Veterans’ Voices World War II: Minnesota's WWII Veterans

When Minnesota's Greatest Generation marched off to war, they had no idea the trials and trauma that awaited them in combat missions. In this episode, we hear from three Minnesota veterans who were stationed in England and flew bombing missions targeting the Nazis when they were shot down and put into harsh Prisoner of War camps. We also hear from a veteran who was serving in Europe at the end of the war as labor and concentration camps there were liberated.

This episode features Minnesota veterans Lester Schrenck, Walter Grotz, Claude Williams and his sister Lois and Bernie Lieder.

The day of the Pearl Harbor attack, what FDR memorably called 'the day that will live in infamy,' struck a nerve with a generation of patriotic Americans and motivated them to serve. In this episode we hear from two Minnesota GI's who signed up at recruiting stations in the aftermath of the surprise attack. There's also the eyewitness account of a third Minnesota veteran who was there, aboard ship at the time the swarm of Japanese planes took aim at the US fleet stationed at Pearl Harbor.

This episode features Minnesota veterans Bill Olson, Herbert Gager and George Vandersluis.

Veterans returning from World War 2 were the first servicemen and women to be able to access the benefits of the GI Bill, officially known as the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944. Far more GI's than expected took advantage of the opportunity to have Uncle Sam pay for their education. The University of Minnesota was a leader in welcoming the veterans to campus. The college degrees they earned lifted thousands of those who served into the middle and professional class and gave them the knowledge and skills that fueled the post-War economy.

This episode features Minnesota veterans Jeanne Bearmon and Sherman Garon.