| Title |
Robert D. Teran, Sandy, Utah: an interview by Winston P. Erickson, May 23, 2000: Saving the legacy tape no. 18 and 19 |
| Alternative Title |
Robert D. Teran, Saving the legacy: an oral history of Utah's World War II veterans, ACCN 2070, American West Center, University of Utah |
| Creator |
Teran, Robert D., 1922-2009 |
| Contributor |
Erickson, Winston P., 1943-; University of Utah. American West Center |
| Publisher |
Digitized by J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah |
| Date |
2000-05-23 |
| Date Digital |
2015-09-16 |
| Access Rights |
I acknowledge and agree that all information I obtain as a result of accessing any oral history provided by the University of Utah's Marriott Library shall be used only for historical or scholarly or academic research purposes, and not for commercial purposes. I understand that any other use of the materials is not authorized by the University of Utah and may exceed the scope of permission granted to the University of Utah by the interviewer or interviewee. I may request permission for other uses, in writing to Special Collections at the Marriott Library, which the University of Utah may choose grant, in its sole discretion. I agree to defend, indemnify and hold the University of Utah and its Marriott Library harmless for and against any actions or claims that relate to my improper use of materials provided by the University of Utah. |
| Spatial Coverage |
England, United Kingdom; Germany; Poland; New Mexico, United States |
| Subject |
Teran, Robert D., 1922-2009--Interviews; World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American; Veterans--Utah--Biography; World War, 1939-1945--Artillery operations, American; World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Europe, Northern--Personal narratives, American; Prisoners of war--United States; Prisoners of war--Poland |
| Keywords |
POWs; B-17 |
| Description |
Transcript (51 pages) of an interview by Winston P. Erickson with Robert D. Teran on May 23, 2000. This is from tape numbers 18 and 19 in the "Saving the Legacy Oral History Project |
| Collection Number and Name |
Accn2070, Saving the Legacy oral history project, 2001-2010 |
| Abstract |
Teran (b. 1922) describes a difficult childhood in New Mexico during the Depression, and recalls his education at Fort Lewis College, army enlistment, and schooling at Scott air base in Illinois. He also details his experiences in flight training, B-17 crew assignments, and crossing the Atlantic to England, where he served in the 8th Air Force, 379th Bomb Group, 527th Squadron, based at Kimbolton Field near London. He flew twenty missions before being shot down and captured by German soldiers, ending up at Stalag Luft 3. He recounts his days as a prisoner of war, including a forced march away from the advancing Russions, incarceration in Stalag 7A, liberation, and his return to the United States. 51 pages. |
| Type |
Text |
| Genre |
oral histories (literary works) |
| Format |
application/pdf |
| Extent |
51 pages |
| Language |
eng |
| Rights |
 |
| Scanning Technician |
Mazi Rakhsha |
| Conversion Specifications |
Original scanned with Kirtas 2400 and saved as 400 ppi uncompressed TIFF. PDF generated by Adobe Acrobat Pro X for CONTENTdm display |
| ARK |
ark:/87278/s6kh2mks |
| Topic |
Personal narratives--American; Veterans; World War (1939-1945); Military operations, Artillery--American; Prisoners of war |
| Setname |
uum_slohp |
| ID |
1025307 |
| Reference URL |
https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6kh2mks |
| Title |
Page 49 |
| Format |
application/pdf |
| Setname |
uum_slohp |
| ID |
1025303 |
| OCR Text |
Show ROBERT D. TERAN 2 2000 that way. I just felt that I was in a strange and harsh environment. I think I under tood basically that they weren't too happy with me because I had dropped bombs on their people, whomever. See that's the difference to me between being an army personnel and fighting up close. Now if I shot you, I'd feel there had to be some kind of feeling about that. I didn't want to really do that. The same way maybe with sailors and so forth. I was detached. I knew that I was killing people down below, but I couldn't see them. I knew that there were people getting killed, and I knew that I was destroying targets and so forth, but it was a detachment from the actuality of the thing. WIN: That was one of the things about the airmen. Some tell me, "Well, I was dropping bombs from 20,000 feet. I didn't have to shoot somebody from twenty yards." BOB: That's the way I feel. WIN: I have heard stories about prisoners of war in the Japanese system that suffered considerably physical, mental, and all kinds of abuse, so I just wanted to get your take on that. As you look back on your life, what role do you think the war experience played in determining the way it went? I know you took advantage of the G.I. Bill and that probably determined your occupation. If you put that in perspective, what did your military experience really do to shape your life, subsequently, your career? BOB: In answer to Japanese, no Geneva Convention recognition and therefore, they did commit atrocities and kill many POWs. I meet at the VA with other POWs, one on the Bataan Death March. He has many stories about cruelties and death. Well, I've never 48 |
| Reference URL |
https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6kh2mks/1025303 |
