Oral History – What Should We Talk About?

In general, your interview should cover four main areas: the subject's growing up years, her most vivid memories, experiences with military life and culture, and her re-entry into civilian life.

To get the answers you seek, it's best to ask a mix of questions. Some will be specific such as the dates of the individual's service, date of discharge, etc. Others should be more open-ended. Asking someone, “How did you feel about drilling?” gives the interviewee more room to respond than asking “Did you like drilling?”

Concentrate on collecting nitty-gritty information and personal feelings. For example, if you'd like your interviewee to describe her uniform, you might ask, "Was it comfortable? How did you feel wearing it?” Military quarters–"How much space did you have to store your belongings?” Her regular routine–"Describe a typical day. Describe your shift responsibilities.” Elaborate upon her answers and gather her reaction to various types of duties–"How did you feel about sorting mail? Commanding a platoon?”

Most oral histories typically last no more than an hour or an hour and a half. If you find that you have more material than time, schedule a follow-up interview for a later date.

Caring for the Wounded
ENS May (Parks) Anderson, Navy Nurse Corps	1LT Annee (Yazzie) Coots, Army Nuse Corps	Col Linda McHale, Air Force Reserve Nurse Corps

Betty Rose Shellenberger Mentzer, Cadet Nurse Corps	Elizabeth Shwab Sanders, American Red Cross Hospital Recreation Worker

Collecting Oral History   |   Conducting an Interview