Post by jeffwho on Jun 2, 2015 5:15:34 GMT -5
This is the list of compiled questions we usually try to hit when doing a formal interview with someone on record. The questions are in chronological order but the format is as malleable as the subject - we've danced all over the board with one guy, and I did a lot of editing on one audio interview by piecing it together in order from its source - it was one of those "hey that reminds me of a story from when I was a kid" right in the middle of a "this is how I was awarded the Silver Star" portion, but we just roll with it. Some are obviously rooted in WWII, but most are easy enough to change to suit your interviewee. I have found, as I am sure you lot have as well, that once you get guys talking with some simple questions, they'll usually keep going and relate stories they had no idea they remember or had intended to tell, like my pal Floyd did. He hadn't thought about most of this stuff in over 60 years, but thankfully his memory is very good and we've been privileged to have been allowed into them.
Anyway, I mentioned once that I'd share, so here they are.
1. What is your full name? When were you born?
2. Where are you originally from? Tell us a little about your hometown.
3. What are your parents’ names? Tell us about them.
4. Do you have any siblings? What are their names? Tell us about them.
5. What was your youth like? What was school like where you grew up?
6. Did you have any hobbies in your youth?
7. How did what came to be called “The Great Depression” affect you and your family?
8. Do you remember where you were when Pearl Harbor was attacked Dec 7, 1941?
9. How and when did you enter military service? (draft, volunteer, etc.)
10. Had you already graduated from high school when you entered the service?
11. Were you married before you went into the service? Or have a girlfriend?
12. How did your parents and family feel about your being drafted/joining the service?
13. Did you correspond with family and friends while you were overseas?
14. Where did you do your basic training? Describe your experience in basic training.
15. Did you do any advanced training? Where? How did you get there?
16. To what Division/Squadron were you ultimately assigned?
17. When, and from where, did you leave the US for overseas duty?
18. What was the name of the ship that you took overseas?
19. Where did you land? Did you have any stops on the way? Any exciting events at sea?
20. What was your first assignment overseas?
21. What were the living conditions like where you lived?
22. What was the landscape like in the area?
23. When did you see your first combat action? Describe some your feelings during this time.
24. Was there ever a time you had to defend yourself directly?
25. Did you ever get any downtime or R&R? Did you witness any funny situations?
26. Do you remember your last combat action?
27. When did your combat tour actually end? To where did you transfer?
28. Describe your feelings on V-E Day. Describe your feelings on V-J Day.
29. When, and how, did you return to the US? What did you do when you returned?
30. What was reuniting with your family like?
31. What occupation did you enter after the war?
32. When did you marry? Do you have children, grandchildren? Tell us about them.
33. Did you stay in touch with any buddies from the service through the years?
34. When did you retire? In what activities do you participate?
35. Describe how your military service impacted your life from entering the service to now.
