Have you ever tried to interview combat veterans or do oral histories? Our guest not only tried, but he interviewed well over one hundred WWII and Korean War veterans, mostly from his hometown of Yankton, SD. David Hosmer started this effort with high school history teacher, Doug Haar, and then continued it via video, audio, iPads, and has consumed terra bytes worth of memory. Not only is this episode filled with Great Depression and WWII-era memories of South Dakotans, but David shares what he learned from speaking to all these veterans as well as his emerging oral history techniques and tips. He's now working on a book based on what he's learned and produces a podcast, Yankton Yardbirds, where he shares these stories.
To participate in the Library of Congress Oral History Project mentioned in the conversation, see: About | Veterans History Project | Programs | Library of Congress (loc.gov)
For David's Yankton Yardbirds, see: Yankton’s Yardbirds on Apple Podcasts