History 21 The Podcast - 4.05 Burton Dupre

Listen to Burton Dupre's stories as he remembers growing up in Centerville in the 1920s and 30s and the farm chores and shenanigans he and his friends got up to (including when they were arrested by the Anoka Game Warden for fishing without a license.) Burton also shares his time in the service during WWII as a medic at an English hospital, and then bartender for the Company Bar in Germany.

Stories taken from his collection of short stories, “Sincerely, Burton” printed in 2001 and read by ACHS volunteer Brian Boldt.

Host Rebecca Desens, ACHS Director and Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator.

History 21 The Podcast - 3.23 Charles Triggs Remembers Pearl Harbor

In this episode we remember Pearl Harbor with Charles Triggs. He served on the USS Wright, a sea plane tender, during WWII stationed at Pearl Harbor. He describes his journey to enlisting in the Navy, his responsibilities, and the shock of returning from a routine mission on December 7, 1941 to find the ships in the harbor destroyed, sunk, or still burning.

Hosts Rebecca Ebnet Desens, ACHS Executive Director, and Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator.

History 21 The Podcast - 3.14 Richard Sorenson

On February 2, 1944 Richard Sorenson risked his life above and beyond the call of duty by jumping on a grenade to save the lives of his fellow Marines, and miraculously survived himself. For those actions on July 19, 1944 he received the Medal of Honor. In this episode Richard Sorenson sat down with John Weaver (ACHS Board President at the time) and another WWII veteran R.W. Johnson to discuss growing up in Anoka, his enlistment story, and the events that led up to and after his injuries in the Marshall Islands during WWII.

Host Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator, and Steve Florman, ACHS Board of Directors.

Host Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator, and Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director.

History 21 The Podcast - 2.22 Forgotten Star Brew Co.

Andy Risvold from Forgotten Star Brew Co. in Fridley shares the history (new & old) about the brewery. Located in the last remaining building from Northern Pump where over 10,000 employees made weapons during WWII, the brewery honors that legacy with a new life.

Host Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator and Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director

History 21 The Podcast - 2.11 Bruce Cameron, WWII

Bruce Cameron enlisted to fight in WWII in 1942 and trained to be a part of an armored tank division. In combat a total of 19 months, he became part of history at Normandy, crossed France to take Paris back and was in the Battle of the Buldge. He shared his memories of his time in service in an oral history at the Anoka County Historical Society in 1991. On this Memorial Day episode we remember his, and all Anoka County County residents, that served.

Host Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator

History 21 The Podcast - 1.15 Lyle Bradley

It's an honor to present this podcast in memory of Lyle Bradley, who passed away on June 7, 2021 at the age of 96. One of two oral history interviews he gave the archives of ACHS (2003 and 1993), we invite you to share in the stories of this talented individual who served his community in a multitude of ways. In this episode, Lyle speaks of becoming a combat fighter pilot, including how being a bird watcher can get you in trouble during flight training.

Interview transcript available in the show notes.

Hosts Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director, Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator and Erin McBrien, ACHS Archivist.

Thomas Franklin Ward: Experiencing WWI through artifacts

The world wars are incredibly popular historical topics.

They are recent enough to be well documented, even remembered by people still living today, and so influential that they have long-established fields of study. As someone who grew up in the United States — watched American movies, read American books and was educated by the American school system — I don’t remember a time when I didn’t know about World War I or World War II. It was an omnipresent force, something that had changed the shape of where I lived long before my parents were born (and in the case of WWI, my grandparents too).

History 21 The Podcast - 1.10 Glen Lindstrom

On board the USS Alabama in 1942, Glen Lindstrom set up his sewing machine, fabric and thread. He sailed with the ship as the on-board tailor, skills he picked up helping his mother, in the pacific theater during WWII. In this oral history interview recorded April 7, 2005 ,Glen describes why he enlisted in the Navy, and his time aboard ship.

Hosts Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director, Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator and Erin McBrien, ACHS Archivist.

WWII history comes alive — for a little longer

December 7, 1941, a day that will live in infamy ...

Those words committed the U.S. and Anoka County to a conflict that became known as World War II, changing the face of warfare and politics forever. That war still holds tightly to our memories, even as the “greatest generation” continues to slip away.

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