We invite your participation
"We were at Iwo Jima. A shore battery opened up and I was radio officer then. One shell came over, one shell close, short. Then they hit us six straight times . . . The forward bridge was damaged and they couldn't operate the ship from that station . . . And one of the shells went through the forward part of the ship and flooded the whole front part of the ship . . . nineteen were killed and one hundred and twenty injured. We limped away from Iwo Jima back to Pearl to get us put together."
June 6, 2005
Loker served on the cruiser USS Pensacola
Beginning in 1924, the Oshkosh Public Museum has collected items related the America's military experience. Since the fall of 2000, the museum has been an official participant in the Veterans History Project initiated by the Library of Congress.
By interviewing veterans, the museum is creating an archive of stories that reflect a wide range of experiences and opinions. The poignant memories shared by participants are sometimes painful, joyous, bitter, or terrifying, but always interesting. They reflect courage, patriotism, loyalty to friends, and involvement in community. Added to the museum's archives, they will be an invaluable resource for future generations.
We continue to look for veterans to interview. Our first emphasis is to collect the stories and related materials from residents who served during World War II. This includes those who waited and worked on the Homefront, were refugees, or have other experiences relating to the Second World War. We also collect oral histories and materials from those who served in the Korean, Vietnam, and Persian Gulf wars. Oral histories are recorded on magnetic tape that is stored in environmentally controlled conditions. [The use of VHS videotape is not recommended for recording because it is unsuitable to long-term storage.]
The museum has now collected over 100 oral histories, along with photographs and letters, primarily from the veterans of World War II. Interviews are fully transcribed and stored in the museum's climate-controlled archives under the direction of a professionally trained archivist. The museum shares these oral histories with the Library of Congress. Transcriptions are available through our Virtual Exhibit web site, and through the Library of Congress web site, and through the Library of Congress web site by means of a searchable database.
If you are interested, or know someone who might be, please contact us by email or 920.236.5799.
The Veterans History Project also seeks volunteers interested in conducting oral histories for the Library of Congress. For a Field Kit, or for more information, contact the Veterans History Project at: vohp@loc.gov or 1-888-371-5848, or visit their web site at:
www.loc.gov/folklife/vets/
Letters, Diaries, & Photographs
In addition to oral histories, the Oshkosh Public Museum seeks the donation of letters, diaries, photographs, and film that help tell or illustrate the experiences and stories related to America's conflicts and veterans. We may also be interested in drawings, maps, leaflets, and other documents. Please contact our archivist Scott Cross by email or 920.236.5773 to discuss your materials. Once donated, materials are given a high level of professional care.
