| Title |
John H. Dinkelman, Salt Lake City, Utah: an interview by Benjamin J. Bahlmann, October 10, 2002: Saving the Legacy tape no. 604 |
| Alternative Title |
John H. Dinkelman, Saving the legacy: an oral history of Utah's World War II veterans, ACCN 2070, American West Center, University of Utah |
| Creator |
Dinkelman, John H., 1924-2011 |
| Contributor |
Bahlmann, Benjamin J.; University of Utah. American West Center |
| Publisher |
Digitized by J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah |
| Date |
2002-10-10 |
| Date Digital |
2015-12-16 |
| 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; France; Belgium; Czechoslovakia; Japan; Turkey; Vietnam |
| Subject |
Dinkelman, John H., 1924-2011--Interviews; Veterans--Utah--Biography; World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American; World War, 1939-1945--Military operations, American; World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Europe, Northern--Personal narratives, American; World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--France--Normandy--Personal narratives, American; Ardennes, Battle of the, 1944-1945--Personal narratives, American; Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American |
| Keywords |
Tanks (Military science); D-Day; Battle of the Bulge |
| Description |
Transcript (83 pages) of an interview by Benjamin J. Bahlmann with John H. Dinkelman on October 10, 2002. From tape number 604 in the "Saving the Legacy" Oral History Project |
| Collection Number and Name |
Accn2070, Saving the Legacy oral history project, 2001-2010 |
| Abstract |
Dinkelman (b. 1924) was born in Den Helder, Netherlands. He discusses his family, immigration to the U.S., the Depression, working and school. He enlisted in the Army in 1942 and received basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, prior to being assigned to the 741st Tank Battalion, A Company, at Fort Meade, Maryland. Dinkelman was sent to the Desert Training Center near Indio, California, then received more training in Louisiana at Camp Pope. Although he traveled to England prior to the invasion, he was detained and missed the actual D-Day invasion, but rejoined his unit on the Continent. He describes his combat activity and duties. During the Bulge, he was assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division and was lhis return to the U. S. following the war. He was separated at Fort Douglas, Utah, then reenlisted in the Army and served in Japan, skippering army boats on MP patrols. Dinkelman Stayed in Reserves until he applied for active duty again as a warrant officer in Vietnam, where he delivered materiel by boats. He continued in active duty several more years before retiring. In civilian life he worked as a machinist. Interviewed by Benjamin Bahlmann. 83 pages. |
| Type |
Text |
| Genre |
oral histories (literary works) |
| Format |
application/pdf |
| Extent |
83 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/s6v42x85 |
| Topic |
Personal narratives--American; Veterans; World War (1939-1945); Ardennes, Battle of the (1944-1945); Vietnam War (1961-1975) |
| Setname |
uum_slohp |
| ID |
1028447 |
| Reference URL |
https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6v42x85 |
| Title |
Page 48 |
| Format |
application/pdf |
| Setname |
uum_slohp |
| ID |
1028410 |
| OCR Text |
Show JOHN H. DINKELMAN 10 B R 2002 go, sluuu, sluuu, sluuu. You could hear us a half mile away. [[~ we were running in that wet mud in stockings. We stopped and we heard thi acti ity, like a rifle butt hitting against a canteen. We were paralyzed because it was the tanks was already there and all this activity was already past the tanks. We were paralyzed. We didn't know. We got problems. I heard someone say, "Oh, shit." Well the Germans don't say that (laughs). Phew. So we continued on, got to the tank and we were afraid to yell, "Open up. Let us in." So we were slapping our hand against the side of the tank, "Let us in. Let us in." They finally opened up and let us in, and then we fired up the tanks and took off. But I remember that night vividly. BJB: So that was all when it was first happening, right? JHD: Yes. BJB: So like you say, you took off your shoes. You felt the urgency of the situation. JHD: Yes. When I was back there with that command post, the Germans were firing into this town of St. Vith and the command post was in the basement of this church. And a round come in and it cleared the wall and it dropped into the graveyard. Part of the wall broke away and I remember vividly, part of the top of that wall from the force of explosion come completely over us, down into the road. Yes. There was a lot going on, a lot going on. When we were retreating in many places, like in our case we was pulling back, houses was burning on both sides of us as we'd go through and it's so different when you're fleeing from when you're advancing. The fleeing phase is so-I can't describe it-but emotion is so different. 47 |
| Reference URL |
https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6v42x85/1028410 |
