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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS Volume 15, No. 21 A Weekly Newspaper for the Library Staff June 4, 2004 World War II Survivors Tell Their Stories to VHP By GAIL FINEBERG he words came haltingly at fi rst, then in a rush, as if the memo- T ries had been dammed up for six decades, waiting for release at the National World War II Reunion on the National Mall. “I was one of the lucky ones,” blurted Martin “Bud” Castle, 83, of Sun City, Ariz. Wearing a light blue cap bearing the insignia of the 389th Bomb Group, he sat in a wheelchair parked in the shade not far from the big white tent housing the Library’s Veterans History Project (VHP) on the mall. Remembrance of his last bombing mission in Europe came Michaela McNichol to mind with such force that his voice One purpose of the Veterans History Project is to engage young people in the collection broke and his broad shoulders shook of oral histories from U.S. war veterans so they might hear and understand an important with emotion. His great-grandniece, part of their nation’s 20th-century history before it is lost to future generations. Here, Peg MacDougall of Holt, Mich., stepped former Staff Sgt. John Lang, who served with the 116th Infantry on D-Day, tells his story to student volunteers. Students from several schools participated in the Library’s project forward to touch his arm. “It’s okay,” to collect war stories from World War II veterans on the National Mall, May 27-30. she said. A moment passed before he could continue telling his story to Veterans History Project volunteers Alice Parrish of the Library’s Copyright Examining Divi- sion and Mike Ashenfelder of the Offi ce of Strategic Initiatives. Big band sounds from the ’40s carried from a nearby band- stand. It was already hot and humid at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 27 (cooler, drier weather prevailed for the next three days), and the long Memorial Day week- end was just beginning for the thousands of veterans arriving on the mall to cel- Michaela McNichol VHP volunteer Sheridan ebrate their reunion and dedication of Harvey, a reference librarian, the new World War II Memorial. enters the story of William C. Teams of VHP volunteers—more Warren Sr., a veteran of World Michaela McNichol than 400 in all and easily spotted in their War II and the Korean War, into the VHP database. Betty Smith tells her story of serving with the U.S. Army purple hats and shirts—were beginning Nurse Corps while her husband served with the Army to fan out through the Smithsonian’s Air Corps during World War II. Their daughter, Marilyn huge, orderly mall encampment to col- Smith Rice, also an Army nurse, accompanied Smith to the World War II Reunion. A VHP volunteer records the VHP WWII, Continues on page 3 story online in the VHP Pavilion. 2 THE GAZETTE JUNE 4, 2004 NOTICES To the Gazette; The Gazette A weekly newspaper for the Library of Congress staff I’d like to express my deep appreciation to the Library and the Veteran’s History GAIL FINEBERG Project for encouraging staff to take part in the National WWII Reunion on the Mall, Editor May 27-30. It was a rewarding experience that I’ll never forget. MICHAELA McNICHOL Visual Information Specialist The project T-shirt motto, “Ordinary veterans, extraordinary stories,” says it all. Contributing Editors: Carlin “René” Sayles, Moving On and Having compared notes with fellow staffers, I can say that we felt that we were doing Length of Service something that really mattered. We worked with great folks we’d never met before. Proofreader: Suzy Platt We were moved. We were entertained. We have amazing stories to swap. It was wonderful talking with the veterans and their families, with Rosie the Riveter, with PETER BRAESTRUP JAMES W. McCLUNG infantrymen and airmen, sailors and marines, nurses and mechanics. I’ll never forget Founder Founding Publisher the guy with three Purple Hearts, the fellow who was never sent overseas, the wives (1990 – 1997) (1990 – 1994) who “merely” kept the home fi res burning. We talked with veterans of WWII, Korea, The Gazette encourages LC staff to submit articles or photographs Vietnam, people whose stories were there, just waiting to be told. of general interest. Submissions will be edited to convey the most It was the rare vet who didn’t want to share some experience with us. There were necessary information. family members who listened with dropped jaws, saying “He’s never talked about this Deadline for submission is 5 p.m. Wednesday, one week prior to publication date. Please submit text in digital form and if pos- at home!” and those who knew every battle, every medal, and every story because silble include hard copy with your submission. they’d heard them many times. “I don’t have any stories,” a vet would say, and his An offi cial publication of the Library of Congress, The Gazette is largely staffed by Library employees who have volunteered for part- child or wife would urge him on. And there always was a story. time details. Persons interested in serving a detail as a page editor, writer, proofreader, photographer, reporter, or artist may submit Some broke down with emotion. Some related humorous tales of misadventure. applications to the editor, LM 105, mail code 1620. Those persons Each and every one of them gave something of themselves to us and to the nation. interested in contributing to The Gazette as partpart of a LibrLibrary-wideary-wide network should fi rst check with their supervisors. Back issues of The Thanks for letting us be there to help witness and preserve that gift. Gazette are availableavailable in the newspapernewspaper offi ce,ce, LM 105. Sharon McKinley Special Materials Cataloging Division James Madison Memorial Building, LM 105 Library of Congress Department of Corrections Washington, DC 20540-1620 Editor 707-9194, gfi [email protected] Mary Ann Strawn, annalyst, Informa- The caption accompanying an article Production 707-0970, [email protected] tion Technology, says a correction is in about the Russian poet Yevgeny Yevtush- ISSN 1049-8184 order for the computer security notice, enko (May 21 Gazette) was inaccurate. “Break the Chain” (May 21 Gazette). The young woman pictured with him was Although chain mail, spam, and other singer Olga Simonova. inappropriate e-mail should be for- Printed on paper that contains recycled paper by the Printing Management Section, Offi ce Systems Services warded to [email protected], e-mails containing child pornography should OIG Hot Lines Reports of offenses against the Library may be made not be forwarded anywhere. Instead, in confi dence to the Offi ce of the Inspector General, Gazette Welcomes Letters from Staff immediately call the Offi ce of Investiga- 7-6306, by fax at 7-6032, or by sending an e-mail to The staff is invited to use the Forum pages for lively and OIG Hotline, [email protected]. thoughtful debate relevant to Library issues. However, just tions at 7-3324. as other newspaper editors exercise discretion over which letters to publish and how to edit them, so do we. In decid- ing whether or how much to publish, we consider content (including misstatements of fact, libel, innuendo, ridicule of CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield Service Days individuals or the institution, personal attacks, and redun- dancy) and length (the limit is 600 words). CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield will hold a series of service days for Library staff on June Letters must be signed by the author, whose place of work and telephone extension should be included so we can 9, July 14, Aug. 11, Sept. 8, and Oct. 13. verify authorship. Letter writers should understand that when they sign their letters and release them to us for A CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield representative will be available to respond to any health publication they are relinquishing privacy. If a letter calls benefi ts inquiries from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in LM 647. for management response, for example, an explanation of a policy or actions or clarification of fact, we will ask for Individuals with unresolved claims, or questions about enrollment and benefi ts, are encour- management response.—Ed. aged to see the representative. No appointment is necessary. Staff members will be seen on a fi rst-come, fi rst-served basis. Staff with further questions about the service days may call Ellen Hunnicutt, Personnel Management Specialist, at 7-1700. Gazette at a glance . Special coverage: Veterans History Emergency Preparedness Training Project, World War II Memorial Day Offi ce of Security and Emergency Preparedness Training in Coordination with the LCIU Notable Events 10, 11 Date Time Course Location Calendar 12 June 8 10 - 11 a.m. Basic Quickmask (Issue) LM 654a/b www.loc.gov/staff/gazette JUNE 4, 2004 THE GAZETTE 3 World War II Veterans “Telling Their Story” Michaela McNichol Michaela McNichol Veterans Richard Cozad of Miami, Fl., and Kenneth Johnson The May 29 dedication of this National World War II Memorial of Torrington, Wyo., exchange thanks and admiration for each draws thousands of veterans to the National Mall and the VHP other’s service upon meeting at the World War II Veterans Memo- Pavilion. VHP volunteers were able to gather some 3,000 war rial on the National Mall on Thursday, May 27. “Between the two stories from visiting veterans. of us, we had it [the Atlantic and Pacifi c theaters of war] covered.” VHPHP WWII,WWII,Continued from page 1 That question was all it took for Castle to pour out the story lect veterans’ stories for the historic record being amassed and of his 24th bombing mission over an enemy target in German- archived at the Library of Congress.

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