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Stories: Connecticut Servicewomen
The 20th century saw the United States military undergo rapid transformation, implementing a variety of newfangled equipment, modern tactics, and developed new doctrine. One such change was the integration of women in the U.S. armed forces. Transcending Apple Pie and Motherhood: Women in the Military Recent historiography has delved into the adoption of women in the military. From the Second World War to the Invasion of Iraq, historians have spoken of the military’s utilization of women as a (wo)manpower resource, the military integration policies of the Cold War, and the prohibition of women from direct combat. This presentation contextualizes the service of Connecticut’s female veterans, showcasing the veterans’ individual roles…
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Operation Overlord: Robert C. Hunt
“Ten minutes to Six, I think it was, the USS Texas opened fire on the beach and that was the beginning of the battle for us.” Robert C. Hunt On the 6th of June 1944, the Western Allies; the United States, Britain, and Canada initiated Operation Overlord, the invasion of German-occupied Northern France. The combined assault consisted of the largest Armada ever assembled, over 7000 allied ships and approximately 160,000 soldiers, and tens of thousands of paratroopers dropped behind the beaches and fortifications. Connecticut Veteran, Corporal Robert C Hunt was one of the many soldiers who waded ashore in the first hours of the invasion. Hunt was part of the…
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Stories: No Interview? No Problem!
The Veterans History Project boasts hundreds of interviews of veterans in America. However, not every person within the collection has an interview. The lack of interviews can be for a number of reasons such as they passed away before an interview was conducted. However, this does not mean they cannot provide insight into the past. In many cases, their relatives were able to provide documents and pictures of that person. Jerome Glaser, born on the 22nd of May, 1898, and died on the 6th of April 1985, left an abundance of documents behind after his death. While he was not a veteran of the Second World War, his documents show…
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PTSD Series: Second World War
Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder This is the first post of this 3-part series of veteran-related PSTD. The twentieth century saw millions of Americans, men women, and children, mobilizing for war. Unlike previous centuries, the wars of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries were a marriage of combat and industry, nations built bigger and bigger guns, armed millions of their citizens, and new technological advancements lead to new armament innovations such as tanks and planes. Returning veterans came home changed, their previous personalities and lives were altered by their experiences overseas. The constant traumatic, stressful, and deadly circumstances afflicted the mental state of millions of men and women with what is now known as Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder…
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Stories: Krystyna Stachowitz Farley
Krystyna Stachowitz Farley is one of many veterans in the archive of the Veterans History Project who served during WWII. Her story stands apart because Krystyna served in the “Anders Army” a unit composed entirely of Polish men and women formerly imprisoned by the Soviet Union. From her childhood in Poland, through captivity in Russia, and finally into military service in the Mediterranean theater, Krystyna offers a rare perspective into the Polish experience of WWII. In September, 1939, the European war began when first German, then Russian troops invaded Poland. In August, addendums to the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact had already partitioned Poland between the two conquering nations, and became moot only…
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Stories: Guadalcanal
The wealth of personal narratives within the Veteran’s History Project comes with one problem: context. Veterans always take the time to explain the where and when of their experiences, but the why and how can sometimes present a challenge. During interviews with veterans who served at Guadalcanal, many ended up referring to history books they’ve read to better understand their own experiences within this complex, six-month campaign. This week, we’re providing some context of our own in: Stories: Guadalcanal This project contextualizes the campaign by locating each veteran’s experience within a broader history. The impetus came with a detailed map created by marine veteran and artist Donald F. Moss. Take…
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Visualizing: Women and the Veterans History Project
The United States military has never fought a war without women. From the American Revolution to the conflicts of our lifetime, women have served in recognized and unrecognized roles. With time, the work performed by American military women has expanded from support roles and medical work to direct combat. The Veterans History Project includes oral histories from some 52 women. As participants in conflicts ranging from WWII to Iraq and Afghanistan, these veterans offer a valuable perspective on women in the US military. Most veterans interviewed for the Veterans History Project participated in WWII, and the same is true for the subset of female vets. Many served specifically in the Nurse Corps, which predates WWI. Our archive also features two WASPs: Women Airforce…
