Questions? Please contact the Central Florida WW2 Museum:
Phone: (813) 504-3826
Email: vhp@cfloridaww2museum.org
Email: vhp@cfloridaww2museum.org
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| THE VETERANS HISTORY PROJECT |
| Preserving the Past for Our Future |
Suggested Questions for Veterans
Questions for Civilians are also available.
Segment 1: For the Record
State at the beginning of the interview:
State at the beginning of the interview:
- Date and place of the interview
- Name of the person being interviewed
- Interviewee's birth date
- Names of the people attending the interview (including the interviewer
- The organization you're working with (Central Florida WW2 Museum)
When interviewing a veteran:
- War and branch of service
- What his or her rank was
- Where he or she served
Segment 2: Jogging Memory
- Were you drafted or did you enlist?
- Where were you living at the time?
- Why did you join?
- Why did you pick the service branch you joined?
- Do you recall your first days in the service?
- What did it feel like?
- Tell me about your boot camp/training experience(s).
- Do you remember your instructors?
- How did you get through it?
- Where were you living at the time?
- Why did you join?
- Why did you pick the service branch you joined?
- Do you recall your first days in the service?
- What did it feel like?
- Tell me about your boot camp/training experience(s).
- Do you remember your instructors?
- How did you get through it?
Segment 3: Experiences
- Which war did you serve in (World War II)?
- Where exactly did you go?
- Do you remember arriving and what was it like?
- What was your job/assigment?
- Did you see combat?
- Were there many casualties in your unit?
- Tell me about a couple of your most memorable experiences.
- Were you a prisoner of war?
- Tell me about your experiences in captivity and when freed.
- Were you awarded any medals or citations?
- How did you get them?
- Higher ranks may be asked about battle planning. Those who sustained
injuries may be asked about the circumstances.
- Where exactly did you go?
- Do you remember arriving and what was it like?
- What was your job/assigment?
- Did you see combat?
- Were there many casualties in your unit?
- Tell me about a couple of your most memorable experiences.
- Were you a prisoner of war?
- Tell me about your experiences in captivity and when freed.
- Were you awarded any medals or citations?
- How did you get them?
- Higher ranks may be asked about battle planning. Those who sustained
injuries may be asked about the circumstances.
Segment 4: Life
Ask questions about life in the service and/or at the front under fire.
- How did you stay in touch with your family?
- What was the food like?
- Did you have plenty of supplies?
- Did you feel pressure or stress?
- Was there something special you did for "good luck"?
- How did people entertain themselves?
- Were there entertainers?
- What did you do when on leave?
- Where did you travel in the service?
- Do you recall any particularly humorous or unusual event?
- What were some of the pranks that you or others would pull?
- Do you have photographs?
- Who are the people in the photographs?
- What did you think of officers or fellow soldiers?
- Did you keep a personal diary?
- How did you stay in touch with your family?
- What was the food like?
- Did you have plenty of supplies?
- Did you feel pressure or stress?
- Was there something special you did for "good luck"?
- How did people entertain themselves?
- Were there entertainers?
- What did you do when on leave?
- Where did you travel in the service?
- Do you recall any particularly humorous or unusual event?
- What were some of the pranks that you or others would pull?
- Do you have photographs?
- Who are the people in the photographs?
- What did you think of officers or fellow soldiers?
- Did you keep a personal diary?
Segment 5: After Service
Appropriateness of questions will vary if the veteran had a military career.
- Do you recall the day your service ended?
- Where were you?
- What did you do in the days and weeks afterward?
- Did you work or go back to school?
- Was your education supported by the G.I. Bill?
- Did you make any close friendships while in the service?
- Did you continue any of those relationships?
- For how long?
- Did you join a veterans organization?
- Do you recall the day your service ended?
- Where were you?
- What did you do in the days and weeks afterward?
- Did you work or go back to school?
- Was your education supported by the G.I. Bill?
- Did you make any close friendships while in the service?
- Did you continue any of those relationships?
- For how long?
- Did you join a veterans organization?
Segment 6: Later Years and Closing
- What did you go on to do as a career after the war?
- Did your military experience influence your thinking about war or about the
military in general?
- If in a veterans organization, what kinds of activities does your post or
association have?
- Do you attend reunions?
- How did your service and experiences affect your life?
- Is there anything you would like to add that we have not covered in this
interview?
- Did your military experience influence your thinking about war or about the
military in general?
- If in a veterans organization, what kinds of activities does your post or
association have?
- Do you attend reunions?
- How did your service and experiences affect your life?
- Is there anything you would like to add that we have not covered in this
interview?