Oral histories (document genres)

Scope and Contents

The documentary provides information and personal observations about William G. Goodge's uncle, Okey C. Dean's personal and army life, his death in Italy: early farm days; Camp Hale; D series; rock climbing; on ship to Alaska; arrival in Italy; climbing Riva Ridge; news of Roosevelt's death; wounded in April offensive; death while attending to a wounded soldier.

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Discusses his background and skiing. At age 25 he started skiing seriously, entering tournaments, and winning a championship. He was drafted into the Army in June of 1941 and was stationed at Fort Lewis where he was assigned to teach officers how to ski. He taught men to ski at Camp Hale and in Michigan. He was an instructor for his entire time in the army and was discharged in December of 1945.

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....

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The interview provides information and personal observations about Tomky's experiences: crossing the Po River; armored cars used and casualties; role of Company B at Mount Belvedere; field house that was once located at Camp Hale, bought by a rancher in Carbondale, attending functions held in the field house at the ranch.

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Reminiscences about Moore's experiences during the height of the Ku Klux Klan influence in Colorado.

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Discusses life in Maybell, Colorado, effects of development, plans for retirement, and history of Hat Ranch. Interviewed by Andrew Gulliford.

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The interview provides information and personal observations about Kitchen's experiences: being at Camp Hale and Camp Swift, Tex.; arrival at Naples, Italy; confusion among the troops at Belvedere; general overview of time in Italy; at Lake Garda at the end of the war; being part of a force sent to the Italian-Austrian border.

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The interview provides information and personal observations about Perrault's experiences: being assigned to the engineering division and training received at Camp Hale, Colo.; how training applied to building a tram up Riva Ridge and its importance for removing wounded soldiers; crossing the Po River and receiving the Silver Star Medal for saving his wounded Sergeant; becoming a member of the US Ski Team and competing in the 1948 and 1952 Olympics.

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Discusses reasons for immigration and differences in value systems. Interviewed by Andrew Gulliford, June 8, 1977.

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The interview provides information and personal observations about the 10th Mountain Division: the origins of the 10th Mountain Division; Lafferty and Skillern discuss prominent people in early days of skiing and the origins of the Mountain Training Center (the first choice was actually Henry Lake, Wyo.). They also discuss testing of mountain equipment, clothing and rations; training other combat troops in rock climbing and mountaineering skills

Scope and Contents The interview provides biographical information and personal observations about Lafferty's experiences with the 10th Mountain Division: cowboy and mountaineer experience prior to entering the Army; experiences in the Mountain Training Center, in the 87th Infantry Regiment, and as commander of Company A, 86th Battalion; building and establishment of Camp Hale, Colo.; testing of new snow equipment; and at one time was put in charge of 25 mules, two horses and the K-9 group. He also...

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Talks about names, words and phrases in the Tlingit language; tells the Legend of the Salmon; farewell speech to the pupils of the Alaskan Canadian Mission.

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Discusses how he began staging plays in the Denver (Colo.) area as a member of the Army Air Corps at Lowry Field in 1941, talks about reviewers, budget cuts, playwrights and other aspects of Denver (Colo.) theater.

Scope and Contents The interview provides information and personal observations about Rideout's experiences: growing up in Mass. and coaching the Dartmouth ski team; entering the army and graduating from Officers Candidates School; being assigned to Camp Hale and the "D" series training; traveling to Alta and Aspen to ski; traveling to Italy and Livorno; being assigned to Company F to replace a wounded officer; time spent in local villages prior to Riva Ridge offensive; snow caves; April offensive and being...

Scope and Contents The interview provides information and personal observations about the Italian campaign and the challenges and importance of the battle of Riva Ridge; how the capture of Riva Ridge denied the Germans their control of the "Gothic Line"; German Army of Southern European surrendered before the total German surrender; after the war, the nucleolus of the American ski industry was made up of 10th veterans, "98% of the ski talent in the U.S." was from the 10th Mountain Division, including about a...

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Recollections of Federal Art Program in Colorado.

Scope and Contents Discusses being drafted, going through 2 basic trainings and serving on various bases before being trained as a mechanic and being transferred to the 10th Mountain Division. He was assigned to D Company of the 126th Engineers, which functioned to support the infantry. He landed in Naples in January and went to Pisa. It was his duty to maintain the tramway engines. He says the biggest problem was the trucks having flat tires because of the shrapnel on the roads. He also tells a story of a...

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The interview provides information and personal observations about Delfausse's assignment to the 10th Mountain Division because he listed skiing as a sport he participated in on a questionnaire at Ft. Dix, N.J., deployment to Italy, being an S-5 Sergeant during the assault on Belvedere, injury in Italy and being sent back to the U.S. before the end of the war, finding a chest containing German payroll in Italian lire, Bocci family.

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The interview provide personal observation about Pierson's experiences with the 10th Mountain Division: joining the military while at the Colorado School of Mines; applied directly to the mountain troops; describes the communication system as used during combat; being injured while on Riva Ridge and being taken to the aid station and experiences in the hospital; experiences at Camp Hale and Camp Swift; how he spent time waiting for discharge.

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Noel talks about her childhood, family, education, marriage and her careers as a welfare worker and magazine editor; also discusses Denver public school system and a trip to African.

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The interview provides information and personal observations about Crawford's time as a member of the 86th Infantry, how he came to join the 10th Mountain Division, weapons he carried, being wounded in action near Lake Garda.

Scope and Contents The interview provides information and personal observations about Ball's experiences: being a member of the 87th Mountain Infantry Division at Fort Lewis, Wash. after graduating from Williams College in Williamstown, Mass.; working with other college graduates from schools with ski teams; landing at Kiska Island; sent to N.H. to teach rock climbing and learning Norwegian; life and teaching skiing at Cooper Mountain, Camp Hale, Colo.; "D" series; time at Camp Swift, Tex. and deployment to...

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Discusses first job hoeing potatoes, coming to Colorado on the railroad; retirement in Fruita, Colo. Interviewed by Andrew Gulliford, June 27, 1977. Additional interview with Mabel May Myers, Oak Creek, Colorado resident, discusses life in Colorado and the 1913 mine strike in Breckenridge, Colo. Interviewed by Andrew Gulliford, July 1, 1977.

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Humphreys recalls his experience as a Denver (Colo.) Post reporter covering the activities of William J. Candish, a Ku Klux Klan appointed police chef; also discusses John Galen Locke, Grand Dragon of Ku Klux Klan of Colorado.

Scope and Contents The interview provides information and personal observations about Josephson's experiences: being a skier and having Minnie Dole tell him about the formation of the National Ski Patrol; serving on air bases in Fla., Mass., and R.I. before joining the 10th Mountain Division; travel to Camp Hale and Fort Ord for the preparation of the invasion of Kiska Island; condition and activities at Kiska, friendly fire, casualties; returning to Camp Hale and participating in the "D" series; searchlight...

Scope and Contents

The interview provides information and personal observations about Farley's experiences: volunteering and enlistment at Fort Dix prior to going to Camp Hale in June 1943; time at Camp Hale; time off and skiing at Cooper Mountain; value of religion and discipline during difficult situations; physical issues related to the transport of ski equipment; superior artillery of the Germans and superiority of the American air power; impact of the reunion trip on his memories.

Scope and Contents

The interview provides information and personal observations about Zelina's experiences: being a career army member, who also served in Korea; value and characteristics of mules; Italy, and being hospitalized because of contracting yellow jaundice; psychology being the training of soldiers; role of veterans in organizations.

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Owen talks about the family photographs (copy prints) that he donated to the Denver Public Library; talks about his family and his grandfather, William Jennings Bryan. Newspaper article details the marriage of Owen's parents, Reginald and Ruth Bryan Leavitt.

Scope and Contents The interview provides information and personal observations about Johnson's experiences: joining the Mountain Troops prior to the formation of the 10th Mountain Division; being an ROTC commissioned officer from N.M.; serving as a ski trainer at Camp Hale; Kiska Island invasion; good military training at Camp Swift, Tex.; sailing to Italy on the USS West Point; officer's view of war activities at Mount Gorgolesco, Belvedere, and the Po Valley; being promoted to Executive Officer at Po...

Scope and Contents Copy of interview originally broadcast on Denver, Colo. radio station KMVP's Radio Ski Show. The interview provides information and personal observations about Over's experiences with the 10th Mountain Division during World War II: making of the television documentary: Soldiers of the Summit, produced by KRMA, Channel 6, which was shown on Colorado Adventures, and later nationally on PBS; skiing background prior to entering the Army; organization, training, and equipping of the 10th Mountain...