| Title |
Reed Christmas, Spanish Fork, Utah: an interview by Benjamin Bahlmann, March 15, 2002: Saving the Legacy tape nos. 506 & 507 |
| Alternative Title |
Reed Christmas, Saving the legacy: an oral history of Utah's World War II veterans, ACCN 2070, American West Center, University of Utah |
| Creator |
Christmas, Reed, 1919-2015 |
| Contributor |
University of Utah. American West Center; Bahlmann, Benjamin J. |
| Publisher |
Digitized by J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah |
| Date |
2002-03-15 |
| 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 |
Hawaii; Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands; Philippines; Okinawa, Japan |
| Subject |
Christmas, Reed, 1919-2015--Interviews; Veterans--Utah--Biography; World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American; World War, 1939-1945--Military operations, American; World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Pacific Area--Personal narratives, American; Leyte Gulf, Battle of, Philippines, 1944--Personal narratives, American; Saipan, Battle of, Northern Mariana Islands, 1944--Personal narratives, American; World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Japan--Okinawa Island--Personal narratives, American |
| Keywords |
National Guard |
| Description |
Transcript (106 pages) of an interview by Benjamin Bahlmann with Reed Christmas on March 15, 2002. From tape numbers 506 and 507 in the "Saving the Legacy" Oral History Project |
| Collection Number and Name |
Accn2070, Saving the Legacy oral history project, 2001-2010 |
| Abstract |
Christmas (b. 1919) discusses family, schooling, the Depression, farming, and life in Spanish Fork, Utah. He joined the National Guard in Feburary 1941 and was called to active duty in March. He was first sent to Camp Roberts, then San Luis Obispo, and Escondido, California, for training. He was transferred to Fort Lewis, Washington, for more training before shipping to Hawaii, where the training continued. He was assigned to the 222 Field Artillery (later the 225th FA), 3rd Section, D Battery in the 40th Division. He participated in the invasion of Saipan, and battles at Leyte, Mindoro, and Okinawa. He provides a description of his combat experiences and duties. Christmas returned home in October, 1945 for discharge. After the war he farmed in the Spanish Fork area until 1988. Interviewed by Benjamin Bahlmann. 106 pages. |
| Type |
Text |
| Genre |
oral histories (literary works) |
| Format |
application/pdf |
| Extent |
106 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/s63j5g0n |
| Topic |
Personal narratives--American; Veterans; World War (1939-1945); Leyte Gulf, Battle of (Philippines : 1944); Saipan, Battle of (Northern Mariana Islands : 1944) |
| Setname |
uum_slohp |
| ID |
1029215 |
| Reference URL |
https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s63j5g0n |
| Title |
Page 15 |
| Format |
application/pdf |
| Setname |
uum_slohp |
| ID |
1029122 |
| OCR Text |
Show RE DCHRI TMA 1 R 2002 BB: o you were somewhat aware of.. .obviously in 38 you have Mu olini g ing into Africa and then Hitler moving in Europe. Did you at any time think that we w r going to be involved? RC: Shall I tell him what my Grandpa Christmas told me? TC: Yes. RC: I never got over that, but I was thirteen years old, twelve or thirteen, when he died and he was a great reader. Just before he died he had a book, "Shall it Be Again?" And he studied World War I and knew that Germany wasn't hurt too much; it was France and Belgium where they fought. And he told me then, he gave me this book, it was "Shall It Be Again?" and he said for some reason or other I think you're going to be right in the middle of this thing. And he was talking about World War II at that time. That was 1931. BB: So did you believe that as well? RC: Well, I was too young to, even at that time. But I couldn't imagine why he picked me out of the rest of the family. To this day I can't imagine why he did. BB: Out of your brothers, were you the only one to go? RC: Well, my younger brother went in for a little while. BB: Interesting. So as you got older, though, did you start recognizing, did you think? I mean, the draft started-was that '38 as well, wasn't it? Or was it '39? RC: No, the draft started in '40, wasn't it, when they first came out, when we signed up for the thing. I didn't think it would ever hit me. BB: You didn't think so. RC: I thought, well they won't amount to anything and I was one of the first ones called up (laughs). 14 |
| Reference URL |
https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s63j5g0n/1029122 |
