War Stories

Interview Description Maria E. Flores (82) is interviewed by her daughter, Mary Ann Flores (58) about growing up in Kenedy, TX and her family history. Facilitator Subject Log 1:21 Maria describes a picture that Mary Ann is holidng: a Model T Ford, Maria's mother pregnant in the photo 7:43 Life in Edinburg; description of the first house Maria lived in in Edinburg; wood burning stove; food; mother remarried after her father died 21:01 How...

Interview Description Alfonso Castillo Garcia (84) talks with his granddaughter Renee Sanchez (36) about his life. Facilitator Subject Log 01:15 Alfonso has 4 living siblings. He talks about the two siblings that have passed away. Alfonso was born in New Mexico. 03:40 Alfonso tells the story about how he met his wife. She was 22 and he was 26. 07:40 Alfonso talks about Local 300: the union he belonged to when he worked in construction....

Interview Description Joséph E Garcia (84) and Beatrice Garcia (83) talk with their grandson Sergio Vasquez Jr (28) about their lives in Los Angeles, CA. Facilitator Subject Log 01:20 Beatrice was born in Bunker Hill, Los Angeles, CA. Joséph was born in East Los Angeles. 04:40 Joséph tells a story about riding his bicycle with his friends to the beach when he was 10-years-old. 10:50 Beatrice recalls memories from growing up during the...

Interview Description Clyde Gill talks to his daughters Tiffany Piña and Joslyn Gill about his childhood, school life, community life and worthies, family history and lineage, his Mexican heritage and family traditions, and happiest and saddest memories. Facilitator Subject Log 3:40 CG talks about the pride and joy of becoming a parent. 7:35 CG shares anecdotes of his daughters growing up. Daughters' skits and singing. 10:40 CG talks about...

Interview Description Robert A Gonzalez (62) talks with daughter Erica Gonzalez (32) about his life. Facilitator Subject Log 01:20 Robert talks about watching :Ozzie & Harriet "on television and fantasizing about a better life. 04:50 Robert talks about his experience working on farms when he was younger. He says that's where he learned to hate grapes. 08:52 Robert talks about the Vietnam War draft and getting drafted. 13:00...

Interview Description Edgar Griffin tells his granddaughter, Christina Ramaya about his family background and military service as a paratrooper. Edgar remembers his wife and father-in-law. Facilitator Subject Log 02:00 Edgar first went to school in Mexico and then finished in the US when his family moved. 04:24 During military service, Edgar volunteered for infantry training in order to stay in the US long enough to see his mother who was immigrating...

Interview Description Barbara Gutierrez, 64, tells StoryCorps Mobile Facilitator Alejandro De La Cruz, 28, about the difficulties she experienced growing up as a Latina in the predominantly White west side of Los Angeles, about her parents, and about her work in education. Facilitator Subject Log 2:25 BG talks about her parents' background and her father's business, a jewelry factory. Father was a WWII veteran. 5:50 BG talks about her school...

Interview Description José F. Hernandez (86) talks with his daughter Marie-Theresa hernandez (57) about being a funeral home owner in Rosenberg, Texas. Facilitator Subject Log 00:50 José talks about his parents being from Cahuilla, Mexico. His parents were Julia Nieto and Laro Hernandez. José was only a month old when his parents moved to Texas. 04:00 José talks about being a bazooka man in the Army when he was stationed in Japan. He enlisted in the...

Interview Description Louie Lucero (57) talks with his wife Athena Lucero (55) and daughter Jacqueline Lucero (28) about his uncle dying in the Vietnam War. Facilitator Subject Log 01:00 Louie talks about fond memories he has about visiting the pond and the park at East LA Public Library when he was younger. 12:00 Louie talks about his uncle Gabriel and how he was a mentor to him when he was a teenager. 16:20 Louie tells the story about...

Interview Description Johnnie Marino (90) talks with nephew José Luis Gonzalez (60) about his ancestry and his time during World War II. Facilitator Subject Log 00:48 Johnnie was born in Colorado City, TX. His father was from Chihuahua, MX and worked for the railroad. His mother was from Valencia, Spain. 09:20 Johnnie talks about not finishing high school. He eventually took lower-level college courses as a "sub-student. " 11:00 Johnnie...