Presidio Oral Histories

 

Presidio of San Francisco - General

Arndt, Jack (GOGA 18990) Jack Arndt served with the California National Guard, 30th Infantry Regiment, the 53rd Infantry and Coast Artillery. Topics include: Great Depression, San Francisco, life in the Army, life at the Presidio, World War II, post war career. Summary Transcript

Bennett, William (GOGA 27984)William R. Bennett. Topics include: growing up in the Presidio, Fort Mason, military families, social activities, Crissy Field, Presidio Golf course, Port of Embarkation, Transfer of Presidio. Summary

Brownlee DeLany, Shelia (GOGA 39005) Sheila Brownlee DeLany, teen on Presidio late 1950s. Topics include: Presidio, military life, social activities, roles and deportment of Army wives and daughters, and ranks and relationships, buildings, Letterman. Summary Transcript

Brownlee Miller, Shon (GOGA 37260) Shon Brownlee Miller, child on Presidio between the years of 1954 -1959. Topics include: Presidio, military life, sports, Officers Club, social events, military families, religious activities, teen activities. Summary

Clark, Loren (GOGA 18819) Loren Clark, Ordnance Officer, Fort Scott, 1941-? Topics include: U.S. Army, ordnance, coast artillery, military life, communication systems, barracks and quarters. Summary

Clarkson, Richard (GOGA 27980) Col. Richard Clarkson Topics include: Coast Artillery, Harbor defense, Alaska, San Francisco, WWII, Mine Planters, Baker Beach, Lands End, Pigeon Point, General Haines, Presidio, military life. Summary

Copeland, Patricia (GOGA 18996) Patricia Copeland, an Army wife. Mrs. Copeland reflects on her family’s experiences at different posts, discusses the importance of the Chain of Command and provides valuable information about a variety of voluntary support groups. Summary Transcript

Hudgins, Jim (GOGA 18823) Jim Hudgins, U.S Army Public Affairs. Topics include: Presidio Transition, U.S. Army Public Affairs, community relations, 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake, Vietnam War. Summary Transcript

Kern, John (GOGA 27979) Col John Kern. Topics include: military career, Korean War, Vietnam war, relations between Army and National Parks Service, Transfer of NIKE & Fort Mason, San Francisco, Citizen's Advisory Commission, U.S. Park Police, Presidio transfer, Alcatraz transfer. Summary Transcript

Kihara, Shigeya (GOGA 18989) Shigeya Kihara served as a civilian instructor in Japanese for the Forth Army Intelligence School at Crissy Field on the Presidio of San Francisco, from November 1941 to May 1942. Topics include: WWII, Nisei soldiers, Presidio, Crissy Field, Army Training, Military Language School, ROTC, Great Depression. Summary Transcript

Michel, Adeline (GOGA 18926) Adeline Michel, Presidio Thrift Store Manager. Topics include: Thrift Store Operations, volunteers, donations, charitable contributions. Summary

Rafferty, Joseph (GOGA 27982) Col. Joseph Rafferty, Post Commander of the Presidio. Topics include: relations with citizen groups, building projects , military career, relations with NPS, Presidio transfer, Brian O'Neill, Doug Nadeau, forest management, community relations, 6th Army reorganization. Summary Transcript

Sakamoto, Thomas (GOGA 35228) Thomas T. Sakamoto, Colonel Topics include: WWII, Language School on the Presidio, Crissy Field, Japanese-Americans, Japan, General MacArthur. Summary Transcript

de la Torre, Elizabeth (GOGA 36061) Elizabeth de la Torre, worked in service clubs in the Presidio, Fort Baker and Fort Cronkhite in the 1950s and 1960s. Topics include: Presidio, military life, procedures, events, social activities, Fort Baker, Nike, racial policies, furnishings, San Francisco relations, clientele and patrons. Summary Transcript

 

Presidio of San Francisco - Letterman Hospital

David, John (GOGA 39006) John David, Army Hospital Train Tech 1948-1950. Topics include: Hospital Trains, Crissy Field, personnel and staffing, Letterman, medical services, Camp Kilmer. Summary Transcript

Geiger, James (GOGA 39007) Dr. James P. Geiger, Letterman General Hospital, (later Letterman Army Medical Center) as an intern (1952-1954), and as Assistant and then Chief of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery (1964-1969). Topics include: departmental structure, battle injuries and diseases and their treatment, cardiothoracic surgery, polio epidemic circa 1952, new and innovative cardiac surgery and equipment, medical services, Letterman Animal Research Facility. Summary Transcript

Johnson, Herman (GOGA 18995) Dr. Herman Johnson, describes his career with LAIR and the USDA in the LAIR building and the research he conducted for both the military and civilians. Summary Transcript

Sapiro, Jerome (GOGA 18921) Colonel Jerome Sapiro. Topics include: San Francisco, Army life, Religious services, chaplains, 6th Army, 3rd division, Crissy Field, Army transportation, military training, World War II, Lindberg, Fort Baker, African-American soldiers, Military police, Letterman Army Hospital, 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake. Summary Transcript

Schmidt, Amelia (GOGA 37261) Amelia Schmidt, civilian clerk in the medical service at Fort Mason and the Presidio, 1943-1978. Topics include: women, staffing, Fort Mason, medical activities, WWII, Letterman Hospital, military life. Summary

Zieske, Irene (GOGA 37262) Irene Zieske Army nurse Letterman Army Hospital, 1961-1964. Topics include: WWII, Presidio, Letterman, military life, social activities, religious services, nursing, medical service and procedures, staffing. Summary Transcript

 

Presidio of San Francisco - Crissy Field

Devol Brett, Dora (GOGA 27974) Dora Devol Brett, daughter of Major General George H. Brett (commander of Presidio’s Crissy Field) and granddaughter of Major General Carroll A. Devol (stationed at Presidio of San Francisco and Fort Mason). Dora Devol Brett lived on the Presidio during her early life. Topics include: Crissy Field, early military aviation, Army life, family life, Army Air Corps, Air Force, Fort Mason, Port of Embarkation, Presidio transfer. Summary Transcript

Kihara, Shigeya (GOGA 18989) Shigeya Kihara served as a civilian instructor in Japanese for the Forth Army Intelligence School at Crissy Field on the Presidio of San Francisco, from November 1941 to May 1942. Topics include: WWII, Nisei soldiers, Presidio, Crissy Field, Army Training, Military Language School, ROTC, Great Depression. Summary Transcript

Sakamoto, Thomas (GOGA 35228) Thomas T. Sakamoto, Colonel Topics include: WWII, Language School on the Presidio, Crissy Field, Japanese-Americans, Japan, General MacArthur. Summary Transcript

Sapiro, Jerome (GOGA 18921) Colonel Jerome Sapiro. Topics include: San Francisco, Army life, Religious services, chaplains, 6th Army, 3rd division, Crissy Field, Army transportation, military training, World War II, Lindberg, Fort Baker, African-American soldiers, Military police, Letterman Army Hospital, 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake. Summary Transcript

Spaulding, Edward (GOGA 18994) Edward Wyman "Wy" Spaulding, pilot during World War II . He reminisces about his flying career during World War II and post war. Summary

Young, Iva (GOGA 18922) Iva Young, Crissy Field Flight Officer 1964-1968. Topics include, Crissy Field, military aviation, women in the military, Vietnam, Golden Gate Bridge. Summary Transcript

 

Presidio of San Francisco - Post to Park Transition

Bartling, Mai-Liis (GOGA 38775) Mai-Liis Bartling, Management Analyst, GGNRA. Topics include: Presidio transfer, Army relations, NPS, legislation, early planning, Presidio Project Office, Doug Nadeau, Presidio Trust. Summary Transcript

Chandler, Bob (GOGA 38776) Bob Chandler, regarding his role in the transition of the Presidio of San Francisco from U.S. Army base to National Park (inclusion in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area), Army relations, Brian O'Neill, legislation, political relations, Golden Gate National Parks Association (now Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, community groups, Presidio Trust, base clean-up, tenants. Summary Transcript

Hudgins, Jim (GOGA 18823) Jim Hudgins, U.S Army Public Affairs. Topics include: Presidio Transition, U.S. Army Public Affairs, community relations, 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake, Vietnam War. Summary Transcript

Kern, John (GOGA 27979) Col John Kern. Topics include: military career, Korean War, Vietnam war, relations between Army and National Parks Service, Transfer of NIKE & Fort Mason, San Francisco, Citizen's Advisory Commission, U.S. Park Police, Presidio transfer, Alcatraz transfer. Summary Transcript

Middleton, Craig (GOGA 38846) Craig Middleton, Presidio Trust. Topics include: planning, Presidio transition, Army relations, political relations, legislation, Presidio Trust, public involvement in planning, public/private partnerships Brian O'Neill, community groups. Summary Transcript

O'Neill, Brian (GOGA 38785) Brian O'Neill, GGNRA Superintendent. Topics include: Presidio, Army relations, congressional relations, community relations, Golden Gate National Parks Association (Conservancy), planning, legislation, agreements and negotiations. Summary Transcript

Rafferty, Joseph (GOGA 27982) Col. Joseph Rafferty, Post Commander of the Presidio. Topics include: relations with citizen groups, building projects , military career, relations with NPS, Presidio transfer, Brian O'Neill, Doug Nadeau, forest management, community relations, 6th Army reorganization. Summary Transcript

Sapiro, Jerome (GOGA 18921) Colonel Jerome Sapiro. Topics include: San Francisco, Army life, Religious services, chaplains, 6th Army, 3rd division, Crissy Field, Army transportation, military training, World War II, Lindberg, Fort Baker, African-American soldiers, Military police, Letterman Army Hospital, 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake. Summary Transcript