Great Grandma and Grandpa’s Stories of World War II

My granddaughter needed to interview a veteran for a school project just as my son did many years ago when he was her age. For my son, the timing was perfect since his grandpa and grandma were visiting Phoenix from Indiana. At that time the most sophisticated method we had for recording the interview was a small tape recorder. 

 

We recorded both sides of the tape and captured the voices of both grandparents relating their experiences during WWII. Grandpa had served as a navigator on a B17 bomber while his pregnant wife lived at home with her parents. The interview reveals what life was like both on the “front” and on the “home front.” 

A few years ago I managed to transfer the taped version of the interview to my computer and save the .wav files to my family history folder. Even though my son’s grandpa has passed on, his voice on my computer is as strong and true as ever. 

Yesterday I converted the .wav files to mp3 format and loaded them into the public folder on Dropbox. I sent the links to my granddaughter, and her mother told me they spent the evening listing to her great-grandpa’s amazing story of not only his wartime experience, but of the compassionate food-drop missions he participated in immediately following the end of the war.

I’m amazed at the technology that allowed me to pass on this historic piece of my children’s and grandchildren’s heritage so quickly. My granddaughter’s request came to me in the late afternoon and by early evening the stories she needed were in her hands in Seattle. 

The thought than my granddaughter can hear her great-grandfather’s voice telling her his first-hand account of such historic events is so magical and poignant that I’m overwhelmed with gratitude at this opportunity to share it.

Below are the three links to the recordings in order: The introduction I recorded followed by sides 1 and 2 of the original tape. I’d love to hear your comments if you have the time to listen to these voices from the past. 

I try to make it a priority to thank a veteran whenever I have an opportunity, and I’ll remember them especially today on Veteran’s Day, Saturday, November 11, 2017.

Intro

Side 1

Side 2  (voice quality improves toward the end of this side)