First Stop: West Point

There is nothing better for the book tour jitters than having the first event take place at West Point's history department.  Our moderator, Todd Brewster, is the current director of the Center for Oral History at the Academy.  Prior to this, he was a political journalist for Time and ABC News.  He co-authored  The Century and In Search of America with Peter Jennings.  I will admit that I was intimidated by Mr. Brewster's background.  I suppose I expected to be grilled.

But then there's something about the way the wind whips around the castle like structure of West Point that proved to be invigorating.  That combined with Mr. Brewster's cordiality made Tom and I feel, well, special.

In our presentation we highlighted several veterans from the book such as Louis Zamperini.
Here is holding the flag he snagged from the Reich Chancellery while running in the 1936 Berlin Olympics.   This was before he was a POW on "Execution Island" in the Pacific theater.

After our presentation one audience member, Colonel Lance Betros, inquired about how memory loss effected the interviewing process.

I spoke about how Alzheimers functions in storytelling--which is something that Storycorps trained me to work with.  Typically alzheimers and dementia confuse the storyteller at the present moment they are being asked questions.  So when I was sitting in front of them with a recorder and eager listening ears, sometimes the veteran would wonder how he or she knew me.  More than once, I've been asked if I was a grandaughter.

Once I am able to establish my role, they are able to relax and recall extremely detailed scenes from their pasts.  While interviewing veterans, I was amazed to discover how accessible the memories from 70-80 years ago were for them. 

After the presentation Colonel Betros, head of the history department, and Brewster explained their oral history process.  While Tom and I are focusing on the oldest-living veterans, their center is focusing most of their efforts on men and women who are in combat right now. 

Their interactive oral history website will launch early in 2011 and I am sure it will be an incredible source.

-VK