHIP FROM OHIO UNIVERSITY,
AND SHE WAS A SPECIALIST IN
ELEMENTARY -- OR HE WAS A
SPECIALIST IN ELEMENTARY
EDUCATION IN 1976 FROM WSU.  AND
SHE ALSO GRADUATED WITH HER
MASTER'S IN 1985.
AND THEY'RE WATCHING FROM HOME
IN DERBY.  HE SAID NOT HAVING
TAKEN ANY OF YOUR CLASSES
BEFORE, I'M NOT SURE HOW LONG OR
SHORT THESE STORIES SHOULD BE,
SO I WILL JUST RAMBLE ON AND LET
YOU USE WHATEVER YOU WANT OR
DON'T WANT.  I LOVE THE
FRANKNESS ON THAT.  ANYWAY, CLEO
RUCKER WAS BORN IN 1934.  IN THE
THRIVING METROPOLIS OF
VERMILLION KANSAS.  MY PARENTS
OWNED A GENERAL STORE, AND TO
MAKE A LONG STORY MUCH SHORTER
THE GREAT DEPRESSION WAS NOT
VERY GOOD TO THEM.  TRAVELING
SALESMEN WOULD COME THROUGH TOWN
SELLING THEIR WARES AND
EVENTUALLY CONVINCE MY DAD HE
SHOULD MOVE US TO WICHITA WHERE
THE REAL MONEY WAS TO BE MADE. 
WE PACKED UP.  AND IN 1942 LIT
IN WICHITA WHERE DAD TRIED TO
GET WORK AT BOEING. 
UNSUCCESSFUL, HE WENT TO WORK AT
DILLONS AS A MEAT CUTTER AND AT
NIGHT AT AEROPARTS LOCATED WHERE
METROPOLITAN BAPTIST CHURCH NOW
SITS.  THEY NOTICED HIS WORK
ETHIC AND SENT HIM TO SCHOOL TO
GET A GED, AND THEN ON TO BOEING
AS A QUALITY CONTROL INSPECTOR. 
HE MUST NOT HAVE DONE A VERY
GOOD JOB BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU
MENTIONED IN CLASS.  MANY OF THE
PLANES WERE NOT IN VERY GOOD
SHAPE WHEN THEY CAME OFF THE
LINE AND HAD TO BE SENT TO OTHER
BASES TO BE READY TO BE SENT
INTO ACTION.  THAT'S NOT TRUE,
CLEO, THEY WERE IN GOOD SHAPE
BUT JUST HAD NOT BEEN DESIGNED
FOR WAR, SO THEY NEEDED TO BE
SHAPED UP FOR WAR.
BUT ANYWAY, BECAUSE DAD NOW
WORKED FOR BOEING, WE WERE
ELIGIBLE TO LIVE IN PLANEVIEW,
AND IN 1943 MOVED INTO ONE OF
THE TWO-STORY THERE-BEDROOM QUAD
UNITS THAT ARE NO LONGER THERE. 
WE THOUGHT IT WAS A MANSION. 
PLAINVIEW AT THAT TIME HAD ALL
THE NECESSITIES THAT A BIG CITY
HAD, MAINLY A MOVIE THEATER,
5-CENT AND 12-CENT TICKETS AND A
FREE MERRY-GO-ROUND.  MY DAD WAS
ASKED MANY TIMES WHY HE WAS
NEVER DRAFTED, AND IT WAS NOT
BECAUSE HE WAS NOT OLD ENOUGH
FOR WORLD WAR I AND -- IT WAS
BECAUSE HE WAS NOT OLD ENOUGH
FOR WORLD WAR I AND TOO OLD FOR
WORLD WAR II.  YOU MAY REMEMBER
READING ABOUT THE PANDEMIC THAT
WAS SCARING EVERYONE AT THE
TIME, POLIO.  UNFORTUNATELY I
WAS ONE OF THE UNLUCKY ONES THAT
CAME DOWN WITH THIS DISEASE AND
ENDED UP IN ST. FRANCIS HOSPITAL
WHERE THEY THOUGHT THAT COULD BE
CURED BY HOT PACKS, ANOTHER
STORY.  ONE OF THE MOST
INTERESTING THINGS I REMEMBER
ABOUT OUR TIME WAS WHEN DAD WAS
AT BOEING IN 1944 AS I REMEMBER,
AND BOEING WAS STILL MAKING THE
SMALLER BOMBERS.  HE CAME HOME
FROM WORK ONE DAY AND TOLD US
ABOUT THE NEW PLANE THEY WERE
STARTING TO PUT INTO PRODUCTION 
IT'S SO DAMN BIG IT'LL NEVER GET
OFF THE GROUND.  THAT WAS THE
B-29, THE BOMBER THAT ENDED
WORLD WAR II.
AND THEN HE WRITES, EXTRAS FOR
FREE.  THE ARTICLE ABOUT THE
HUTCHINSON BASE WAS VERY
INTERESTING.  IN THE '70s WE
LIVED IN WICHITA, AND I WAS A
MEMBER OF THE NORMAN LEE
ORCHESTRA, AND WE PLAYED SEVERAL
DANCES AT THE OFFICERS' CLUB
WHICH WAS ONE OF THEIR HANGARS. 
THEN IN THE '80s UNTIL I
RETIRED IN 2000 I WAS A SCHOOL
ADMINISTRATOR IN PRATT.  I WAS
PART OF A DIXIELAND BAND, AND WE
DID SEVERAL PERFORMANCES IN THE
BIG HANGAR THAT WAS STILL
STANDING.  IT HAS SINCE BEEN
TORN DOWN BECAUSE IT WAS FALLING
DOWN.  THERE WAS A GROUP IN
PRATT THAT TRIED TO SAVE IT BUT
FAILED BECAUSE OF THE COST, AND
THAT'S ONE THING I ALSO WANTED
TO MENTION IS IN PRATT, ONE OF
THE LAST REMAINING PARACHUTE
BUILDINGS, IT'S ON THE NATIONAL
REGISTER NOW, BUT IT WAS USED
DURING WORLD WAR II TO PACK THE
PARACHUTES FOR THE PILOTS.  JUST
THOUGHT I WOULD MENTION THAT. 
ANYWAY, I THOUGHT CLEO HAD SOME
GREAT STORIES.  LET'S SEE. 
LET'S GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE,
I'M SO SORRY.
ONE WOMAN SENT IN, SHE WANTED TO
REMAIN ANONYMOUS, BUT SHE TALKED
ABOUT THE LANDING SHIP TANKS. 
MY DAD WAS A FIRST GENERATION
AMERICAN.  MY GRANDPARENTS CAME
OVER TO THE UNITED STATES FROM
AUSTRIA TO AVOID THE IMPENDING
WAR BUILDING UP IN EUROPE. 
CONSEQUENTLY HE WAS VERY
PATRIOTIC.  HIS PARENTS PASSED
ON TO HIM THAT APPRECIATION FOR
THIS COUNTRY.  HE WANTED TO SIGN
UP TO SERVE IN WORLD WAR II. 
HIS BROTHER FRANK HAD ALREADY
ENLISTED BUT HE WAS ONE DAY TOO
OLD.  UNCLE FRANK ENDED UP IN
NORMANDY ON D-DAY, WOUNDED AND
CAME BACK 80% DISABLED.  HE WAS
AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART.  DAD
WANTED TO DO SOMETHING SO HE
PACKED US UP, WE MOVED TO
INDIANA AND OHIO SO THAT HE
COULD WORK IN THE SHIPYARDS AND
DID SO THROUGH THE WAR YEARS.  I
STARTED FIRST GRADE IN
GREENSBURG OHIO AGE 4.  I
REMEMBER THE DEEP SNOW THAT MY
SISTER AND I WALKED THROUGH TO
GO TO SCHOOL.  I'D FALL INTO THE
DRIFTS, AND SHE'D REACH DOWN AND
PULL ME OUT.  AFTER THE WAR DAD
MOVED US BACK TO KANSAS.  I
REMEMBER HOW HOT IT SEEMED AS WE
GOT CLOSER TO KANSAS.  ANOTHER
INTERESTING NOTE WAS THAT MY DAD
HELPED BUILD THE LST BOATS,
PROBABLY ONE OF THOSE THAT
LANDED MY UNCLE FRANK ON THE
BEACH OF NORMANDY.  WHAT'S OUR
NEXT SLIDE?
OKAY.  I'M GOING TO ASK JUST TO
TAKE A SMALL BREAK.  DOES ANYONE
HAVE A STORY THEY'D LIKE TO
SHARE?  JUST TO GIVE MY VOICE A
BREAK.  I KNOW YOU DO.  YES,
TELL A STORY.  HOP RIGHT ON UP
HERE.
>> I HAVE LOTS OF STORIES
BECAUSE I WAS SECOND -- FIRST,
SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH GRADE WHEN
MY DAD WAS IN SERVICE.
>> INSTRUCTOR: WHAT IS YOUR
NAME?
>> SUE BUSH.  ONE OF THE
THINGS -- I'VE DONE GENEALOGY
FOR ABOUT 50 YEARS.  ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT I'VE JUST FOUND
RECENTLY BECAUSE I'VE BEEN ABLE
TO PULL UP LIKE MY DAD'S
REGISTRATION FOR WORLD WAR II,
BUT JUST RECENTLY I FOUND MY
GRANDFATHER'S.  AND MY
GRANDFATHER WAS BORN IN AUGUST
OF 1877.  SO THE STORY IS THE
U.S. OFFICIALLY ENTERED WORLD
WAR II ON 8 DECEMBER 1941
FOLLOWING THE ATTACK ON PEARL
HARBOR.  IN OCTOBER OF 1940
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT HAD SIGNED
INTO LAW THE FIRST PEACETIME
SELECTIVE SERVICE DRAFT IN
HISTORY.  DUE TO THE RISING
WORLD CONFLICTS.  AND SO THEN
THERE WAS FOUR WAVES OF
REGISTRATION.  THE FOURTH
REGISTRATION OFTEN REFERRED TO
AS THE OLD MAN'S REGISTRATION
WAS CONDUCTED ON 27 APRIL 1942
AND REGISTERED MEN WHO WERE BORN
ON OR BETWEEN THE 28th OF
APRIL, 1877, AND THE 15th OF
FEBRUARY, 1897.  MY
GRANDFATHER'S REGISTRATION,
WHICH I HAVE A PICTURE OF HERE,
IT HAS HIS NAME, THEIR ADDRESS,
AND WHAT STATE HE WAS BORN IN. 
HE WAS 64 YEARS OLD.  THAT'S MY
GRANDMOTHER'S NAME.  AND WANTED
TO KNOW HIS EMPLOYMENT.  HE SAID
GARDENING.  HE WAS RETIRED FROM
THE RAILROAD.  AND HE HAD BEEN
IN THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.  SO
I WAS REALLY SURPRISED TO FIND
THAT.
MY DAD WAS IN THE NAVY, AND ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT I WROTE IN,
THE FIRST I REMEMBER OF WAR, I
WAS ABOUT 4 YEARS OLD, AND
WALKED INTO THE BEDROOM, MY
MOTHER WAS MAKING THE BED, AND
SHE WAS CRYING.  WELL, FOR A
4-YEAR-OLD TO FIND HER MOTHER
CRYING, THAT'S TRAUMATIC, AND I
SAID, WHAT'S WRONG, MOM?  AND
SHE SAID, TOMMY'S GOING TO WAR. 
WAR MEANT NOTHING TO ME BUT
TOMMY WAS HER BROTHER, HER ONLY
BROTHER.  AND TOMMY DID.  HE WAS
DRAFTED.  HE WENT IN THE ARMY.
HE WAS SINGLE, NEVER GOT
MARRIED.  HE SPENT THE ENTIRE
WORLD WAR II FROM '42 TO '45 IN
BERMUDA SITTING BEHIND A DESK. 
MY DAD WAS IN THE NAVY.  HE WAS
ON HIS WAY ON THE BUS FROM
TOPEKA TO KANSAS CITY AFTER
BEING -- GETTING A DRAFT NOTICE,
AND A BUNCH OF FELLOWS STARTED
TALKING, HEY, WE ARE INDUCTED IN
THE ARMY WE'RE GOING TO END UP
IN EUROPE, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE
WALKING AND EVERYTHING SO THEY
GOT OFF THE BUS AND WALKED OVER
TO THE NAVY STATION AND ENLISTED
IN THE NAVY.
SO JUST LOTS OF -- SEVERAL YEARS
AGO WE WERE IN HAWAII AND
STANDING ON THE ARIZONA
MEMORIAL, AND THEN THE NEXT DAY
WE WENT BACK AND WERE ON THE USS
MISSOURI STANDING WHERE IT WAS
SIGNED, AND YOU CAN STAND THERE
AND LOOK ACROST AND SEE THE
ARIZONA.  AND IT'S A FEELING OF
I SAW WHERE IT STARTED, AND I'M
STANDING ON THE SHIP WHERE IT
ENDED.  THOUGH THE SHIP WAS IN A
DIFFERENT PLACE.  SO JUST THIS
SOME THINGS.
ONE MORE THING.  TOLD ABOUT
OBAMA'S GRANDMOTHER.  I WENT TO
HIGH SCHOOL -- GRADUATED FROM
HIGH SCHOOL WITH HIS
GRANDMOTHER'S BROTHER, AND WE
STILL CORRESPOND ON -- SO --
>> INSTRUCTOR: OH MY, THAT'S A
GREAT STORY.  THAT'S WONDERFUL. 
IS WANDA ISLES IN THIS CLASS? 
SHE MUST BE TAKING THIS ONLINE. 
SHE WAS BORN AND RAISED IN
FLORENCE, AND BOTH SETS OF HER
GRANDPARENTS WERE OF GERMAN
DESCENT AND CAME TO KANSAS TO
FARM.  HER FATHER'S FAMILY MOVED
FROM LINCOLNVILLE KANSAS TO
FLORENCE IN 1940.  THEY HAD
EIGHT CHILDREN, FIVE SONS AND
THREE DAUGHTERS.  THREE OF HER
FATHER'S BROTHERS SERVED IN
WORLD WAR II.  KENNETH AND JOHN
WERE MARINES STATIONED IN THE
SOUTH PACIFIC.  GAYLE WAS IN THE
ARMY AND FOUGHT IN THE BATTLE OF
THE BULGE.  HENRY PASSED AWAY AT
AGE 16 LEAVING THE YOUNGEST SON,
MY FATHER, TO HELP WITH THE
FARMING.  MY FATHER, WALLET,
WALT HAD A MEDICAL CONDITION
THAT PREVENTED HIM FROM SERVING
IN ANY BRANCH OF THE MILITARY. 
I CAN REMEMBER MY FATHER TELLING
ME HOW POOR HIS FAMILY WAS AND
HOW HARD FARMING BECAME WITH MY
UNCLES AWAY FIGHTING FOR OUR
COUNTRY.  LARGE FAMILIES WERE
COMMON AND THE CHILDREN HELPED
WITH THE CROPS AND THE CHORES. 
THEY COULD NOT AFFORD PROPER
HOUSING.  WHEN THEY PURCHASED
THE FARM WEST OF FLORENCE IT HAD
TWO OLD RAILROAD BOXCARS.  THE
FAMILY BUILT A TWO ROOM WHICH
CONNECTED THE TWO BOXCARS.  ONE
WAS SPLIT AND SERVED AS TWO
BEDROOMS FOR THE SEVEN CHILDREN 
THE OTHER BOXCAR CONTAINED A
SMALL KITCHEN AND MY
GRANDPARENTS' BEDROOM.  MY DAD
SHARED A MEMORY OF HIM WAKING UP
DURING THE WINTER WITH SNOW ON
HIS BLANKET.  THE BOXCARS WERE
NOT INSULATED AND SNOW DRIFTED
INSIDE THROUGH THE CRACKS
THROUGH THE WOOD PANELS.  HE
ALSO TOLD ME MY GRANDMOTHER'S
WORST FEAR WAS RECEIVING A
TELEGRAM NOTIFYING HER OF A
SON'S DEATH IN THE WAR. 
GRANDMOTHER'S PRAYERS WERE
ANSWERED WHEN ALL THREE CHILDRED
HOME SAFELY.
I'M JUST GOING TO ADHERE THAT
BOXCARS ON FARMS WERE OFTEN A
COMMON SIGHT IN KANSAS.  AND IN
FACT, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE YOU
CAN STILL SEE SOME OF THOSE OLD
ONES.  OKAY.  WE CAN MAKE
COMMENTS ON THAT LATER.  ANYWAY,
HER GRANDMOTHER MADE ALL THE
CLOTHES FOR THE FAMILY.  HER
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS PRESENT WAS
RECEIVING A NEW PAIR OF SHOES
ONE YEAR.  HER MOTHER'S FAMILY
HAD SIX IT CHILDREN, FOUR
DAUGHTERS AND TWO SONS.  THE
FAMILY LIVED IN NEWTON UNTIL THE
SPRING OF 1943 WHEN THEY BOUGHT
A FARM AND MOVED TO FLORENCE. 
IN 1944 HER GRANDFATHER BECAME
ILL AND WAS UNABLE TO WORK IN
THE FIELDS.  MY MOTHER WHO WAS
12 AT THE TIME RECALLS THREE OR
FOUR OF THE GERMAN POWs FROM
THE PEABODY PRISONER CAMP COMING
TO THEIR FARM.  THERE WERE ARMED
GUARDS WHO WATCHED THE PRISONERS
WHEN THEY WORKED THE FIELDS AND
THE WHEAT HARVEST.  MY
GRANDMOTHER WAS FLUENT IN
GERMAN, PROVIDED THE NOON MEAL
TO THE GUARDS AND THE PRISONERS
ON THE PORCH.  MY GRANDMOTHER
VISITED WITH THEM IN GERMAN AND
REMEMBERS THEM BEING VERY
POLITE.  LET'S SEE.
BOTH OF MY FAMILIES HAD RATION
BOOKS, NOTHING WENT TO WASTE. 
FOR EXAMPLE MY MOTHER HAD
SEVERAL DRESSES WHICH WERE MADE
FROM FEED SACKS.  THE COMMON
SAYING AT THE TIME WAS USE IT
UP, WEAR IT OUT OR DO WITHOUT. 
EVERYONE WORKED HARD AND HELPED
ONE ANOTHER.  AND I LOVE THIS
ONE FROM SANDRA COOL GORDON.  I
GREW UP IN ON A FARM IN CLOUD
COUNTY NEAR GLASCO.  I WAS 8
WHEN THE WAR WAS OVER.  I DO NOT
REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR.  I WENT
TO A ONE-ROOM SCHOOL A HALF MILE
FROM OUR HOME.  I REMEMBER
PICKING MILKWEED PODS AND HAVING
A SCRAP METAL DRIVE.  WE BOUGHT
10 CENTS MONTHLY AND ADDED THE
STAMP TO OUR BOOK.  A BOOK WAS A
WAR BOND.  I THINK I STILL HAVE
ONE IN A SAFE DEPOSIT BOX.  WE
DID A BIG VICTORY GARDEN AND
SANG VICTORY SONGS LIKE JOHNNY
GOT A ZERO.  MY DAD AND HIS
BROTHER WERE CONSIDERED
ESSENTIAL INDUSTRY SO THEY DID
NOT GO INTO THE SERVICE.
I DO REMEMBER WHEN TWO GERMAN
PRISONERS FROM THE CAMP IN
CONCORDIA CAME TO WORK ON THE
FARM.  TWO GUARDS CAME WITH
THEM.  WE FED THEM IN THE FRONT
YARD UNDER THE TREES.  THEY WERE
VERY WELL FED WITH FRIED
CHICKEN, MASHED POTATOES AND
GRAVY, I'M SURE THE VEGETABLES
WERE PICKED FROM THE GARDEN THAT
MORNING, I'M SURE THERE WERE
SIDE DISHES AND BREAD THOUGH I
DON'T REMEMBER THAT, I ALSO
DON'T REMEMBER WHERE MOTHER GAVE
THEM DESSERT WITH HER PRECIOUS
SUGAR, RATIONED, I'M GUESSING
SHE DID.  THE YOUNG MEN WERE
JUST LIKE THE YOUNG MEN IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD, NOT THE MONSTERS I
EXPECTED, THEY WERE LAUGHING AND
JOKING, SEEMED TO BE ENJOYING
THE BEAUTIFUL DAY.  ONE MAN HAD
A PICTURE OF A DAUGHTER THE AGE
WITH MY CAN YOU SEE CANIN,
BLONDE AND WEARING HER HAIR IN
PIGTAILS.  HE WAS WATCHING WHAT
SHE DID.  I REMEMBER GETTING THE
PAPERWORK TO BE ABLE TO BUY
SHOES.  I DON'T REMEMBER HAVING
TROUBLE WITH GAS BECAUSE IT WAS
ESSENTIAL FOR THE MACHINES. 
SUGAR RATIONING WAS HARD FOR MY
MOTHER.  WE GOT OUR
GRANDPARENTS' SUGAR BECAUSE MY
GRANDFATHER WAS DIABETIC BETTIC 
WE FOUND SOME AFTER THE WAR THAT
HAD YELLOWED WITH AGE.  I WOULD
COME HOME AND SAY THE GIRLS HAVE
GUM YOU CAN BLOW BUBBLES WITH. 
THE ANSWER WAS ALWAYS THAT IT
WAS AVAILABLE BEFORE THE WAR. 
SEVERAL THINGS WERE NEW TO ME. 
I LOVE THAT STORY.
STEVE SMITH, YOU'RE HERE, AREN'T
YOU?  YES!  DO YOU WANT TO SHARE
YOUR STORY?  AND WHAT'S OUR NEXS
THE ONE!  THIS IS THE SLIDE
WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR.
>> MY STORY, MY FATHER, WE WERE
SO HARD UP FOR SOLDIERS DURING
WORLD WAR II THAT MY FATHER WAS
DRAFTED IN 1943 AT AGE 34, PLUS
HIS WIFE, MY MOM, WAS PREGNANT
WITH ME, AND WHAT WERE WE DOING
TAKING SOMEBODY WHO WAS
34-YEAR-OLD WITH A PREGNANT
WIFE?  DAD HAD WORKED IN A
FEDERAL HOSPITAL AND HAD A
MEDICAL BACKGROUND, AND THAT WAS
CONSIDERED VERY DESIRABLE.  SO
HE GOT DRAFTED BY THE NAVY. 
SERVED AT A NAVAL HOSPITAL IN
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA.  TWO PLACES
IN NEW GUINEA WITH THE NAVY SEE
BEES, THE CONSTRUCTION OUTFIT. 
HE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST GUYS
ASHORE.  THEN HE WAS IN THE
PHILIPPINES WITH THE SEA BEES
AGAIN.  WAR ENDED, HE CAME HOME
AT AGE TWO AND A HALF I GOT TO
SEE HIM IN OCTOBER OF 1945, AND
I DON'T REMEMBER THIS BUT I
REMEMBER ALL THE STORIES THAT HE
TOOK ME UP TO KING'S DRUGSTORE
FOR A VANILLA ICE CREAM CONE
THAT STARTED A LONG FASCINATION
OF ICE CREAM.  YOU HEAR THESE
STORIES FROM YOUR PARENTS AND
VETERANS FOR YEARS, YOU THINK,
WHY DIDN'T I TALK ABOUT THIS
SOONER.  I ASKED DAD ONE TIME,
WELL, WHAT DID YOU GET DONE IN
THE PHILIPPINES SUCH-AND-SUCH A
TIME?  WHEN DID YOU GET HOME? 
WELL HE GOT TO CALIFORNIA
SUCH-AND-SUCH A TIME.  WELL,
THAT SOUNDS LIKE YOU WERE OUT
THERE 17 OR 18 WEEKS, WEREN'T
YOU, DAD?  YEAH.  WELL, WHY DID
IT TAKE SO LONG?  WELL, WE WERE
IN THE -- THE SHIPS MILLING
AROUND THERE WAITING TO INVADE
JAPAN.  AND I'D READ ABOUT THIS
IN HISTORY THAT THEY SPECULATED
IF WE WOULD HAVE INVADED JAPAN
THAT THE JAPANESE WOULD HAVE PUT
UP FIERCE RESISTANCE, WE WOULD
HAVE HAD ARM TO ARM FIGHTING AND
MAYBE PICK YOUR NUMBER, A
MILLION AMERICANS KILLED OR
WHATEVER.  IT HIT ME LIKE
SOMEBODY MENTIONED EARLIER, MAN,
IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR THE ATOMIC
BOMB BEING DROPPED AND JAPAN
SURRENDERING I MIGHT NEVER HAVE
SEEN MY DAD.
WELL, YEARS LATER COLONEL PAUL
TIBBETTS, THE COMMANDER ON THE
B-29 THE ENHE'LL ENOLA GAY,
COLONEL TIBBETTS WAS HERE IN THE
AVIATION MUSEUM IN 2017, AND HE
WAS HELPING RAISE FUNDS FOR THE
RESTORATION OF THE B-29 BOMBER,
AND YOU COULD BUY ONE OF THESE
BOOKS, AND MEET HIM.  AND HE
WOULD AUTOGRAPH IT.  SO I WAS
STANDING IN LINE, AND I CAME UP,
AND I HAD MY BOOK, AND I SAID
COLONEL TIBBETTS IF YOU'LL
FORGIVE ME I KNOW YOU PROBABLY
HEARD THIS STORY A MILLION TIMES
BUT MY DAD WAS WAITING OUT IN
THE PACIFIC TO GO ASHORE ON
JAPAN.  IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR
YOU AND YOUR MEN AND YOUR TEAM I
MIGHT NOT HAVE HAD A DAD.  AND
HE KIND OF THOUGHT FOR A MOMENT,
LIKE I SAY HE'S PROBABLY HEARD
THIS STORY A MILLION TIMES.  HE
GETS UP, A TALL MAN.  HE HAS A
TEAR IN HIS EYE, I HAVE A TEAR
IN MY EYE, WE SHAKE HANDS, AND I
WAS GLAD HE GOT TO HEAR THAT.  I
THINK A LOT OF TIMES GUYS IN HIS
POSITION A LOT OF TIMES WITH THE
CONTROVERSY ABOUT THE BOMB IT'S
GOOD FOR THEM TO REMEMBER THERE
ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE THANKFUL FOR
WHAT HAPPENED.  THAT'S MY STORY.
>> INSTRUCTOR: THAT'S TRUE WITH
MY DAD AS WELL.  IT MEANT A LOT
TO THESE GUYS THAT THE BOMB WAS
DROPPED.  CERTAINLY A LOT OF US
WOULD NOT BE HERE HAD THAT NOT
HAVE HAPPENED.  AND YOU'RE RIGHT
, IT IS CONTROVERSIAL BUT
ANYWAY.
ANOTHER STORY THAT WAS SENT IN,
I WAS A LITTLE GIRL OF 5 LIVING
IN SAN DIEGO ON DECEMBER 7th,
1941.  AS YOU KNOW, 5-YEAR-OLDS
ARE BLISSFULLY UNAWARE OF THINGS
GOING ON OUTSIDE OF THEIR
IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENT.  THAT DAY
WAS A BIT DIFFERENT AS
5-YEAR-OLDS CAN ALSO FEEL THE
FEAR AND TENSION AROUND THEM. 
BY THE WAY, THIS WAS SENT IN BY
RITA.  I WAS OUTSIDE ON OUR
PORCH PLAYING WITH MY SISTER
WHEN WE BECAME AWARE OF OUR
PARENTS AND OLDER NEIGHBORS
TALKING ANIMATEDLY AND FELT THAT
SOMETHING WAS WRONG.  WE WENT
INSIDE AND ASKED WHAT WAS GOING
ON.  THEY TOLD US THE JAPS HAVE
OBAMA PEARL HARBOR, I ASKED
WHERE THAT WAS, MY DAD SAID IT
WAS OUT IN THE OCEAN.  THAT WAS
AN EXPLANATION TO SOMEONE MY AGE
SINCE I KNEW THE OCEAN WAS A
VERY SHORT DISTANCE FROM OUR
HOUSE I WAS VERY SCARED.  LATER
I BECAME AWARE OF OTHER THINGS
WAR-RELATED SUCH AS BLACKOUT
SHADES, MOM HELPING TO ROLL
BANDAGES, SUGAR AND OTHER
SHORTAGES BUT ESPECIALLY THE
SCARCITY OF BUBBLEGUM, THE KNOWN
SCARCITY OF BUBBLEGUM.  THE GUM
WHICH WE COULD GET WAS NOW THE
EXORBITANT PRICE OF 5 CENTS.  MY
DAD WHO HAD BEEN WORKING FOR THE
POST OFFICE NOW HAD A PHOTO
BOOTH IN A DOWNTOWN AMUSEMENT
PARK.  THERE HE TOOK PHOTOS OF
THE SAILORS AND MARINES WANTING
TO SEND PHOTOS HOME BEFORE THEY
LEFT FOR WAR ZONES.  SAN DIEGO
WAS THE SETTING OFF POINT FOR
VAST NUMBERS OF MILITARY
PERSONNEL.  THESE ARE THE THINGS
I REMEMBER MOST.
AND THIS WAS SENT IN BY CAROL
DEAN PRESNELL.  I WAS IN THE
NAVY IN WORLD WAR II BEING
CALLED UP TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE
BOMB WAS DROPPED.  MY DESIRE TO
GET INTO THE SERVICE MAY HAVE
BEEN BECAUSE ALL MY CLASSMATES
WERE IN THE SERVICES RATHER THAN
PATRIOTISM.  I WAS JUST A NAIVE
COUNTRY BOY.  I WONDER IF OUR
CURRENT CITIZENS COULD COME
TOGETHER IN THE SPIRIT OF
PATRIOTISM AS WE DID IN THE
'40s.  THOUGHT THAT WAS AN
INTERESTING QUESTION.
HE TALKS -- THIS IS A RATHER
LONG STORY SO I'M GOING TO HIT
THE HIGHLIGHTS.  HE TALKED ABOUT
BEING A SOPHOMORE AT WINFIELD
HIGH SCHOOL AT THE END OF THE
WAR.  HE WAS IN THE NAVY, AND
HE, LETS SEE, HIS MOTHER --
DURING WORLD WAR II A WIDOW WITH
SONS WORKED AT THE BOEING PLANT
ON A PUNCH PRESS.  SHE COMMUTED
FROM WINFIELD TO A TEN-HOUR
SECOND SHIFT BY EITHER A BUS OR
CAR POOL.
DURING HIS JUNIOR AND SENIOR
YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL, HE WORKED
AT A NEIGHBORHOOD GROCERY AS A
CLERK, A BUTCHER AND A DELIVERY
TRUCK DRIVER DERIVING GROCERIES
IN WINFIELD AND WORKED WITH
RATION COUPONS.  HIS MOST VIVID
MEMORIES WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING
ON AN ORDER FOR KOTEX, FILLING
IT WITH CARPET TAX AND A FENDER
BENDER WITH A TRUCK.  I HAD
NEVER DRIVEN BEFORE.  UPON
GRADUATION FROM HIGH SCHOOL ALL
MY CLASSMATES WERE LEAVING FOR
THE ARMED SERVICES BUT I WAS TOO
YOUNG.  HE TOOK A BUS TO
WICHITA, FOUND THE BOARD OF
EDUCATION ON SOUTH BROADWAY AND
OBTAINED AN UNDERAGE WORK
PERMIT.  IT ALLOWED HIM TO GET A
JOB AT BOEING IN THE STOCK ROOM
FILLING PART ORDERS FOR THE B-29
.  LET'S SEE.
THEN HE WENT TO CHILLICOTHE
BUSINESS SCHOOL, BUSINESS
COLLEGE, AND THEN WORKED AS A
ROUND HOUSE CAR CLERK FOR FRISCO
RAILROAD.  LET'S SEE.  LET'S
SKIP TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND, YES 
WAYNE, I KNOW YOU'RE HERE. 
WOULD YOU LIKE TO TALK ABOUT
YOUR MOM?  THANK YOU.  SHE HAS
AN INCREDIBLE STORY, AND I JUST
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT WHEN YOU
SENT THIS IN.  OKAY.  THAT'S
FINE.
>> FIRST OF ALL I'D LIKE TO
MENTION THAT I DID HAVE THREE
UNCLES THAT SERVED IN THE
MILITARY DURING WORLD WAR II. 
ONE OF THEM WAS IN NEW GUINEA IN
THE MEDICAL CORPS, AND THEN
ANOTHER ONE WAS -- HELPED
LIBERATE SOME OF THE
CONCENTRATION CAMPS IN THE
GERMAN HUNGARY AREA.  THEN MY
DAD AND UNCLE BOTH SERVED IN THE
BATTLE OF THE BULGE AND THAT
PART OF BELGIUM.  BUT MY MOTHER,
WHILE SHE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, I
BELIEVE IT WAS HER JUNIOR YEAR
WAS INVOLVED WITH A CAMPAIGN,
SHE WAS GOING TO VESPER HIGH
SCHOOL WHICH IS JUST WEST OF
SALINA UP THERE, LINCOLN,
VESPER, FARMING COMMUNITY, NOT A
LOT OF PEOPLE, BUT THEY SENT --
THEY HAD A CAMPAIGN TO RAISE
MONEY FOR WAR BONDS AND WAR
STAMPS.  AND THEY WERE ABLE TO
IN THE LENGTH OF THAT CAMPAIGN
RAISE ABOUT $27,000 TO DONATE TO
THE WAR BOND EFFORT.  THE
MILITARY WAS SO THANKFUL THAT
THEY ENDED UP NAMING 32 JEEPS
VESPER KANSAS JEEPS IN THEIR
HONOR, AND SHE WAS THEN THE --
OF COURSE THE HIGH SELLER SO SHE
WAS NAMED THE WAR BOND QUEEN OF
THE HIGH SCHOOL.  FOLLOWING HER
GRADUATION --
>> INSTRUCTOR: DON'T YOU LOVE
THAT?
>> FOLLOWING HER GRADUATION,
THEN, SHE DID ENTER INTO THE
NURSE CORPS WITH THE IDEA THAT
THEY WOULD BE SERVING IN THE
MILITARY WITH THE NURSES, AND
SHE ENTERED AT ST. FRANCIS
HOSPITAL AND WENT THROUGH ABOUT
A YEAR AND A HALF OF TRAINING
BEFORE THE WAR ENDED.  AND WHEN
THE WAR ENDED MY DAD CAME BACK,
THEY GOT MARRIED, SHE WAS KICKED
OUT OF THE NURSING CORPS BECAUSE
MARRIED WOMEN WEREN'T ALLOWED TO
BE NURSES AT THAT TIME.  AND SO
SHE LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER,
AND I KNOW HE DID, TOO, SO --
BUT THAT'S -- UNLESS YOU WANT TO
HEAR SOME OTHER STORIES ABOUT
THE ANTICS OF MY FATHER.
>> INSTRUCTOR: I LOVED HOW MUCH
MONEY THEY WERE ABLE TO RAISE
AND THAT IT WAS NAMED IN HONOR
OF -- I JUST THINK THAT'S AN
INCREDIBLE, INCREDIBLE STORY. 
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
NOW, YOU HAD ALSO MENTIONED
ABOUT HOW -- WAS IT YOUR FATHER,
ONE OF HOW HE ALMOST GOT THROWN
INTO THE BRIG?
>> YES.
>> INSTRUCTOR: DO YOU WANT TO
TELL THAT STORY?  IT'S KIND OF A
CUTE STORY.
>> MY FATHER, BEING THE MOST
RAMBUNCTIOUS OF THREE BROTHERS,
WHEN HE WAS STATIONED IN
BASTONE, AROUND THAT AREA, HE
FOUND HIS OLDER BROTHER EVERETT
THERE IN THE PICTURE WITH HIM,
HE WAS A LIEUTENANT STATIONED
THERE ALSO.  AND HE SPENT
SEVERAL DAYS TRYING TO FIND THE
LOCATION WHERE HIS BROTHER WAS,
FINALLY FIGURED OUT WHERE THE
OFFICERS' QUARTERS WERE AND
OFFICERS' AREA WAS, AND STORMED
THE OFFICERS' CAMP CLAIMING THAT
HE WAS GOING TO BEAT THE OUT OF
THIS SOB, YOU KNOW, HE JUST
NAMED HIM BY NAME, YOU KNOW, SOB
JANNE, STORMING IN THERE.  THE
MILITARY POLICE, GUARDS GRABBED
HIM AND CREATED ALL KINDS OF
HASSLE, AND HIS BROTHER WAS
STANDING OVER THERE IN THE
CORNER AND SAW IT AND REALIZED
WHO IT WAS AND CAME OVER, AND
THAT WAS THEIR REUNION IN
BASTONE IN BELGIUM THERE.
I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION ALSO,
KNOW, THAT THERE WAS ONE TIME
WHERE HE COMMANDEERED A JEEP FOR
HE AND HIS BUDDY TO GO TOURING
AND ROAMING AROUND THE
COUNTRYSIDE WHEN THEY HAD TIME
OFF ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT IT WAS
ONE OF GENERAL BRADLEY'S
PERSONAL JEEPS STATIONED WHERE
HE WAS AT ALSO.
>> INSTRUCTOR: THAT IS RISKY
BUSINESS.  ALL RIGHT.  LET'S GO
TO THE NEXT SLIDE, SEE WHAT
WE'VE GOT THERE.  LORRIE, ARE
YOU HERE TODAY?  THERE YOU ARE. 
TELL US THIS STORY.  I LOVE IT. 
THIS IS A TWO-PARTER SLIDE,
OKAY?.
>> LOUDER.
I HAVEN'T TALKED.  SO ON THE
BOTTOM --
>> INSTRUCTOR: WE CAN'T BLAME
HER YET.
IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT IS A V-MAIL
MESSAGE THAT MY GRANDFATHER SENT
BACK TO HIS WIFE IN KONAWA,
OKLAHOMA.  AND MY MOM IN 1944
GRANDPA WAS STATIONED IN
GREENLAND AND MOM WAS 6 YEARS
OLD.  AND IF I HAD KNOWN I WAS
GOING TO BE TAKING THIS CLASS I
WOULD HAVE ASKED HER ABOUT WORLD
WAR II AND GRANDPA YEARS AGO. 
SADLY SHE WAS SUFFERING FROM
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE, SHE'S
NONVERBAL SO I CAN'T ASK HER ANY
INFORMATION.  MY PERSONAL
CONNECTION WITH WORLD WAR II
CAME IN 2007, THE 65th
ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF
MIDWAY.  BEFORE I RETIRED SIX
YEARS AGO FROM THE GREAT PLAINS
NATURE CENTER I WORKED FOR THE
U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE. 
IN THE UPPER RIGHT, YOU CAN SEE
THE ENTRANCE SIGN IS FOR MIDWAY
NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE,
MAINTAINED BY THE U.S. FISH AND
WILDLIFE SERVICE THE BATTLE OF
MIDWAY NATIONAL HISTORIC
MEMORIAL, AND ALSO THE OCEANS
AROUND IT PART OF A NATIONAL
MONUMENT AS WELL.
SO THERE WAS A GROUP OF PROBABLY
18 OF US FROM THE U.S. FISH AND
WILDLIFE SERVICE, THE NATIONAL
PARK SERVICE THAT FLEW TO MIDWAY
ISLAND, AND WE THEN GREETED THE
VETERANS FOR A ONE-DAY CEREMONY
AT THE -- ON THE ISLAND.  SO
THERE'S A PILL BOX THAT'S ON THE
BEACH, AND YOU CAN SEE THE
OUTLINE OF AN ALBATROSS.  MIDWAY
ISLAND IS A NATIONAL WILDLIFE
REFUGE WITH THOUSANDS UPON
THOUSANDS OF ALBATROSS THAT GO
THERE EVERY YEAR TO NEST, AND
THAT'S WHY IT'S A PROTECTED
AREA.  I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A
NEXT SLIDE, BUT . . . AH.
IN THE UPPER YOU CAN SEE THE
SHIP OFF SHORE AND THE
ALBATROSS.  SO ALL THESE FOLKS
WERE THEN SHIPPED TO THE ISLAND 
AND THEY WERE -- WE GREETED THEM
AT THE AIR -- ON THE AIRSTRIP,
AND THEN THEY TOOK A TOUR, AND
THEN BY NIGHT FALL THEY WERE
BACK ON THEIR CRUISE SHIP.  AND
THE PICTURE IN THE MIDDLE IT'S
KIND OF HARD TO SEE BUT WE'RE
PREPPING FOR THE CEREMONY, I'M
SECOND FROM THE RIGHT, AND I'M
ACTUALLY WEARING A WSU SHIRT AT
THE TIME.
>> INSTRUCTOR: WOO-HOO!
>> THAT'S IT.  2007.  THAT'S THE
65th -- (COMMENTS OFF MIC).
>> THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY WAS 1942
SO 2007 WAS THE 65th
ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF
MIDWAY, JUNE 5th THROUGH THE
7th OF 1942.  WILL.
>> INSTRUCTOR: EXCELLENT.  THANK
YOU.  MARGARET WILLERT ARE YOU
WITH US?  MY HERONS OF WORLD WAR
II WERE MY MOTHER, THE MOST
INFLUENTIAL WOMAN FOR ME AND MY
AUNT.  WHEN MY FATHER WENT TO
WICHITA STATE TO BUILD U.S. NAVY
SHIPS AND MY UNCLE WENT TO WAR
IN EUROPE MY MOTHER AND AUNT
STAYED HOME TO WORK THE FARM
INCLUDING DAIRY FARMING,
PLANTING, HARVESTING, ET CETERA,
AND RAISED FOUR KIDS
COLLECTIVELY ALL UNDER 4 YEARS
OF AGE AT THE BEGINNING.  THEY
CONTINUED THIS MIRACLE WORK FOR
THREE YEARS UNTIL MY DAD AND
UNCLE RETURNED HOME.  ALTHOUGH
WE ALL REMAINED IN CLOSE CONTACT
FOR YEARS AFTER THE WAR, I NEVER
HEARD THEIR STORIES UNTIL I WAS
MIDDLE AGE.  THEY NEVER, JUST
NEVER TALKED ABOUT THEIR GALLANT
WORK.  LET'S SEE.  I THINK I MAY
HAVE SOME MORE HERE.
GOING THROUGH HERE TRYING TO GET
EVERYBODY.  SOME OF YOU SENT IN
PICTURES OF HEADLINES, CERTAINLY
CALVIN HAWKINS DID, OF A SCRAP
DRIVE TAKING PLACE NEAR
NEBRASKA'S GREAT -- LET'S SEE. 
OH, THEIR RECORD IS A CHALLENGE
TO ALL KANSANS, THIS IS THE
EMPORIA GAZETTE, ABOUT A SCRAP
DRIVE.  FRED ELTS, SENT IN THIS
STORY.  TO THE BEST OF MY
KNOWLEDGE MY PARENTS HAD NO
DIRECT CONNECTION TO KANSAS
PRIOR TO MY RELOCATION HERE IN
1995.  AFTER I HAD WORKED ON
BOTH THE U.S. EAST COAST AND
OVERSEAS, JORDAN, EGYPT, KUWAIT
AND THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES. 
MY PARENTS DID BOTH SERVE IN THE
MILITARY DURING WORLD WAR II SO
MY COMMENTS BELOW WILL PROVIDE A
VERY BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHAT I
KNOW ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES.  I
WILL START WITH MY FATHER'S SIDE
OF THE FAMILY.  MY FATHER'S
FATHER, MY GRANDFATHER,
EMIGRATED TO THE U.S. IN 1923
FROM GERMANY AND SETTLED IN
SCRANTON PENNSYLVANIA.  MY
GRANDMOTHER, FATHER AND UNCLE
SUBSEQUENTLY EMIGRATED IN 1926. 
MY GRANDPARENTS, HAVING BEEN
BORN IN GERMANY, WERE DEEPLY
AFFECTED BY THE WAR BUT KNEW
THERE WAS NO ALTERNATIVE.
MY GRANDFATHER HAD BEEN IN THE
GERMAN ARMY IN WORLD WAR I
FIGHTING IN POLAND AND RUSSIA. 
MY GRANDMOTHER HAD SIX SIBLINGS
IN GERMANY, THREE OF WHOM DIED
OR WERE KILLED DURING THE WAR AS
A RESULT OF THE ALLIED BOMBING. 
SHE FEARED FOR THEIR SAFETY. 
DID NOT LEARN OF THEIR DEATHS
UNTIL MY FATHER CAME BACK AFTER
THE WAR HAD ENDED AND TOLD HER
ABOUT THEM.
MY FATHER WAS DRAFTED IN THE
U.S. ARMY IN 1942 WHILE
ATTENDING GRADUATE SCHOOL.  HE
STARTED AS A PRIVATE, EVENTUALLY
BECAME A MASTER SERGEANT, LATER
RECEIVED WHAT WAS CALLED A
BATTLEFIELD COMMISSION AS A
SECOND LIEUTENANT.  HE ENDED THE
WAR AND LEFT THE ARMY IN 1946 AS
A FIRST LIEUTENANT.  BEFORE
D-DAY AND NORMANDY MY FATHER
FOUGHT IN NORTH AFRICA AND ITALY
AT THE BATTLE OF MONTECASINO
BEFORE LANDING IN NORMANDY.  MY
FATHER LATER RECOUNTED ONE OF
THE MOST MEMORABLE CONNECTIONS
WAS IN ITALY.  THERE THE GERMANS
STOPPED A FULL U.S. ARMY CORPS,
45,000 MEN, FOR ALMOST THREE . 
LET'S SEE, WHAT ELSE DO WE HAVE?
MY MOTHER'S INVOLVEMENT IS MORE
BRIEF NOT BECAUSE IT WAS LESS
IMPACTFUL OR IMPORTANT BUT
RATHER BECAUSE I'M LESS
KNOWLEDGEABLE.  DURING WORLD WAR
II, FOLLOWING HER GRADUATION
FROM WELLSLY COLLEGE IN THE U.S.
NAVY WAVES AS A SECOND
LIEUTENANT FROM 1944 TO 1946 HER
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES DURING
THIS TIME IN THE WAVES WERE
CONFIDENTIAL, AND SHE MAINTAINED
THIS CONFIDENTIALITY THROUGHOUT
THE REMAINDER OF HER LIFE
DESPITE MY BROTHER'S AND MY
REPEATED REQUESTS AND CAJOLING
TO PROVIDE US WITH MORE INSIGHT 
THAT WAS INTERESTING.
SHERYL MORRIS, ARE YOU HERE? 
SHE SENT IN THAT SHE KNOWS WORLD
WAR II HAD A CONSIDERABLE IMPACT
ON HER FAMILY.  HER FATHER
ENLISTED WITH A GROUP FROM
CHASE, KANSAS, AFTER PEARL
HARBOR.  SHE HAS A VERY OLD
CHASE NEWSPAPER ARTICLE WITH ALL
THE NAMES AND PICTURES OF THOSE
LEAVING.  HER DAD DIED BACK HERE
ON MAY 15th, 1953 WHEN SHE WAS
A YEAR AND EIGHT MONTHS OLD.  I
THINK HIS REACTION TO THE WAR
AND THE EFFECT ON MY PARENTS'
MARRIAGE CONTRIBUTED TO HIS
DEATH.  HIS BROTHER TOLD ME THAT
MY DAD WAS A COURIER.  SHE HAS
HIS BRIEFCASE, AND HE RODE A
MOTORCYCLE ALL OVER ENGLAND OR
FRANCE.  AND FORTUNATELY WHEN
SHE TRIED TO OBTAIN MORE
INFORMATION FROM THE ARMY HIS
RECORDS HAD BEEN LOST IN THE
ST. LOUIS FIRE.  HER GREAT AUNT
MILDRED ON HER MOTHER'S SIDE WAS
A MISSIONARY IN THE PHILIPPINES 
SHE SPENT THE WAR AS A JAPANESE
POW.  SHE WAS A CHILD -- I WAS A
CHILD WHEN SHE DIED AND HAVE NOT
HEARD OF ANYONE RESEARCHING
THIS.  I REMEMBER SHE ALWAYS
TYPED EVERYTHING SINCE SHE HAD
ARTHRITIS SO BADLY IN HER HANDS
DUE TO HER IMPRISONMENT.  HER
FIRST FATHER-IN-LAW WAS ASSIGNED
TO A CODE-BREAKING UNIT.  HE
WOULD TELL ME OF SOME OF THE
CONCERNS THEY DEALT WITH.  HER
SECOND FATHER-IN-LAW GREW UP IN
THE RURAL AREAS AROUND WICHITA,
AND HE WAS EMPLOYED 90% OF HIS
WORKING LIFE AT BOEING.
SHE GREW UP IN -- IF YOU COULD
PLEASE TURN YOUR PHONES OFF? 
WE'RE ALMOST DONE WITH CLASS.  I
SO APPRECIATE IT.  LET'S SEE. 
SHE GREW UP AROUND HUTCH, GREAT
BEND, CONCORDIA, LYONS, SALINA,
WICHITA, AND HER DAUGHTER WORKED
FOR LOVE BOX AND COLEMAN.  SHE
AND HER FIRST HUSBAND WERE
MARRIED IN THE CHAPEL AT
SALINA'S CAMP PHILLIPS.  I LOVE
THAT.
I AM THINKING WE STILL HAVE MANY
MORE STORIES TO GO.  BUT I AM
SAVE THOSE FOR NEXT TIME IF
THAT'S OKAY WITH YOU.  AND I'M
HOPING IF ANY OF YOU HAVE ANY
MORE INSIGHTS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO
SHARE, PLEASE DO.  I DO HAVE
MAYBE A QUESTION OR TWO THAT I'D
LOVE TO ASK YOU TO THINK ABOUT
FOR MAYBE NEXT TIME, AND THAT IS
WHAT INSIGHTS MAYBE THAT YOU'VE
HAD ABOUT YOUR FAMILY, ABOUT
WORLD WAR II AFTER LISTENING TO
SOME OF THESE STORIES, AND WHAT
IMPRESSES YOU MOST ABOUT KANSAS'
INVOLVEMENT DURING THE WAR?
NOW, I MADE SHADE IT JUST A
LITTLE BIT, BUT I'M GOING TO
SAY, YOU KNOW, I'VE COVERED
THIS, YOU KNOW, WITH DIFFERENT
ANNIVERSARIES AND STORIES
THROUGH THE YEARS BUT I AM
ALWAYS IMPRESSED WITH THE
INVOLVEMENT OF MANY OF THESE
PEOPLE.  MANY WERE JUST FARM
KIDS, AND YET THE THINGS THAT
THEY DID THAT WERE SO
IMPRESSIVE, AND SO I WANT YOU TO
THINK ABOUT THAT FOR NEXT TIME. 
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS THAT
ANY OF YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW?  ALL
RIGHT.  WELL I'LL SEE YOU NEXT
TIME.  THANK YOU SO MUCH.
