Resource Type

Transcript of Oral History Interview with Homer James "Jim" Avery, August 14, 2008 (open access)

Transcript of Oral History Interview with Homer James "Jim" Avery, August 14, 2008

Interview with Homer James "Jim" Avery, founder of James Avery Craftsman from Kerrville, Texas. Mr. Avery discusses his childhood, education, service in World War II, and starting and developing his jewelry business. The interview includes photographs of Mr. Avery, on pages 35-41.
Date: August 14, 2008
Creator: Collins, Francelle Robison; Webb, Jeanie Archer; Leonard, Julie Mosty & Avery, Homer James
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Ruth Simons (Kerr) Ray, December 6, 1996 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Ruth Simons (Kerr) Ray, December 6, 1996

Interview with Ruth Simons (Kerr) Ray, the great-great granddaughter of James Kerr, from Canyon Lake, Texas. Mrs. Ray discusses her ancestor's life and his history in the Hill Country, as well as the Historical Marker Dedication Ceremony at the Kerr County Courthouse.
Date: October 6, 2000
Creator: Bethel, Ann; Snodgrass, Clarabelle & Ray, Ruth Simons
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Vern "Bucky" Blodgett, May 3, 2001 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Vern "Bucky" Blodgett, May 3, 2001

Interview with Vern "Bucky" Blodgett, an armed forces veteran and Veteran's Administration worker from Kerrville, Texas. Mr. Blodgett describes moving to and growing up in Kerrville, and his work with the VA Hospital there (first as a clerk, and finally, as acting associate director). Besides serving in the service for four years, he also worked in several VA facilities around the country before making his way back to Kerrville. His memories of the town include details of the flood of 1932, his role in founding the Buck 'N' Bull Club (a rifle club) in 1946, and a few stories concerning the religious community. A historical profile of the Kerrville VA Hospital is included at the end of interview transcript.
Date: May 3, 2001
Creator: Bethel, Ann; Snodgrass, Clarabelle & Blodgett, Vern
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with John Andrews, March 26, 2004 (open access)

Oral History Interview with John Andrews, March 26, 2004

Interview with John Andrews, a veteran of the U.S. Army Air Corps from Kentwood, Louisiana. The transcript includes a list of questions regarding Andrews's training and service in World War II as a B-29 command pilot and flight instructor throughout the United States.
Date: May 17, 2005
Creator: Coy, Larisa L. & Andrews, John
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Kenneth Larry Clemmons, April 23, 2004 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Kenneth Larry Clemmons, April 23, 2004

Interview with Kenneth Larry Clemmons, a U.S. Army veteran who served in the Vietnam War from Houston, Texas. Clemmons describes his time in basic training and experiences in Vietnam, including seeing Bob Hope and how he was treated upon returning to the United States.
Date: May 18, 2005
Creator: Nawaz, Muhammad & Clemmons, Kenneth Larry
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with John David Burgess, April 28, 2002 (open access)

Oral History Interview with John David Burgess, April 28, 2002

Interview with John David Burgess, a veteran of the U.S. Army who served in Vietnam as a helicopter crew chief with the 196th Infantry Brigade from Baytown, Texas. Burgess describes his experiences during the war and what a typical day was like while in Vietnam. He also speaks about an incident where the plane he was flying was shot down by enemy fire.
Date: March 16, 2003
Creator: Eakin, Elizabeth & Burgess, John David
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Gene Buehring, April 29, 2001 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Gene Buehring, April 29, 2001

Interview with Gene Buehring, a veteran of the U.S. Army who served in Vietnam and was wounded in action. Buehring describes what every day life was like in the service and his experiences upon returning home. He also talks about meeting Bob Hope and the two times he was injured on duty.
Date: April 15, 2003
Creator: Reitmeier, Sara & Buehring, Gene
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Afton Keeton, April 5, 2003 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Afton Keeton, April 5, 2003

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Afton Keeton. Keeton joined the Navy in early 1942. He completed Hospital Corps School, and served as a Pharmacist’s Mate. He volunteered for Submarine School. From 1944 through the end of the war, Keeton worked in the sick bays aboard USS Seadragon (SS-194) and USS Tilefish (SS-307). He shares numerous anecdotes of his work aboard the submarines, though does not go into detail of where they traveled through the Pacific. Keeton continued his service after World War II, and retired in February of 1972.
Date: April 5, 2003
Creator: Keeton, Afton
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Afton Keeton, August 30, 2007 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Afton Keeton, August 30, 2007

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Afton Keeton. Keeton joined the Navy in July of 1942. He completed Hospital Corps School and became a Pharmacist Mate. He first served aboard the USS Sea Dragon (SS-194). They patrolled the Aleutian Islands. He was then stationed at the Submarine Base in Pearl Harbor, working in a sick bay. He then served aboard the USS Apollo (AS-25) with a relief crew. He provides some detail of working aboard a submarine, serving as the Doc, living conditions and undergoing his own appendectomy aboard the Apollo. In early 1945 he was assigned for 1 year to serve at a submarine base in St. Thomas. He then served as hospital corpsman on the USS Clamagore (SS-343). Keeton also worked on sonar watch, radar watch and as a cook during his time in the Navy. He spent a total of 30 years in the Navy, retiring in February of 1972.
Date: August 30, 2007
Creator: Keeton, Afton
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Albert Day, February 23, 2004 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Albert Day, February 23, 2004

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Albert Day. Day was born in Olney, Texas 23 September 1921 and graduated from high school in Vivian, Louisiana in 1942. Upon joining the Navy 4 June 1942, he was sent to The Great Lakes Naval Training Station for boot training. Afterwards, Day was assigned to the Amphibious Forces at Solomons, Maryland for training where he learned navigation and signal communications. Completing the course in October 1942 he went to Redwood City, California for further training. Assigned to LCT(5)-62, he describes the size, propulsion, crew compliment and purpose of the craft. Day tells of breaking the LCT into sections that were put aboard an AKA and sailing to New Caledonia arriving in December 1942. On a trip to Guadalcanal he witnessed a Japanese plane dropping a bomb on the USS De Haven (DD-469). He recalls a night trip to New Georgia when he saw St. Elmo’s fire on the railing of his ship. At Tulagi on 7 April 1943, Day personally shot down an attacking Japanese plane. He participated in the invasion of Iwo Jima and tells of being on the USS Estes (ACG-12) and describes an intense …
Date: February 23, 2004
Creator: Day, Albert
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Anne Sloan, September 11, 2000 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Anne Sloan, September 11, 2000

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Anne Sloan. Sloan grew up in Oregon and joined the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps in 1944. She spent time at Fort Des Moines, Iowa; Plattsburgh, New York; Camp Davis, North Carolina; Lexington, Virginia; and San Antonio, Texas before she left the service in 1946. She was at Times Square, New York City on V-E Day. After the service, she used the GI Bill to attend the University of Texas at Austin, where she met her husband. She later became a teacher.
Date: September 11, 2000
Creator: Sloan, Anne
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Voris C. Riley, November 1, 2005 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Voris C. Riley, November 1, 2005

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Voris C. Riley of Kingland, Texas. He discusses enlisting in the military while living in Abilene, Texas and getting sent to civil service for the Army before being offered to join the Navy. In the Navy he went through basic training in San Diego, California, then to St. Louis Electrical School and finally through firefighting training in Rhode Island. After he completed his training Mr. Riley was assigned to the U.S.S. Lake Champain, CB 39 and went on a shakedown cruise where 16 crewmen were lost for various reasons. In the Navy he was an electrician aboard the ship and dealt with setting up electricity onshore. He also dealt with Prisoners of War, being put in charge of a group of them to build a swimming pool. He was in New York City on temporary leave when the news of the wars end was released by President Truman. Mr. Voris also talks about serving in the Civilian Conservation Corps in New Mexico.
Date: November 1, 2005
Creator: Riley, Voris C.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with L. B. Blackmon, April 10, 2007 (open access)

Oral History Interview with L. B. Blackmon, April 10, 2007

Transcription of a phone interview with L. B. Blackmon of Corpus Christi, Texas, a World War Two veteran of the United States Marine Corps. In the interview, Mr. Brown talks about his time in the Marines as well as life growing up during the Great Depression and other biographical information. He recalls memories of surviving Pearl Harbor, guard duty around naval storage in Hawaii, and the Horse Marines.
Date: April 10, 2007
Creator: Misenhimer, Richard & Blackmon, L. B.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Robert and Dalene Reagan, August 28, 2001 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Robert and Dalene Reagan, August 28, 2001

Interview with Robert Reagan and his wife, Dalene Comparette Reagan, a couple with strong local historical family roots, from Kerrville, Texas. Mrs. Reagan delves into the history of Kerrville Telephone Company, which was co-founded by her great-grandfather, Dale Comparette. Mr. Reagan discusses his family history, including his connection to Admiral Chester Nimitz. The couple also talk about their childhood memories of Kerrville while it was still a small town.
Date: August 28, 2001
Creator: Bethel, Ann; Snodgrass, Clarabelle; Reagan, Robert & Reagan, Dalene Comparette
System: The Portal to Texas History