The Greatest Generation

1. The Greatest Generation Tom Brokaw

2. Thomas Broderick • Merchant Marine then joined Air force • Blinded by jumping into Holland for Operation Market Garden • Entered insurance business and had an impressive level of independenc

3. Charles O. Van Gorder • Surgeon • Entered war in his early 20’s • Became friends with Dr. John Rodda and saved many lives • Came back to the US and opened a small hospital in Andrews, NC • Citizens didn’t trust him because he was so young but eventually he earned their trust • Eventually built a bigger hospital for the small town

4. Wesley Ko • Chinese born and raised in the US • Sense of responsibility and honesty • Only saw himself as American and went into Air force where he had many close calls • Started printing plant that eventually went under due to government regulations after war

5. James and Dorothy Dowling • James- POW • Started fishing business after war and was commissioned by the government to work on the Interstate. • Believed in giving back to the community and helped establish Little League in the community

6. Rev. Harry Reginald “Reg” Hammond • Ordained priest in the Anglican Orthodox church • Awarded 5 battle stars and 1 bronze star • Elementary school teacher who received PhD after the war

7. Lloyd Kilmer • Joined the Army Air Corps and became POW • When liberated, he gained an appreciation for the American Flag • Earned the Patrick Henry Award for Patriotism when putting up the “Boulevard of Flags” in his town • Pushes for an amendment to make it illegal to desecrate the American flag

8. Gordon Larsen • Those willing to talk about combat didn’t experience it • Brother died in war • Tears when he hears Taps • Did electrical/heating after war

9. The ROMEO Club • “Retired old men eating out” • Group of neighbors from Kerry Corner who immigrated from Ireland • Bond lasted through war and lost only 6 members • Had meetings and started the club to talk about Pearl Harbor, their kids, memories, and how different the times have become

10. Charles Briscoe • Worked for Boeing during the War after learning the sheet metal trade • Helped design the B-29 long range bomber

11. Dorothy Haener • Worked at a Ford Motor Company • Became a Union Activist • Became a founding member of the National Organization for Women • Involved in labor movements because she felt cheated in wages

12. Bob Bush • Medic in military: going into the service to help people, not kill them • Helped both American and other soldiers • Risked his life to save an American soldier: lost an eye • Valued work

13. Joe Foss • US Marine Corps Pilot • Grew up on a farm in South Dakota • Had a take-it-or-leave it personality • Awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor • Returned home and became state legislature and then governor • First commissioner of the American Football League • Starred in The American Sportsman

14. Leonard “Bud” Lomell • Unit had most dangerous assignment on D-Day • Fairness and justice • Counts his long and happy marriage to his longevity

15. Colonel Mary Hallaren • Woman’s Army Auxiliary Corps member • Commanded 1st battalion of women and campaigned for women to be taken seriously in war • Became Colonel in the WAC: known as “Little Colonel” (1st woman to achieve this rank) • Director of Job Corps • Inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame

16. General Jeanne Holm • Became Captain for the WAC • Trained WAC troops • Worked on GI Bill and Women’s Armed Service Integration Act • Served in Germany during Berlin Airlift • Worked for the Job Corps • Eventually became director of women in the air force • Pushed for equal rights for women and fought against sexual harassment

17. Marion Rivers Nittel • Helped make equipment for the war • Army and Navy gave them a ceremony and a flag • believed this was the last time patriotism was in every heart

18. Claudine “Scottie” Lingelbach • Navy • Administrative assistant who delivered highly classified papers to the basement of the White House • Stood for patriotism and respect for the presidency • Teacher, Real Estate, retired

19. Alison Ely Campbell • Job at ship yard but wasn’t taken seriously • Followed husband to training • Secretary • Learn to cope with life

20. Margaret Ray Ringenberg • WASPS • 2ed Division, trained in military aircraft • Tested and transported planes • No military honors for women who died • Role model for young women

21. Mary Louise Roberts Wilson • Started courses in nursing in order to support her family • Operating room supervisor in Army • 1st woman to win the Silver Star • After war: Army reserves chief nurse and worked as the Veteran Administration Hospital’s operating room supervisor

22. Martha Settle Putney • Ambitious, sneaky African American woman • Statistical clerk for the War Manpower Commission • Resigned from WAC due to racism • Fought against racism • Created first all women, all black band in the army • Taught black history and believed that all black US citizens should work hard to defeat discrimination

23. Johnnie Holmes • Grew up without racial discrimination • Faced racism in the military but stayed positive • Met Jackie Robinson and went to an all white neighborhood where he found one of his friends dead • Fighting two wars • Eventually became a landlord and married a white woman • Speaks about racism

24. Luis Armijo • Son of Spanish father and Native American Mother • Discriminated against • Couldn’t pilot, so became an aviation electronics specialists • Became a teacher after the war

25. Norman Mineta • Ten years old went to an internment camp, was wearing his cub scout uniform when a solider confiscated his baseball bat • California Congressman • 1st Asian to head a major city • Helped Mexican Americans because he knew what it felt like to be an “outsider” • Pushed for reparations for the Japanese Americans • Secretary of Transportation under Clinton and Bush

26. John and Peggy Assenzio • Married a month after Pearl Harbor • John- cleared mine fields, bronze star, horrified by atomic bombs • Peggy- school teacher, wrote to John everyday • Married 57 years- problem with couples today is that they don’t fight long enough to keep the marriage together

27. The Dumbos • Group of women who relied on each other, a support group • Women brought large portions of food and someone said “Dumbo Jumbos” • Men had to take women out to dinner • Community service projects, pushed for equal pay for women, pushed for girls sports • Moderation in spending, faithful marriages, well behaved children, and church • How marriages lasted: due to separation

28. Gaylord and Carrie Lee Nelson • Tom Brokaw

29. Jeanette Gagne Norton • Married because of war • Husband died and left with a son • Moved in with mother • Remarried • Son visited father’s grave • Had to move on and find strengh

30. Daphne Cavin • Met husband at Sunday school party, married within a year because of war • Beautician, wrote to Ray everyday • Ray was killed by an artillery shell • Remarried • “Two men was taking care of her”—two military pensions • “Lost Love Remembered”

31. George Bush • Son of wealthy and powerful parents • Volunteered-combat pilot • After war- oil fields • Didn’t talk about war, because it was his duty

32. Ben Bradlee • Greek major at Harvard • Assigned to a destroyer in S. Pacific • Fight between US and Japanese Navy • Nothing can compare with the experience of war, separated people • Learned a lot, was a humbling experience

33. Art Buchwald • Writer • Entered war at 17 by persuading a street drunk to sign his father’s name • Loaded ammunition on Marine Corsairs • Returned home and enrolled in University of Southern California under GI bill even though he didn’t have a high school diploma • Became a writer for the International Herald Tribune

34. Andy Rooney • Drafted out of college • Hated convention and authority • Reporter • Saved life of a crew member • Day of Paris liberation, most impactful • “90% of soldiers didn’t go anywhere near the fighting so the country doesn’t owe them anything”—Rooney • Omaha Beach, five times since the war

35. Julia Child • Spy, OSS in Asia • Rejected from the WAVES because she was too tall, 6’ 2” • Wrote “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” • War liberated her “ I might have been an alcoholic”

36. Gertrude Belle “Trudy” Elion • Goal- find cure for cancer • Worked as a quality control officer • Research assistance • Department Leader in Science • Found things to help with kidney stones, leukemia, early AIDS treatment • Never married • Role Model for women • George and Trudy received Nobel prize in medicine

37. Al Neuharth • Grew up poor with his mother • Father died in farm accident • Enlisted in Army- intelligence and recon • Bronze Star • Founder of USA Today • Created a news think tank “The Freedom Forum” • Learned from failure • Personnel practices: Had more African Americans and women on the payroll than any other newspaper

38. Maurice “Hank” Greenberg • Tom Brokaw

39. Robert Dole • Platoon leader in Italian Alps • Wounded arm • Senator, runs for president against Clinton • Pushed Americans with Disabilities Act • Pushed for funding for WWII memorial

40. The Greatest Generation • Tom Brokaw

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50. The Greatest Generation • Tom Brokaw