This collection includes oral histories discussing the home front in West Central Minnesota during World War II. This project was coordinated by Wilbert H. Ahern in 1979-1980.
The digitization of these oral histories was made possible in part by the people of Minnesota through a grant funded by an appropriation to the Minnesota Historical Society from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Any views, findings, opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the State of Minnesota, the Minnesota Historical Society, or the Minnesota Historic Resources Advisory Committee.
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Jacob Bauer Interview, 1980
Jacob Bauer
In this interview, Jacob Bauer talks about rural and small community life during World War II. Mr. Bauer was born on Oct. 10, 1894 in Adrian, MN.
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Dina Bremness Interview, 1980
Dina Bremness
In this interview, Dina Bremness discusses life during World War II. Mrs. Bremness was born in 1905 in Pope County, MN. Dina worked as a nurse during World War II in Glenwood, MN.
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Loren W. Clark Interview, 1980
Loren W. Clark
In this interview, Loren W. Clark talks about life during World War II. Mr. Clark was born in Big Stone City, South Dakota in 1915. In 1954, he moved to Ortonville, MN. There was a P.O.W. camp in Big Stone City and Mr. Clark discusses this in the majority of the interview.
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Harold Eastlund Interview, 1979
Harold Eastlund
In this interview, Harold Eastlund discusses life and attitudes during World War II.
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B.J. Erenberg Interview, 1979
B. J. Erenberg
In this interview, B.J. Erenberg discusses life during World War II. Ms. Erenberg was involved in the Women's Air Force Service Pilot (WASP) during the war. B.J. earned her pilot's license in Morris, MN before moving onto WASP. Her duties entailed ferrying new planes from factory to embarkation points.
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William Ernst Interview, 1980
William Ernst
In this interview, William Ernst talks about life in Stevens County during World War II. Mr. Ernst mainly farmed during World War II.
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Clarence Ettesvold Interview, 1980
Clarence Ettesvold
In this interview, Clarence Ettsevold talks about life in the Morris area during World War II. MR. Ettesvold was a farmer and also served with the county Red Cross War Fund.
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Joseph O. Grove Interview, 1980
Joseph O. Grove
In this interview, Joseph Grove talks about life and farming in the Glenwood area during World War II. Mr. Grove was born in Glenwood on May 15, 1907. Joseph worked for the U.S. Forest Service during the 1930's, before permanently moving back to Glenwood are in 1940.
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Donovan Grover Interview, 1979
Donovan Grover
In this interview, Donovan Grover talks about life right before and during World War II.
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Anna Halvorson Interview, 1980
Anna Halvorson
In this interview, Anna Halvorson discusses life during World War II. Mrs. Halvorson was born in Elbow Lake, MN in 1894. Anna was active with the Red Cross in both World War I & II, helping mainly with fundraising.
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J.O. Hembre Interview, 1980
J. O. Hembre
In this intervew, J.O. Hembre talks about his work as an insurance salesman during World War II. Mr. Hembre was born in Wisconsin in 1892 and moved to Minnesota in 1938 or 1939 and moved to Montevideo in 1940 where he sold insurance.
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Vernon Johnson Interview, 1980
Vernon Johnson
In this interview, Vernon Johnson talks about his days working with the Coca-Cola bottling company out of Alexandria prior and during World War II. He discusses sugar rationing that took place during the war and the impact it had on Coca-Cola.
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William P. Larkin Interview, 1980
William P. Larkin
In this interview, William Larkin discusses life in Graceville, MN during World War II. Mr. Larkin ran a trucking business at the time. Mr. Larking was born in September of 1898.
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G.W. Powers Interview, 1980
G. W. Powers
In this interview, G.W. Powers talks about life at home front during World War II. Mr. Powers was born in Chokio, Minnesota in 1911 and established the Power's Produce Company in 1938 and operated it throughout World War II.
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Hervey Richardson Interview, 1979
Hervey Richardson
In this interview, Hervey Richardson discusses life during World War II. Mr. Richardson was born in September of 1901 in Morris, MN. During the war he was a farmer and post war (1960's) became a state representative.
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Norah Ambler Richardson Interview, 1979
Norah Richardson
In this interview, Norah Richardson talks about life during World War II. Mrs. Richardson was born in February of 1898. Norah was active in Morris Civic affairs during World War II.
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George M. Shervey Interview, 1980
George Shervey
In this interview, George M. Shervey discusses life in and around Barrett, MN during World War II. Mr. Shervey was born October 18, 1904 in Barrett, MN and during the war as a farm implement dealer and also chief of the Barrett Fire Department.
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Boyd Sigloh Interview, 1980
Boyd Sigloh
In this interview, Boyde Sigloh talks about his life during World War II. Mr. Sigloh was born in North Dakota in 1911 but moved with his family to Ortonville, MN. During World War II he was a Captain in the Minnesota State Guard.
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Josephine Sletto Interview, 1980
Josephine Sletto
In this interview, Josephine Sletto talks about the home front during World War II. Mrs. Sletto was born in the western part of North Dakota and moved to the area around Alexandria, Minnesota circa 1939. During World War II, Josephine worked as a clerk for the Selective Service Office.
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Ruth Storlie Rosten Interview, 1980
Ruth Storlie Rosten
In this interview, Ruth Storlie Rosten talks about life and farming around Glenwood, Minnesota during World War II. Mrs. Rosten was born on March 22, 1894 in Spring Grove, Minnesota.
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Walter Trost Interview, 1979
Walter Trost
In this interview, Walter Trost discusses life and attitudes during World War II. Mr. Trost lived in Donnelly, MN during World War II and worked as a butcher.
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Lorence Winter Interview, 1980
Lorence Winter
In this interview, Lorence Winter reminisces about life during World War II. Mr. Winter was born in May of 1906 in Hoffman, MN.