Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
AN AIR STREAM MOBILE TRAILER OUTFITTED WITH THE RECORDING STUDIO IS PARKED NEXT TO THE
USS MIDWAY MUSEUM TO RECORD, SHARE, AND PRESERVE STORIES FROM SAN DIEGO'S MILITARY COMMUNITY.
>> >>: A HUNDRED LANDINGS I HAVE BETWEEN TWO AND 300 ON THE MIDWAY.
>> >>DWANE: VURN JUMPER IS A FORMER NAVY PILOT IN CHARGE OF THE FLIGHT DECK ON THE USS MIDWAY
IN 1975 ENDING THE VIETNAM WAR. HE SAYS THOSE FEW HUNDRED LANDINGS WERE SMALL
COMPARED TO TODAY'S OPERATIONS. >> >>: THAT'S NOT A LOT.
A LOT OF GUYS GET 11, 1200 LANDINGS IN THEIR CAREER.
>> >>DWANE: JUMPER AND FELLOW NAVY AVIATOR ED SOUTHWICK ARE SHARING THEIR EXPERIENCES
WITH SOLDIER CORP. SOUTHWICK REMEMBERS HIS TIME ON THE MIDWAY.
>> >>: I WAS A JUNIOR OFFICER OF THE WATCH UNDER WAY, UNDER INSTRUCTION.
>> >>DWANE: BROUGHT THEIR MILITARY VOICES INITIATIVE TO SAN DIEGO BECAUSE ITS LARGE
VETERANS POPULATION. IT TAKES ABOUT AN HOUR TO FILL OUT PAPERWORK,
TAKE A PICTURE, AND RECORD YOUR STORY. IT WILL THEN BE ARCHIVED AT THE LIBRARY OF
CONGRESS WITH MORE THAN 45,000 OTHER INTERVIEWS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY.
>> >>: I FLEW OUT OF MIRAMAR FOR 16 YEARS AND I JUST LOVED IT.
>> >>: JOINING ME WITH FURTHER DETAILS OON THE STOREY CORP IS MY GUEST. FOR A BIT OF
CONTEXT, REMIND US OF WHAT STORY CORP IS. >> >>: SO, STORY CORP IS A NATIONAL NONPROFIT
ORAL HISTORY PROJECT. WE STARTED IN 2003, SO WE'RE COMING UP ON
OUR TENTH ANNIVERSARY, AND WE GO ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND WE RECORD AND ARCHIVE THE STORIES
OF EVERY DAY PEOPLE. >> >>: THAT'S THE BIG PICTURE OF IT.
WHY DO YOU THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO PRESERVE ORAL HISTORY OF WITH WHAT SOME WOULD SAY ORDINARY
AMERICAN STORIES? >> >>: I THINK IT'S REALLY VALUABLE FOR A
LOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS, BUT WE'RE PRESERVING THESE STORIES AND MEMORIES FOR GENERATIONS
TO COME. ONE DAY YOUR GREAT GREAT GRAND CHILDREN CAN
LIS TOON YOUR VOICE, WHAT YOU EXPERIENCED WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER.
>> >>: DOES IT ADD A BIT MORE BECAUSE IT'S THE ACTUAL VOICE AS OPPOSED TO WRITING IT
IN A HISTORY BOOK OR DOCUMENTING IT IN ANOTHER WAY?
>> >>: IT DOES, OUR FOUNDER DAVID ISAY HAS A RADIO DOCUMENTARY BACKGROUND AND PRESERVING
THE VOICE IS SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE WHOLE ORGANIZATION.
SOMETHING COMES THROUGH DIFFERENTLY WHEN YOU'RE SAYING IT NOW.
>> >>: SAN DIEGO IS ONE OF 45 CITIES CHOSEN FOR THE MILITARY VOICES INITIATIVE THIS SPECIAL
BRANCH OF THIS. WALK US THROUGH THE PROCESS AT THE MIDWAY
MUSEUM. WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU WANT TO DO THIS?
>> >>: RIGHT NOW WE ARE SET UP IN FRONT OF THE USS MIDWAY MUSEUM FOR THREE WEEKS.
WE HAVE AN AIR STREAM TRAILER THAT'S OUTFITTED WITH A RECORDING STUDIO WHERE WE INVITE PARTICIPANTS
TO COME IN AND SHARE WHATEVER STORIES ARE MEANINGFUL TO THEM.
>> >>: HOW MUCH TIME? YOU COME IN, SEAT SOMEONE IN THE AIR RECORDING
STUDIO, HOW MUCH TIME DO THEY HAVE? >> >>: THEY HAVE 40 MINUTES TO REALLY DIVE
INTO THE STORY. IT GOES BY QUICKLY.
>> >>: IT SEEMS LIKE A LONG TIME. WILL THAT ENTIRE 40 MINUTES BE ARCHIVED AND
PRESERVED OR IS IT EDITED? >> >>: THE ENTIRE 40 MINUTES IS ARCHIVED AND
PRESERVED AT THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, AND THEN WE DO EDIT A VERY SMALL PERCENT OF THOSE
STORIES WHICH AIR ON MORNING EDITION. >> >>: AND SOME OF THEM HERE, THIS ALL STARTED
ABOUT LAST SUMMER, RIGHT? >> >>: YES, IN JULY�2012.
>> >>: SO SOME OF THEM WILL ACTUALLY AIR HERE ON KPBS.
>> >>: YEAH, KPBS WILL BE GETTING SELECT STORIES THAT WE CAN HEAR ALL THE UNIQUE AND POWERFUL
STORIES COMING OUT OF THIS RIGHT HERE IN SAN DIEGO.
>> >>: I UNDERSTAND THAT ALL VETERANS, SERVICE MEMBERS, THEIR FAMILIES ARE WELCOME TO COME
DOWN AND SHARE THE STORIES. THERE'S A PARTICULAR INTEREST YOU HAVE IN
HEARING RECENT VETERANS. HOW COME?
>> >>: WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO CLOSE THE GAP THAT EXISTS BETWEEN THE CIVILIANS AND THE
MILITARY, SO WE REALLY WANT TO HONOR THE VOICES OF THAT 1% AND MAYBE TRY TO EXPLAIN TO THE
REST OF THE NATION WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE PART OF THE SERVICE.
>> >>: IS IT JUST� AS FAR AS THE RECENT RETURNING VETERANS OR THE RECENT SERVICE MEMBER
WHOSE ARE STILL ACTIVE, IS IT BECAUSE THEIR MEMORIES ARE FRESHER, THEY'LL GIVE A DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVE? >> >>: I THINK IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR
US TO GET THE MEMORIES WHILE THEY WERE FRESH, BUT IT WAS ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT TO LISTEN
TO THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING HOME AND TO SAY YOU HAVE A FACE SPACE WHERE YOU CAN SIT
DOWN AND SHARE WHATEVER IS MEANINGFUL TO YOU. >> >>: I HEARD THIS IS THE FIRST TIME SOME
OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE ACTUALLY TOLD THEIR STORY. >> >>: THAT'S TRUISM.
WE HAVE GOTTEN SOME FOLKS WHO COME IN AND AFTER THEY WALK OUT OF OUR RECORDING BOOTH
THEY SAY THAT'S THE FIRST TIME I WAS ABLE TO TELL THAT STORY.
THAT'S A REALLY TREMENDOUS POWER. >> >>: IT MUST HAVE A PROFOUND IMPACT.
>> >>: I HOPE IT DOES. >> >>: I WONDER IF THERE WILL BE ANY KIND
OF FOLLOW UP ON SORT OF FROM THESE PEOPLE ON THE IMPACT.
>> >>: WE ARE DOING AN EVALUATION TO SEE IF IT'S MORE MEANINGFUL TO VETERANS AND I HOPE
IT IS. >> >>: ALL RIGHT.
HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT IF YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS IN THE NEXT THREE WEEKS?
>> >>: YOU CAN MAKE A RESERVATION ONLINE OR EMAIL US AT MVI@STORYCORP.ORG.
>> >>: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TALKING WITH US.
I WANT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THEY CAN FIND OUT A LOT MORE INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE, THE
STORY CORP MOBILE RECORDING BOOTH IS IN THE AIR STREAM TRAILER PARK JUST OUTSIDE THE USS
MIDWAY MUSEUM FROM TODAY THROUGH JUNE�22. FOR MORE INFORMATION, LIKE I SAID, GO TO KPBS.ORG.