The American War Bride Experience

GI Brides of World War II

Interviews With Montana War Brides

Please find an annotated listing of other interviews conducted for the War Brides in Montana Project. Copies of these interviews can be ordered through http://www.his.state.mt.us/research/library/researchrequests.asp
Sincerely, Jodie Foley
Archivist/Oral Historian
Montana Historical Society
PO Box 201201
Helena MT 59620-1201
1 406 444 6779

OH ODETTE SAYLOR INTERVIEW
1943
1939 - 1976
2
In this interview Odette Saylor discusses her childhood in France; daily life during the early years of World War II; her work in various factories near Paris; her family's flight from Ableiges when the German forces entered that area; refugees; returning home by order of German Army; German occupation of the local businesses; her mother's experiences with Gestapo because of her British heritage; the arrival of American soldiers; meeting and dating her husband-to-be, Rueben Saylor; her family's reaction to their relationship; her wedding in France; the trip to America by boat; conflicts about childcare between WAVES and French women; arrival and early life in Billings; homesickness; and reactions to American food.
Interviewed by Seena Kohl, July 27, 2001, Lewistown, Mont.
Transcript 42 pages

OH MARIE ELIZABETH HOUTZ INTERVIEW
2030
1939 - 1948
1
In this interview Marie Houtz discusses her childhood in England; her experiences during the first years of the World War II; meeting and marrying a U.S. soldier; the journey to the United States aboard the Queen Mary in 1946; traveling to Montana; meeting new in-laws; and adjusting to life in Montana.
Interviewed by Seena Kohl, June 25, 2002, Great Falls, Mont.
Transcript 21 pages

OH ELIZABETH C. GOFF INTERVIEW
2031
1939 - 1959
1
In this interview Elizabeth Goff discusses her childhood in Poland; her experiences during the first years of the World War II; meeting her husband to be, Richard Goff; travel to the United States in 1950; traveling to Great Falls, Montana, to live on Malmstrom Air Force Base; marriage to Mr. Goff; and adjusting to life in Montana.
Interviewed by Seena Kohl, June 25, 2002, Great Falls, Mont.
Transcript 18 pages

OH ELVIA STOCKTON INTERVIEW
1941
1939 - 1950
1
In this interview Elvia Stockton, native of France, discusses her experiences as a war bride from World War II. Topics include her childhood in a small community outside of Paris; her father's service in WWI as an Italian soldier; being a teenager during the occupation of France; living conditions during those years; an incident where she met members of the Canadian Army in occupied France; meeting her husband to be who was attached to a medical unit near her hometown; reactions of her family to the romance; their wedding; her trip to the United States, after the birth of her first child, on a freighter; meeting her new family; moving to the family ranch near Grass Range, Montana; and the difficulty of being away from her family.
Interviewed by Seena Kohl, July 17, 2001, Grass Range, Mont.
Transcript 24 pages

OH PEGGY FLOERCHINGER INTERVIEW
1942
1939 - 1950
2
In this interview Peggy Floerchinger discusses the evacuation of children from her home town of in Liverpool during World War II; experiences during bombings of Liverpool; meeting and dating her future husband, Tom Floerchinger who was part of the post-war service force in England; their wedding; bureaucratic proceedures she had to go through prior to leaving Britain; travel to the U.S. on the SS Henry Gibbon with her new husband and other newly married couples; traveling by us to Montana; meeting her new family in Conrad; being homesick; adjustments to new life in farming; and trips made to England over the years. Interviewed by Seena Kohl, July 29, 2001; June 20, 2002 Lewistown, Mont.
Transcript 23 pages

OH EVELYN TUSS INTERVIEW
1940
1939 - 1948
2
In this interview Evelyn Tuss discusses her childhood in Durham, England; her experiences during the first years of the World War II; living through the bombings; rationing; meeting her husband to be, Frank Tuss; her families concerns about her dating and eventually marrying a U.S. soldier; challenges of her trip, via the "Vulcania" an Italian liner, to the United States; her reactions to seeing New York; reactions to her new home and family in Lewistown, Montana; dealing with homesickness; making friends and settling in to a new domestic routine; getting used to American money; cultural differences; and visiting England over the years.
Interviewed by Seena Kohl, July 17, 2001,June 2003, Lewistown, Mont.
Transcript 26 pages

OH Doreen Beryl Richard Interview
2033
1925 - 2002
2
In this interview Doreen Richard discusses her childhood in West Bromwich, England; experiences during World War II includin air raids, rationing, encountering an unexploded bomb; meeting and courting an American soldier; immigrating to the United States in 1946 to Loma, Montana; first impressions of life in America; differences in cultures; cooking for work crews on the farm; having children; and moving to Fort Benton in 1958.
Interviewed by Seena Kohl, June 26, 2002, Great Falls, Mont.
Transcript 34 pages

OH Elsie Persieke Interview
2034
1923 - 2002
1
In this interview Elsie Persicke discusses her childhood in London, England; her experiences during World War II; meeting and courting American soldier; imigration to the United States; and her life in Missoula and Whitefish. Interviewed by Seena Kohl, June 30, 2002, Whitefish, Mont.
Transcript 20 pages

OH Elfriede Johnsen Interview
2038
1929 - 2002
1
In this interview Elfriede Johnsen discusses her childhood in Germany; her experiences during World War II including being exacuated with all young children from here home town in 1939; her father's service in the German Army; experiences during bombing raids; the bombing of her father's business; invasion and occupation of her village by American and French soldiers; meeting and courting an American Soldier beginning in 1947; immigration to the United States; living in Broadus and later Miles City; challenges of adjusting to her new life including raising children and learning to cook; and thoughts about ever returning to Germany to live.
Interviewed by Seena Kohl, July 16, 2002, Great Falls, Mont.
Transcript 22 pages

OH Beatrice "Pete" Berringer Interview
2040
1921 - 2002
1
In this interview Beatrice Berringer discusses her childhood in Australia; experiences during World War II including rationing; meeting and courting American soldier named Ted Berriger; immigration to the United States in 1945; shipboard experiences; travel to and adjusting to life in Miles City and later Billings; meeting in Billings with other war brides.
Interviewed by Seena Kohl, July 9, 2002, Billings, Mont.
Transcript 18 pages

OH Joyce Vashro Interview
2029
1938 - 1967
1
In this interview Joyce Vashro describes her childhood in London, England; her experiences during World War II; bombings and air raids in London; family members military service in World War I and World War II; her work for the Women's Land Army; meeting and courting Dick Vahro, an American soldier; getting married; immigrating to the United States in 1946; her experiences on the Queen Mary with a young child; arrival and life in Butte; her homesickness; moving to Austin, Montana and living there until 1967; and thoughts about her home country.
Interviewed by Seena Kohl, Helena, MT, June 24, 2002
Transcript 23 pages

OH Janet Mohn Interview
2045
1922 - 2002
2
In this interview Janet Mohn discusses her childhood in Australia; experiences during World War II; meeting and courting American soldier; immigration to the United States in 1946; adjusting to new life in Kalispell; cultural differences she noticed; her new family; the overseas wives club; and various part-time jobs she held from the 1960s to the 1980s.
Interviewed by Seena Kohl, September 11, 2002, Kalispell, Mont.
Transcript 25 pages

OH Norma Duff Interview
2043
1925 - 2001
1
In this interview Norma Duff discusses her childhood in North Rockhampton, Australia; experiences living close to an U.S. Army base; meeting and marrying an American serviceman named Roy Duff; immigrating to the U.S. from the port of Brisbane; experiences aboard ship with other war brides; arriving in Whitefish; and briefly discusses adjusting to life in new country;
Interviewed by Seena Kohl, September 8, 2002, Whitefish, Mont.
Transcript 20 pages

OH Muriel Morse Interview
2047
1939 - 2001
1
In this interview Muriel Morse discusses her childhood in Cardiff, Wales; her work for the Women's Land Army; her friends and families views about American soldiers; meeting and marrying Herb Morse; traveling to U.S. with husband aboard a Merchant Marine ship; immigration; adjusting to life in new country while starting a new family; traveling to England in 1950s; moving to Kalispell from Darby; and joining the Overseas Wives Club in Kalispell.
Interviewed by Seena Kohl, September 9, 2002, Kalispell, Mont.
Transcript 23 pages

OH Joyce Barry Interview
2042
1939 - 2002
1
In this interview Joyce Barry discusses her childhood in Cheshire, England; her experiences during World War II including air raids; meeting an American soldier named Ernie Barry; dating and getting married; immigrating to the United States in 1946; arriving in Kalispell and adjusting to life there; having children; and returning to England to visit many years later.
Interviewed by Seena Kohl, September 2, 2002, Kalispell, Mont.
Transcript 17 pages

OH Irene Owen Interview
2041
1926 - 2002
1
In this interview Irene Owen discusses her childhood in Manchester, England; her training in dance; experiences during World War II including bombings, air raids, rationing, military service of family members; meeting and courting an American soldier named Dick Owen; immigration to the United States to live in Harlowton; shipboard experiences on the Queen Mary; moving to Geraldine; and adjusting to life in a small Montana town.
Interviewed by Seena Kohl, July 9, 2002, Billings, Mont.
Transcript 23 pages

OH Kim Van Dam Interview
2032
1944 - 2002
1
In this interview Kim Van Dam (Jung Ja) discusses her childhood in Korea in a villiage near the 38th parallel; her parents meeting as a result of Japanese occupation of Korea; being separated from her family during civil war in Korea; living in Seoul once her family located her again; meeting her husband to be who was a military chauffeur; attempts by family and military to talk her out of marrying an American; immigrating to the United States as a war bride; arrival in Conrad, Montana, and community reaction to her; and adjusting to new life including money, food, housekeeping.
Interviewed by Seena Kohl, June 27, 2002, Conrad, Mont.
Transcript 23 pages

OH Sheila Buck Interview
2044
1945 - 2001
1
In this interview Sheila Buck discusses the formation of the Over Seas Wives Club by the Home Extension Service; her life in Kalispell; and her career as a teacher in the Kalispell area
Interviewed by Seena Kohl, September 10, 2002, Whitefish, Mont.
Transcript 10 pages

OH Joyce De Long Interview
2046
1924 - 2002
1
In this interview Joyce De Long discusses her childhood in Hampshire, England; experiences during World War II including air raids, recruitment into war time work; meeting and dating an American soldier named Russell De Long; getting married in 1944; immigrating to the United States in 1945; travel on the ship Argentina; arrival in Somers, Montana; having children, and adjusting to her new life.
Interviewed by Seena Kohl, September 10, 2002, Somers, Mont.
Transcript 17 pages

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