GI Brides of World War II
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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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