| 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 65 |
| Format |
application/pdf |
| Setname |
uum_slohp |
| ID |
1028427 |
| OCR Text |
Show JOHN H. DI KELMA 10 B R 2002 JHD: Well, I don t know. The first we heard was from the German you kn w Kr ig finished.' And subsequent activity verified that because there was no hostility wh re just hey I want to go home to ... BJB: Were you quite happy yourself that it ended? JHD: Oh, yes. BJB: Did you think you were going to make it out? Or did you think you were not going to? JHD: Oh, many times I was afraid, oh-oh. I was afraid of being captured and being a prisoner of war. I didn't relish the idea of spending the war in a prison camp. There were many times when action got so hot I was wondering, you know, I wasn't sure whether I'd be able to get out. The thought in your mind, if I don't, I'm going to do it as well as I can, you know. You don't want to fail your buddies, the guys alongside of you. The tank ... they called them tanks Ronson Burners because of the Ronson cigarette lighter: "Lights every time." Same with a tank. When it takes the round that penetrates, they burn, burns ferociously. I mean the tank and all that gasoline and then when the rounds pop off, those big smoke rings up in the air, you know all them five guys inside there just can't survive that. Sometimes they get out but not all of them. BJB: Were there times when you wished you were in the infantry? JHD: No, never. No. BJB: So even with that kind of threat looming always above you ... JHD: Oh, the infantry, you're exposed to anything that comes in. Artillery barrage, you could hear the shell fragments striking against the side of the tank, you know, and it's like somebody throwing a hammer or frying pan against the side of the tank. That was not a 64 |
| Reference URL |
https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6v42x85/1028427 |
