Video: Collections: Iowa's WWII Stories
On December 7, 1941, the United States entered World War II. By the time the war ended on August 15, 1945, almost every person on earth was affected in one way or another. Iowans who were at home had major roles to play in winning the war as well. Their sacrifice helped determine what kind of conditions, both political and social, would exist once the war was over. More than 276,000 Iowans went into military service during World War II. 8,398 never returned. Iowa Public Television's collection of veteran's oral histories is a tribute to those Iowans who put their lives on hold for more than three years to fight against the Axis powers of Germany, Italy and Japan. This collection preserves the memories of some of those Iowans who served on the home front and the battlefront.
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Heavy Rains Slow Allied Advance (#2006)
This is a portion of a newsreel shown to general audiences describing how the weather slowed the advance of 5th Army in June of 1944. 03:39
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U.S. Bombers Pave Way for Pacific Invasion (#2006)
This is a portion of a newsreel shown to general audiences describing the campaign in New Britain near New Guinea and Makin Island in the Gilbert Island chain in November of 1943. 03:47
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U.S. Army Air Corps Policy (#2006)
This is an excerpt from a film used to describe the United States Army Air Forces policy in Europe. The film begins with descriptions of actions taken in March of 1944. The film appears to be... 04:43
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Stepping Stone To Japan (#2006)
This is a film used to describe what the United States Army Air Forces were doing to win the war in early 1944 in the Marshall Islands. It is not clear if it was only used for American forces as a... 04:55
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Review of the War in Europe (#2006)
Produced sometime in 1946, this film is a retrospective of the war in Europe. It includes footage of Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin meeting in Yalta in early 1945, battlefield action in Europe,... 05:10
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Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor (#2006)
This segment shows film of the attack on Pearl Harbor from the Japanese perspective. This film was captured from the Japanese Imperial Government and shown to audiences in the United States... 02:47
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Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (#2006)
In this series of short films, WAACs are seen on a parade ground at a training base and on parade through a downtown business district. In the last film clip, the woman inspecting the troops is... 01:38
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Color film of Japanese General Yoshijiro Umezu, Chief of the Army General Staff, signing the Instruments of Surrender. September 2, 1945 (#2006)
In this short silent film, Japanese General Yoshijiro Umezu, Chief of the Army General Staff, signs both copies of the Instrument of Surrender. When the ceremony was completed, one copy was given... 00:16
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Color film of the second flag raising on Mt. Suribachi on Iwo Jima February 23, 1945 (#2006)
In this short silent film, the U.S. flag is raised for the second time on the island of Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945. 00:55
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World War II Veteran: Lonnie Conger
Lonnie Conger hitch-hiked 60 miles to Des Moines to enlist in the Navy. He trained as an aviation mechanic and served with the fighter squadron aboard the U.S.S. Intrepid. 10:18
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World War II Veteran: Robert Sullivan “Bob or Sully”
Sully tells us that patriotism was very high in the 40’s, and at 17, you don’t feel the war can be won without you. So he enlisted in the Marine Corps. 12:50
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World War II Veteran: Jerry Corrigan
Jerry Corrigan was the third oldest of 11 boys on the family farm north of Harper’s Ferry, Iowa. He tells us about the build-up in February 1945, toward the invasion of Japan. 09:14
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World War II Veteran: Don Cottrell
When Don Cottrell turned 17 he told his dad that he wanted to join the Navy, and to do it that very day. 05:44
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World War II Veteran: Francis Toale
Francis Toale joined the Navy on September 6, 1942 and served in the 4th division aboard the U.S.S. Idaho until November 1945, after the war was over. 06:06
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World War II Veteran: Vernon "Bud" Hall
Bud Hall was in the amphibious forces in the Navy from “44 to ’46. 09:44
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World War II Veteran: Marvin Boyenga
Marvin served with the 475th Infantry and the Mars Task Force in the China-Burma-India theater, although he had trained in horse cavalry. 10:38
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World War II Veteran: Dick Blunt
Dick Blunt served aboard the U.S.S. Sumner. He was part of the shakedown cruise to Bermuda. 08:06
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World War II Veteran: Ben Colson
Ben Colson tells us that he grew up in the Marine Corps, enlisting at 17 and learning to obey. His first taste of combat was as part of the third wave on Iwo Jima with the 4th Marine Division 25th... 11:11
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World War II Veteran: George Temeyer
George Temeyer joined the Army and went overseas with the 28th division as a replacement in January, 1945. They didn’t even take time to issue a gun; they went straight to the front lines. 10:01
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World War II Veteran: Bill Watters
Bill Watters was a Master Sergeant in the Air Force. He was on O'ahu in Hawaii for a while. Then they transported him to Johnston Island, an Air Force landing strip. 07:25
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