Where I Stand — Mike O’Callaghan: Running to catch up

Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2002 | 8:17 a.m.

A RECENT COVER STORY in USA Today tells of efforts to get oral histories of men and women who served in the military during World War II, Korea and Vietnam. The Library of Congress has provided kits to record these firsthand accounts before they go to the grave with the veterans.

USA Today points out that there is good reason to push this project to the forefront. The "time is running out. Jim Parkel, president of the 35 million-member AARP, says that although an estimated 19 million men and women who are veterans of American wars are alive today, they are dying at the rate of 1,600 a day. With their passing, he says, 'you are losing a history that is very important.' "

Many of us can recall how the veterans of earlier wars slipped quietly away without telling their stories. Some of my generation are coming to recognize how dim certain memories of the military become over the years. Sitting around visiting with men of your combat unit will soon remind you that the same incident or firefight may be different in the memory of each man. Also what was important to one man can't even be recalled by the other men. Who was your platoon leader during a special combat operation? Because of changing platoon leaders and company commanders over a period of time there can be a disagreement over the answer given.

Because of human factors, it would be wise to start now on the oral histories of the people who served in the Gulf War. There's little doubt that the fresher the memory there is less chance for errors. Nevertheless, what is being recorded now is important because of how each person recalls what is important to them. These oral histories woven together can produce stories with a human touch.

Dr. Kevin Murray, a former associate professor and Chief Division of Cardiothoracic surgery at the University of Nevada School of Medicine, recognized the value of oral histories a couple of years ago. Murray, a young man, became interested in the stories he heard as the doctor for the VA Outpatient Clinic and the Federal Hospital at Nellis.

We published Murray's views given in a letter: "Soon after beginning my clinical work at the Las Vegas VA, I instituted a routine, when meeting new patients, that I would ask them to describe their military service. This question served two purposes: First, it placed the patient at ease given the overwhelming stress of visiting a thoracic surgeon; secondly, it provided an opportunity for the patient to speak and remain occupied while I searched for their computer files.

"What grew from this experience was my hearing many compelling stories of U.S. military service during WWII. Over time I found myself becoming engrossed in these life experiences. These personal remembrances of events from 1941 to 1945 became stories that I devoted my complete attention and a significant amount of time. As I would watch each person's facial expressions and detect an increased intensity in their voice, it was obvious that for those moments of shared memory these veterans were reliving each experience in vivid detail.

"Although many prefaced their remarks stating that they had never fired a shot at the enemy, their stories were none-the-less compelling facets of individual experiences during WWII. It became apparent to me that these individual memories of WWII, no matter how seemingly trivial, need to be preserved as a permanent historical archive if future generations are to have a complete picture of this major historical event."

Murray, badly missed by local veterans, is no longer in Las Vegas but his historical program should be carried out. One of Murray's patients, Al Ramirez, has been conducting his own research and interviewing Hispanic military veterans. Ramirez called the surgeon his own personal Guardian Angel.

The University of Nevada, several years ago, did collect and publish stories of Nevadans who went away to WWII. So there has been some spadework done in the Silver State.

What's happening at the Library of Congress is covering the big picture. Long before the last veteran from WWII or Korea passes on thousands of Gulf War vets should be asked to give oral interviews.