Jane Black was born in Clearmont Missouri in 1922, this interview centers around her life during the 1940’s with a focus on World War II. Growing up in a family of 10, Jane speaks about her responsibilities around the house and taking care of her siblings. She also talks about what she did for fun, like playing baseball and basketball. She married her husband, Robert Black, in 1939, and describes her experiences traveling around the United States with him as he worked in the pipeline industry. In 1943, Robert was drafted into World War II, and Jane recounts following him wherever he was sent during his basic training. She speaks in detail about how she filled her time while Robert was away, whether that be spending time with people she met, skating at the skating rink, or reading. Jane doesn’t recall much about the war itself and instead mainly speaks about her own day to day life during that time. Outside of the war, Jane speaks about her involvement in Red Cross and in her church community, where she dedicated a lot of her time.

Bobby R Kelley was born on May 12, 1925, in Braddyville, Iowa. He is a part of the Oral Histories of the Northwest Missouri of the 1940s project. This project is a collection of interviews and oral histories of people who lived during the 1940s and World War II. This project looks into the firsthand accounts from people who are still living and their experiences during the 1940s and World War II. Bobby grew up in a farming family with two brothers and a sister. Bobby mentions his brother’s service in the war before he was drafted. That was his only outlet of information regarding the war. Bobby was able to graduate high school before graduating high school. He mentions his time of service in the Philippines and Japan. Bobby recalls learning about the bombing of Hiroshima and where he was during his service when the bomb was dropped and the effects it had on the war. At the end of the interview, Bobby speaks on the benefits he received and his life after the war.

Emma Jane Bailey Twaddle was born in Taylor County, Iowa, on January 17, 1922. She grew up on a farm with parents who were filled with youth. She talks about how her family was going to the movies, skating rinks, performances, or the movies or playing tennis in their front yard. But her dad never let the farm get in the way of family time. Emma and her family never left Hopkins and occasionally went to Maryville for some important items until Emma went to college in Maryville. She started by explaining how the war began, and she sat in class when the war was declared. Her first husband, Raymond Bailey, was signed up early in 1941 for the U.S. Navy. Emma explains their marriage and how their life was during the war. Raymond was ill, but once he recovered, he was stationed to work with a floating dry dock section, which Emma could sometimes travel with him. She never knew exactly what he was doing, and when they were separated, he gave her codes to find out where he was, and she never told a soul. He became ill and died in 1950. She then met her second husband; he served in Germany and was wounded in Heidelberg, Germany. After his injury, he had the task of reviewing the Nazi files that were found. She never knew either of their thoughts on the bombing in Japan or their actual thoughts on the war. But she saw the effects of the war, how it affected everyone, and how everyone’s mind was on the war. Emma talked about her life before the war, her life in the 40s, and how the war affected her home life and relationships.

Fr. Joachim Scheiber was born in 1919 in Clyde Missouri. Scheiber has been a lifelong resident of the area. He was brought up in the area and discerned and pursued religious vocation and traveled to other countries and returned home. He shares his point of view on the development of the area and other personal experiences he has had. He refers to a main memory throughout the interview of being able to hear the bells of Conception through his life. The information ranges from immigration, history of the area, and the effects of World War II on the Monastery. He lists the major hardships that mainly focus on World War II. The monastery monks were directly affected by the war as everyone else was.  He also Talks about some of the technological changes and comparisons to today. He expresses gratitude to the immigrants as they have had a huge impact on the growth of the area and he makes a huge effort to recognize them. No matter the changes though he is still deeply rooted into his hometown and always returns to his region. At the end Fr. Scheiber includes his future hopes for conception and continues his mission even in his old age.

Joseph Giesken was born in rural Parnell, MO, on November 10, 1917.  This transcript is part of the Oral Histories of Northwest Missouri in the 1940s program sponsored by the Nodaway County Historical Society with the Missouri Humanities Council and supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Mr. Giesken discusses his experiences before, during, and after World War 2.  He describes how he was not able to enlist in the Navy because of the company where he worked and for being colorblind and his being drafted as part of the Army.  While serving he was sent to the Philippine Islands and spent most of his wartime service there.  Joseph describes the conditions and fighting he participated in while in the Pacific Theater. Mr. Giesken describes having malaria and hospital conditions while fighting.  In addition, he describes methods employed to remove the Japanese from the caves they occupied in the hills. Joseph relates some of the close friendships he formed and how those friends managed to stay connected after the end of the war. Mr. Giesken shares many stories including one about trading a carton of cigarettes for a monkey.

Raymond Seipel was born on September 2, 1919, in Maryville, with his wife, Eileen, being born on May 23, 1921, in the town of Conception. Raymond served as a Staff Sergeant in the army during World War II and Eileen worked at J.C. Penney’s and the Nodaway Valley Bank during this time. Raymond grew up with four siblings, one which died at a young age. His parents were farmers their whole lives, although, Raymond went and worked for a neighbor for a couple summers. He detailed his pay during these summers, explaining that he got paid “seven dollars a week, and for six days a week; not forty hours.” Eileen moved to Maryville after high school and worked at the Nodaway Drug Store, going on to work at J.C. Penney’s, and the Nodaway Valley Bank until the return of her husband from war. Raymond was drafted into the army on February 7, 1942. He detailed the different places he went, including Australia, speaking on the lack of entertainment and inability to associate with the crowds in foreign lands. Eileen goes on to talk about her experience being home alone during war time.

Warren Evans was born January 18, 1924, in Ravenwood, Missouri. In spring 1937 Warren and his family moved to Clearmont after losing the 20 acres of land they owned. Warren then attended Clearmont High School; he explains the army draft process that occurred on schools during World War II and how he was rejected form the army for the poor state of health of his legs. After getting married on 1948 Warren bought his farm in 1952. To support his wife and four daughters, Warren sold cream and milk while his wife sold eggs. In this interview, Warren discusses close relatives’ experiences when the United States joined WWII. He explains how news were followed at the time and reactions to the most relevant moments of war. Warren elaborates on the rationalizing of products experience and the price fluctuation for them within the beginning and post war. He finalizes by explaining daily life, such as music or activities to do, during the 1940s and 50s in Clearmont area.

Kathleen Whitney was born on December 7, 1922, in Akron, Ohio. This interview is part of the Oral Histories of Northwest Missouri in the 1940s program and is sponsored by the Nodaway County Historical Society Museum in partnership with the Missouri Humanities Council with support of the National Endowment for Humanities. This interview conducted on November 11, 2008, at the Nodaway County Historical Society Museum provides insight into Kathleen’s life in the 1940s, specifically her service in the Coast Guard during World War II. Kathleen shares experiences from her childhood, her work as a secretary post war, and her enlistment and specialized training in the Coast Guard. She describes adapting to military life, including strict rules, inspections, and memorable experiences, offering a vivid portrayal of her time in service during World War II. She recalls funny and challenging moments, including a conflict with a commanding officer, friendships, and dates that she went on, as well as entertainment experiences and the joy she found in serving her country. Kathleen also shares her post-war experiences like returning home, getting married and having kids, living in Maryville. Additionally, she discusses her opinions on Pearl Harbor and D-Day. This interview provides a first-hand perspective on this transformative period in history.

​Charles Kemper, born on November 5, 1918, and his wife, Anna Kemper, born on December 5, 1926, in Nebraska, discuss their lives in the 1940’s and the Marines of World War II. From a large family, Charles explains his life growing up and working with his father on the family farm. Charles mentions his education, graduating from high school and spending two years in college. Soon after Charles was done with college, he enlisted in the Marine Corps, where he became 1st Sergeant. Charles describes his time in Guam and his training for the frontlines of Japan before Truman ended the war with a bomb. Charles states, “a bomb dropped, why, and Japan give up, that was the end- so we went on picnics after that and we had a sandwich” (p.7). After the war was over, Charles traveled on boat and train to Conception Junction, Missouri where he and Anna met and became married in April of 1946. Additionally, Anna grew up on an 80-acre farm in Nebraska, living in a boxcar. Anna elaborates about her education, stating she finished high school in Conception Junction, Missouri and attended the University of Mizzou for a year, before becoming wedded. Anna and Charles still reside in Conception Junction, Missouri, where they raised there four children.

Edwin King was born two and a half miles east of Hopkins, Missouri on July 4, 1920, and his wife, Lorraine King, was born in Savannah, Missouri in 1927, both living through the 1940’s and World War II. Edwin describes his life on the farm before he was drafted to World War II in 1943 and placed in the Army in Portland, Oregon. Edwin mentions his time at school and training in Fort Lewis, Washington; Fort Leonard, Nebraska; and Claiborne, Louisiana before he was sent to the Pacific Ocean. Edwin explains his voyage back to the states where he arrived home on January 3, 1946, and would soon be recognized as a Disabled American Veteran. Edwin states he began farming and taking care of livestock after arriving home from the war. Soon after Edwin’s arrival, he met his wife, Lorraine, uniting in marriage in October of 1946. Lorraine discusses the hardship her and her family went through in the 1940’s and the distress World War II caused her to have while attending school. Lorraine expresses, “things were different then of course, than they are now. It was a lot harder then” (p.5). In this interview, Edwin mentions the unique animals he saw, such as the Greater Bird of Paradise.

Interviewee Gladys Ritterbusch, born March 25 of 1919 in Maryville, Missouri, recollects her experiences as a woman during the second World War. Gladys was born on her grandparent's farmhouse southwest of Maryville. Gladys shares her life prior to the war, including life at the farm and in town as she attended rural schooling before Maryville High School, where discovered her interest in business and typing. Additionally, she also shares that she furthered her education by attending college until she finally started working various jobs. During the war, Gladys notes her learning of the attack on Pearl Harbor through news and radio during work at the Farm Security Administration. She then shares that she followed the war's progress but believed the news might have been censored. Gladys details her life on the homefront of the war, continuing her work for FSA, which provides loans to farmers. She says even though it was trying times, she often entertained herself by bowling, reading or seeing movies. Gladys also shares the challenges and adjustments her fiancé faced returning home from the war. She notes that they struggled to find secure housing and he had difficulty finding a permanent job.

Lester Swaney, born in 1915, cultivated a talent for raising winning racehorses which brought him to many different spots across the United States eventually leading him to Maryville, Missouri where he managed Faustina Farms. Similar to so many other young men at the time, Swaney was drafted into the Army where he underwent Basic Training at Francis E. Warren, in Cheyenne, Wyoming. While in Basic Training, Lester was reunited with a former friend earning him special treatment. Following Basic, Lester underwent further training in San Antonio, Texas. Once completed, he and his fellow soldiers embarked across the Pacific aboard the U.S.S. Hermitage. They landed in India, but Swaney was later sent to a plethora of other countries including Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand. Throughout his time in service, Swaney served in three different branches of the military, navigating the challenges of communication with his family through coded letters. Swaney also reflects on the insignificance of one’s rank during war and his encounter with Lord Mountbatten. Returning from war, Swaney continued to raise racehorses at a high level and shares insights on how he has been able to achieve such success.

​Margaret D. Florea was born on a farm near Hopkins, Missouri on November 17, 1916. The purpose of the interview is to give an idea of what it was like to have children and siblings in the war and how life was during those times. In her interview, Margaret explains that her family is from the area where she grew up and it was also where she met her husband. She describes that during the times of war, it was hard on everyone, and everyone was struggling to live. Margaret states, “We had coupon books just like everybody else did.” Families like hers were struggling but they knew how to work around things. She explains that when one of her kids was old enough, he had volunteered to join the war and was back about over a month later because he was wounded. She also mentions that her other son was in the National Guard for a little while before he got sick and had to quit in which he came home. She describes her family as being very interested in helping their country by serving during war times.

​Orlie Lavelle Palmer was born in Hopkins, Missouri on November 24, 1918. The purpose of the interview is to give an idea of what it was like to live during the war. In his interview, Orlie explains that during the war he worked for Schaffer Transport Service hauling aviation fuel for the government. Within that job, he got a lot of information about what was going on with the war from people he had met. He also describes that there were times when people were able to relax and not have to worry about what was going on. He states, “Living in Shenandoah, there would be shows and dances and at that time we had two or three theatres in Shenandoah”. Later in the interview, he mentions that after the war he was out of that job because the government didn’t need him or others anymore and he went on to drive for another company. He describes his experience as what seems to be him was upset about the war and what the government was doing but he also explained that there wasn’t any time for him to do anything other than his job.

Delores and Victor Sloan are a married couple. Victor was born on February 7, 1926. He was in the Navy and the highest rank he achieved was Seaman 1st class. Victor’s wife Delores was born in Shenandoah, Iowa on July 17th, 1928. Victor talks about how the war was all over the news and all he heard about, even before the U.S. joined. Victor was drafted into the Navy. Luckily, he did not have to witness or participate in combat missions. Victor talks about how sending letters home was sort of a difficult process, so he never did. He did call home when they would reach the shore in a new city. For entertainment, while they were on the ships, they would play the guitar, sing, and sightsee because there wasn’t much else to do. When asked about her life as a woman back home during the war, Delores says she didn’t know much about it and just listened to what they had to say on the radio about it. Victor and Delores say the veterans were treated very well when they came home with parades and other celebratory events.

​To summarize, Amthor, the interviewer, discusses and interviews Walter B. Nicholson. This interview primarily discusses his experiences from the 1940s, which then leads into the Second World War, as he is drafted into the infantry when he is about 18. Nicholson is born in 1924 near Burlington Junction and grows up in the farming business, as the muscle of his family, while facing the challenges of his mother’s Alzheimer’s. Nicholson discusses how he is given immense propaganda about the evil forces that are Germany and Japan. He also thinks and acknowledges that not all the prisoners and war enemies that he encounters are exactly the exact image that he is being fed by this propaganda about the stereotypical savage and fanatical nature. The interview delves into Nicholson's wartime service, highlighting his induction into the infantry in September 1943 and subsequent deployment to various European fronts. He vividly narrates his experiences, from training at Camp Fanon, Texas, to combat engagements in Italy, France, and Germany. Nicholson's reflections on the Battle of the Bulge, in which soldiers have to fight through Germans disguising themselves as allies. He then discusses the terrifying discovery of concentration camps that employ readers to have thoughtful insights into the human cost of war.

​He was born in 1934 on a farm in Nodaway County. Carneal gave a viewpoint from a child during the war. He mentions that he was about 8 years old when Pearl Harbor was bombed, and he states that he didn’t know much about war at the time. Carneal explains that his school had plenty of programs to help the war effort as well as communication with various soldiers such as his two uncles. He discusses that they had to ration metal and gas but that wasn’t a big deal since they were on the farm. Food rationing didn’t really affect them either. He goes on to explain that there was a stronger Anti-Japanese sentiment in the community rather than Anti-German sentiment. The interviewer than asked about Communism as a threat and Carneal explained that he saw it as a threat ever since he heard Churchill’s Iron Curtain speech. Carneal discusses the differences between before and after the war when it came to the depression. He mentions that it was better after not only because the depression was over but also because the drought was over for the Midwest. Carneal goes on to discuss about what the women did during the war and how people viewed the returning soldier in the area.

Robert M. Black was born in Burlington Junction Missouri in 1919, he was an only child and attended high school in the Elmo district of Missouri. He married his wife Janie in 1939, and worked for a pipeline company, traveling across the United States for his job. In this interview, Robert mostly speaks about his personal experiences during World War II. He received his second draft notice in 1943 while working in Texas and was originally placed in the United States Naval Construction Battalion; but was able to talk himself into the Air Force (throughout the interview he speaks about his fascination with planes). Robert explains what his training process looked like.  After training, he was set up with a crew and sent overseas, landing in the 305th Bomb Group in England. He speaks about his experiences during the war times, describing in detail some of the missions he went on during the war. He speaks about the friendships he formed with his and his experience handling the loss of comrades. He goes on to cover his experience returning home from the war, and the kind of welcome he received. 

Dale Hull was born on September 6, 1918, in Villisca, Iowa and spent two years at Tarkio College. Dale and his family moved around the country a lot due to the Great Depression and Dust Bowl, before settling in Missouri in 1934. Shortly after the Pearl Harbor attacks, Dale enlisted in the Air Force to avoid being drafted into the Army infantry. After somehow never going through basic training, Dale describes moving from camp to camp across the country. Dale was a quartermaster, and he explains that he was specifically in charge of counting and storing shipments of milk that came into each base. After acting as a quartermaster for more than two years, Dale was drafted to the Army infantry and shipped off to Europe in early 1945. Dale discusses being attached to an armored unit and being assigned as an officer’s clerk. Dale never saw frontline action, but describes many instances when he witnessed someone getting hurt or killed in an accident. Dale stayed in Europe through the end of the war before going back home in January 1946, after which he returned to Missouri and lived out his life as a farmer.

Jesse Taylor was born on October 1st, 1915, in Watson, Missouri. Tom Middleswart states Jesse Taylor was a highly esteemed World War 2 pilot who has the only known account for sinking a Japanese submarine in the Atlantic during World War 2. In the submarine were large amounts of gold that was going to pay Germany. Middleswart states “I think it said in today’s money at least twenty-five million dollars’ worth of gold to help pay for some of this optical equipment.” After World War 2 Jesse had many interactions with people and he never held a grudge against them unlike many of the World War 2 servicemen. Mr. Taylor had many instances with Japanese companies while working after the war. Middleswart mentions how he had known a man who was under the command of Taylor during the war. Middleswart states that after the war Taylor was a pilot for the company LMP and would fly to many different countries for LMP. Middleswart explains Jesse Taylor died in 1996.​​

Richard Slaten was born in Arkansas and moved to the Clearmont area at age nine. Once he graduated high school, he was drafted into the Navy during World War II. He was trained in California and spent his time stationed in the Hawaiian Islands. He talks about how his training shaped him to who is he is today and how it gave him many skills.  In his interview he talked about the affect of propaganda in the war and shared his support for Truman in his decisions throughout the war. After coming home from the war, he used his training while returning to the work force and continued to show concern for the threat of communism. Lorna Slaten was born February 12, 1928, in Missouri, she lived in very rural area and grew up on a farm. She discusses her values that she learned growing up in her community. she recounts her favorite memories of attending church in her community and is thankful for the way that she was raised. She remembers he family going through the rationing during World War II and how it was challenging but made her enjoy the more simpler things in life. These experiences show the challenges of the rural area and give a sense of the peoples patriotism during WW II.

Lester Workman was born March 4, 1925, in Maryville, MO, and his wife, Daisy Workman, was born November 15, 1929, in rural Maryville, MO.  This transcript is part of the Oral Histories of Northwest Missouri in the 1940s program sponsored by the Nodaway County Historical Society with the Missouri Humanities Council and supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Daisy describes what life was like on the home front including rationing of gas and spending time canning food and making homemade cheese.  Mr. Workman discusses his life on the farm before the war, the training he received while in the Navy, and his easy return to farming after the war. Lester describes a near miss by a Japanese torpedo and life aboard a ship. Lester shares watching the flag raising on Iwo Jima.  Mr. Workman also shares how he stayed connected to friends through the USS Salt Lake City reunions. Mrs. Workman also shares her fears while listening to the radio to the news throughout the war.

Kate McKee was born in Craig, Missouri, on September 24, 1921. She was born to a hardware merchant father and a stay-at-home mother. Prior to World War II, McKee recalled going to her mother’s farm that she owned for Sunday dinner, even discussing travelling by train to get there. She remembered listening to the radio and hearing the propaganda about the war, worrying about what that would mean for the United States. Kate reflected on knowing two of the men stationed at Pearl Harbor during the Japanese attack, saying that they were safe, but talking about how this changed the way she perceived World War II. She was teaching during this period of time, doing her best “to get ration books to the public” and “roll bandages and do whatever needed to be done.” The effects of the war on the economy, diseases present at the time, and the threat of communism were discussed in detail as well. Christianity was a big factor in how Kate’s family handled the struggles of the world at the time.​​

Elizabeth Botkin Anderson Ringold was born in Skidmore, Missouri on January 13, 1918. Following the steps of her parents, Elizabeth became a teacher after finishing high school in 1935. She taught first grade and encouraged children to be creative as part of her class which usually revolved around flying as they were in proximity to a flying school. After teaching for three years at Horace Mann, Elizabeth had to leave as she got engaged and her husband got approved for service, which he would not have to fulfill as his father died suddenly after. She would get married in 1943 and live in a house that they bought the year prior. Elizabeth explains how electricity first got to Maryville in 1947 and methods previously used to conserve food. She describes how neighbors helped and trusted each other, building a strong community. Elizabeth finalizes by recalling how World War II news spread and the feelings it provoked in her community, as well as misconceptions she had at the time.​​

​ Betty Loch was born in Maryville, Missouri on May 23, 1921. This abstract about Betty is to show what it was like to live during World War 2. She has 2 sisters. Her father was a farmer, and her mother was a steam presser at a cleaning shop. She heard most of what she knew about the war from the radio and other friends talking about it, along with it being a popular topic of discussion at school. She got married to her husband Bob in 1941 and lived in Maryville up until then. Right after getting married, Pearl Harbor was attacked, and her husband went to enlist immediately. Her husband passed the written test to become an Air Corps pilot but was unable to pass the physical due to a hernia. She mentions that after the war, she was glad Bob didn’t have to go, after seeing how hard it was for their friend Gweldon Beadle to come back to normal life. Betty also remembers how After Pearl Harbor, Betty and her husband received most of their information from newspapers, like the Maryville newspaper, as well as the St. Joseph News Press and the occasional Kansas City Star.

​This abstract is about Carole Oberhauser, who was born on October 1, 1936, on a farm in Hopkins, MO. This abstract’s purpose is to give any readers a look into Carole’s life. Carole shares her memories of what it was like to grow up during World War 2. She was raised with lots of siblings, with 22 years difference between the youngest child in her family and the oldest. She remembers rationing coupons, and swapping tires with her neighbors as a solution for the lack of rubber. She attends the occasional dance and finds entertainment in visiting her neighbors. As far as school went, she attended the largest school in Nodaway County for all 8 grades. Carole’s husband was drafted in either 1941 or 42 and served in the 13th armored division. His first wife died in childbirth and wouldn’t talk much about his time in training or any sort of special training. The interview closes out with Carole reflecting on the shift from the tradition housewife to women entering the workforce.

Dorotha Wood was born on March 28, 1920, in Bedford, Iowa. This interview is part of the Oral Histories of Northwest Missouri in the 1940s program and is sponsored by the Nodaway County Historical Society Museum in partnership with the Missouri Humanities Council with support of the National Endowment for Humanities. In this specific interview, which occurred on March 12, 2009, at the Hopkins Historic Museum in Hopkins, Missouri, Dorotha Wood shares insights into her life during the 1940s and her experiences before, during, and after World War II. She had three brothers; two served in World War II, and her father served in World War I. Dorotha discusses the work she did at a grocery store in Hopkins after she quit college before the war. She noted that she would hear the President talk about entering the war but doesn’t remember specific details. Dorotha married her husband, Ralph, on September 7, 1943. He was already in the Army when they wed. She recalls writing letters to her husband and brothers while they were away. Dorotha discusses life post-war, and how she eventually became a school secretary for over 23 years. This interview provides a glimpse into the personal experience of individuals in Northwest Missouri during this challenging time in American history. 

​Norbert Schappler, born in 1926, gives us a glimpse into his formative years as a boarding school student at Conception High School in the 1940s. Fr. Schappler shares the different entertainment opportunities available to boarding school students at the time. He also recalls how he heard about the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the different types of rationing imposed on Americans during wartime. Following his graduation, Fr. Schappler enlisted in the Naval Reserve and attended training at Farragut Naval Base in Idaho. After two short months at training, Fr. Schappler’s military aspirations were cut short as he received a medical discharge due to foot pain. Fr. Schappler then returned to Conception Abbey where he took his first vows as a Benedictine monk in 1946. Fr. Schappler's interview offers a unique glimpse into monastic life before the reforms of Vatican II. Through his perspective as a cloistered Catholic monk, he reveals the complexities of navigating wartime politics within the confines of an abbey.

In the interview, Lula Irene Foster, born November 6 of 1918, details her upbringing on Bilby Ranch southwest of Quitman, including her exposure to the Great Depression and the struggles her family faces. She then outlines her story living through the second World War, noting her lifestyle as a woman on the homefront of the war and joining the other women as they try accomplishing anything to help the soldiers.

Irene was born to a large farming family during the Great Depression until their ranch was taken over by the insurance company, forcing the family to move to Quitman. In the 1940s, Irene lived in Maryville and worked various jobs during the war. She says that she later married Carl Foster and followed him to many different ports he had been stationed, always finding a job wherever they went. Irene also notes her experience learning of the attack on Pearl Harbour, visiting her grandparents during that time. She shares that the event had a lasting impact on her brother who fought in the Pacific. As the war came to a close, Irene and her husband returned to Marville and opened an automotive repair shop together for the next thirty years.

The life of Louise Inman encapsulates the classic story shared by so many Americans of growing up on a rural farm and then transitioning to a new style of life during World War II. Born in 1924, Inman was the youngest of eight children and spent her early years chasing cows and collecting cobs, fully immersed in farm life. Beginning in 1941, Inman attended Maryville State Teachers College, pausing briefly during her second year to teach full time in Clearmont, Missouri. Her life changed when she met and later married Calvin Inman, a Marine who fought in some of the most critical battles including Midway, Guadalcanal, Bouganville, Tolage, Makin, and Iwo Jima. Louise's experiences as the wife of a Marine during wartime highlight the challenges faced by countless families in America, including rationing, communication difficulties, and transportation struggles. Inman’s story is a testament to the sacrifices made by countless individuals and families during World War II.

​Margaret Ann Funston was born on September 28, 1926. She worked on an Air Force base assisting in the inspection of the airplanes. Margaret says she was born in Hawarden, Iowa, but after her father passed away when she was three months old, Margaret, her mother, and her brother moved to Downs, Kansas. Then eventually they moved to Abilene, Kansas where she spent most of her childhood. When the war started, Margaret was still in high school. Margaret says the factory (Air Force Base) was a big airport and her main job was to take the cowling off the planes so the experts could check them, and then they would put them back on the planes. She also says that during the war they had to deal with a lot of rationing with things like sugar and gasoline. For entertainment, while they were on the base Margaret talks about how they had “entertainment parties” that were like dances where an orchestra would come and play. Her husband and her brother also served in the military during the war.

​This interview is a part of the Oral Histories of Northwest Missouri of the 1940s Program and is taking place with Roy Seipel. Roy Seipel was born in Skidmore, Missouri in 1922. Mr. Seipel grew up with three brothers and three sisters, however, one of his brothers passed away at just five years old. When Roy was eight years old, his father passed away in an accident. In this interview, Ray talks about his experience and views on World War II as a Navy sailor who was enlisted at the time. Roy is an Aviation Machinist First Class veteran. Roy says, “Looking backwards over my life, the fact that I entered the service when and the way I did, the discipline, I didn’t have a father, and the discipline, even though it was kind of hard to take at the time, was probably the best thing that ever happened to me.” Ray discusses learning that the war was finally over and the struggles and delays he faced to finally return back home in 1946.

​This is an Oral History abstract for Vilas Young. The purpose of this abstract is to give the reader an insight into Mr. Youngs life. Mr. Young was born November 16, 1922, on a farm outside of Ridgeway Missouri. When Mr. Young explains that he graduated high school in 1940, and that he became a farmhand in Spencer, Iowa right after. Vilas further explains that he went to college at Missouri State University and was a sophomore in college when Pearl Harbor was bombed. Soon after this Vilas enlisted in the United States Marine Core. Mr. Young explains that after he graduated from bootcamp he attended officer training. After this Mr. Young States that he was assigned in many different places such as Guam, North Carolina, California and Hawaii. After the war Mr. Young explains that he returned home to the Bethany/Ridgeway area in April of that year and began working as a farmer. When that summer was over Mr. Young explains he returned to college and received a master’s degree.

​This interview is a part of the Oral Histories of Northwest Missouri of the 1940s Program and is taking place with William Ellis Shackleford. William Shackelford was born outside of Burlington Junction, Missouri in 1918 and attended Burlington Junction High School. William was an only child and was raised on his parents’ farm. He is a veteran of the Missouri Army National Guard where he earned the rank of Staff Sergeant. William was wed to his wife in the spring of 1943, after writing to her saying “I might as well take a furlough in June and come home, we’d get married, and I’d bring her back out there.  So that’s what I did, but New Year’s Day, I had her on a train taking her home; we got our orders to go overseas, so in February we shipped overseas”. In this interview, William goes on to talk about how he and his wife made a living after the war.  He describes what it was like working at grocery store. He also goes on to talk about how him and his wife began working in and eventually running a movie theatre. The Shackelford’s went on to make and run their own farm for a short while before having to sell.