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This is a collection of postcards and letters sent from German and Italian POWs at Defense Depot Ogden during World War II. The correspondence was sent home to family and loved ones and all passed through the United States Censorship office. It also includes one postcard sent from a prison guard home to his friends. A postcard in German sent from Hans-Herbert Walter to his wife Editha Walter in Berlin on May 25, 1946. ; 3 x 5 in. postcard

This is a collection of postcards and letters sent from German and Italian POWs at Defense Depot Ogden during World War II. The correspondence was sent home to family and loved ones and all passed through the United States Censorship office. It also includes one postcard sent from a prison guard home to his friends. ; 3 x 5 in. postcard ; Dearest Mother! Thank you for the kind words you wrote on January 31. I wrote to you many times and it is hard for me to understand that all of you, who are so dear to me, have not received any letters from me for more than six months. I assume that the censors office seized them. I would love to know for what reason. But we have to keep our heads up. I wish you good health and hope that we will see each other again very soon. Give my best regards to Hansy and Ferd. Is she back from Vienna yet? I hope so. Best wishes and kisses Walter

A collection of newsletters written and produced by Italian Prisoners of War who were housed at the POW camp at the Defense Depot Ogden during World War II. The newsletters are mostly in Italian with little English. They include cartoons as well as daily life at the camp. ; 8.5 x 13 in. newsprint

A collection of newsletters written and produced by Italian Prisoners of War who were housed at the POW camp at the Defense Depot Ogden during World War II. The newsletters are mostly in Italian with little English. They include cartoons as well as daily life at the camp. ; 8.5 x 13 in. newsprint

A collection of newsletters written and produced by Italian Prisoners of War who were housed at the POW camp at the Defense Depot Ogden during World War II. The newsletters are mostly in Italian with little English. They include cartoons as well as daily life at the camp. ; 8.5 x 13 in. newsprint

This is a collection of postcards and letters sent from German and Italian POWs at Defense Depot Ogden during World War II. The correspondence was sent home to family and loved ones and all passed through the United States Censorship office. It also includes one postcard sent from a prison guard home to his friends. ; 3 x 5 in. postcard ; Hello friends- Many thanks for the cigarettes and peanuts I received from you today. Our company has been stationed here since the middle of April. Tomorrow I am leaving with a convoy of prisoners from someplace near here. I have covered most all the states now and handled all types of prisoners. The big pond may be our next move. This is our home base however from now on. A beautiful spot in the Rockies. Thank you again. Sincerely- Jack Hollings

This is a collection of postcards and letters sent from German and Italian POWs at Defense Depot Ogden during World War II. The correspondence was sent home to family and loved ones and all passed through the United States Censorship office. It also includes one postcard sent from a prison guard home to his friends. ; 3 x 5 in. postcard ; 2/8/1944 Dearest Mother, I am responding to your loving letter and I am happy to hear that you are doing well. Say hello to Aneglio and give him a hard time from me. Dear Mom, I am not happy that I havent received a letter in October or November because there is nothing going on here. Say hello to all of my friends, their parents, my sister, and nephew and nieces and hello to you. Your loving son for life, Giovanni, Veteri

This is a collection of postcards and letters sent from German and Italian POWs at Defense Depot Ogden during World War II. The correspondence was sent home to family and loved ones and all passed through the United States Censorship office. It also includes one postcard sent from a prison guard home to his friends. A postcard in Italian from Soldato DiBenedetto Settinio to Lorenzo Pizzori at the Franciscan Fathers in New York on 12 July 1944. ; 3 x 5 in. postcard

This is a collection of postcards and letters sent from German and Italian POWs at Defense Depot Ogden during World War II. The correspondence was sent home to family and loved ones and all passed through the United States Censorship office. It also includes one postcard sent from a prison guard home to his friends. ; 14 x 8 in. letter ; 29-2-1944 My Dear Parents, I hope with all my heart that this letter finds all of you my family in excellent condition and good health. At the present time I can assure you that I am well along with the other Italians. I wanted to let you know that a few days ago I received a letter from my brother that was written on the 6th of May 1943. That took a long time, but I was happy to get it just the same. I hope that things are quieter there especially for him, you guys and everybody. We hope to finish soon and return home because I have felt absent for far too long. Anyway dont worry about anything I am doing very well. I think of you all and how you are doing. Hopefully everyone is doing well. Well thats enough, a big kiss to you! -Your son, Vincenzo

This is a collection of postcards and letters sent from German and Italian POWs at Defense Depot Ogden during World War II. The correspondence was sent home to family and loved ones and all passed through the United States Censorship office. It also includes one postcard sent from a prison guard home to his friends. ; 3 x 5 in. postcard ; 7/9/1943 Dear Dad, I hope this little letter finds you and mom in good health as I can assure you that I am in. Please give a thousand kisses and a hug to mom. Give a big kiss and say hello to my aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins. Tell Pinuccia hello and give her a big kiss from me. Giorgio

The Victory News was the weekly newsletter produced by the Defense Depot Ogden during World War II. It included information on all the different operational departments at the depot, various recreational activities, and occasionally information about the Prisoner of War camp housed at the Depot. The Victory News for the week of March 5, 1943. ; 8.5 x 11 in. newsprint

The Victory News was the weekly newsletter produced by the Defense Depot Ogden during World War II. It included information on all the different operational departments at the depot, various recreational activities, and occasionally information about the Prisoner of War camp housed at the Depot. The Victory News for the week of March 5, 1943. ; 8.5 x 11 in. newsprint

Stephen Stanford ; The Weber and Davis County Communities Oral History Collection include interviews of citizens from several different walks of life. These interviews were conducted by Stewart Library personnel, WeberState University faculty and students, and other members of the community. The histories cover various topics and chronicle the personal everyday life experiences and other recollections regarding the history of the Weber and Davis County areas. ; 12p.; 29cm.; 2 bound transcripts; 4 file folders. 1 video disc: digital; 4 3/4 in. ; Oral History Program Dr. Stephen Stanford Interviewed By Steven F. Crane 11 March 2013 i ii Oral History Program Weber State University Stewart Library Ogden, Utah Dr. Stephen Stanford Interviewed by Steven F. Crane 11 March 2013 Copyright © 2013 by Weber State University, Stewart Library iii Mission Statement The Oral History Program of the Stewart Library was created to preserve the institutional history of Weber State University and the Davis, Ogden and Weber County communities. By conducting carefully researched, recorded, and transcribed interviews, the Oral History Program creates archival oral histories intended for the widest possible use. Interviews are conducted with the goal of eliciting from each participant a full and accurate account of events. The interviews are transcribed, edited for accuracy and clarity, and reviewed by the interviewees (as available), who are encouraged to augment or correct their spoken words. The reviewed and corrected transcripts are indexed, printed, and bound with photographs and illustrative materials as available. Archival copies are placed in the University Archives, which also houses the original recording so researchers can gain a sense of the interviewee's voice and intonations. Project Description The Weber and Davis County Communities Oral History Collection include interviews of citizens from several different walks of life. These interviews were conducted by Stewart Library personnel, Weber State University faculty and students, and other members of the community. The histories cover various topics and chronicle the personal everyday life experiences and other recollections regarding the history of the Weber and Davis County areas. ____________________________________ Oral history is a method of collecting historical information through recorded interviews between a narrator with firsthand knowledge of historically significant events and a well-informed interviewer, with the goal of preserving substantive additions to the historical record. Because it is primary material, oral history is not intended to present the final, verified, or complete narrative of events. It is a spoken account. It reflects personal opinion offered by the interviewee in response to questioning, and as such it is partisan, deeply involved, and irreplaceable. ____________________________________ Rights Management All literary rights in the manuscript, including the right to publish, are reserved to the Stewart Library of Weber State University. No part of the manuscript may be published without the written permission of the University Librarian. Requests for permission to publish should be addressed to the Administration Office, Stewart Library, Weber State University, Ogden, Utah, 84408. The request should include identification of the specific item and identification of the user. It is recommended that this oral history be cited as follows: Stanford, Stephen, an oral history by Steven F. Crane, 11 March 2013, WSU Stewart Library Oral History Program, University Archives, Stewart Library, Weber State University, Ogden, UT. Dr. Stephen Stanford ca. 1964 Dr. Stephen Stanford April 19, 2013 1 Abstract: Stephen Stanford participated in an oral history interview with Steve Crane of the Ogden Rotary Club on March 11, 2013 to talk about his experiences in the Army Air Force as a C-46 aircraft pilot. Stephen enlisted in the Air Force in July of 1941 and served in World War II where he was responsible for flying gasoline and ammunition to the front lines until his separation in 1946. He then went on to become a professor at Weber State University and retired in 1986. SC: This is the second session of the 2013 Ogden Rotary Club and Weber State University Veteran's Project held March 11, 2013 at the George E. Whalen Ogden Veteran's Home. My name is Steve Crane, a member of the Ogden Rotary Club, I will be conducting this interview. Also present are Stacie Gallagher from Weber State University, Robert Harris of the Ogden Rotary Club and my wife, Donna Crane. Our guest at this session is Stephen Stanford. This session is going to be about Mr. Stanford's military service. What is your date of birth? SS: The 16th of May 1920. SC: What branch of the military did you serve in? SS: The Air Force. SC: What years did you serve in the Air Force? SS: I went in July 1941, just before Pearl Harbor, and I came out on the 29th of December 1946 after Hiroshima. SC: What rank were you when you left the service? SS: I was a 2nd Lieutenant. SC: What was your job in the Air Force? 2 SS: My purpose was to fly the C-46, which is a very big airplane. We would haul trucks in the back of our plane. Our main job was to haul in the Pacific Theater and we would go from the Philippines to the front lines of combat to deliver gasoline and ammo. Then, we'd go back and pick up the wounded just off the front lines and fly them back to the hospitals. SC: How did you come to be in the Air Force? SS: I got my private pilot's license in 1940 and decided to enlist. I enlisted on July 16th, 1941. It was a voluntary enlistment. SC: Where were you trained? SS: I got my private pilot's license in Logan, Utah. I went into the Army Air Force in 1941 and when I got into the Army Air Force, they were calling for volunteers to train as glider pilots. I entered that program and got my silver wings as a glider pilot. SC: Did you ever fly gliders? SS: Yes, you bet. SC: Where did you fly gliders? SS: Just in training in Dalhart, Texas. SC: What aircraft did you say you flew? SS: The C-46, it's called the Curtiss Commando. It was a very big beautiful airplane. It would carry not only a truck, but it would haul 52 infantrymen with all their equipment. So, it was pretty big. 3 SC: Where were you trained to fly that aircraft? Did you have to go somewhere to learn how to fly that aircraft or were you already trained? SS: We were already trained. SC: Where did you serve? What campaigns were you involved in as you flew? SS: I was sent to New Guinea, the Dutch East Indies just two miles off the equator. We set up a base on Biak Island. I went to Leyte Island in the Philippines which was where I was for three years. In fact, I was there when they dropped the atom bomb in the war. I was in the Philippines. I was stationed for a long time in Okinawa. SC: What were your feelings when the atom bomb was dropped? SS: Some things you can explain. You feel awe. A-W-E—awe. SC: You said you were in the Philippines when the atom bomb was dropped. SS: I was actually on the island of Okinawa. SC: What were your feelings about the dropping of that bomb? SS: I was glad that it was over. SC: Did you feel like that was going to bring Japan to peace? SS: My squadron went right on to the island of Japan as part of the Army of Occupation to take over the island. I lived in Japan for three months as part of that occupation group. 4 SC: Were you concerned about the problems of trying to invade Japan? Were you going to have to fly if the invasion of Japan had to happen? Were you worried about the death toll that would result? SS: No. We accepted it as reality and that was it. SC: You said you were flying soldiers to various locations. Did you see combat yourself? SS: That's a very interesting question because on several occasions, I just missed some major battles by sometimes 20 or 30 minutes. The battle of Leyte Gulf was regarded as the most significant naval battle of the entire world and I was there. We were coming in with a load of gasoline and we saw all this activity on the gulf, so they said, "You can't land because the airstrip is being used for the fighters." So, here's Leyte Gulf and we went round and round and literally had a ringside seat of the Battle of Leyte Gulf. SC: That was the Japanese Navy with the U.S. Navy? SS: Yes. That was regarded as the outstanding, most severe battle of World War II in terms of loss of both Japanese and American shipmen. SC: Was it a turning point in the war? SS: Oh, very much. Very much. SC: Until then, the Japanese had been the aggressors and from then on they were on defensive. Is that true? 5 SS: Right. The loss of Japanese vessels and battleship aircraft carriers in the area and that was a focal point for the climax of the war. It wasn't too long after that they dropped the atom bomb. SC: You were flying around watching that battle from above? What did you see? What were your experiences there? SS: The Japanese had some giant guns. The guns shells were probably 16 inches in diameter. We sunk two of their carriers, three of their battleships, and many destroyers. I think historians agree that it was the turning point of the war with the Japanese. SC: Did you actually see aircraft carriers sinking? SS: No. It was really quite cloudy. We would fly through the midst of the fighting. We could see all the ships, but I didn't see them sink. SC: What other major experiences did you have during your time in the Air Force that you could share with us? SS: The most important thing we hauled in our planes was gasoline to refuel the fighters. We would pick up 50 of those big oil drums and fly them up to the front lines of combat where there were fighter planes had an airstrip and they'd empty them out. That was the point at which we would go back and get more ammo. It was very rare to haul personnel. It was mostly ammunition and fuel. SC: Were you ever shot at? 6 SS: Oh yes. What was interesting is we expected to be shot down anytime because there were Zeros flying in the area too. We'd come back and find bullet holes in our plane. We were pretty close, probably within a half mile. SC: As you're flying with all of this gasoline, did you worry about getting hit? You were basically in a flying bomb, weren't you? If you had gotten hit, you had all that gasoline on board. SS: Pilots don't worry. We do what we do and it's like you're part of the machine itself. It's very automatic. I can't remember spending five minutes worrying about what was going to happen or whether I was going to come out alive or not. It just never crossed my mind. We just did what we had to do. When you're flying a plane, especially in cloudy conditions, you take things as they come and be glad you're still alive. I have to tell you about one episode that was very interesting. We took off at midnight for a base down in the East Indies. We took off at midnight hauling gasoline and planned to land at the break of dawn to deliver our gasoline. Here we were, hauling these 50 gallon drums and as we came in we saw all the planes on the strip were burning. They just finished strafing and were raiding that particular airstrip. We were about 20 seconds, maybe a minute and a half away and we could still see off in the distance the Zeros just raided the field and they were just leaving. They didn't see us, or they would have come back and got us too. They had just strafed and bombed the airstrip. I think everything on the ground was on fire. We landed about 20 seconds after the last one. SC: They just didn't see you or else they would have come back? SS: They didn't see us and didn't come back. I think that was our closest call. 7 SC: Any other experiences like that you can share with us? SS: On one trip, we came in to land and a plane was taking off in front of us and while it turned it stirred up a cloud of dust, so we lost sight and our plane was out of control. We approached the ship and crashed into two parked C-46's off the side of the strip because we couldn't see. SC: Were you loaded with gasoline at that time? SS: I don't think so. I believe we happened to be empty on that trip. That was a close call. We discovered later on that the plane that was taking off on the strip was loaded with ammo. SC: So they were a flying bomb. SS: If that cloud of dust hadn't kept us from landing, we would probably have run head-on into the other bomber loaded with ammo. SC: Your life was saved by a cloud of dust. SS: Yes. SC: Were you ever wounded yourself? SS: No. SC: Do you have any other experiences? These are marvelous experiences you're sharing with us. Can you think of any other close calls or experiences that you can share with us? SS: I guess it was mostly just a routine delivering and hauling back and forth. 8 SC: Did you feel like your planes were reliable? Did you feel confident in the aircraft you were flying? SS: There was never any question about that. The C-46's are very remarkable and a very beautiful airplane and very big. Can you imagine putting a truck in the back of an airplane? A full size army truck would just fit into a C-46. SC: How many props did it have? SS: It had two engines, four props, and 2000 horsepower, a really powerful engine. SC: They would drive a truck into the belly of your airplane and you would deliver it somewhere. SS: Oh yes. We put up a ramp on the side of the plane and opened the doors and made sure the truck was anchored. SC: Did you have some really close friends that you made during your time in the air force? SS: That's kind of hard to answer because, like I said before, you felt like you were part of a big machine or an operation that was very impersonal. I don't remember any personal friendships except the people with whom we flew in the routine over and over again. SC: Were you the pilot? SS: We took turns and would switch between pilot and co-pilot. If the pilot flew in, then I would fly back. Actually, the other pilot would be the captain in charge, but we both had the opportunity to fly. 9 SC: How many crewmembers were in this aircraft? SS: The pilot, co-pilot, navigator, crew chief, and sometimes a second crew chief. SC: So, four of five would be the crew. Were they from all over the country? SS: Yes. SC: Did you have the same crew flight after flight? SS: We were pretty well assigned to one particular plane. There were others in our squadron, but basically we were a number of little units that were pretty well coherent within themselves. SC: Do you feel like your experience in the Air Force changed your life? Was it a turning point in your life? SS: After the war was over and the dropping of the bomb, shortly after we were sent to japan to occupy it, I was released and came home. Being a Mormon, I left the Air Force so I could go on a mission with the LDS church. That's why I left my squadron, so I could serve the mission. SC: Where did you serve your mission? SS: In Canada. SC: You came back and where did you attend University? SS: I came back and enrolled at BYU and met my wife in 1965. SC: Has your wife passed away? SS: Yes. Last week. Just a few days ago. 10 SC: I'm so sorry to hear that. Do you have children? SS: Eight children, seven boys and one girl. SC: That's a great family. Do they live nearby? SS: They're in and out all the time. They're really close. SC: Where else did you attend school? SS: I went to BYU and graduated with a bachelor's degree and stayed for another year and got my master's degree. I went to the University of Colorado and got my doctoral degree. SC: Did you come back and teach at Weber your entire career? SS: Most of the time. I took some sabbatical leaves in Tennessee and Wisconsin. Most of the time was at Weber. Twenty-two years at Weber. SC: When did you retire from Weber State? SS: In 1986. SC: Mr. Harris is wondering what your experience was like during the time you were in Japan in the occupation forces. SS: Before I went into the Army, I had majored in college in landscape architecture. When we took over the country, our squadron was assigned to a place called Fussa, Japan. Because of my training in landscape architecture and because I had a lot of flying I requested a chance to help beautify the airbase. They put me in charge of the landscaping crew and gave me a whole bunch of Japanese workers to work on the environment and clean up the trees and shrubbery. I did 11 that for almost three months. I was at the top of the list for those that had enough points to go home, so I was the second one in my squadron to be sent back to the states. SC: During that period of time you were in charge of beautifying the Japanese airbase? SS: Yes. SC: How were you treated by the Japanese? SS: It was like little puppets. I couldn't feel any personality at all. It was very automatic. They were just doing what they were doing. I can't remember ever developing a personal feeling toward them. Of course, I had an interpreter all the time. SC: But you were treated with respect, of course, you were their boss. SS: That doesn't seem to be the word. It's kind of like a feeling of automation or something. It was like we were puppets. It was very impersonal. SC: They were just doing what they were told. There weren't any interactions with them much. SS: After they gave you a work crew of about 10 Japanese, I would tell the interpreter, "I want that done and this done." He'd go talk to the Japanese and he'd spend almost a full minute talking to them. I don't know if they understood. I'd say five and you'd see 20 or 30 back and forth, but we got along fine. SC: Is there anything else about your military service that you think we ought to know about? Any other experiences you would like to share with us? 12 SS: I think those are the basic points. The two really close calls that I mentioned were probably outstanding. SC: On behalf of all of us, I want to thank you and all who served with you for what you did during that time. You've been called the greatest generation and I think that certainly is an appropriate title for you. We really do appreciate it. I also appreciate you sharing your time and experiences with us. It has meant a lot to us. SS: I thank you for the opportunity. I've enjoyed every minute of it.

Robert Stegen ; The Weber and Davis County Communities Oral History Collection include interviews of citizens from several different walks of life. These interviews were conducted by Stewart Library personnel, WeberState University faculty and students, and other members of the community. The histories cover various topics and chronicle the personal everyday life experiences and other recollections regarding the history of the Weber and Davis County areas. ; 9p.; 29cm.; 2 bound transcripts; 4 file folders. 1 video disc: digital; 4 3/4 in. ; Oral History Program Robert Stegen Interviewed By Steven F. Crane 11 March 2013 i ii Oral History Program Weber State University Stewart Library Ogden, Utah Robert Stegen Interviewed by Steven F. Crane 11 March 2013 Copyright © 2013 by Weber State University, Stewart Library iii Mission Statement The Oral History Program of the Stewart Library was created to preserve the institutional history of Weber State University and the Davis, Ogden and Weber County communities. By conducting carefully researched, recorded, and transcribed interviews, the Oral History Program creates archival oral histories intended for the widest possible use. Interviews are conducted with the goal of eliciting from each participant a full and accurate account of events. The interviews are transcribed, edited for accuracy and clarity, and reviewed by the interviewees (as available), who are encouraged to augment or correct their spoken words. The reviewed and corrected transcripts are indexed, printed, and bound with photographs and illustrative materials as available. Archival copies are placed in the University Archives, which also houses the original recording so researchers can gain a sense of the interviewee's voice and intonations. Project Description The Weber and Davis County Communities Oral History Collection include interviews of citizens from several different walks of life. These interviews were conducted by Stewart Library personnel, Weber State University faculty and students, and other members of the community. The histories cover various topics and chronicle the personal everyday life experiences and other recollections regarding the history of the Weber and Davis County areas. ____________________________________ Oral history is a method of collecting historical information through recorded interviews between a narrator with firsthand knowledge of historically significant events and a well-informed interviewer, with the goal of preserving substantive additions to the historical record. Because it is primary material, oral history is not intended to present the final, verified, or complete narrative of events. It is a spoken account. It reflects personal opinion offered by the interviewee in response to questioning, and as such it is partisan, deeply involved, and irreplaceable. ____________________________________ Rights Management All literary rights in the manuscript, including the right to publish, are reserved to the Stewart Library of Weber State University. No part of the manuscript may be published without the written permission of the University Librarian. Requests for permission to publish should be addressed to the Administration Office, Stewart Library, Weber State University, Ogden, Utah, 84408. The request should include identification of the specific item and identification of the user. It is recommended that this oral history be cited as follows: Stegen, Robert, an oral history by Steven F. Crane, 11 March 2013, WSU Stewart Library Oral History Program, University Archives, Stewart Library, Weber State University, Ogden, UT. Robert Stegen March 11, 2013 1 Abstract: Robert Stegen participated in an oral history interview with Steve Crane of the Ogden Rotary Club on March 11, 2013 to discuss his experiences as a veteran of World War II. Robert was drafted in 1943 and served until 1946 as a 1st Lieutenant. He is a Purple Heart recipient and also earned the Bronze Star for valor in combat. Following his military service, Robert began his career at the Army Defense Depot in Ogden, Utah and retired as a chief civilian of that facility in 1980 with 37 years of service. SC This is the first session of the 2013 Ogden Rotary Club and Weber State University Veteran's history Project held March 11, 2013 at the George E. Whalen Ogden Veteran's Home. I'm Steve Crane with the Ogden Rotary Club and I will be conducting this interview. Also present are Bob Harris from the Ogden Rotary Club, Stacie Gallagher from Weber State University and my wife, Donna Crane. Our guest at this session is Robert Stegen. This session is to talk about your service opportunity. We understand that your birthday is July 26, 1924, which makes you 88 years old. Your branch of service was the Army and you served from 1943 to 1946. Your highest rank was 1st Lieutenant and your position was a war bride escort. RS: It was a program to get back and process through all of the war brides whose husbands were soldiers and had already left for the states. It included medical examinations, counseling, and all the different language interpretation we could have and packing up everything for those that qualified for shipment. SC: Some of the awards you received were the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. There is a little "2" by the Bronze Star, what does that mean? 2 RS: That's a "V" for "Valor". SC: We'd like to start talking a little bit about your service and I'd like to ask you how you came to be in the service? RS: I graduated from Ogden High School in 1942, right after Pearl Harbor. We were not looking for employment then, we had some assured. I went in the Army with the first 18-year-old draft on May 8, 1943. SC: Where did you receive your training? RS: I went to Fort Knox, Kentucky, which was the center for the armory corp. It was the tank corps of the U.S. Army. There, I was trained as a tank gunner and tank driver for a big Sherman three-quarter ton tank. Later, through events, I ended up in the infantry as a replacement officer in Europe. SC: What major campaigns were you involved in? RS: Central Europe and the Rhinelands. That's two of them. That was after the Battle of the Bulge. Fortunately, I missed the Bulge. My infantry division and my company did not miss the Bulge and they caught heck there. I was fortunate and came up as a replacement officer and I missed the Bulge. SC: Who was your leading general? RS: General Bradley. From the top it was Eisenhower and coming up on the pecking order, it was General Simpson with the 9th U.S. Army and we were under his majesty Montgomery, heir to the British crown. He was not liked by the typical American G.I. SC: During these campaigns, did you see combat? 3 RS: Yes. I was wounded at Dortman, Germany in the upper industrial part of Germany where the crop iron works and there was a big concentration of industry and chemistry. Of course, it was just bombed and we gave it heck trying to put it out of operation. I got pretty heavily involved in that for my time. SC: Were you shot? RS: I was wounded. I was shot by a 20 millimeter cannon in the left leg and it tore the meat all the way up from behind my knee. I was in the hospital for a little over two months for that. SC: What hospital did they send you to? RS: They sent me first to the Army General Hospital 221st, which was located in Reims, France. It was a comparatively new hospital over there. I developed gangrene in my left leg and it was bad news. They'd push it and it would shoot puss all over the bedding and everything else. I had some pain with that, it was miserable. The leader of the hospital came to tell me, "Lieutenant, I'm going to transfer you to the 36th General Hospital. They've been over here since North Africa and have had a lot of experience. Unfortunately, in the United States, we don't treat many gunshot wounds. We're a new hospital. We're good, but we're going to send you where there's more experience." That got me to Dijon and I was in Dijon at the 36th General Hospital when the Germans surrendered. SC: What was your experience like during close combat? How did you feel? RS: I am alive today because I was kind to a German soldier. SC: Can you tell us about that? 4 RS: We had a machine gun nest. There were four Germans turned up on it and two of us with hand grenades and one with a bazooka blew the front of it and charged it. The whole area was encompassed by a big red brick wall. We would restrict the entry from where the machine gun nest was right out of this exit. I was the last one out of the brick area and I looked down and there was a German soldier with a raincoat on who was leaning on his left arm. He raised his arm up and said, "I am injured, help me." I stopped. There was nobody else around. My troops had run on to a railroad embankment out of sight just beyond the brick wall. I don't know why I stopped, but I said, "Do you have a weapon?" He said, "Yes," in broken English. I asked, "Where is it?" He pointed and he took out this P-38 and threw it out on the ground with his one good arm. He was bleeding really badly. All of a sudden, all hell broke loose. There were screams, children crying and everything. Out of a bomb shelter came I don't know how many children and women. I didn't even know the bomb shelter was there. It was a dugout affair with a lid. All these kids came charging out of there. They were terror stricken. That stops you and you start wondering, "Where am I?" One woman about 60 years old came out of that thing and she looked at my face—and I'm not being melodramatic—but I can't describe the hatred that she showed for me in her face. I looked at her and pointed at the wounded German soldier and said, "Help that man." You should have seen what effect it had on her. Her face softened and she said, "Ya, ya, ya." She got down and started helping him. I heard this noise and I turn around and not even 20 feet from me, in high weeds, was a 5 German paratrooper. He got up and threw an M-42 machine gun on the ground right in front of me and surrendered to me. He had watched all of that go on when I was helping that other soldier. So, I say, "I'm alive today because I was kind to that soldier." There are several of those kinds of stories, and yet, I killed Germans. Anyone can tell you the same story. It's a matter of what you're cast into and what the role is. I killed some, but I didn't hate them all. SC: Did you make close friends during your service? RS: My company commander is 84-years-old and still alive. I was platoon leader of the first platoon until I was wounded and he's still my best friend today. He lives in St. Charles, Missouri. You form all kinds of friendships. We ran our own reunions for the division and for our company for 25 to 30 years after the war. We've quit now. Everybody is too darn old and can't make it anymore. You really do form some friendships. SC: Any other memorable experiences that you could share with us? RS: A platoon attacked toward this big chemical plant of some kind in Dorsten, Germany. We got up there and by my estimate there were probably 3,000 displaced workers in there that the Germans held. They were well fed, which confused us because they wouldn't want to feed people they were trying to starve to death. We got in there and these people had run the German guards off. It was a place called Maral and it was the largest synthetic rubber plant in the world we were told. It was never bombed because of the number of prisoners that were there. They were Belgian, French, and everything. The British didn't want it and it was particularly safe at that time. When we broke through the gates 6 of that place, you should have seen the celebration that took place. Those people must have been in there for three years or more before we came in and freed them. That was an experience. SC: Did you ever come across any concentration camps? RS: No. The only thing I came to was that one at Maral. Those were talented workers, so the Germans were feeding them well and treating them decently. SC: Did you come back to Ogden? RS: Yes, I came back to Ogden. I was born and raised in Ogden and stayed here all my career. In fact, this place where we are right now was part of the old Ogden Army Depot and I retired as a chief civilian of this facility. You know what it's done for me? They've got me in room 120—that's the furthest you can get from the front gate—and I sit there and I look at my domain and it is a three inch window sill. That's all of my glory for retiring as a chief civilian with 37 years of service. I think, "Well, it all comes back to haunt you one way or the other." SC: You worked at the defense depot in Ogden? RS: I retired from there. SC: How long ago did you retire? RS: I retired on the 4th of January 1980. A long time ago. SC: What have you been doing since? RS: Well, I have not worked for pay any place one single day. I love history and my wife and I used to love to travel and see history and things like that. We traveled 7 all over the country looking at sites. I'm a history buff when it comes to the Civil War and several others. I've had no trouble staying occupied. SC: Is your wife still with you? RS: No, my wife died of Alzheimer's eight years ago. SC: Do you have children? RS: I have three. SC: Where are they located? RS: One of them is located eight miles north of Tucson, Arizona. He's chief geologist for a big American mining company. He's got a good job and he's earned it all. My other son has been employed for 37 years as a switchman for the Union Pacific railroad. My daughter left when they closed the depot and now she's working at Hill Field. SC: How about grandchildren? RS: I have seven grandchildren around here and another in Arizona. SC: Is there anything else that you'd like to share with us having to do with your military service? RS: I had some success, but I'll tell you why I might have had some success. I was a one-striper—a private first-class—and one-stripers aren't told much in the Army because they haven't been around long enough. They had this big review by two major generals, General Anderson and General Green and my sergeant who was in charge of this tank that I happened to be the driver in. I'd been back at Ft. 8 Knox Kentucky on a course on the armaments of a tank. My damn worthless sergeant, that's all I can call him, went on sick leave so all these tanks were lined up there and I'm the only one that's in the head row. Here come the two major generals, Anderson and Green, who do you suppose they head for in that big row? They aren't looking for sergeants; they're looking for one-stripers. They walked over and I looked at the look on my company commander's face and I think he was saying that my career was over. Anyway, these guys walked right over to me and General Anderson said, "Where's your sergeant?" I said, "He's on sick call, sir." He was mumbling. He said, "Can you explain the working of that 75mm gun in that tank you're driving?" I had just come out of the armory center a week before, so I had all the confidence in the world and said, "Yes, sir." I lead them up to the top of the tank and I got down in the turret so they could listen and these two generals sat and listened to me go through the name, chapter and verse. That's not bragging because I ought to be able to do that. That's opportunity and timing. Those things change your life and that one changed mine. SC: In what way did it change your life? RS: It changed mine from being a one-striper private to getting recognized and being a corporal the next day and a sergeant in three weeks. Then, I was sent to Officer's Candidate School in Fort Benning to get commissioned. That one event changed all of that. I recall when I had been major sergeant, my company commander called me in and said, "Sergeant Stegen, I want you to apply for Officer's Candidate School." I said, "I can't be an officer." He said, "I didn't ask 9 you. Get the papers from the First Sergeant and have them on my desk Tuesday morning, do you understand that?" I said, "Yes, sir." So, almost against my will, I'm on the way to Fort Benning to be a major infantry officer. The thing I'm saying is, "A lot of what you do is opportunity." You've got to perform when it comes to you. I was very fortunate on timing. SC: Well, I want to thank you for coming today. As a citizen of the United States, I want to thank you for your service. My dad served in World War II, but he died when I was eight so he never got to tell me about his experience. We all appreciate what you all did. RS: I would have felt terrible if I hadn't been able to go. It's just the way it was. SC: We, as a nation, are really grateful for what you and your associates did. Thank you very much for being here. RS: I hope I didn't saturate you, but the things that impress me are the human events that occur. SC: Yes. Thank you for being here. We appreciate your time. It has been a wonderful experience for us all.

James Kamaya ; The Weber and Davis County Communities Oral History Collection include interviews of citizens from several different walks of life. These interviews were conducted by Stewart Library personnel, WeberState University faculty and students, and other members of the community. The histories cover various topics and chronicle the personal everyday life experiences and other recollections regarding the history of the Weber and Davis County areas. ; 6p.; 29cm.; 2 bound transcripts; 4 file folders. 1 video disc: digital; 4 3/4 in. ; Oral History Program James Kamaya Interviewed By Steven F. Crane 12 March 2013 i ii Oral History Program Weber State University Stewart Library Ogden, Utah James Kamaya Interviewed by Steven F. Crane 12 March 2013 Copyright © 2013 by Weber State University, Stewart Library iii Mission Statement The Oral History Program of the Stewart Library was created to preserve the institutional history of Weber State University and the Davis, Ogden and Weber County communities. By conducting carefully researched, recorded, and transcribed interviews, the Oral History Program creates archival oral histories intended for the widest possible use. Interviews are conducted with the goal of eliciting from each participant a full and accurate account of events. The interviews are transcribed, edited for accuracy and clarity, and reviewed by the interviewees (as available), who are encouraged to augment or correct their spoken words. The reviewed and corrected transcripts are indexed, printed, and bound with photographs and illustrative materials as available. Archival copies are placed in the University Archives, which also houses the original recording so researchers can gain a sense of the interviewee's voice and intonations. Project Description The Weber and Davis County Communities Oral History Collection include interviews of citizens from several different walks of life. These interviews were conducted by Stewart Library personnel, Weber State University faculty and students, and other members of the community. The histories cover various topics and chronicle the personal everyday life experiences and other recollections regarding the history of the Weber and Davis County areas. ____________________________________ Oral history is a method of collecting historical information through recorded interviews between a narrator with firsthand knowledge of historically significant events and a well-informed interviewer, with the goal of preserving substantive additions to the historical record. Because it is primary material, oral history is not intended to present the final, verified, or complete narrative of events. It is a spoken account. It reflects personal opinion offered by the interviewee in response to questioning, and as such it is partisan, deeply involved, and irreplaceable. ____________________________________ Rights Management All literary rights in the manuscript, including the right to publish, are reserved to the Stewart Library of Weber State University. No part of the manuscript may be published without the written permission of the University Librarian. Requests for permission to publish should be addressed to the Administration Office, Stewart Library, Weber State University, Ogden, Utah, 84408. The request should include identification of the specific item and identification of the user. It is recommended that this oral history be cited as follows: Kamaya, James, an oral history by Steven F. Crane, 12 March 2013, WSU Stewart Library Oral History Program, University Archives, Stewart Library, Weber State University, Ogden, UT. James Kamaya March 12, 2013 1 Abstract: James Kamaya participated in an interview with Steve Crane of the Ogden Rotary Club on March 12, 2013 to share his experiences as an Army veteran. Drafted in 1951, James served in both the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War and retired from the Army after 21 years of military service. SC: This is the fifth session of the 2013 Ogden Rotary Club and Weber State University Veteran's History Project held March 12, 2013 at the George E. Whalen Ogden Veteran's Home. I'm Steve Crane, a member of the Ogden Rotary Club and I will be conducting this interview. Also present are Stacie Gallagher from Weber State University and my wife, Donna Crane. Our guest at this session is James Kamaya. We are going to be talking about his military history. James, you were in the Army and you said you joined in 1952. How did you end up joining the Army? Were you drafted or did you enlist? JK: I was drafted in 1951. SC: Where did you receive your training? JK: California. SC: How long were you there? JK: I was there about eight months for basic training. SC: Where did they send you after that? JK: I went to Korea. SC: So you served in the Korean Conflict? JK: Right. 2 SC: Who were you under? Who was your leader? JK: MacArthur. He was the overall general of the Korean Conflict. SC: Did you see combat? JK: Well, it depends on what you call combat. SC: Were you in close contact with the North Koreans? JK: Our units were sent to meet them. SC: They were the aggressors? JK: Right. They were the aggressors. SC: Did you come in close contact with the North Koreans? JK: We could see them eye-to-eye, so I don't know if you'd call that close contact or not. SC: Were you ever wounded? JK: I ran faster than the bullets. SC: So they couldn't hit you, you were too quick? JK: I had fast feet. SC: How many different battles were you involved in? JK: A few. SC: How close would you be? Were you within 100 yards of the enemy or hand-to-hand combat? JK: We would be within 100 yards. 3 SC: They were shooting at you and you were shooting at them I assume. JK: Yes. They had a hard time shooting at me because I was running too fast. When you run as fast as I was running, you don't know who's shooting who. SC: What was it like when you were in combat? JK: It's not the best place to be. SC: How long were you in combat? JK: I was in the Korean War for 13 months and I was in the Vietnam War. SC: You were in Vietnam also? Did you come in close contact with the Vietcong? JK: Yes, I went over with the 25th Division. It was a well-known outfit. There was a captain and a lieutenant colonel, both of them became four star generals. General Vessey became the chairman chief of staff. SC: How long were you in Vietnam? JK: I don't recall how long, but it wasn't very long. SC: Were you there at the end when Saigon fell and America pulled out? JK: Yes. SC: Did you have any memorable experiences in the Korean War or Vietnam that you'd like to share with us? JK: There's no war that's easy to say because all wars are alike. People get wounded in war, so there's no way of describing war. 4 SC: It's not a very fun experience. Did you make some close friends in either of the wars you were in? JK: I had some, but I didn't associate too much with soldiers. SC: Have you remained close with them since? JK: No, I haven't. SC: Do you feel like your service has changed your life? You were in the service for 21 years. What did you do after that? JK: I went to work with the telephone company. SC: What did you do for the telephone company? JK: I was working in the installation. SC: How long have you been retired? JK: I retired from the service and from the telephone company. SC: Tell us about your family. Is your wife still with you? JK: As far as I know. When you get our age, you don't know who's with whom. SC: Is she still alive? JK: Last time I heard she was still alive. SC: Do you have children? JK: If you could call 50-year-olds children, I guess I do. SC: How many do you have? JK: Between me and my wife, we've got two. 5 SC: Do you have any grandchildren? JK: We've got a granddaughter. SC: Do they live nearby? JK: They live in California. SC: Does your wife live nearby? JK: No. She lives in Arizona. SC: Is there anything you'd like to tell us about your experience in Korea or Vietnam that would be interesting for us to hear about? JK: Well, the only thing I can tell you about it is I'm lucky to know that there was such a place. As far as remembering anything, I don't remember a thing. Some things you want to forget. SC: You don't want to relive. JK: Yes. SC: Well, thank you for spending time with us today. We appreciate your service in Korea and Vietnam. We civilians have a debt of gratitude to the men and women who have served in the various wars. Most of our interviews have been with folks that have served in World War II, but it's very interesting to me to talk to you who served in Korea and Vietnam. Vietnam was kind of my generation. If I'd been drafted I would have gone to Vietnam. A lot of my friends served in Vietnam. When you came back from Vietnam did you feel like you were held in high regard as a veteran of Vietnam? 6 JK: They didn't get as much credit as they should have got. There's no war that is equal, but they're all the same. SC: It seemed like having lived through the Vietnam War, it was especially unpopular, so veterans from Vietnam didn't get the same treatment as other veterans. JK: The Americans wanted to forget there was such a word as "war." SC: Right. Well, thank you for coming here. We really do appreciate your time today. We appreciate your service. I really appreciate men and women that have served in the military and stood in harm's way for our benefit and for America. We really appreciate you coming.