Oral history interview with John G. Stoddard, 2002.

ArchivalResource

Stoddard, John G., 1928-. Oral history interview with John G. Stoddard, 2002.

Oral history interview with John G. Stoddard, 2002.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/56910066

John Stoddard, a Madison, Wisconsin veteran, discusses his Korean War service with the 74th Combat Engineers. Stoddard talks about volunteering for the draft while attending Notre Dame (Indiana), assignment to an artillery survey company in a Kentucky National Guard unit where he was resented for having college education, and volunteering for duty in Korea. He speaks of transportation to Japan, where he was assigned to a medical detachment of the 36th Combat Engineer Group, 74th Combat Engineer Battalion. Stoddard describes on-the-job training, learning to medicate soldiers and suture wounds, and transporting the wounded to aid stations and MASH units. Reassigned to the food supply section, he comments on procuring and distributing food supplies to the battalion. Stoddard tells of the hard Korean winters, lacking winter equipment and vehicle parts, and the difficulty of keeping vehicles operational in the cold climate. As one of the first Caucasians to be integrated into the previously all-Black unit, he talks about being welcomed as a replacement. Stoddard describes living in tents, food quality, getting an ice cream machine, and duty as a food service preparation inspector. He details being spooked by a mountain lion one night while on guard duty. Stoddard states he did not reenlist because of the Army policy that would require a year of stateside service before he could be redeployed to Korea. He touches on a few months of duty at Fort Riley (Kansas) "doing virtually nothing." After being discharged, he talks about using the GI Bill to finish his bachelor's degree and earn a master's degree in sociology and his career in corrections. Stoddard discusses his work in the Wisconsin corrections system, raising a family, and working for the Studebaker Company.

Sound recording : 1 sound cassette (ca. 45 min.) : analog, 1 7/8 ips.Videorecording : 1 videocassette (ca. 45 min.) ; sd., col. ; 1/2 in.Master sound recording : 1 sound cassette (ca. 45 min.) : analog, 1 7/8 ips.Transcript : 23 p.

Wisconsin Veterans Museum Research Center