Oral History Interview with Elmo Gabbard

Partial Transcript: "This is Jonathan Philpot, it is January 3, 2008. I am at the American Legion with Mr. Elmo Gabbard and his son.'

Segment Synopsis: Talks of infantry to Pacific Theatre. Motorized infantry maintenance and reassembly of vehicles in New Guinea.

Keywords: 32nd Infantry; Fourth Division motorized; GMCs; Gun motor Carriage; Jeep; Milne Bay, New Guniea; New Guinea

Subjects: Jeep automobile; Milne Bay (Papua New Guinea); World War II

Partial Transcript: "How old were you when you went into the service?" "I was just 21."

Segment Synopsis: Names all of the location he was at for basic train before leaving for the Pacific.

Keywords: bootcamp; California; Camp Gordon (Ga.); Drafted; Fort Benning (Ga.); Fort Dix (Nj.); Fort Thomas (Ky.); South Pacific

Subjects: Camp Gordon (DeKalb County, Ga.); Fort Benning (Ga.); Fort Dix (N.J.); Fort Thomas (Ky.); Word War II.

Partial Transcript: "Did you leave anybody behind a girlfriend or a wife? No, no"

Segment Synopsis: Talks about friend serving in Europe during WWII. Discusses stress. Reinforcements from Australia. Discusses friend dying of Malaria and Malaria pills.

Keywords: 106th Division; airport; Australians; Boyscouts; European theatre; garage; Infantry; Japanese; Jeep; KP; Malaria; P38 airplane; snipers

Subjects: Australians; Boy Scouts; Japanese.; Jeep automobile.; Malaria.; World War II.

Partial Transcript: "I was gonna ask you, what did you think of your fellow officers and other soldiers?"

Segment Synopsis: Talks about quality of men, pranks. Talks about 42 day journey to the Philippines, ship broke down. Discusses mental illness in the ranks.

Keywords: 92nd Infantry; footlocker; mechanic; mental illness; motorpool; MPs; Philippines; suicide

Subjects: Footlockers; Mental illness.; Military police; Philippines; Post-traumatic stress disorder.; Suicide.; World War II

Partial Transcript: "Did you have any contact with the civilians while you were in the Philippines or overseas?"

Segment Synopsis: Talks about civilians in the Philippines, shoe shine, fishing, hog butchering, canoes. Talks about encounters with the Japanese. US B24s spray Japanese gardens to starve them out. Japanese would turn themselves in due to starvation.

Keywords: B24; canoes; civilians; fishing; Philippines; Pilipinos; POWs

Subjects: Fishing.; Philippines; Pilipino; Prisoner of war; World War II.

Partial Transcript: "What did you do when you got back home?"

Segment Synopsis: Talks about life after war. Talks about friends in war, where they were from. Stress and mental illness.

Keywords: Arkansas; Corbin (Ky.); farm; Fort Benning; Fort Dix; Grayson Co. (Ky.); Indiana; metal illness; moonshine; post office; post-war; suicide; West Virgina

Subjects: Arkansas; Corbin (Ky.); Fort Benning (Ga.); Fort Dix (N.J.); Grayson County (Ky.); Indiana; Post-traumatic stress disorder.; Suicide.; West Virginia; World War II.

Partial Transcript: "If you could share a piece of wisdom with future generations, what would you say to them?"

Segment Synopsis: Talks about earned points to come home. Encounter with a three-star general. Had to write letters home to families of soldiers KIA. Discusses soldier involved accidents. Hobbies - fishing, basketball. Paid $10 a basketball game.

Keywords: citations; merits; points; Sargent of the Guard; Three-Star General

Subjects: Basketball.; World War II.