Interview with engineer and Army Air Forces veteran Shuford M. Alexander, Jr. The interview includes Alexander's personal experiences about being a fighter pilot in Italy during World War II, basic training, flight training, various assignments and transfers, Operation STRANGLE, being shot down by flak over Piacenza, and being rescued by Italian partisans. Additionally, Alexander talks about his link-up with a British A-4 Mission and his attempt to reach Allied lines, his betrayal by a German agent and his subsequent capture, escaping and continuing his search for Allied lines, his observations and opinions about the partisans, a second encounter with a British A-4 Mission, the Martani family in the village of Tosca, his group's trek through mountain snow to reach Allied lines, meeting with British paratroopers and with African-American soldiers from the 92nd Infantry Division, and his reunion with his squadron in Pisa. The interview includes an appendix with a narrative by Alexander.

Transcript of an interview with George E. Charland, a Native American Marine Corps veteran, concerning his experiences during World War II. Charland discusses his experiences with the 3rd Marine Defense Battalion during the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941; his experiences with the 2nd Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, at Guadalcanal, 1942; his experiences with E Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, at Tarawa, 1943; his experiences with the 4th Marine Division at Saipan and Tinian, 1944, and Iwo Jima, 1945; medical discharge in April, 1945.

Interview with Navy veteran Elijah Collins Jr. The interview includes Collins' personal experiences while aboard the destroyer USS Blue during the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Collins also talks about the Battle of Savo Island and the sinking of the Blue.

Interview with electrical engineer and Army veteran Herb Elfering, The interview includes Elfering's personal experiences with a searchlight/radar battery, 251st Coast Artillery Regiment, at camp Malekole during the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Elfering also gives brief descriptions of his later experiences at Bougainville and Luzon.

Interview with William J. Fisk, a Navy veteran (VPB-123), concerning his experiences in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Assignment to the crew of a PB4Y-2; his unauthorized participation in a combat mission out of Okinawa over the Sea of Japan; battle damage to his plane; description of Hiroshima and Nagasaki from aerial observations after the dropping of the atomic bombs.

Interview with Navy veteran Alan A. Fouts. The interview includes Fouts' personal experiences while assigned to the Submarine Base during the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and his subsequent service aboard the submarine USS Pogy in the Pacific Theater during World War II.

Interview with Dulcie Barnier Dreyspring, Australian-born immigrant to Fort Worth, Texas, for the DFW Metroplex Immigrants Oral History Project. The interview includes Dreyspring's personal experiences of childhood in Australia, interactions with American soldiers during World War II, the Japanese invasion of Australia, her first visit to the U.S., first impressions of America, her first marriage to an American, and her return to Australia for the immigration process. It also includes her impressions of various American cities, views on American identity, her siblings in Australia, reasons for moving to Fort Worth, her second marriage to an American airman, adopting Texas culture, and advice for future immigrants.

Interviews with Weldon Hart, a public relations executive and executive director of the Texas Good Roads Association. The interviews includes Hart's experiences as press secretary and appointments secretary to former Governors Beauford Jester, 1947-50, and Allan Shivers, 1950-57; head of the Texas Employment Commission; organization of a Texas political machine; lobbying for the highway construction industries of Texas. The interviews took place on three separate dates: August 8, 1966, February 6, 1967, and July 3, 1967.

Interview with Philip Brodsky, a pharmacologist, a civil servant, an Army veteran, and a survivor of the Bataan Death March, concerning his experiences as a prisoner-of-war of the Japanese during World War II. Brodsky discusses the Japanese bombing of Nichols Field, the fall of Bataan and his capture, the Bataan Death March, Camp O'Donnell (1942), Palawan Island (1942-1944), the hell ship to Formosa (1944), and his liberation.

Interview with Eugene Nielsen, a Army WWII veteran and POW from Logan, Utah. Nielsen discusses his prewar assignment to Corregidor Island, the Battles of Bataan and Corregidor, capture by the Japanese, experiences in internment at Bilibid Prison, Cabanatuan, and Palawan, surviving the Palawan Massacre, and his rescue by Filipinos and American forces. Included is Nielsen's obituary of February 6, 2011.

Interview with Catherine Bell, a public employee and community activist, about her experiences concerning the activities of the Denton Christian Women's Interracial Fellowship during the 1960s and 1970s. Bell discusses the early organization and social activities, her experiences in a segregated environment, the street paving of the African American section of Denton, urban renewal, desegregation of public places in Denton, her political activities, desegregation of schools, and the jobs program.

Interview with college professor and community activist Euline Brock, from Denton, Texas. In the interview, which is a follow-up to her earlier recollections, Brock continues to discuss the activities of the Denton Christian Women's Inter-Racial Fellowship during the 1960's and 1970's.

Interview with Foy Taylor, a longtime resident of Denton, Texas, and donor of a antique log cabin to the Denton County Historical Commission. Taylor discusses his family background, education and career, his service in the Navy and witnessing atomic bomb tests, his family's farm in Denton, growing up in the area, prohibition and the Depression, and changes in the town over time.

Interview with Barbara Rodman, a college professor, concerning her experiences in the development of the Women's Studies Program at the University of North Texas, 1992-96; educational background; participation in student protests against the Vietnam War; activities with the National Organization of Women (NOW); origins of her interest in women writers; her role in the Women's Studies Program at UNT; her teaching philosophy and thoughts about "engaged feminism."

Interview with Dritz Schwalm, a professor at the University of North Texas from Arolsen, Hesse. Schwalm discusses his family background, the county of Waldeck, his education, moving to the United States and working in academia, his parents' laundry business, the University of Marburg, working at Texas Women's University and the University of North Texas, German culture in the United States, shopping, the Goethe Institute, American politics, thoughts on citizenship, and radical leftists in Germany. In appendix are two pictures of Marburg discussed in the interview.

Interview with Dr. David Webb, a librarian, concerning his experiences as Director of Libraries, Director of Library Services, and Professor of Library Services at North Texas State College and North Texas State University from 1953 to 1982.

Interview with Michael Crone, veteran of Operation of Iraqi Freedom, as part of the Tarrant County Veterans Oral History Project. The interview includes Crone's personal experiences of childhood in Texas, enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves, boot camp at Camp Pendleton, California, training as a diesel mechanic, and being deployed to Kuwait and Al Asad, Iraq. Crone also talks about his family's tradition of military service, realizing that he would be activated and shift in reservist training following September 11 attacks, the birth of his first child while in Iraq, aspects of daily life for American soldiers stationed in Iraq, his work as a repair mechanic, and returning to the U.S. and his family.

Transcript of an interview with Kamran Khadivar, a civil/structural engineer, businessman, and Iranian-born immigrant to Plano, Texas. Khadivar discusses his childhood in Shiraz, Iran; coming to America at fourteen by himself; living with extended family in Texas; adjusting to America and learning English; parents’ escape from Iran during the Iranian Revolution; education in America; work experience; continuing Iranian traditions in own family; opportunities provided in America.

Transcript of an interview with Charles Leroy "Lee" Smith, U.S. Air Force veteran and private pilot. Smith recounts his experiences at the University of Alabama and in the US Air Force, Flight School at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX, and Basic Training in Mississippi. He speaks of his assignments in Keflavik, Iceland, Red Bluff, CA, and NORAD Sector as Captain in electronics and communications. He was Certified for the F-102 at Perrin Air Force Base, Sherman, TX. He tells of his experiences while assigned to combat squadron in Saigon during Vietnam War, and his life after Vietnam era and his work experiences flying world-wide for businesses and the private sector, particularly as pilot for Frank Sinatra.

Interview with community activist Betty Kimble from Denton, Texas. In the interview, Kimble discusses her experiences concerning the activities of the Denton Christian Women's Inter-Racial Fellowship during the 1960s and 1970s. She recalls memories from her days as a student both in East Texas and at North Texas State College. Kimble recollects the many events that concerned the desegregation of the North Texas State College and the City of Denton alike, which included student and citizen protesting that mostly supported Denton's strong white power presence. She recalls the desegregation of public restaurants, the street-paving of the African-American section of Denton, and voter registration changes. Kimble also comments on influential civil rights activists including Tennyson Miller and Abner Haynes.

Interview with Jean Elizabeth Sheppard Hatcher, a veteran of the Coast Guard Women's Reserves from Illinois, regarding her experience her experiences growing up during the Depression, serving in the military during World War II, and her family life after that. Hatcher discusses her background, military experience, waitressing and clerical work, discharge, marriage, and involvement with Ridglea United Methodist Church.

Transcript of an interview with William Hatcher, a World War II Army veteran (29th Bomb Group, 20th Air Force). Hatcher discusses concerning his his childhood and education; family's experiences in the Great Depression; decision to attend University of Tennessee-Knoxville and major in mechanical engineering; memories of Pearl Harbor attack; decision to join U.S. Army Enlisted Reserve Corps in 1942; 1943 call-up; basic training at Ft. Belvoir, Va.; instruction in engineering, communications, and radar repair at City College of New York and Chanute Field, Ill.; assignments to Truax Field, Wis., and Boca Raton, Fla.; meeting future wife, Jean E. Sheppard, at USO Club in West Palm Beach, Fla.; transfer to B-29 unit and bases in Neb. And Kan.; deployment to Guam with 29th Bomb Group, 20th Air Force, March 1945; details of high-altitude radar repair work; aspects of daily life for American soldiers stationed in Guam; descriptions of devastation of Japan, including Hiroshima; transfer to base on Tinian; return to U.S. in February 1946; wedding; return to UT-Knoxville using GI Bill benefits; work at Oak Ridge; decision to transfer to University of New Mexico for Mrs. Hatcher's health; career with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Convair Corp. of Fort Worth; …

Transcript of an interview with Doyle Griffin, owner and operator of R & R Motor Supply, Inc. in Denton, Texas. Griffin discusses his family background, his employment history, his purchase of R & R Motor Supply in 1944 and his experiences as a business owner, as well as his personal hobbies such as raising quarter horses and boat racing.

Transcript of an interview with W. Erle White, founder of White's Auto Stores from Wichita Falls, Texas. White discusses his family background, early work experiences and education, as well as his work in auto supply stores and garages, and starting his own business.