Powell, Lloyd G (Interview outline and video), 2016
Oral history
Veterans History Project (U.S.)
United States--History, Military
Veterans
Video recordings
World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American
United States. Navy
Lloyd Powell was born on February 22, 1927 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He enlisted in the Navy in summer 1944 and was called to active duty in fall 1944. He received basic training at Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois then went to Camp Little Creek, Virginia and on to Norfolk, Virginia where he boarded the USS LST-509. He worked as a regular sailor, oversaw a work detail of sailors and marines, and pulled shifts on the ship's helm. They sailed up and down the East Coast moving personnel and supplies from New England to Key West, Miami, and Wainwright Shipyard in Florida. Near the end of the war the ship was outfitted for the invasion of Japan, and when Japan surrendered they were in Camp Little Creek, Virginia. Lloyd stayed with the ship until he was discharged in Norfolk in April 1946.
Powell, Lloyd G.
Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)
Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan
In Copyright
Powell, Merton E (Interview outline), 2016
United States. Air Force
Merton Powell was born in Topeka, Kansas in 1924. He grew up in Topeka and enlisted in the Navy in 1943. He received basic training in Chadron, Nebraska then went to Iowa for College Training before going to California for Flight Training. He was accepted into the Naval Aviation Program and was able receive flight training in the N2S Stearman. After the Second World War ended in September 1945 he was discharged from active duty. He remained in the Naval Reserve until 1947. He enlisted in the Air Force in 1949 and served briefly with them.
Powell, Merton E.
Grand Valley State University Libraries, Allendale, Michigan
Powers, Grace (Interview transcript and video), 2009
Michigan--History, Military
United States. Army
Women
Other veterans & civilians--Personal narratives, American
Grace Harper was born in Iowa in 1923. She married Robert Powers in 1941. She and her husband had two children when he was drafted in 1944. Her husband was sent to Europe and was wounded in action and spent several months in the hospital before returning home.
Powers, Grace
Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives
Caledonia High School (Caledonia, Mich.)
Powers, Thomas (Interview outline), 2010
Katherine Powers was wife to Thomas Powers, a Navy seaman during World War II. The couple had been married for one year before Thomas was drafted to serve in Europe. While serving, Thomas worked on the USS Merrimack picking up wounded and stranded soldiers and bringing them back to a base. Katherine remembers the job market opening up for women during this time as she worked two jobs. Thomas and Katherine were able to remain in contact through letters throughout the war.
Powers, Katherine
Powers, Robert (Interview outline and video), 2004
United States. Army. Air Corps
Robert Powers was born in Greenville, Michigan on January 25, 1924. After graduating high school, he attended college at Albion University before enlisting in the Air Force. Robert trained for about 13 months before he was sent to a base in Italy. From there he flew about 25 missions throughout Romania, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, and Poland before his plane was shot down in France. Robert sustained many light injuries, was helped by the French Resistance, but was captured by the Germans. He remained in German prison camp for 11 months until the war ended.
Powers, Robert
Powers, Vernon Porter (Interview outline and video), 2015
Vernon Powers was born in Dyersburg, Tennessee in (circa) 1925, but his family eventually settled in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He was drafted on December 18, 1943 and was processed at Fort Sheridan, Illinois before going to Camp Roberts, California for basic training. He went to Camp Bowie, Texas for armored infantry training before deploying for Europe out of Camp Kilmer, New Jersey in December 1944 (or January 1945) most likely part of the 13th Armored Division. His unit landed in Le Havre, France then moved through Europe, seeing action in Metz, France and fighting in the Ruhr Valley, Germany. His unit advanced through Germany seeing final action in Simbach am Inn, Germany and entering Berchtesgaden, Germany on Victory in Europe Day (May 8, 1945). They patrolled the area around Simbach am Inn before returning to Le Havre, France to take a ship back to the United States. He was on leave when the atomic bombs were dropped on Japan and the war came to an end. He was stationed in California until he returned to Fort Sheridan, Illinois to be discharged on April 20, 1946.
Powers, Vernon Porter
Pratt, Mary (Interview transcript and video), 2009
All-American Girls Professional Baseball League--Personal narratives
Baseball for women--United States
Baseball
Sports for women
World War, 1939-1945
Baseball players--Illinois
Baseball players--Wisconsin
Mary Pratt was born in 1918 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Throughout her early childhood and on through college she played baseball. Before joining the All American Girls Professional Baseball League, Pratt played hockey for two seasons with the Boston Olympets from 1939 to 1940. She got her start professionally in baseball with the Rockford Peaches in 1943. In 1944, she played for the Rockford Peaches and the Kenosha Comets and then in 1945 played just for the Kenosha Comets. From 1946 to 1947 she played for the Rockford Peaches. Throughout her professional career she played as a pitcher and saw how the rules in softball changed how the game was played. The highlights in her professional career were from her 1944 season when she won 21 games and pitched a no-hitter.
Pratt, Mary
All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Collection, (RHC-55)
Cannon Township Comprehensive Development Plan
Comprehensive plan publications
Cannon Township (Mich.)
Kent County (Mich.)
The Cannon Township Comprehensive Development Plan was prepared by Prein & Newhof and completed on December 6, 1978.
Prein & Newhof
Planning and Zoning Center Collection (RHC-240)
No Copyright - United States
Fremont (Mich.)
Newaygo County (Mich.)
The Comprehensive Plan for the City of Fremont was prepared by Prein & Newhof in February 1981.
Press, Charles (Interview outline and video), 2017
United States. Army Air Corps
Charles Press was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on September 12, 1922. He was drafted in 1943 and received his basic training at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. He was then transferred to the Army Air Force and was part of a medical unit's headquarters in St. Louis where he helped with administrative duties. After three (or four) months, he took a test and qualified for Meteorology Training at Chanute Field, Illinois. That training lasted two months and he was assigned to Harding Field, Louisiana, where he was stationed for four (or five) months gathering meteorological data and sharing it with other fields in the United States. In September 1944, he was deployed to Saipan, and stayed on the island gathering meteorological information to assist forecasters in planning missions for aircraft. He left Saipan in early December 1945, and was discharged in Goldsboro, North Carolina, on December 17, 1945.
Press, Charles
John “Oppress” Preston video interview and transcript
Young Lords (Organization)
Puerto Ricans--United States
Civil Rights--United States--History
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
Personal narratives
Social justice
Community activists--Illinois--Chicago
John “Oppress” Preston was a leading member of the Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther Party (BPP). His role within the party was to set up and distribute the BPP newspaper throughout the state of Illinois. Though the BPP started in Oakland, California in 1966, it was not until April 25, 1967 that they published their first official newspaper. By 1969 the newspaper had a nationwide distribution of about 250,000 copies. In Illinois, distribution climbed up to about 80,000 copies.Mr. Preston describes what a major operation it was to set up and distribute the paper. Many times the newspaper was used as part of Political Education or “P.E.” classes. It was automatically given to new members to sell. The Black Panthers were about being out and active in the community as well as educating the People. The office was primarily used as a place to stop over to eat with others from the community or to report in; very quickly members were back on the streets selling papers and talking with the People.The BPP Newspaper was used as a tool for discussion on the many corners where it was sold. In this way it also provided visibility, as individuals would wave or drive by honking their horns. The newspaper also provided guidance to the Young Lords and to the many other organizations that were connected in one way or the other to the Black Panthers. The Young Lords began to put out their own bilingual newspaper which was then distributed in Latino areas along with several other organizations. Although it was improving, it still lacked in the sophistication of the work done by Mr. Preston. He delivered the newspaper to the various branches and chapters in Illinois cities; they, in turn, would distribute it to their assigned geographical area. There was an accounting for each and every newspaper because the paper also provided income for the BPP chapters.
Preston, John
Price, Julie (Interview transcript and video), 2008
Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American
Julie Price was born on September 6, 1952 in Michigan. She had to get her parents' permission to join the Air Force after graduating from high school and then went through basic training in San Antonio Texas. After training Julie had to go through a background check because she was going to be working with classified material at a Communications Center in North Dakota. While in the Air Force Julie witnessed many positive changes in the way women were treated.
Price, Julie
Kentwood Historic Preservation Commission (Kentwood, Mich.)
Price, Richard (Interview outline and video), 2010
Richard Price was drafted into the Army in 1965. He trained as a vehicle mechanic at Fort Knox, and expected to go directly to Vietnam. Instead, he and several other men from his training company were sent to Korea to replace men who had been killed or wounded in an enemy raid. The men were assigned to a maintenance company, and were kept busy repairing vehicles both at their camp and up near the DMZ. Price eventually was assigned to serve as battalion courier, and made regular trips between company and battalion headquarters and the front lines.
Price, Richard
Pridgeon, Arden (Interview outline and video), 2016
Arden Pridgeon was born on April 5, 1924, in Isabella County, Michigan. In April 1943 he was selected for the Army Specialized Training Program and in the summer he was drafted. He received an advanced form of basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia and in December 1943 he went to University of Wisconsin for the Army Specialized Training Program. In March 1944 he completed his term there and the ASTP was shut down. Arden then received orders to join the 96th Infantry Division and was assigned to G Company, 381st Infantry Regiment. He trained in Oregon and California before deploying to the Pacific Theater on July 15, 1944. He participated in the invasion of Leyte, Philippines, on October 20, 1944, and the subsequent Battle of Leyte which ended on December 25, 1944. In April 1945 he participated in the invasion and the Battle of Okinawa. Upon being wounded on April 15 he was evacuated to Guam for treatment and Saipan for retraining. He returned to Okinawa on June 1, 1945, and continued to fight. In mid-July 1945 he and the rest of the unit moved to Mindoro to train for the invasion of Japan. With the war over, he opted to return to the United States and landed at San Francisco on January 4, 1946, and was discharged on January 11, 1946.
Pridgeon, Arden
Prince, Russel (Interview transcript and video), 2007
Russel Prince enlisted in the Michigan National Guard in 1940 and served in the anti-tank company of the 126th Infantry Regiment, 32nd (Red Arrow) Division until 1944, when he was sent back to the US to help train new recruits in Alabama, finally mustering out in January 1945. He provides a clear and detailed account of his unit's transfers first to the East Coast and then back across the country to ship out to Australia and New Guinea. His company was shipped to Port Moresby, New Guinea, in November, 1942, and spent nearly two months crossing the Owen Stanley Mountains to join in the attack on Buna. His company broke through Japanese lines early on, and then was isolated for three weeks before it was finally relieved. He discusses the difficulties of fighting in a jungle and of the action at Buna. This interview is featured in the documentary "Nightmare in New Guinea" produced by Grand Valley State University.
Prince, Russel
Prins, Robert (Interview outline and video), 2015
Bob Prins was born in Holland, Michigan on April 10, 1948. He reported for his draft physical in March 1968 and went to Fort Knox, Kentucky for basic training. He completed Advanced Infantry Training at Fort Polk, Louisiana. He deployed to South Vietnam in late summer 1968 and arrived at Tan Son Nhut Air Base in August or September 1968. He was assigned to 3rd Platoon of Charlie Company of the 1st Battalion of the 327th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. During his time in Vietnam he carried an M60 machine gun and went on patrols in the jungle, searched villages, and guarded bridges on Highway 1 near Hue and Phu Bai. At the end of his 12 month tour in Vietnam he returned to the United States and spent his last five months in the Army at Fort Lewis, Washington.
Prins, Robert
Incunabula
Printing 1450-1500
One leaf from Opera by Priscianus and edited by Benedictus Brognolus. Printed in Venice by Philippus Pincius on June 20, 1492. [GW M35396; ISTC ip00969000]
Priscian, active approximately 500-530
Seidman Rare Books Collection
Ocean Priselac, 2021 (Interview video and transcript)
Personal narrative
PFAs (Perfluorinated chemicals)
Groundwater--Pollution
Ocean Priselac grew up in a military family and has lived in many locations across the United States, including Wilmington and Carolina Beach, North Carolina. In this interview, Ocean discusses her experiences and exposures to PFAS contamination and its impact particularly on her pets.
Priselac, Ocean
Living with PFAS (project)
In copyright
Margaret Proctor interview (1 of 2, video and transcript)
Grand Valley State University
Michigan
Universities and colleges
Oral histories
Alternative education
Women in higher education
Interview with Margaret Proctor by Barbara Roos, documenting the history of Grand Valley State's William James College. William James College was the third baccalaureate degree granting college for Grand Valley. It was originally designed to be an interdisciplinary, non-departmentalized college consisting of concentration programs, rather than majors. The college opened in 1971 and was discontinued in 1983 during a reorganization of Grand Valley State. Dr. Margaret Proctor was a faculty member of William James College and a longtime communications professor at GVSU. In this interview, she discusses the faculty's reactions and efforts regarding the closing of William James College, in addition to her thoughts on the college's strengths and weaknesses. This interview is part 1 of 2 for Margaret Proctor.
Proctor, Margaret
William James College faculty and student interviews (GV016-16)
Margaret Proctor interview (2 of 2, video and transcript)
Interview with Margaret Proctor by Barbara Roos, documenting the history of Grand Valley State's William James College. William James College was the third baccalaureate degree granting college for Grand Valley. It was originally designed to be an interdisciplinary, non-departmentalized college consisting of concentration programs, rather than majors. The college opened in 1971 and was discontinued in 1983 during a reorganization of Grand Valley State. Dr. Margaret Proctor was a faculty member of William James College and a longtime communications professor at GVSU. In this interview, she discusses the essence of William James College, the continued importance of liberal education at Grand Valley, and the chance encounter that led to her faculty position within the college. This interview is part 2 of 2 for Margaret Proctor.
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865
Frank Leslie's illustrated newspaper
Correspondence
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865
Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.)
New York (State)
Letter requesting copies of an illustration of Lincoln's deathbed scene published in Frank Leslie's Illustrated newspaper, from a man who was present, Mar. 12, 1896
Proctor, Thomas
Civil War and slavery collection (RHC-45): http://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/472
Master plan reports
Land Use--planning
Muskegon (Mich.)
Muskegon County (Mich.)
The Master Land Use Plan for the City of Muskegon was prepared by Tod J. Kilroy, Consultant P.C., and Progressive Planning Associates, P.C. The Plan was adopted by the City of Muskegon Planning Commission on October 18, 1984.
Tod J. Kilroy, Consultant P.C.
Progressive Planning Associates, P.C.
Prosch, Richard (Interview outline and video), 2008
Richard Prosch was born in 1921 in Indiana and graduated from high school in 1939. He attended college in Ohio and signed up for the Navy shortly after Pearl Harbor was attacked. His appointment was deferred until his graduation in 1943. Richard trained as a naval liaison to work with army units in invasions. While training in England, he witnessed the Slapton Sands disaster. He landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day with the 1st Division, and then worked with the 2nd Division as it landed the next day. He was subsequently transferred to the Pacific, and served in the Philippines.
Prosch, Richard
Puffer, Douglas (Interview outline and video), 2013
Douglas Puffer was born in 1948 in Iowa City, Iowa. He grew up on a farm in Iowa, and after high school he attended a drafting and design school in Oklahoma where he met his wife and graduated from that in December 1968, and received his draft notice a few months later. He trained at Fort Polk, Louisiana, with specialized training for armored personnel carriers. When he deployed to Vietnam in October, 1969, he found himself in an airborne unit, Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. He was sent to Camp Evans and he and his unit saw action on and around Firebase Shepard and Firebase Ripcord, and he spent the end of his enlistment in the rear before returning home and being discharged in November 1970.
Puffer, Douglas