Ski troops -- History -- Interviews.

Scope and Contents The interview provides information and personal observations about Flabetich's joining the 10th Mountain Division as a skier. From his induction at Ft. Lewis, Wash. he went directly to Camp Hale, Colo. and describes Sgt. Torger Torkel as a man with a great character. Flabetich later had appendicitis early in his D series activities. He did not have good experiences at Camp Swift, Tex. and left for Italy from Camp Patrick Henry aboard the SS Argentina. Flabetich also discusses poverty in...

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The interview provides information and personal observations about Little's experiences: personal interest in the 10th Mountain Division while in high school, being drafted and applying for the division, letters of recommendation; personal experiences at Camp Hale and Camp Swift; conditions on the USS West Point; nights spent digging fox holes while being shelled by German 88mm artillery at Belvedere; patrols and final experiences at Mount della Spe.

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The interview provides information and personal observations about Burda's experiences: most memorable experiences during WWII; how combat affected him; friendships he developed through the 10th Mountain Division.

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The interview provides information and personal observations about Prentice's experiences: work with the Forest Service prior to enlistment; being promoted to PFC three times before being "busted" twice; encounter with a coral snake in Tex.; service time in Italy and trip to Paris, France after the war.

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The interview provides information and personal observations about Sims' experiences: combat experiences in Italy.

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The interview provides information and personal observations about Tapley's experiences: work as a ski and rock-climbing instructor; ski and camping trips to Aspen, Colo.; being sent to the Aleutian Islands, training he conducted; equipment and training; teaching survival skills; becoming a director of Outward Bound, training and expected outcomes.

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The interview provides information and personal observations about Hollander's experiences: private life before the war; joining the 10th Mountain Division; basic training at Camp Hale, skiing and rock climbing, "D" series; preparation for assault on Riva Ridge; being a forward observer, being wounded and receiving the Bronze Star medal; German attack on a tunnel at Lake Garda; private life after the war.

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The interview provides information and personal observations about Giannobile's experiences: assignment in Naples, Italy; climbing Mt. Belvedere and machine gun fire; mortar fire at Castel d'Aiano; crossing Lake Garda on a DUKW; arrival at Lago di Garda and entering Mussolini's villa; capture of Mussolini; emigration to the United States from Italy and being classified as an enemy alien; irony of being an enemy alien and also having a US draft card.

Scope and Contents The interview provides information and personal observations about Hames' experiences: joining the 10th Mountain Division after hearing about it at a local gas station; attending officers training school at Ft. Benning, Ga.; skiing on Cooper Hill and difficulty with rock climbing; role as 1st Sergeant; experiences, strategy, and resistance at Castel d'Aiano and casualties suffered; Bronze Star medal for his strategy at Mt. Belvedere; Task force Duff; mass surrender of German soldiers;...

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The interview provides information and personal observations about Keskimaki's experiences: being a Staff Sergeant; working primarily as a cook; time at Kiska Island and Japanese army leaving rice; fishing and using hand grenades; soldiers loosing their teeth after drinking contaminated water; being wounded in Italy in the back; personal stories.

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The interview provides information and personal observations about Verhamme's experiences: joining in March 1943 with three letters of recommendation; being sent to Camp Hale, Colo. for basic training; sniper activities; training and the cold during the "D" series; training was more difficult than what was faced in Italy; Italy and time spent with an Italian family; shelling at Belvedere and death of company commander; mines on Hill 913 and being wounded; personal stories.

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The interview provides biographical information and personal observations about Erickson's experiences as a member of the 10th Mountain Division during World War II.

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The interview provides information and personal observations about applying to join the 10th Mountain Division; training at Camp Hale, Colo., Fitzsimons Army Medical Center, Colo., and Camp Swift, Tex.; fighting in Italy; post World War II life, education and family.

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The interview provides biographical information and personal observations about Lovett's experiences with the 10th Mountain Division during World War II: time at Camp Hale, service friends, stress, transition to civilian life and post-war career.

Scope and Contents The interview provides information and personal observations about Frank and John Dolinsek's experiences: Aspen in the 1920s and 1930s; skiing and the development of the industry; early ski tow equipment known as the "Bow Tow"; A and T being used as a reserve infantry (Frank); leading troops at Lizzano, Belvedere, Pietra Colora, Mt. Nuvoleti (Frank); being awarded several medals (Frank); how troops saved the bridge at the Po Valley (Frank); Mussolini being captured (Frank); time in the Navy...

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The interview provides information and personal observations about Romanos experiences during WWII, the Korean and Viet Nam Wars.

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This oral history is an interview with George Rosenfield's son, Andrew. Andrew Rosenfield discusses information related to him by his father about the 10th Mountain division: breaking the gothic line leading to the Po Valley from the Apennines. Andrew Rosenfield also mentions a friendship between his father and James Rogers, also a member of 85-E.

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The interview provides information and personal observations about Sisneros' experiences: early days before transfer to the 10th Mountain Division; military training, climbing Pike's Peak with mules; strategy used to take mountains in Italy; Captain Devens and Sergeant Kauzlarich of "C" Battery, Devens receiving a Silver Star medal, Sisineros and Kauzlarich receiving Bronze Star medals; building a communication system that saved members of the 85th; singing the Pack Artillery Song.

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The interview provides information and personal observations about Nash's experiences: early years; training at Camp Hale and skiing; combat experiences around Lake Garda; on subsequent trips to Italy he visits a house were he stayed; four of his brothers were also in various military units during WWII.

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The interview provides information and personal observations about Robinson's experiences: 10th Mountain Division's role in supporting British troops to prevent Marshall Tito from invading Italy at Trieste; duty related to the Korean conflict; training American troops and South Koreans.

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The interview provides information and personal observations about Eldrege's experiences as a member of the 10th Mountain Division.

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The interview provides information and personal observations about Krear's experiences: Camp Hale, Colo. and training, especially the D-Series; combat operations at Mount Belvedere, Lake Garda and in Italy; fellow soldiers: Stuart Abbott, John WInchester; Italian civilians; DUKW vehicles; Verona liberation; battle for the Po River.

Scope and Contents The interview provides biographical information and personal observations about Krear's experiences with the 10th Mountain Division during World War II: early life in Pa. including: elementary and high school, as well as effects of the depression on his family; time at Penn State University and participation on Ski team; joining the military and deciding to stay after early injury; arriving at Camp Hale and the training that took place there; assignment to weapons and rifle platoons; move to...

Scope and Contents The interview provides information and personal observations about Thompson's experiences: joining the National Ski Patrol with 3 letters of recommendation; training experiences at Camp Hale and the "D" series; how unit climbed to top of Mt. Belvedere and reassurance offered by Gen. Hays; April offensive and taking Hill 913 was worst experience of his life; being in lead company taking Po River and crossing the river; arrival at Lake Garda and welcome in the town of Boccino; guarding bridges...

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The interview provides information and personal observations about Lumm's experiences: German surrender at a farm house about 5 miles from the Po River; Italian town where Germans killed American soldiers with American or white flags; American air force retaliation against the town, killing civilians.

Scope and Contents The interview provides information and personal observations about growing up in Minn. and Wyo.; graduated from Jackson High School in 1942; offered an opportunity to go to West Point, but turned it down and joined 10th Mtn. Division with 3 letters of recommendation; came to Camp Hale as a member of the 86th Regiment, "L" Company; discusses life at Camp Hale focusing on Ski and rock climbing instruction; brief discussion of Camp Swift; discusses trip across Atlantic carrying specialized...

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The interview provides information and personal observations about Jackson's experiences: medical treatment of Italian citizens, especially children for illnesses and wounds; Po River campaign and the outbreak of hepatitis.

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The interview provides information and personal observations about Dusenbery's experiences: early life; training at Camp Hale, Colo.; D-Series maneuvers, combat experiences in Italy.

Scope and Contents The interview provides information and personal observations about Haffner's time as a member of Company B, 604th Mountain Artillery and his service in Italy: role of an artillery battalion, gun sections, hiding guns and creating gun pits, foxholes, ammunition pits; crossing Lake Garda on a DUKW; end of the war; relocation to Yugoslavian border to reinforce British troops. He describes April 14, 1945 when his battalion and the 85th Infantry Regiment were under fire, as one of the worst times...

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The interview provides information and personal observations about Coleman's experiences: climbing Riva Ridge and the battle that followed.