WHAT IT IS:
Listen Up! Stories from the Northwest Corner is a new, semiannual program organized by the North Olympic Library System that is focused on collecting and archiving oral histories from Clallam County residents.
Inspired by Listen Up! will present local residents with ongoing opportunities to help tell and preserve the story of Clallam County for generations to come.
Interviews are conducted with a participant and an interview partner, and the completed recordings will be archived and made available for future listening on the Washington Rural Heritage website, accessible through www.nols.org.
To learn more about the Listen Up! project, send an email to listenup@nols.org. Listen Up! has been generously supported by the Port Angeles Friends of the Library.
This fall, the North Olympic Library System collected over a dozen audio interviews from area veterans as part of its ongoing oral history program, “Listen Up: Stories from the Northwest Corner.” Included are stories from WWII, the Vietnam War, and the War in Afghanistan.
Joe Tamony, retired Navy captain, describes his experience serving in the Vietnam War and his 26-year Navy career. Recorded 8/24/2016 at the Port Angeles Main Library.
Keith Duppenthaler joined the Army Air Corps in 1944 at 18 years old. He shares stories about his time as a bomber pilot in WWII and the six missions he completed. Recorded 8/25/2016 at the Port Angeles Main Library.
James Moody served for 4 years in the Army, getting drafted in 1943 and later enlisting in 1945. He shares his strongest memories of companionship and duty and stories of the places he worked worldwide as an engineer, including Fort Ord (California), and Fort Worden where he lived after his service. Recorded 8/26/2016 at the Sequim Library.
Harold Hanusa served as Aviation Machinist Mate Second Class in the Coast Guard, signing up in June of 1942. He shares his stories of WWII and being stationed in Port Angeles from 1943 to 1946. Recorded 9/12/2016 and 9/14/2016 at the Port Angeles Main Library.
Chris Siri enlisted in the Army in 1966 and served in the Vietnam War. He shares his stories of being a forward observer and air observer in the war and some of the letters he wrote to his parents while in Vietnam. Recorded 9/14/2016 at the Port Angeles Main Library.
Tom O'Donnel shares his unique experience of working as an aerospace contractor during the Vietnam War. He talks about working alongside the military and spending 40 months in Vietnam. Recorded 9/16/2016 at the Port Angeles Main Library.
Claude Giles served for 24 years, starting with the Army Air Corps Reserves in 1945 and later joining the Navy. He talks about serving in three wars, WWII, the Korean War, and Vietnam, and the places he's travelled worldwide. Recorded 10/13/2016 at the Sequim Library. Note: Scott Air Force Base
Bill Payne, Coast Guard veteran, joined the Merchant Marines in 1939 at the urging of President Roosevelt's request for young men to join the service. Bill shares stories from enlisting at 16 years old, basic training on Catalina Island, serving in WWII, and receiving a letter from President Truman personally thanking him for his service. Recorded 8/25/2016 at the Port Angeles Main Library.
Roy Ellefson was interviewed by his daughter, Carol, and shares his stories of serving as a flight engineer servicing planes in the Air Force during WWII. Recorded 8/26/2016 at the Port Angeles Main Library.
Master Chief Petty Office (MCPO) Buck Ward and Commander (CDR) Joana Hiigel share stories from their Coast Guard service. Buck Ward retired from the Coast Guard after nearly 40 years, served in Vietnam, and was a mentor to many - including a young Joana. Joana Hiigel graduated from the Coast Guard Academy, served for 5 years in Active Duty, and has been in Reserves for the last 16 years. Recorded on 9/12/2016 at the Port Angeles Main Library.
Kris Robinson was interviewed by her son, Nate Harrelson, and shares her stories of serving in the Navy. She talks about being the first female photographer on the USS Carl Vinson, when she was at sea aboard an aircraft carrier during the attack on 9/11, and later striking the Taliban in October 2001. Recorded 9/13/2016 at the Port Angeles Main Library.
Donna Barr enlisted in the Army and served in Vietnam from 1970 to 1973. She shares stories of her time in the service and how it's changed her life. Recorded 9/16/2016 at the Clallam Bay Library.
Steven Maxson enlisted in the Navy at 17 years old, selecting the nuclear program with the goal of becoming a nuclear reactor operator for submarines. He shares his stories from making patrols on the USS Patrick Henry and how his time in the service shaped his career. Recorded 10/5/2016 at the Port Angeles Main Library.
