Sue Gentry Oral History Interview 1995

Sue Gentry in 1995

NPS

ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW WITH SUE GENTRY

JUNE 23, 1995
INDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI

INTERVIEWED BY JON TAYLOR
ORAL HISTORY #1995-1

HARRY S TRUMAN NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

SUE GENTRY
1985
NPS Photo

EDITORIAL NOTICE

This is a transcript of a tape-recorded interview conducted for Harry S Truman National Historic Site. If possible, after a draft of this transcript was made, the park provided a copy to the interviewee and requested that he or she return the transcript with any corrections or modifications that he or she wished to be included in the final transcript. The interviewer, or in some cases another qualified staff member, also reviewed the draft and compared it to the tape recordings. The corrections and other changes suggested by the interviewee and interviewer have been incorporated into this final transcript. The transcript follows as closely as possible the recorded interview, including the usual starts, stops, and other rough spots in typical conversation. The reader should remember that this is essentially a transcript of the spoken, rather than the written, word. Stylistic matters, such as punctuation and capitalization, follow the Chicago Manual of Style, 14th edition. The transcript includes bracketed notices at the end of one tape and the beginning of the next so that, if desired, the reader can find a section of tape more easily by using this transcript.
Darla Hostetler, Museum Technician, Harry S Truman National Historic Site, reviewed the draft of this transcript. Her corrections were incorporated into this final transcript in March 2017.

RESTRICTION

Researchers may read, quote from, cite, and photocopy this transcript without permission for purposes of research only. Publication is prohibited, however, without permission from the Superintendent, Harry S Truman National Historic Site.

ABSTRACT

Sue Gentry, a resident of Independence since 1924, worked as a reporter and city editor for the Independence Examiner for over sixty years. During much of that time she served as a press liaison for the Trumans. This brief interview discusses the preparations made by the Examiner and the city of Independence for Harry S Truman’s first visit home as president including the ceremonial parade and speechs.
Persons mentioned: Harry S Truman, Bess Truman, Margaret Truman, Vivian Truman, Mary Jane Truman, Mayor Roger Sermon, Frank Rucker, Colonel William Southern, George Wallace, Charlie Ross, The Wallaces, The Nolands, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Edward Stettinius, Jr

ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW WITH SUE GENTRY

HSTR INTERVIEW #1995-1

JON TAYLOR: Today is June 23, 1995, and I'm conducting a sort of informal oral history and a video with Sue Gentry. I'm accompanied today by Scott Stone, our museum technician. June 27, 1945, marks the first time that Mr. Truman returned to Independence as president, and the day before, he had been in San Francisco, California, and he was addressing the closing session of the United Nations Charter Conference. [Conversation referencing news clippings] His return to Independence was marked by a parade, a press conference, and a public address to the people of Independence and the United States at the RLDS auditorium in Independence. Today I'm with Sue Gentry, who was the city editor of the Independence Examiner in 1945, and she remembers those three events, and we're going to talk with her today about those events. Now, when you learned that the president . . . When did you learn that the president was coming home?
SUE GENTRY: Well, we knew this was his home, and we knew he was coming home sometime. I don't remember when we got the exact date, but when he went to San Francisco, we knew he'd come this way to get back to Washington, so he'd probably stop at home. Mrs. Truman and Margaret were already here. So we begin making plans. As city editor, I begin making assignments and thinking how my front page was going
2
to look. The Chamber of Commerce got into that and decided they would meet him at the airport. Of course, Mayor Sermon was going to be there and all the relatives were going to be there, so we knew it was going to be a great day.
TAYLOR: So you were pretty well excited then that that was going to happen.
GENTRY: That's right.
TAYLOR: What did the city do to prepare for his arrival? You mentioned a few things.
GENTRY: Well, they shined the . . . the square was really given a good going-over, and welcome signs were put up all around. Of course, the mayor had a dinner for him as part of the . . . he had a full schedule that day.
TAYLOR: That's right. So it began with the parade, and can you tell me a little bit about the parade?
GENTRY: Well, of course, when he arrived at the airport in Kansas City, that was the old downtown airport, and I don't believe any of us were there. We were waiting for him to get home. His daughter, Margaret, and his brother, Vivian, met him at the airport, and he rode on the—
TAYLOR: Cadillac convertible?
GENTRY: Yes, rode in the convertible. And of course the visit had been getting a lot of publicity, so there were crowds along the way, all through Kansas City, and when he got to Independence, why here they were. He came by Winner Road and came up Lexington. And along the way he would see
3
people that he knew and greet them. Of course, when he got around to the square and the courthouse, everybody he knew was there.
TAYLOR: That's right. Were you there along the parade route?
GENTRY: Oh, I'm sure I was.
TAYLOR: So then he went on past the courthouse and the Memorial Hall and then ended up at his home at 219 North Delaware.
GENTRY: Yes.
TAYLOR: So he got out and shook hands, and a lot of people were gathered there. But that was just the first event on his schedule that day. He was a very busy man.
GENTRY: He didn't get to stay home very long.
TAYLOR: That's right.
GENTRY: And then he walked up to the courthouse.
TAYLOR: Now, when you learned he was coming, of course you had all the press, not just your press from the Examiner, but you had the national press here as well. How did Independence take them kind of invading your hometown?
GENTRY: Well, we had had a lesson when he became president. We had a deluge of press from out of town, and we were doing our own work and then helping them. Of course, our morgue was given a workout, and all the relatives were interviewed and his schoolmates and his teachers. So we had been through that, so we knew a little bit how to handle it.
4
TAYLOR: But this was kind of a big day, I guess. All the newsreels were here and all that. Did you help them out then? You provided them information, right?
GENTRY: Well, at the office I did. Yes, I did. It seemed to me like they wanted to know a lot of insignificant things about the president, but that was all right. We were glad they were interested, and we were proud.
TAYLOR: Good. So not only did you have to cover Mr. Truman coming home, you also had to deal with all the other press that was coming in for that day.
GENTRY: That's right.
TAYLOR: So that was quite a challenge for you.
GENTRY: But I met some wonderful people.
TAYLOR: Okay. So this kind of leads us into the second event that Mr. Truman was involved with that day. He finished the parade, and I'm sure he was fairly tired. But he was always one to keep going, so that afternoon he went back . . . walked to the Memorial Hall, where he was engaged in his press conference.
GENTRY: Yes.
TAYLOR: Now, this was the only presidential press conference . . .
GENTRY: . . . ever held in Independence.
TAYLOR: That's correct. Can you describe the scene for us there?
GENTRY: Well, I remember how excited we were when we knew we were going to a press conference, a presidential press conference. We never dreamed we'd ever see a presidential press conference because we didn't think any of us would ever get to Washington. The Secret Service gave us all a pretty
5
good going-over, and they gave us little straight pins, common straight pins with a little white head on them, and we had those on our clothing. We felt real smug, you know.
TAYLOR: Excited to be there. Now, the paper describes it as being real hot.
GENTRY: The days before air conditioning.
TAYLOR: That's right.
GENTRY: And at Memorial Hall . . . You see, Memorial Hall was very significant to Harry Truman. It was built in honor of the heroes or the boys, who were in World War I, and Mr. Truman was one of them, and Mayor Sermon named him one of the committee of three to plan the dedication program. And he had voted there. So it was a significant building to him, and that maybe . . . that was about the only place we really had in those days.
TAYLOR: So that was a fitting place for his presidential press conference.
GENTRY: Yes.
TAYLOR: I think he had a prepared speech, and he was talking about the resignation of Edward Stettinius, Jr. He was the former secretary of state, and he had resigned. I think Mr. Truman had nominated him to be the representative for the U.N., so that was kind of the substance of the press conference. But he also was asked about his homecoming, and Mr. Truman responded to a question by a member of the press, and he says this, quote, "I was overwhelmed with it of course. All these people have seen me two or three times a day for the last thirty or forty years. I can't see what there is about
6
me now that would make them turn out like they did today." I think he was—
GENTRY: Well, he was always such a modest man.
TAYLOR: That's right. But he was, I think, excited to be home, wasn't he?
GENTRY: Oh, yes. He was loving every minute of it.
TAYLOR: I bet he was. So even though he was working, it was extra special because he was here in Independence. Now, did you get your story then from the press conference?
GENTRY: Yes. I think maybe Mr. Rucker, who had been a journalism school graduate down at Missouri, would like to do that, so he did that. But I did a lot of sidelights and then a wrap-up story for the next day. But anyway, it was such a thrill. And to sit there with those . . . And I remember one thing. Colonel Southern was a family friend, his daughter had married Mrs. Truman's brother, George Wallace, so he was part of the family. They called him Pop. When Mr. Truman stood behind the table, and Charlie Ross was there, and here were all the press sitting out in front. It was dreadfully warm, and the reporters had their shirts open, their sleeves rolled up, and they were sitting in chairs there. It was on the main floor of the Memorial Hall. The president looked around, and he said, "Where's Colonel Southern?" And we said, "Well, he's coming." He said, "Well, we'll wait a minute." So pretty soon he strolled in and sat down on the back row, and they started the press conference. And some of the New York newspaper men said "Imagine that."
7
TAYLOR: Well, he didn't want to leave his hometown friend out.
GENTRY: No.
TAYLOR: So he waited. Well, that was kind of a trademark of Mr. Truman. He would never forget a friend, would he?
GENTRY: That's right.
TAYLOR: So he finished his press conference—
GENTRY: And that table they used was one that had been in the lobby of the memorial building for a good many years. It was put there by the Legion Auxiliary, and it had these ladder back chairs with red velvet covers, and they moved that in there for the press conference. A good many years later, I got to worrying about it being there and talked to the Legion boys, and I said, "It ought to be at the Truman Library," and it is there now.
TAYLOR: Well good. He actually addressed the press on the basketball court? Would that be accurate?
GENTRY: Well, that would be . . . it was basketball courts, it was used for everything. The graduation exercises were held there, parties were held there. Mayor Sermon's funeral was held there.
TAYLOR: Multipurpose building for Independence.
GENTRY: Yes.
TAYLOR: Okay. So he finished his news conference, his press conference, and then later that evening I think probably was one of . . . The most important event that occurred that day was at—
GENTRY: He slipped in a little visit with his mother in between.
8
TAYLOR: That's right. He did go to Grandview, right?
GENTRY: Yes. He didn't stay very long, but he didn't forget his mother.
TAYLOR: That's right. He was always taking care of his family. That's for sure.
GENTRY: Then he had the dinner at the mayor's house.
TAYLOR: Yes, Mayor Sermon.
GENTRY: Then he made it to the auditorium.
TAYLOR: Right. So he gets there that evening. Now, where were you that evening? Do you recall?
GENTRY: You see, I don't know how it happened, but I was up on the stage there. Here were all the dignitaries, and then the members of the family, and then . . . I don't know whether all the press was there. I never thought about it at the time. But I was there right in the middle of everything.
TAYLOR: Who were the dignitaries that you were with? Do you recall?
GENTRY: Well, I was sitting there mostly with the family because I knew them all very well.
TAYLOR: Right. So Margaret and Bess, they were there as well.
GENTRY: And the Wallaces.
TAYLOR: And the Wallaces. And the Nolands?
GENTRY: Yes.
TAYLOR: And Mary Jane?
GENTRY: Yes.
TAYLOR: And probably Vivian.
9
GENTRY: Vivian and his family. I don't know that I was very prominent in that bunch, but I was there.
TAYLOR: Right. And do you remember the crowds? Were there a lot of people?
GENTRY: Oh, yes. You see, the auditorium was not finished in those days, and the stage was sort of crude. It may have been that they still had the benches there, I'm not sure. I know they didn't have the plush seats that they have now. The balcony was filled, people were standing, and then of course there were crowds outside.
TAYLOR: Now, did they have it decorated inside?
GENTRY: That I can't remember.
TAYLOR: Okay.
GENTRY: I'm sure they had flags and—
TAYLOR: I think they had flags and those sorts of things. So this was a really big event, in other words.
GENTRY: A really big event. When he was running for the Senate, I remember going, and there was plenty of room in that auditorium.
TAYLOR: Well, he makes the comment, he says—
GENTRY: He said, "I filled it up at last." [laughter]
TAYLOR: He says, "Time and again I've tried to fill that great auditorium, and this is the first time I have succeeded." So he was maybe a little bit proud of himself that everybody turned out to see him that day. Now, at this time in history, 1945 in June, the war was not over in Japan. All the crowds were
10
excited to see him, but was there kind of that feel among people that we still have a war going on?
GENTRY: Well, everybody had this high regard for Roosevelt and thought we had to have him to carry on the war and to win the war and everything. But after Mr. Truman became president, we thought nothing could go wrong in Washington with Harry Truman there.
TAYLOR: With him there? Okay. So you still . . . The country was still not at peace at the time.
GENTRY: I think he said, "We've got to win the war in the Pacific."
TAYLOR: That's right. Let me see if . . . He again thanked the crowd for being there, for coming out, and he said, right off the bat . . . Mayor Sermon introduced him, and he says, "There are two things I must accomplish as president. The first one is to win the war with Japan, and we are winning it, and the next is to win the peace." Those were two things on his mind, again the emphasis being that Mr. Truman, I think he was glad to be back in his hometown, but at the same time, he had a lot of things going on in his mind.
GENTRY: He knew what his responsibilities were.
TAYLOR: He did. I'm sure that was probably weighing very heavy on his mind when he came.
GENTRY: Sure.
TAYLOR: And I think Independence probably kind of helped him to take some of that load off a little bit. Mr. Truman . . . What impresses me the most
11
about this particular speech is that he was really sad that he couldn't go out and physically shake everyone's hand, and he apologizes for not being able to do that. He clasps his hand up over . . .
GENTRY: . . . and said, "This is my handshake for you."
TAYLOR: That's right. I think that really impresses me the most, because he was really concerned about the people, especially his people here in Independence. At one time, as senator and earlier as county judge, he had that time to go around and shake hands. Now, as president, he doesn't. He physically can't do it.
GENTRY: And he had the faculty to remember everybody.
TAYLOR: That's true, and that's important. Now, do you remember the crowd's reaction to the speech?
GENTRY: Oh, yes, yes. Standing ovation and—
TAYLOR: They just clapped and were excited to be there and be a part of it. Okay. Now, the following day, Mr. Rucker, Frank Rucker, who was . . .
GENTRY: vice president.
TAYLOR: Vice president. He writes an editorial and it's called . . . he titled it "Our President's Homecoming," and I'll read just a brief part of it. He describes it like this, he says, "It was a great day for everyone. President Truman's Jackson County friends, who have observed him in many pleasant situations were agreed that they had never seen him appear quite so happy as he did yesterday when he rode through the streets of Independence waving his hands and bowing in recognition of the exuberant and sincere
12
greeting accorded him, and last night when he stood before more than eight thousand persons, mostly neighbors, friends, and personal acquaintances, and told them that he knew he had the support of the people of Jackson County in winning the war and the peace. The smile that broke over his face when his daughter Margaret rushed into his arms as he was about to alight from the airplane in Kansas City never left him all day. It was a joy to be at home with his family and friends in Independence. It was a great day for the president."
GENTRY: And I wrote a little side piece the next day calling it the most significant day in the city's history to have the president of the United States here in his hometown, and to have a press conference here. And he addressed the people in kind of a hometown fashion.
TAYLOR: Right. Like he had always done and always did after that. Well, I just have two concluding questions. The first one is, what do you think Independence meant to Harry Truman?
GENTRY: Well, when he retired after being president, where'd he come? Back home. He never intended to go anyplace else. He had all sorts of offers with big corporations, but he wanted to come home. Of course, I think Mrs. Truman had a hand in that.
TAYLOR: And secondly, what do you think Truman meant, and still means, to Independence?
GENTRY: Well, it grows more all the time. The fact that he put his library here, he wanted his library here. He had offers to build the library a lot of other
13
places, but he chose to have it in Independence. He said, "Bess was born here, Margaret was born here, and it's our home, and this is where I want it." And he was delighted to have it as close to his home.
TAYLOR: Well, thank you, Sue. I think we've had a very informative interview, and this concludes our interview.
GENTRY: I meant to get on the other side of you because I don't have a very good profile, and I need to look that way.
TAYLOR: We gave you the wrong profile, uh-oh.
SCOTT STONE: Should be do it all over again?
GENTRY: [laughter] Right in the middle of it . . . I've done this before, but right in the middle of it, I always think, well now I must remember to face the camera instead of having a profile, because my profile is not good.
STONE: How did you do for the A&E Biography series? Did they get your profile?
GENTRY: Yes. That was pretty short. I didn't have much time on that.
STONE: You weren't on camera very long.
GENTRY: Yes, but I was facing them. One of my friends . . . you know, Margaret comes on and she has this bright red dress with a string of beads and her hair was done nicely, and then Reathel Odom comes on and she has something green, and she just looks so pretty, and here I come on. My friend said, "And here you had some kind of little old beige something-or-other on." [laughter] She said, "Be sure and wear some color."
TAYLOR: Well, you have. I think we've done it.
GENTRY: You're sure you're not going to let me do it over. [laughter]
14
STONE: Unless you want to.
TAYLOR: Unless you want to.
GENTRY: [laughter] No, I couldn't do that again.
END OF INTERVIEW