Melvin LaVerne Brady, interviewed by Emily Newman, 2015
INTERVIEW LOG
Name of person(s) interviewed: Melvin LaVerne Brady Other people present: Charissa Newman (My Step Mom), Sierra Newman (My sister), Melvin’s Wife. Researcher: Emily Newman Date of interview: May 30, 2015 Location of interview: Milton-Freewater, Oregon Special conditions (noise, interruptions, etc.): Other people talking, and him unable to hear me very well. Length of interview: 13:14
TOPIC SUMMARY
Time and Contents
00.00-00.53 Melvin answers questions on what war he was involved in and also talks about the fact that he was drafted. Also, he wanted to enlist, but he couldn’t because of his eye.
00.54-04.15 Talks about where he was when he was drafted, what his first days were like, and also about what his training was like and where he went for his training.
04.16- 05.05 In this part, Melvin talks about what some of his memorable experiences
05.06-05.18 What awards he received
05.19-07.25 During this portion, Melvin talks about how he kept contact with his family, what the food was like, and what he did when he was bored.
07.26-09.20 Service ending, what jobs he had, and whatit was like when his service ended.
09.23-11.06 Friendships, organizations joined, and about how the military experience changed his thoughts.
11.07- until the end of the video He talks about reunions that he went to, and how his service changed his life
Mr. Melvin Brady Interviewed by Emily Newman, 2015
Mr. Melvin LaVerne Brady grew up and attended school in Ione, Oregon. After high school, he was drafted into the United States Navy in 1943. After entering the service, he was gone for thirty three total months, including twenty seven months shipboard.
Melvin wanted to enlist into the military, but they wouldn’t let him in due to a lazy eye. Then one day, he was drafted. When Melvin went to basic training at Farragut, Idaho.
When Brady first looked at the ship that he was about to board, he thought it was a fairly decent size ship, even though most of it was under the water.
When Melvin returned home, the first thing that came to his mind was that he needed to get a job. When he went job searching, the first place that he worked was at the Morrow County Grain Growers. After that, he moved and worked at the Gilliam County Bank.
Eventually, Mr. Brady settled down and married Jackie Johnson in Arlington, Oregon. In 1951, they began their family. They have two daughters, Shannon and Kelly, and two grandsons Kris and Kian.
Today, he is a member of the VFW and the American Legion. He goes to yearly reunions. He has only kept contact with one person that he met while he was away, and still today, they talk every once in a while.
Mr. Brady is very proud to have served in the military and wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.