- Collection:
- Veterans History Project: Oral History Interviews
- Title:
- Oral history intervew of Ralph Eden Kirby
- Creator:
- Westbrook, Frances H.
Kirby, Ralph Eden, 1921-2013 - Date of Original:
- 2007-04-10
- Subject:
- World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American
Cox, Harvey Warren, 1875-1944
Kirby, Martha Davis, 1916-2012
Whitehorne, Margaret Kirby, 1925-2013
Kirby, Margaret Joyner, 1897-1985
Joyner, Margaret Myers, 1874-1960
Bierman, Bernie, 1894-1977
Kostka, Stan, 1912-1997
Emory University
United States. Army. Infantry Regiment, 59th
United States. Army. Infantry Regiment, 144th
W.R.C. Smith Publishing Company
University of Minnesota
Camp Davis (Calif.) - Location:
- Philippines, Batangas, 13.8591144, 120.925502561155
United States, California, City and County of San Francisco, San Francisco, 37.77493, -122.41942
United States, California, San Luis Obispo County, Camp Roberts, 35.77533, -120.77406
United States, Georgia, 32.75042, -83.50018
United States, Georgia, Atlanta Metropolitan Area, 33.8498, 84.4383
United States, Georgia, Chattahoochee County, Fort Benning, 32.35237, -84.96882
United States, Mississippi, Forrest County, Camp Shelby, 31.19834, -89.21106
United States, Mississippi, Grenada County, Camp McCain, 33.70529, -89.68643
United States, Oregon, Benton County, Camp Adair
United States, Texas, Bastrop County, Camp Swift, 30.19077, -97.29221
United States, Virginia, City of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, 36.83543, -76.29827
United States, Virginia, Prince George County, Fort Lee, 37.24694, -77.33442 - Medium:
- video recordings (physical artifacts)
mini-dv - Type:
- Moving Image
- Format:
- video/quicktime
- Description:
- In this interview, Ralph Kirby recalls his history in the Army during World War II. He describes studying for finals on the day Pearl Harbor was attacked. The next day, the president of the university urged students at an assembly to "stay in place." Kirby quickly received his draft notice, but waited for months before induction; he had to contact the Army. After induction, he was placed on a troop train with no knowledge of their destination; he describes looking out the windows to look for signs to indicate where they were. He arrived in a place he called "desolate and barren." After basic training, his unit bivouacked near Lebanon, Tennessee, on maneuvers with the 2nd Army. He described the brutal conditions of cold and exposure, living three and one-half months with no roof. He relates how most of the soldiers in that unit ultimately ended up in Patton's 3rd Army at the Battle of the Bulge, and feels that this training helped prepare them. He was transferred to Officer Candidate School and then spent time training troops. He was preparing to go overseas when the atomic bomb was dropped. He traveled across the Pacific Ocean in a Coast Guard vessel, which continued the practice of zig-zagging even though the war had ended. Halfway across, they felt no more fear and turned the ship's lights on. He arrived in the Philippines and worked as an assistant to the Public Relations and Executive Officers. He remembers his trip home, by ship and troop train. He had to knock on the door of his home in the middle of the night and recalls feeling a bit anticlimactic. He relates how their base, known as Sub Base R, held a huge warehouse storing supplies for an anticipated invasion of Japan. He purchased a pistol from a Filipino who had bought it from the surplus sale; he later donated it to the Atlanta History Center. He describes his feelings on the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt and how Harry Truman was an unknown factor, since Roosevelt had been very popular with the troops. He remembers his mother sending him tins of Bayer aspirin because he suffered from chronic headaches. He describes the Filipino people and their culture. He details his homecoming and his post-war education and career, as well as his family.
Ralph Kirby was in the U.S. Army during World War II in the Pacific. - Metadata URL:
- http://album.atlantahistorycenter.com/cdm/ref/collection/VHPohr/id/237
- Additional Rights Information:
- This material is protected by copyright law. (Title 17, U.S. Code) Permission for use must be cleared through the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center. Licensing agreement may be required.
- Extent:
- 41:43
- Original Collection:
- Veterans History Project oral history recordings
Veterans History Project collection, MSS 1010, Kenan Research Center, Atlanta History Center - Holding Institution:
- Atlanta History Center
- Rights:
-
