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Only top-level descriptions World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American English
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Oral history interview with Richard Bryson

  • SR 1258
  • Collection
  • 1990-03-14 - 1990-04-11

This oral history interview with Richard Bryson was conducted by Les M. Swanson, Jr. at Bryson's office in Eugene, Oregon, from March 14 to April 11, 1990. The interview was conducted in two sessions.

In the first interview session, conducted on March 14, 1990, Bryson discusses his family background and early life in Eugene, including the law career of his father, Edwin R. Bryson, and grandfather, John R. Bryson; his education; and his interest in golf. He speaks at length about studying law at Stanford University and the University of Oregon, including his professors and social life. He briefly talks about his service in counterintelligence in Europe during World War II. He discusses working as a lawyer in Eugene, and talks about judges he argued before, including G.F. Skipworth and James Alger Fee. He discusses some of the cases he worked on.

In the second interview session, conducted on April 11, 1990, Bryson continues to discuss his work as a lawyer in Eugene, and to talk about judges he argued before. He speaks about lawyers he worked with, particularly Windsor Calkins. He also revisits the topic of his early life in Eugene and his father's law career. He closes the interview by talking about cases he worked on.

Bryson, A. Richard (Arthur Richard), 1916-1999

Oral history interview with Gordon W. Gilkey

  • SR 3149
  • Collection
  • 1998-01-19 - 1998-04-01

This oral history interview with Gordon W. Gilkey was conducted by Jim Strassmaier from January 19 to April 1, 1998, as part of the Oregon Historical Society's oral history program. The interview was conducted in seven sessions. The transcript includes additional information provided by Gilkey.

In the first interview session, conducted on January 19, 1998, Gilkey discusses his family background and early life in Albany, Oregon, including his education, his early interest in art, and working on the family ranch. He talks about teaching art classes at Albany College, about spending a summer as a fire lookout in the Santiam National Forest, and about his marriage to Vivian E. Malone. He discusses studying art at the University of Oregon, and also talks about his work on the official book for the 1939 New York World's Fair.

In the second interview session, conducted on January 28, 1998, Gilkey shares his experiences in New York City from 1936 to 1939, and speaks further about his work on the official book for the 1939 New York World's Fair. He discusses the development of his taste in art while in New York, shares anecdotes about Salvador Dali, and talks about the type of art he worked on. He shares his experience as an art professor at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, and talks about some of his students. He then talks about his service in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, including his training in Texas, and writing to President Franklin D. Roosevelt to suggest forming a unit to protect art in the European theater.

In the third interview session, conducted on February 4, 1998, Gilkey continues to discuss his service in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He speaks at length about commanding a unit of soldiers tasked with recovering artworks stolen by the Nazis, as well as collecting Nazi propaganda art and the politics involved in returning recovered art. He talks about the people he met while in Europe.

In the fourth interview session, conducted on February 11, 1998, Gilkey continues to speak at length about recovering artworks stolen by the Nazis. He talks about his living situation and social life while in Europe, about the many German artists he met, and about meeting displaced European people. He discusses his return to Oregon in 1947 and chairing the art department at Oregon State College, which is now Oregon State University. He speaks about his work as dean to develop the college of humanities into the college of liberal arts, and about developing an international exchange program.

In the fifth interview session, conducted on February 18, 1998, Gilkey revisits the topic of German artists that he met while recovering stolen art in Europe. He also describes witnessing the Nuremburg trials and learning details about the Holocaust. He talks about how his art style changed after his war experiences, about post-war hostilities with Russia, and about displaced people in Europe. He then talks about some of his artworks and his printmaking process. He speaks further about his work as dean at OSU to develop the college of liberal arts, and about developing an international exchange program. He also talks about his relationship with OSU President Robert W. MacVicar, and about student protests in 1969 and 1970.

In the sixth interview session, conducted on February 25, 1998, Gilkey discusses his retirement from OSU in 1977. He talks about his work as a curator for the Portland Art Museum and as a part time professor at the Museum Art School, which is now the Pacific Northwest College of Art. He talks about the construction of the Vivian and Gordon Gilkey Center at the art museum, about his art collection, and about other Portland art collectors. He speaks about some of his OSU students, about some of his colleagues at the Portland Art Museum, and about his personal philosophy.

In the seventh and final interview session, conducted on April 1, 1998, Gilkey revisits the topic of student protests at OSU in 1969 and 1970. He speaks further about his work at the Portland Art Museum and about his colleagues, and talks about the museum's administration. He discusses his work developing the Oregon Arts Commission, the reasons the Museum Art School left PAM and became the Pacific Northwest College of Art, and about the construction of the Gilkey Center. He describes curating the International Print Show at PAM in 1997 and talks about the future of PAM. He closes the interview by discussing the careers of his students at PNCA, OSU, Stephens College, and Albany College.

Gilkey, Gordon

Oral history interview with Amo R. DeBernardis

  • SR 2079
  • Collection
  • 1993-04-09 - 1993-11-05

This oral history interview with Amo R. DeBernardis was conducted by Corbett S. Gottfried from April 9 to November 5, 1993. The interview was conducted in six sessions.

In the first interview session, conducted on April 9, 1993, DeBernardis discusses his family background and early life in the Portland, Oregon, area, including jobs he did during his childhood. He speaks at length about his early education and his teachers. He talks about his experience studying engineering at Oregon State University, including his classes, teachers, and how he decided to become a teacher. He also discusses his involvement in designing the Bonneville Dam while in college. He then talks about working as a shop teacher at Ockley Green Elementary School in Portland and working with students. He speaks briefly about his master's thesis, then talks about switching to becoming an education administrator and shares his philosophy on what makes a good administrator. He talks about his wife, Jessie Genevieve Hulery, and their children. He describes his service training officers in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

In the second interview session, conducted on April 16, 1993, DeBernardis continues discussing his service in the U.S. Navy during World War II and talks about the changes in education after the war. He describes working with Portland Public Schools in the late 1940s and 1950s; talks about his main accomplishments; and describes his educational philosophy. He then speaks about the beginnings of adult education in Oregon and about serving as Portland Community College's first president from 1961 to 1979. He describes the various programs PCC offered, the development of its campuses, and the opposition the fledgling college faced. He talks about the relationship between PCC and Portland Public Schools, other community colleges in the Portland Metro area, and about the Oregon State Department of Education. He discusses tuition rates and the value of the classes that PCC offers.

In the third interview session, conducted on April 23, 1993, DeBernardis continues discussing his service as Portland Community College's first president. He continues talking about the development of PCC's campuses and the value of the classes that PCC offers. He speaks about the business model of higher education, the formation of the community college district, and the teachers union. He talks about members of the PCC board during his presidency, teachers they hired, and his management style. He discusses PCC's curriculum and how it compared to a traditional four-year college and talks about the accreditation process.

In the fourth interview session, conducted on May 24, 1993, DeBernardis continues discussing his service as Portland Community College's first president. He talks about meeting the academic and personal needs of the students during the 1960s and 1970s. He describes the student services that PCC provided; talks about the value of vocational education programs; and shares his opinion on college athletic programs. He discusses the job placement programs at PCC, the role of the Oregon and federal departments of education, and the Oregon Community College Association. He also talks about the role of the Oregon Legislature in the development of PCC. He describes the mission of Portland Community College.

In the fifth interview session, conducted on June 10, 1993, DeBernardis continues discussing his service as Portland Community College's first president. He continues describing the mission of Portland Community College and revisits the topics of PCC's hiring practices and his major accomplishments during his presidency. He also discusses his failures and conflicts. He talks about his relationships with presidents at other community colleges in Oregon, budgeting concerns for a college, and PCC's relationship with Oregon 4-year colleges. He then speaks about his retirement activities and reflects on the challenges of leading a college. He also shares his philosophy on life.

In the sixth and final interview session, conducted on November 5, 1993, DeBernardis continues discussing his service as Portland Community College's first president. He speaks at length about the early development of PCC. He discusses how PCC differs from a traditional junior college, talks about the growth of the college, and describes the development of the student transfer program. He talks about hiring and firing teachers, his role as president of the college, and the decision-making process. He reflects on some of the decisions he was responsible for as president. He revisits the topic of his leadership philosophy and discusses the organizational structure of PCC.

DeBernardis, Amo R. (Amo Richard), 1913-2010

Oral history interview with Allan Hart

  • SR 1067
  • Collection
  • 1992

This oral history interview with Allan Hart was conducted by Allan F. Schulte, Hart's grandson, in 1992. The interview was recorded on the audiocassettes out of order.

In this interview, Hart discusses his family background and early life in Portland, Oregon, as well as his education at Moran School and Stanford University. He talks about investigating the Red Squad in Portland while he was an assistant U.S. attorney; about his time in the Department of Justice; and about his work prosecuting a case against the American Medical Association. He discusses getting drafted into the Army and his experiences in the Pacific theater during World War II. He speaks about being chairman of Maurine Neuberger's election campaign in 1960. He discusses his law career, including cases he worked on; working with Lindsay, Hart, Neil & Weigler in Portland; and nearly being appointed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. He closes the interview by sharing his childhood memories of World War I.

Hart, Allan (Charles Allan), 1909-2002

Oral history interview with Raymond W. Nyls

  • SR 1031
  • Collection
  • 1992-04-04 - 1992-09-12

This oral history interview with Raymond W. Nyls was conducted by Kathleen A. Mitchell in Salem, Philomath, and Portland, Oregon, from April 4 to September 12, 1992. The interview was conducted in six sessions.

In the first interview session, conducted in Salem, Oregon, on April 4, 1992, Nyls discusses his family background and early life in Portland, Wauna, Warrenton, and Astoria, including learning to swim, the divorce of his parents, and his memories of the amusement park at Jantzen Beach. He also talks about family trips by train. He speaks at length about his childhood recreational activities, games, and hobbies. He also talks about his relationship with his step-father. He discusses his interest in military history and geology.

In the second interview session, conducted at the Benton County Historical Museum in Philomath, Oregon, on April 25, 1992, Nyls continues discussing his early life in Portland and Wauna, including his memories of the amusement park at Jantzen Beach, his social life during his teenage years, and his relationship with his step-father. He speaks about his step-father's work as a sawyer at sawmills in the company town of Wauna, describes the town, and discusses his education. He describes the houses he lived in, speaks about his recreational activities and childhood games, and discusses the Japanese American population in Wauna. He then looks at photographs of Wauna and talks about them, as well as a fire that burned down the town's school house.

In the third interview session, conducted at the Benton County Historical Museum in Philomath on May 30, 1992, Nyls continues discussing his early life in Wauna, including his social life. He describes the railroad service to Wauna. He again looks at photographs of Wauna and talks about them, as well as the fire that burned down the town's schoolhouse. He briefly discusses living in a small town near Westport during the Depression. He then talks about living in the sawmill company town of Warrenton, including his education, his involvement with sports, and fishing in the Skipanon River. He also talks about his social life in Warrenton. He discusses living in Astoria, particularly his experience during high school, including dating, playing in a band, and his experience in the National Guard. He also briefly describes a photograph of his family picking hops during the Depression. He speaks about roller skating, dancing, and drinking alcohol.

In the fourth interview session, conducted in Philomath on June 20, 1992, Nyls discusses living in Portland and working for the Forest Service through the National Youth Association. He then talks about working for Boeing in Seattle, Washington, in the years before World War II and about joining the Army Air Corps. He speaks about morale at Boeing after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and describes his feelings about the U.S. government's incarceration of Japanese Americans. He describes his Army Air Corps training at length, including both boot camp and flight training. He also talks about his marriage to Lucile Tinker.

In the fifth interview session, conducted at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland on July 26, 1992, Nyls looks at photographs dating from the Korean War, describes them, and speaks at length about his experiences as an engineering officer and fighter pilot during that war. He also shares his thoughts about friendly fire and the United States military. He discusses training other fighter pilots and speaks at length about training to become an engineering officer at the end of World War II. He also talks about his marriage to Peggy Garver and the death of his mother. He discusses the differences in the way the Air Force fought during World War II and in the Korean War and speaks about his career in the Air Force after the war's end.

In the sixth and final interview session, conducted in Philomath on September 12, 1992, Nyls looks at photographs from his career in the Air Force after the Korean War and describes them. He talks about serving as a squadron commander, describes serving on an Air Force base in Alaska during the Cold War, and shares his experiences serving at Camp Adair during the 1962 Columbus Day Storm. He talks about his reasons for settling in Eugene after retiring from the Air Force and reflects on his career, revisiting the topics of his service during World War II and the Korean War. He also describes more photographs. He discusses his children, their families, and their careers; shares his opinion about the Gulf War; and speaks at length about his hobbies, including his interest in history, geology, and astronomy. He closes the interview by talking about his work as a UFO investigator while in the Air Force.

Nyls, Raymond W. (Raymond Woodrow), 1920-2019

Oral history interview with Ambrose A. Oderman

  • SR 11275
  • Collection
  • 2005-04-05 - 2005-04-25

In this interview, Oderman discusses his family background and early life in Foxholm, North Dakota. He describes his experience during the 1918 flu pandemic, including the death of his father. He discusses his mother's remarriage and his early education. He talks about moving to Monroe, Oregon, in 1926, as well as his high school experience there. He then discusses studying business at the University of Oregon during the Depression, including his plans to become an accountant. He also tells several stories about growing up on a farm. He discusses working for the Public Utility Commission and the Bonneville Power Administration as an accountant and auditor. He talks about his family and his social life during that time. He then discusses his service in the U.S. Navy during World War II, and living in Vanport, Oregon, after the end of the war. He discusses his service as western region audit director for the U.S. Interior Department. He closes the interview by discussing his retirement.

Oderman, Ambrose A. (Ambrose Adolph), 1912-2014

Oral history interview with Charles S. Crookham

  • SR 9062
  • Collection
  • 1978-11-25

This oral history interview with Charles S. Crookham was conducted by Charles Digregorio in Portland, Oregon, on November 25, 1978. In this interview, Crookham discusses his family background and early life in Portland. He briefly talks about his service in the U.S. Army during World War II, including his training and fighting in France under General George Patton. He mentions studying law at Stanford University and Northwestern College of Law, then speaks about practicing law in Portland. He then discusses serving as a trial judge on the Multnomah County Circuit Court; his stance on capital punishment; equity of the administration of justice; and some of the sentences he has handed down. He closes the interview by talking about his wife, Elizabeth Kelley, and their children.

Crookham, Charles S.

Oral history interview with Allan Hart

  • SR 1200
  • Collection
  • 1986-04-15 - 1986-07-22

This oral history interview with Allan Hart was conducted by James Strassmaier at Hart's office in the KOIN Center in Portland, Oregon, from April 15 to July 22, 1986. In this interview, Hart discusses his family background and early life in Portland, Oregon, including his education at Moran School. He talks about his education at Stanford University and Yale Law School, including his social life, his friendship with Boyd McNaughton, working for the Stanford and Yale papers, and the relationship between Yale and Harvard. He then discusses returning to Portland, joining his father's law firm, and cases he argued. Hart talks about serving as an assistant U.S. attorney from 1936 to 1938 and cases he prosecuted, including liquor and narcotics cases. He also discusses the Lawyers Guild and the Oregon State Bar; his investigations into the Red Squad; the De Jong case; and his work on an antitrust case involving the American Medical Association. He then discusses his work as counsel for the Bonneville Power Administration from 1938 to 1941, including the beginnings of BPA, as well as dealing with private utilities and aluminum companies, particularly PGE and Alcoa. Hart also describes his experience during World War II as an officer in the Judge Advocate General Corps in the Pacific Theater, and then during the occupation of Japan.

Hart discusses his return to law practice in 1946. He talks about taking on the Kenji Namba v. McCourt case as a way to overturn the Alien Land Law. He briefly discusses his involvement with the Oregon Democratic Party, as well as raising a family. He talks about establishing the Hart, Davidson, and Veazie firm in 1956, including working with Jebbie Davidson, as well as the subsequent changes the firm underwent, which ultimately led him to the law firm of Lindsay, Nahstoll, Hart, and Krause. He discusses his involvement with the American Civil Liberties Union and civil rights cases that he worked on. He discusses his involvement with education, including serving on the board of the Sylvan School District from 1952 to 1956, and facing issues of school funding; serving on the State Board of Higher Education; and serving on the board of Catlin Gabel School. Hart speaks at length about discriminatory practices at many Portland social clubs, as well as U.S. District Court Judge Gus Solomon's efforts against them. He then discusses his relationships with Solomon and U.S. Supreme Court Justices William O. Douglas and Abe Fortas. Hart talks about his stymied aspirations of being appointed as a judge; political infighting in the Democratic Party; and additional cases he worked on. He revisits the topic of the Bonneville Power Administration, describing the changes it underwent after World War II, as well as the WPPSS crisis of the 1980s. Hart closes the interview by discussing his retirement activities.

Hart, Allan (Charles Allan), 1909-2002

Oral history interview with Chester E. McCarty

  • SR 1222
  • Collection
  • 1985-11-12 - 1987-09-01

This interview with Chester E. McCarty was conducted by Bill Koen in Portland, Oregon, on November 12, 1985, and by Jim Strassmaier at McCarty's office in Portland from August 4 to September 1, 1987. In this interview, McCarty discusses his family background and early life in Stage Gulch and Portland, Oregon, including working on the family farm during summers, his memories of World War I, and his education in Portland. He talks about selling advertisement space for the Oregonian newspaper while attending the Northwestern College of Law, and about his marriage to Julia Caroline Gromoff. He speaks at length about serving in the National Guard, beginning at age 15, and in the U.S. Army field artillery branch.

He discusses serving as assistant attorney general of Oregon from 1930 to 1936, including representing the Game Commission and the state police. He also discusses working as a lawyer in private practice, where he focused on aviation law. He talks about being a commercial pilot on the side, and relates several anecdotes about emergency landings. He also discusses serving in the state Senate in 1942, including his friendship with Dorothy McCullough Lee, as well as resigning shortly after his election to serve in World War II.

He speaks at length about his service in the U.S. Army Air Corps training pilots, and later commanding troops in the Middle East. He also talks about the activities of his wife, Julia Caroline Gromoff, during World War II. He then talks about returning to civilian life after the war and continuing his law practice in Portland, where he acted as defense counsel in numerous courts-martial. He talks about some of the judges he argued before, including Gus Solomon and James Alger Fee. He also discusses continuing to fly planes, as well as his service on the Port of Portland Commission. He discusses accepting the command of the Oregon Army Reserves, getting activated for the Korean War, and his continued service in the Air Force until his retirement in 1966. He closes the interview by discussing serving with Glenn Jackson in North Africa during World War II.

McCarty, Chester E. (Chester Earl), 1905-1999