Oliver James "Jim" Barr oral history
Scope and Contents
The interview provides information and personal observations about the history of the 10th Mountain Division, training, combat and perceptions of the D-Series maneuvers; Barr's decision to join the 10th Mountain Division; skiing in Wash. state prior to enlistment; travel to Camp Hale, Colo.; involvement in the battle for Mt. Belvedere and Barr being the first to reach the summit; the battles of della Terraccio and della Spe; the role of officers in battle, most specifically lieutenants. Names mentioned: Charles McLain; Bob Parker.
Dates
- Check date
Creator
- Barr, Oliver James,III,1920-1984. (Person)
Language of Materials
Material is in English unless otherwise noted.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright is retained by the author of the items in this collection, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Biographical / Historical
Oliver James "Jim" Barr, III was born in Norwood, Mass. on May 24, 1920 and enlisted in the Army on June 9, 1942. He joined the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Lewis, Wash. where he was assigned to Company E of the 87th Mountain Infantry Division. In January 1943, Barr was sent to officer's training school at Fort Benning, Ga. and returned to Camp Hale, Colo. as a 2nd Lieutenant. He was later assigned platoon leader with Company I, 85th Infantry Regiment. Barr eventually became the S-2 intelligence and military security officer for the 3rd Battalion, 85th Infantry Regiment. He was stationed at Camp Hale, Colo.; Camp Swift, Tex.; Camp Carson, Colo.; Jolan, Calif.; and Italy. Wounded in action in Italy, he received two Bronze Stars medals, Purple Heart and Combat Infantryman Badge. In the 1990s, he was instrumental in helping to found the Order of Belvedere, which became known as the 10th Mountain Division Descendants, Inc. Barr died in Denver, Colo. on April 16, 2005.
Extent
1 videodiscs (DVD)
Other Finding Aids
Typed transcript available.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Oliver James Barr;gift;2004.
General
The original video taped interview was approximately 85 minutes in length (current running time is about 40 minutes). The typed transcript provides a copy of the complete interview length.
Linking Entry Complexity Note
Forms part of the 10th Mountain Division Resource Center Collection.
- Barr, Oliver James, III, 1920-1984 -- Interviews.
- Camp Carson (Colo.) -- History. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Camp Hale (Colo.) -- History. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Camp Swift (Tex.) -- History. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- DVDs Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Military maneuvers -- Cold weather conditions. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Mini-DV Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Oral histories (document genres) Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Ski troops -- History. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Soldiers -- United States. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- United States. Army. Mountain Infantry Regiment, 85th.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal narratives, American. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- Finding Aid for the Oliver James Barr oral history,2004[videorecording]
- Author
- Finding Aid prepared from MARC data.
- Description rules
- Anglo American Cataloguing Rules
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Denver Public Library, Western History and Genealogy Repository
