Transcript Document 7596339

Remembering World War II
Interviewing my Grandparents
Art and Margie Stimpson
October 26, 2002
By Dorothy
Introduction
My interviewees are ...
Art Stimpson : I am 84 years
old and I was born and raised
in Saskatchewan, Canada
Margie Stimpson: I am 76
years old and I was born and
raised in Nebraska, USA
Questions
• How did your country become involved in the
war?
• How did the bombing of Pearl Harbor affect
you?
• What did you do during the war?
• What are some of your stories from the war?
• How did the war affect you after it was over?
Part 1
How did your country become
involved in the war?
Art, how did Canada become
involved in the war?
Hitler invaded Poland!
• I was 20 years old
• Canada is close with
England
• Canada declared war on
Germany the day before
England did in early
September, 1939
Margie, how did the United States
become involved in the war?
Pearl Harbor Attacked!
• December 7, 1941
• I heard Roosevelt on the
radio
• I was 15 years old
• I was too young to
understand
Why did Japan bomb Pearl Harbor?
• Japan was trying to
conquer China the
same way Germany
was trying to conquer
Europe
• USA was on the same
side as China
• US was supplying
China with artillery
and training
Part 2
How did the bombing of Pearl
Harbor affect you?
Battleship Row
Margie:
• We were very very sad
Photo # NH 97378 USS Arizona Burning after the Japanese attack on
Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/h97000/h97378.jpg
•
Friends joined the service
•
Some of them were killed
Big Explosion!
Margie said that this
ship, the Arizona, was
sunk and you can still
see the masts and
rigging from the edge of
the dock in Hawaii.
Wow!
Top: The actual declaration
of war document
Art
• The war had not been going
well for the Allies
Bottom: Roosevelt
declaring war on Germany
•
I felt very good that the
United States was going to
get into the war
•
We were very encouraged
about that
Part 3
What did you do during the
war?
Art’s RCNVR badge
• Art joined the Royal Canadian
Navy Volunteer Reserve
(RCNVR)
• The anchor shows that he was at
sea
• The crown is part of the royal in
RCNVR and represents the king
of England
Family: Art and his brother Lloyd
• A war picture of Art and
Lloyd Stimpson
• In the picture Lloyd has a
different cap because he
was a pilot in the Royal
Canadian Air Force
Art
Lloyd
Tough Guys
Art Stimpson
That was back when I had hair!!
1944
2002
Art’s ship, a Corvette, is in the North
Atlantic near Halifax, Nova Scotia
The only reason
that he traveled
from England to
New York and
back is because he
was escorting
Convoys with
supplies to help
England survive
the war.
Art’s Trip
To
E n g la
nd
Art traveled from
Victoria, British
Columbia to
California, USA,
through the
Panama Canal to
New York City and
Halifax, Nova
Scotia. In
California is where
he met Margie!
Margie with Mugsy
• Margie finished high school
• Her father kept chickens to
help support the war effort,
and every Sunday he would
put on his overalls and feed
them
• She lived next to a barn that
her family owned
• They had parties in the loft of
the barn
Is this the same person?
Of course!
1945
2002
Good Old Nebraska U!
• In 1944 Margie was
accepted into the
University of
Nebraska, and was
living in a sorority
house.
• In the next slide there
is a picture from her
yearbook in 1945.
University of Nebraska Heroes
“Like all college kids, they had
dreams for the future but when
the call came they thought only
of the past. Small things took
on more significant meanings
and furloughs became their
main ambition. Now letters had
to take the place of college life
– it was a hard contrast.”
-University of Nebraska yearbook 1945
These are five of the 122 UN
students who died for us.
Part 4
What are some of your stories
from the war?
Art’s souvenir from
his trip through the
Panama Canal:
The Distinguished and
Amalgamated Order of
the Dolorous and
Downtrodden Doghouse
Dwellers
Margie and Art Together
• The trip to California after high
school was the trip that would
change her life.
• “I went to the Hollywood Canteen …
My cousin was dancing with your
grandfather … As he came close I
looked at him and I said to myself …
‘that’s the man I’m going to marry!’”
• The love birds wrote to each other
through to VE Day and then ...
Just Married
• They were married between VE
Day and VJ Day
• Margie was a “war bride”
• Margie couldn’t go to Canada to
see Art until they had a place to
live
Part 5
How did the war affect you
after it was over?
Art and Margie
Even though the war was very
sad, because of it we had a lot
of opportunities:
•
•
•
•
College
Marriage
Good job & wealth
Children and grandchildren
Conclusion
• Different points of view from different countries
• Life was dangerous but also exciting for people in
the war
• Through the war they were still able to marry and
have a good life
Thank you to Art & Margie Stimpson
The End
-Dorothy-