An audio recording of an oral history of Donald and Bonnie Eidem. The Eidems discuss the evolution of Hillsboro over time from a small agricultural town to the current growth in population. They also recall their son Michael's enrollment in the military after graduating high school in 1969. Their son trained at Fort Lewis and went to Vietnam and Laos. Beyond individuals from the community enlisting, the Eidem's state that the town was not impacted a great deal by the war.
An audio recording of an oral history of Linda Garcia on the Vietnam War. During the recording of the interview, Ms. Garcia recollected her time as a high school student in Hillsboro at the start of the Vietnam War. Many people she knew were drafted in the war and it was well-known that one could avoid the draft through attending college or starting a family. Out of those she knew were attempting to avoid the draft she explains that she had not met any that fled to Canada. Also during this time in the community the draft resulted in countless women working jobs men normally had.
An audio recording of an oral history of Jack Kirkwood on the Vietnam War. Jack Kirkwood was a teacher at Poynter Junior High and at Hillsboro Middle High during the war. His began his teaching career in Ganado, Arizona, at a boarding school on the Navajo Indian Reservation. At the end of the Korean war, Mr. Kirkwood enlisted and participated in basic training at Camp San Luis Obispo in California. Afterwards, he was assigned to signal corps message center in the United Nations Far East Headquarters. This position consisted of monitoring propaganda broadcasts from China after the Chinese Communist Revolution in 1948-49. The interviewee was a noteworthy activist against the war, he wrote various anti-war pieces. One was a letter to the Oregonian and as a result he was called by the Portland Council of Churches to join the Clergy and Laity Concerned about Vietnam. Kirkwood also wrote a pamphlet in 1967 entitled
An audio recording of an oral history of Jan Katsberg on the Vietnam War. Jan Katsberg graduated from Hillsboro High School in 1966 and went on to college. Katsberg's twin brother enlisted in the National Guard and her husband was in the Navy, assigned to an aircraft carrier off the coast of Vietnam. Katsberg does not recall any protests in Hillsboro, but some in Portland, at Portland State University, and in California. With regard to societal trends at the time, she states that Veterans were respected in the Hillsboro area and generally speaking, people supported the war. Additionally, she remembers the increase in hippie culture, specifically in Eugene, as well as the rising popularity in drug consumption.
An audio recording of an oral history of Don and Helen Leslie on the Vietnam War. They explain that they did not personally feel the impact of war although they recall various anti-war sentiments and dissidents, many considered radical for the time. The Leslies recall watching TV news of riots at the Democratic Convention in Chicago, Kent State riots and the involvment of the National Guard. Generally speaking, the interviewees express the lack of patriotism during the Vietnam war in comparison to other conflicts such as World War Two and the Korean Conflict. There is a transcript of this interview. The sound quality of this recording is poor.
An audio recording of an oral history of Ken Skipper on Hillsboro during the Vietnam War. Ken Skipper came to Hillsboro in 1968 as a first year teacher at Poynter Jr. High. In 1969, Mr. Skipper was drafted and did basic training at Fort Lewis. Later he was transferred to Denver, Colorado to finish his master’s degree and became an occupational therapist for the army at a psychiatric hospital in Denver. Later he went on to work in counseling people with mental disorders and drug issues. Skipper describes how he returned to Hillsboro in the early 1970s as a counselor at Poynter Junior High, then transferred to Hillsboro High School where he taught for a long time.
An audio recording of an oral history of Robert and Marilyn Senko on the Vietnam War. Robert Senko grew up in Hillsboro and his father ran the Birds Eye food processing plant. He attended Jesuit High School and the University of Portland. Marilyn grew up in Antelope, OR, and met Robert while attending the University of Portland. While attending University of Portland, Mr. Senko took Air Force ROTC and received his Air Force pilot license.
An audio recording of an oral history of Jim Roehm on the effects of the Vietnam War in Hillsboro. Roehm was a college student just before the war and later joined ROTC. The U.S. was involved in a guerilla war in Laos/Vietnam during his sentior year of college. In the military, he was stationed in Texas for 9 months then sent to Panama for training in jungle warfare. For two years, he was a platoon leader and executive officer of the company in Vietnam. Overall, Mr. Roehm remembers Hillsboro being a fairly conservative town, there being only one individual he would describe as an
An audio recording of an oral history of Dr. Stan Miller. Not dated, but based on other cassettes stored with it, year is likely 2001. The interview begins with Dr. Miller quoting an article from the Argus newspaper on discussion of the Vietnam Conflict at Hillsboro High School. In 1965 Dr. Miller was the Assistant Principal at the school, and in 1971 he became Principal. Dr. Miller recalls a topic of conversation among students at Hillsboro high school was a student attending Lewis & Clark high school that refused to stand for the pledge of allegiance. There was a period of change for students as society was evolving: the women
An audio recording of an oral history of Peggy Ploem on the impact of the Vietnam War on Hillsboro. At the time of the Vietnam War, both Ms. Ploem and her family were Dutch nationals and not American citizens. Their son was classified Y-4 at the time, before the classification process was outlawed. Then, ROTC was recruiting high school seniors for officer training. The family recalls their first reaction when U.S. got involved in the Vietnam war was remembering General MacArthur
An audio recording of an oral history of Donna Lynn on the Vietnam War and its impact on school life. The Vietnam War began while Ms. Lynn was attending high school. She remembers teachers being highly careful when discussing the war in class, not expressing strong feelings either way. Fashion trends reflected throughout this time include flower power and short skirts. Two individuals known by Lynn, Robert G. Donnet, and Captain Michael Lewis, were declared MIA, or Missing In Action and she wore their bracelets. Some men went to Canada to avoid the draft and then could not reenter US without being court-martialed. There existed a negative sentiment towars returning Veterans at the time. She does not recollect protests occuring in Hillsboro, but some in Portland. There is a transcript of this interview.
An audio recording of an oral history of Jeff Wagemann on the Vietnam War. Hillsboro during the Vietnam era, as Wagenmann recalls, was a typical small town with farming and small businesses. Intel had a place in Aloha but had not yet expanded into Hillsboro. Most people were concerned about the war, but supported the government. He remembers feeling as if people were tired of hearing about the war, wanting it over so
An audio recording of an oral history of Jim Wagemann on being a child during the Vietnam War. As a child, Jim Wagemann moved from South Dakota to Oregon during the late 1960s-early 1970s. In first grade he attended Fir Grove Elementary and participated in Cub Scouts. Later he would go to Meral Davis, then in the Reedville school district. Throughout this time Mr. Wagemann does not remember much talk of war in school or scouts. Sound cuts out at 1:30 for several seconds. There is a transcript of this interview.
An audio recording of an oral history of Blaine Whipple on the Vietnam War. The interview begins with Daniel, the interviewer, showing Blaine Whipple a clipping of an editorial he had written to the Hillsboro Argus opposing the war in Vietnam. Mr. Whipple felt there was no reason for the U.S. to be fighting in Vietnam, so he wrote letters to the editor to that effect, made speeches and talked to the newspapers. Mr. Whipple was elected the Democratic National Committeeman of Oregon and helped to organize anti-war protests. There were also pro-war meetings in Hillsboro. Whipple was at the White House with both John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson. Whipple talks about serving in the Navy for 4 years during the Korean War and about his family, which had a history of being involved in politics, including a relative from New Hampshire who was a leader in the Continental Congress. There is a transcript of this interview.
An audio recording of an oral history of Jimmy and Carolyn Roach on the Vietnam War. Jimmy Roach and Carolyn Roach both attended Hillsboro high school. Mr. Roach graduated in 1967 and he enlisted in service in 1968. He was in the 25th Infantry, mechanized unit in Vietnam, where he was wounded during his second day in the field. As a result he was transferred to a medical camp team where he provided security. He received the Purple Heart and Bronze Star and spent the remaining 8 months of duty in Italy. The two recall people showed that they supported the war by wearing MIA bracelets.
An audio recording of an oral history of Phon Mean about fleeing Cambodia with her family at age ten and coming to the United States. She talks about life in Cambodia when she was a child and then about life in the U.S., including school, her first job, and discomfort of being a refugee living in a different culture. Mean also talks about her experience of the refugee camp in Thailand.
An audio recording of an oral history of Liz Ben-Jumbo. Ben-Jumbo grew up in Nigeria and traveled to the U.S. at 23 to go to college in Port Angeles, Washington. While in Port Angeles, she worked at a nursing home. She moved to Seattle to study Psychology at the University of Washington, returned to Nigeria, did service work and met her husband then came again to the U.S., first to attend Mississippi State, then graduated from Ohio State University in 1991 and moved to Portland, Oregon. She talks about her experiences of racial prejudice in the U.S. and her work as an educator on multicultural issues. She also goes by Elizabeth (Joy) Wosley-George, which she explains in the interview is her other last name. The recording stops and starts many times due to an issue with the tape recorder.
An audio recording of an oral history of Liz Ben-Jumbo. Ben-Jumbo grew up in Nigeria and traveled to the U.S. at 23 to go to college in Port Angeles, Washington. While in Port Angeles, she worked at a nursing home. She moved to Seattle to study Psychology at the University of Washington, returned to Nigeria, did service work and met her husband then came again to the U.S., first to attend Mississippi State, then graduated from Ohio State University in 1991 and moved to Portland, Oregon. She talks about her experiences of racial prejudice in the U.S. and her work as an educator on multicultural issues. She also goes by Elizabeth (Joy) Wosley-George, which she explains in the interview is her other last name. The recording stops and starts many times due to an issue with the tape recorder.
