Raul Waters: My Duty. I Never Regretted That.
Photo of Raul Waters from his April 27, 2000, interview. Raul Waters was born in 1936 in Cuba before immigrating to the United States as a child in 1945. Initially in Tampa, Florida, Waters grew up in Detroit, Michigan, then moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for his surgical residency. When the
Milo G. Flaten: the Battle of Saint-Lô, July 7-19, 1944
Milo G. Flaten was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, shortly after the start of World War II. After graduating high school, Flaten received a draft notice. Following basic training, Flaten was sent overseas aboard the RMS Queen Mary to England, where he learned he
Catherine Pampel on the Importance of Helping Others
Gunner's Mate Second Class Catherine Pampel Catherine Olivia Stoffel (later Pampel) grew up near Kewaskum, Wisconsin, on her family's farm. From an early age, Pampel dreamed of a life in service to others and had ambitions of being a fireman, police officer, or EMT. After graduating high school, Pampel decided
Akira R. Toki on being Japanese American during World War II
In observance of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, the Wisconsin Veterans Museum presents the story of Madison area hero, Sergeant Akira R. Toki, who served with A Company, 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team during World War II. While Toki has been a notable figure for decades, the Wisconsin
Chester Krause on the Liberation of Buchenwald Concentration Camp
Chester L. "Chet" Krause served with the 565th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion in World War II. In honor of the 79th anniversary of the liberation of Buchenwald Concentration Camp during World War II, the Wisconsin Veterans Museum presents the story of veteran Chester L. “Chet” Krause, one of the
Alannah McReavey on Giving Back
The Wisconsin Veterans Museum supports Women's History Month. As part of that effort, we are featuring Alannah McReavey, who agreed to interview with us for the statewide women veterans oral history project: I Am Not Invisible. Here is her story. Alannah McReavey served with the United States Army Reserves from
Tarra Gundrum on What is Possible
Tarra Rimone Pickens (later Gundrum) grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. She attended Cleveland Junior Naval Academy, an area Navy Junior Reserve Officer’s Training Corps (NJROTC) high school, and determined by the age of seventeen that she wanted to join the United States Marine Corps, enlisting in 1998 at seventeen-and-a-half
Urban A. Sippel with the First Special Service Force at Anzio
In this blog post, Urban A. Sippel of Glenbeulah, Wisconsin, retells his story with the 1st Special Service Force (1SSF) during World War II in Italy, from November 1943 to June 1944. He supplies a detailed account of the 1SSF at the Anzio beachhead and later breakout as part of
Betty M. Prieve: A Song for the Holiday
Betty Mae Whitney Prieve was a Merrill, Wisconsin, native. She joined the United States Navy in 1942. She trained as an airplane mechanic in Norman, Oklahoma, before transferring to Lakehurst, New Jersey. In 1944, shortly after the combat related death of her brother, she volunteered for duty at Pearl Harbor
Oneida Warrior James K. Overman on racism and rescuing pilots
James K. Overman of Delafield, Wisconsin, is the son of a World War I veteran and raised with a love for aviation. After receiving a draft notice in 1951, a year after graduating high school, Overman opted to enlist in the Air Force to ensure he got to fly planes