Oral History Interview with James Macia, July 21, 2000 (open access)

Oral History Interview with James Macia, July 21, 2000

Interview with James "Herb" Macia of San Antonio, Texas, who is a veteran of the United States Armed Forces during World War Two. In the interview, Mr. Thomas recalls memories about growing up as well as his days as a mining engineer, the Doolittle Raid, North Africa, Normandy, and D-Day.
Date: July 21, 2000
Creator: Cox, Floyd & Macia, James
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with James Macia, July 21, 2000 transcript

Oral History Interview with James Macia, July 21, 2000

Interview with James "Herb" Macia of San Antonio, Texas, who is a veteran of the United States Armed Forces during World War Two. In the interview, Mr. Macia recalls memories about growing up as well as his days as a mining engineer, the Doolittle Raid, North Africa, Normandy, and D-Day.
Date: July 21, 2000
Creator: Cox, Floyd & Macia, James
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Willie Higgs, September 21, 2001 transcript

Oral History Interview with Willie Higgs, September 21, 2001

Interview with Willie Higgs, a U. S. Marine during World War II. He joined the Marines in 1944 and trained at Camp Pendleton before being assigned to the 4th Marine Division. Higgs discusses arriving at Iwo Jima, making a grenade attack on a cave there, and subsequently breaking his leg. He then spent time aboard the hospital ship, USS Solace (AH-5). Upon returning home, Higgs finished his degree at Southwest Texas State in San Marcos, where he majored in music.
Date: September 21, 2001
Creator: Pickard, Kevin & Higgs, Willie
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Boyd K. Miller, January 21, 2003 transcript

Oral History Interview with Boyd K. Miller, January 21, 2003

Interview with Boyd K. Miller, a draftsman and pilot during World War II. He discusses being drafted out of college and working as an artist and draftsman. Since he studied art in college, he worked on diagrams and charts. He then transferred to the Air Corps to become a pilot and trained in Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Alabama, New York, Georgia, Florida and Texas.
Date: January 21, 2003
Creator: Misenhimer, Richard & Miller, Boyd K.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Joyce E. Sarvey, October 21, 2000 transcript

Oral History Interview with Joyce E. Sarvey, October 21, 2000

Interview with Joyce E. Sarvey discussing her work with Western Union in San Antonio, Texas during World War II.
Date: October 21, 2000
Creator: Pickard, Hesty & Sarvey, Joyce E.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Glenn E. McDuffie, January 21, 2008 transcript

Oral History Interview with Glenn E. McDuffie, January 21, 2008

Interview with Glenn E. McDuffie, an Armed Guard in the U. S. Navy during World War II. He discusses lying about his age in order to join the navy at 15 and his experience in boot camp. He served as an Armed Guard on merchant ships that transported supplies across the Atlantic and remembers being in London while German bombers flew overhead. He transported German prisoners out of Marseilles and Naples shortly after the liberation of those cities. He remembers going to Times Square upon hearing that the Japanese had surrendered. He claims to have been the sailor in the iconic photo of the sailor kissing the nurse in Times Square on V-J Day. He describes how he proved he was the sailor in the photo, what he did after the war, and how he learned that his brother survived the Bataan Death March.
Date: January 21, 2008
Creator: Misenhimer, Richard & McDuffie, Glenn E.
Object Type: Sound
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Soldiers In Front of Hutment]

Photograph of two soldiers, including Lawrence Fessler, sitting on the steps in front of a wooden hutment at Camp Barkeley in Abilene, Texas.
Date: November 21, 1943
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his Parents, May 21, 1943] (open access)

[Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his Parents, May 21, 1943]

Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his parents Clara and John T. Willis, Sr. on May 21, 1943. He mentions a movie he saw recently, and lists the people he received birthday cards from.
Date: May 21, 1943
Creator: Willis, John Todd, Jr.
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his Parents, January 21, 1944] (open access)

[Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his Parents, January 21, 1944]

Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his parents Clara and John T. Willis, Sr. on January 21, 1944. He received a letter from his uncle, and went to the Red Cross in town recently. He gives his opinion on weekly inspections.
Date: January 21, 1944
Creator: Willis, John Todd, Jr.
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his Parents, March 21, 1944] (open access)

[Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his Parents, March 21, 1944]

Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his parents Clara and John T. Willis, Sr. on March 21, 1944. He reports the receipt of several letters from them, and sends his condolences for one of them who recently had a tooth pulled. He comments that he needs to get one or two teeth filled soon. He is planning on taking Wilbur Crawford to a U.S.O. show soon, and tells his parents to inform Mrs. Crawford, Wilbur's mother, that he'll probably be put in a unit in the rear once he's well enough.
Date: March 21, 1944
Creator: Willis, John Todd, Jr.
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his Parents, July 21, 1944] (open access)

[Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his Parents, July 21, 1944]

Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his parents Clara and John T. Willis, Sr. on July 21, 1944. He apologizes for not writing more, but the war seems to be winding down and there isn't much to say. He thinks Germany will fold soon and the army will be home by spring. He wishes he could have gone fishing with his friends in Waco, and says he received a box of short bread.
Date: July 21, 1944
Creator: Willis, John Todd, Jr.
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his Parents, November 21, 1943] (open access)

[Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his Parents, November 21, 1943]

Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his parents Clara and John T. Willis, Sr. on November 21, 1943. He explains that he is writing this letter in a crowded room because it's the warmest place in camp, and the army made the men take their stoves out of their tents. He also talks about the food they have.
Date: November 21, 1943
Creator: Willis, John Todd, Jr.
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his Parents, June 21, 1943] (open access)

[Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his Parents, June 21, 1943]

Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his parents Clara and John T. Willis, Sr. on June 21, 1943. He mentions his cousin Jimmie entering the army, and asks his parents to send him some clothes from home.
Date: June 21, 1943
Creator: Willis, John Todd, Jr.
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his Parents, July 21, 1943] (open access)

[Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his Parents, July 21, 1943]

Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his parents Clara and John T. Willis, Sr. on July 21, 1943. He discusses swimming at the beach, and what he wants to do and eat when the war is over. He also asks his father to send him a load of cigarettes and specifies what clothes he wants them to send him.
Date: July 21, 1943
Creator: Willis, John Todd, Jr.
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his Parents, December 21, 1943] (open access)

[Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his Parents, December 21, 1943]

Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his parents Clara and John T. Willis, Sr. on December 21, 1943. He arrived safely in Italy, and likes it a great deal more than he did North Africa. He comments on the fruit and nuts that grow in Italy, and mentions that he has finally received many letters and packages from home.
Date: December 21, 1943
Creator: Willis, John Todd, Jr.
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his Parents, December 21, 1942] (open access)

[Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his Parents, December 21, 1942]

Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his parents Clara and John T. Willis, Sr. on December 21, 1942. He tells them to go visit a friend of his who recently left the army and is going to be in Waco soon.
Date: December 21, 1942
Creator: Willis, John Todd, Jr.
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his Parents, October 21, 1944] (open access)

[Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his Parents, October 21, 1944]

Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his parents Clara and John T. Willis, Sr. on October 21, 1944, informing his parents that he's been promoted to Technician Sergeant, and that he'll be paid as much as a corporal, so he may be putting more money in the bank. He also mentions getting his winter clothes, which were too big but new.
Date: October 21, 1944
Creator: Willis, John Todd, Jr.
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard of Hendrick Memorial Hospital]

Postcard of Hendrick Memorial Hospital in Abilene, Texas. A handwritten note addressed to Miss Helen H. Aten from Woodrow W. Aten says "Dear Helen & all: Quite a nice day and now is a little warm. Received a letter from Fred today. Had a letter from Al Saturday and also one from the staff. We are plenty busy right now. As ever, Woodrow."
Date: August 21, 1944
Creator: Aten, Woodrow W.
Object Type: Postcard
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Postcard of Fort Phantom Hill]

Postcard of Fort Phantom Hill in Abilene, Texas. A handwritten note addressed to Miss Helen H. Aten from Woodrow W. Aten says "Dear Helen and all- Was on a picnic today and climbed Castle Peak and have a little sun burn as a [?] of the very nice day. We have had several hard showers including a little hail. Things have turned green again. Doesn't take long for them to turn brown. As ever, Woodrow."
Date: May 21, 1944
Creator: Aten, Woodrow W.
Object Type: Postcard
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Purchase Receipt for W. E. Forester, March 21, 1944] (open access)

[Purchase Receipt for W. E. Forester, March 21, 1944]

Purchase receipt issued to W. E. Forester after he purchased a gas stove. The receipt has information about Forester's address, number of items bought, the type of stove he bought, and is signed by James M. Kyle in the bottom right corner.
Date: March 21, 1944
Creator: United States. Office of Price Administration
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
The Eagle, Volume 2, Number 25, Thursday, October 21, 1943 (open access)

The Eagle, Volume 2, Number 25, Thursday, October 21, 1943

Weekly newsletter published for employees of the Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation Fort Worth Division containing work-related information, updates about employees, and other news.
Date: October 21, 1943
Creator: Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation
Object Type: Journal/Magazine/Newsletter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from June Yates to Cal Yates] (open access)

[Letter from June Yates to Cal Yates]

Letter from June Yates to Cal describing his travels across Germany after the war was over. June notes the destruction that the bombs inflicted on some of the large cities and testifies for the accuracy of the horror stories told from the concentration camps; they are still very busy as they are the only hospital for miles.
Date: 1945-05-21~
Creator: Yates, June
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Fritz Kornegay, March 2003 (open access)

Oral History Interview with Fritz Kornegay, March 2003

Interview with Fritz Kornegay, a signal engineer in the US Army during WWII. He describes his time in the military and coming home post-war.
Date: July 21, 2003
Creator: Childress, D. & Kornegay, Fritz
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from Captain Merrill Smith to his wife - January 21, 1944] (open access)

[Letter from Captain Merrill Smith to his wife - January 21, 1944]

Letter from Captain Merrill Smith to his wife discussing the completion of the showers in his area and that he is still working hard in the camp's construction.
Date: January 21, 1944
Creator: Smith, Merrill
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History