| 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 32 |
| Format |
application/pdf |
| Setname |
uum_slohp |
| ID |
1029139 |
| OCR Text |
Show REED HRI TM 15 R H 2 02 RC: Well I'm getting behind on the story. I ve got tot 11 him thi d al. BB: Let me flip this tape over. END OF SIDE A TAPE 1 BB: Okay. RC: I've got to back up. After I came from Camp Roberts up there and came back to the outfit, they were putting rocks in front of our day room and having somebody paint a gun sign on them. The captain told me-I think I was just an acting corporal or sergeant; nothing really, you know-he said, "When you come in tonight you give me a diamond-t truck and a compressor." He said, "I want the biggest rock in the 40th Division in front of our day room." We went out and couldn't find a rock of any kind. One of the guys that had been on construction was with me, he said, "Gad, Christmas, why don't we just take a piece out of the road. It will paint up good." So we blocked the highway off for a few minutes and he soon had that jack hammered out and we lifted out with a crane and we were setting it in front of the day room and the captain come out, and he even put his arm around me, and said, 'Christmas, I knew you had a lot of potential." He said, "This is wonderful." About nine o'clock that night the orderly come and said, "The captain would like to see you in his quarters." When I opened the door he said, "Without a doubt you are the dumbest sonovabitch in the 40th Division." The State Road had been after him (laughs). BB: He wanted one of these standing stones that you could paint something on, right? 31 |
| Reference URL |
https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s63j5g0n/1029139 |
