To preserve and recognize: Volunteers on a mission to capture stories of local veterans

Shirley Young, left, Catherine Allison and Dr. Frank Nickell pose for a photo Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016.

Glenn Landberg

To celebrate July 4, 2015, the American Legion Post No. 63 held a barbecue, and Catherine Allison was there. She was struck by the realization that some World War II veterans were in attendance, and got to talking to them about their experiences in the war. She thought these stories were important and joined with Dr. Frank Nickell and Shirley Young to begin collecting and preserving these stories for any who are interested.

"These histories will be lost if we don't get them now," Allison says.

World War II inspired many films, and while movies definitely tell a compelling story, they are exaggerated, impersonal, she says. Veterans living in the region have an unique perspective that needs to be recorded. According to Allison, many of these men volunteered at 19, even 17, and some hadn't left the region before they entered the service.

"It was hard for them to talk about when they first got back -- too raw and hurtful," she says. But now, enough time has passed that it's easier for some of the men to talk about it. And that's what this project is counting on.

Allison explains that Dr. Frank Nickell, former director of the Center for Regional History and Cultural Heritage at Southeast Missouri State University, is working to preserve these sessions for posterity, and eventually to be made available to anyone interested in learning more about local veterans' experiences. Nickell is synonymous with regional history in Southeast Missouri, and his involvement is a great help, Allison says.

So far, they've relied mostly on word of mouth to find participants, and that has its own challenges. Sometimes Allison has had good luck finding veterans at social functions or through the American Legion.

"We've had a good response rate," she says, explaining that the few who have declined to participate are citing health issues. This underscores how important this project is, to preserve the stories while they're still being told.

Ed Bender, Floyd Smith and John Dragoni share memories of wartime experiences. (Photo submitted by Catherine Allison)

They've held several sessions in a meeting room at the Cape Girardeau Public Library with a recorder, photographer and interviewer. The veterans come in, generally in groups of three, and sit together, talking about the war. No two experiences are alike, and the men they've spoken to have not all served in the same theaters. Veterans in our region might have served in Japan or in Germany, and, as Allison says, "You never know what you might find out." Some of the veterans surprised themselves with their recollections, she says.

"We try to keep a relaxed atmosphere, let them take their time," she says. Sessions have generally lasted about two hours each, and so far, there have been about six sessions total.

The goal of this project is preservation of the stories and recognition for those who served our country.

While Allison's project is not affiliated with state or national efforts to preserve veterans' stories, the goal is the same: to capture these men's realities of war and bring them to light.

To get involved in the project, contact Allison at (573) 335-0547.