Adriane+A.+&+Kaley+M.+-+Clarence+Risser

__**VHP Questions **__ Adriane Auman & Kaley Michael Clarence M. Risser

__Basics__
 * 1) When were you born?
 * 2) Where were you born?
 * 3) Do you have any siblings?
 * 4) What did you do before you entered the service?
 * 5) What did you parents do?
 * 6) Did anyone else in your family serve in the military?

__Early Days__
 * 1) Were you drafted or enlisted into the service?
 * 2) Did you take any personal belongings along with you to training/boot camp, and if so, what?
 * 3) Describe your boot camp experience.
 * 4) Please elaborate on the training camp you were at.
 * 5) What food did you eat during the war and at the camps?
 * 6) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Did you find yourself becoming sick at all?
 * 7) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What was your specialty during training?

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__War__
 * 1) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Where did you serve during the war?
 * 2) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Please explain what it was like on the way over to you station.
 * 3) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What actions did you witness?
 * 4) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">How did you stay in touch with your family/friends at home?
 * 5) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What emotions did you feel towards the idea of combat?
 * 6) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Explain your idea of wartime recreation?
 * 7) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What injuries/diseases did you acquire during the war?
 * 8) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Please elaborate on your experience as a truck driver.
 * 9) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What kind of truck did you drive?
 * 10) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What was the hardest part of being a truck driver?
 * 11) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What kind of training did it take to be able to build the bridges?
 * 12) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Did you enjoy building bridges?
 * 13) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Please tell us about being a guard of prisoners.
 * 14) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What activities did you do while on guard.
 * 15) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Where were you located at the time the war ended?

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__The War Is Over__
 * 1) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What reaction did you have when you found out that you would be able to return home.
 * 2) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">How did you get home?
 * 3) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">How did your family react when you returned home?
 * 4) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Did you keep in touch with your fellow veterans after the war ended?
 * 5) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Are you a member of any veterans’ organizations?
 * 6) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What did you do after the war?

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Reflections__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1. What life lessons have you learned from the war? Do you think they are lessons that people who are not in the military should know? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2.How did the experience affect you emotionally? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3. Do you have any advice for people who may want to go into the army? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">4. Describe the war in 3 words. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">5. How big of an impact has being a veteran left on your life? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">6. How often do you think about the war in your daily life? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">7. Do you encourage people to join the service? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">8. What was the happiest moment during your service? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">9. What was the saddest moment during your service? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">10. Did you ever have a hard time not being with your family? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">11. Did serving fill your aspirations in life? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">12. Is there anything else you want to add? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">13. Do you have your uniform, could we please see it and anything else you have?

__**VHP Biographical Narrative**__ Adriane Auman and Kaley Michael

Clarence M. Risser was born on October 21, 1921, in Mastersonville, Pennsylvania. Mr. Risser was born to parents Clarence Baker Risser and Mary Cathryn Shank Risser. Apart from his parents, Corporal Risser’s family also consisted of his sister and brother: John and Anna. Mr. Risser’s brother grew up to be a veterinarian, and his sister married a plumber that contracted heating. Before Mr. Risser was drafted, he worked at a soda fountain at a restaurant called Rissers Sweet Spot and ventured around the United States. Wanting to see the world, Corporal Risser traveled to Missouri, Illinois, and along the Mississippi River. He hitched a ride to Chicago, eventually, and found himself working as a busboy in a local Chicago restaurant. Corporal Risser was working at a shipyard in Seattle, Washington, when he received his draft letter in 1943. Taking nothing but himself and a few bags, Mr. Risser made his way to Battle Creek, Mississippi, where he would guard the prisoners of war. Corporal Risser often times found himself becoming bored with this job, and would force himself to stay awake for the duration of his time slot. He was then transferred to take training in combat engineering after he had completed his time serving as a guard of prisoners. Mr. Risser’s primary work there was to build bridges quickly in case opposing forces threatened the United States. However, like his job in Battle Creek, Mr. Risser’s stay was short lived. Subsequently, Corporal Risser was relocated to take basic training in England. His orientation in England was very similar to the combat engineering training Mr. Risser had already received due to the fact that Corporal Risser would build more bridges and then test them for sustainability by driving various vehicles over them. In 24 hours, a new bridge would be constructed, tested, and then destroyed; only to repeat the process the next day. Basic training was repetitive for Corporal Risser, yet he could not complain because it was a time of war. Mr. Risser was a T5 Technical Corporal. T5 was a rank in the US Army and Army Air Force in WWII that stood for Tech 5. This rank was equal to a corporal in pay but lacked the command of a corporal. The rank on the uniform was corporal stripes with a "T" under them. He was thejunior of the NCO ratings. His food was more than fulfilling for his hunger, consisting of all different food groups that Mr. Risser would have to stand in line to obtain. His meals were served in large quantities of cheap vegetables, meats, and fruits. Corporal Risser lived in a dormitory that consisted of countless rows of bunk beds. The beds they slept in were small and normally uncomfortable. Although not exactly preferable, their living spaces were sufficient. Unfortunately, mosquitos were very populous where Corporal Risser was staying. Early in the morning, Generals and people of higher rank would come and wake up the men in Mr. Risser’s dormitory to tell them to put on their nets to protect them from the bites of the mosquitoes. Mr. Risser’s specialty training was centered around technical occurrences and infantry. The sergeant who trained the men would show Corporal Risser and his comrades how to shoot their rifles and perform drills concerning the holding and handling of weapons during the war. If a rifle was missing, the person who had ownership of the missing weapon would be given a white flag. Luckily, Corporal Risser was very responsible with his weapon, and never received a white flag. Albeit some of Mr. Risser’s friends struggled with shooting and performing weaponry tasks, Corporal Risser himself quickly caught on to his skills. It was not uncommon for Mr. Risser toi shoot bulls - eyes. The Philippines was a popular area of service during the Second World War, and when Corporal Risser had completed specialty training, his team was ordered to be stationed in the islands. His crew and himself boarded a luxury liner from Marseille, France. They traveled to the Panama Canal, stopping at the Hawaiian islands when they reached the Pacific Ocean. The trip took about two weeks. At that point in time, Truman had just dropped two bombs on cities in Japan, causing Japan to surrender. Corporal Risser was prone to acquiring a jungle disease that would erupt sores all over his skin. Treatment for this illness was extremely limited during the time of the war, owing to the fact that medical equipment at this time was scarce and was not nearly as complex as it is nowadays. There were multifarious jobs for the men to be assigned to at the new camp in the Philippines. Corporal Risser was assigned to be a truck driver who drove a brand new vehicle to the shipyard and picked up lumber to take to different places. His job was vital to the army; it was the only way to obtain supplies the veterans would be able to complete their necessary tasks. Corporal Risser also built homes for people who had lost theirs because of the war. When the officers and people who led him saw how great his work was, they awarded him a Good Conduct Medal. Mr. Risser was specially picked to obtain the award. It is received if a soldier is selected to obtain the award because they exuded the actions of their fellow soldiers. Corporal Risser witnessed his first and only casualty in the Philippines. Rozar, an eighteen year old young man who was drafted, had died of curiosity during an afternoon of leisure time. He was walking along the road when a bomb exploded and took his life. Corporal Risser and Rozar became close because of being in the same dormitory. He slept in the bunk next to Rozar, and was extremely saddened when Rozar had died. Mr. Risser only received one furlough during his service to return home to visit his family. Apart from this short time of contact with his family, he received chocolates, cookies, and other items from his relatives. However, most times the cookies and chocolates Corporal Risser would received only lasted a mere day when his fellow veterans would devour his treats. He did not receive very many letters; only edible and keepsake items. Mr. Risser’s relatives at home were waiting for the day that he would return home to them. After completing three years of service, Corporal Risser was discharged from the United States Army. He took a few of his bags and was taken to San Francisco, California. He then found his way home to Pennsylvania. Mr. Risser quickly resumed his job of working for his father at his restaurant. His job at the Risser Sweet Spot made Corporal Risser $15 a week. He also worked at the Hershey Factory and acquired an ice route his parents requested for him. Corporal Risser worked his ice route for three years and then became a laborer in different places. His jobs ranged from electric lines, trimming, shrubbery work and landscaping. In 1950 he discovered the career he would work in for the rest of his life: Bricklaying. Mr. Risser’s life after the war was fairly similar to his life before the war. He kept in touch with the friends he had made during his service and attended the reunions the army would hold. He also became part of the American Legion. Corporal Risser learned numerous lessons from the war that would help him in his daily life. For example, he learned to march and listen to commands without questioning the Generals. Mr. Risser learned how to organize and keep his c people. The skills he learned from World War II helped Corporal Risser years after his service with daily tasks and jobs. Thank you for defending our country during World War II by building bridges, guarding prisoners, and building homes.

__**VHP Transcript**__ Adriane Auman and Kaley Michael

Michael: "Hello my name is Kaley Michael, here with Adriane Auman and Clarence M. Risser on January 17, 2015 in Palmyra, PA to do the Veterans History Project. Clarence M. Risser is my great grandfather. Those who are affiliated with this interview are Adriane Auman, Kaley Michael, and Clarence M. Riser. Mr. Risser, where were you born?"

Risser: "I was born in Mastersonville."

Auman: "When were you born?"

Risser: "October 12, 1921."

Michael: "Did you have any brothers or sisters, and if so please describe what they did?"

Risser: "I had a sister who was married to a plumber, and he contracted heating and plumbing. He inherited from his dad. His dad was a plumber. What else did you say? My brother? My brother was a veterinarian."

Michael: "He was a veterinarian, where did he work?"

Risser: "He worked in Bedford County. He did his practice at the zoo years ago."

Auman: "What did you do before you entered the service?"

Risser: "I worked at a soda fountain at a restaurant, and before I went to the service I traveled around the country. I left home to visit some people in Fulton, Missouri. Then I drifted, and then I left to Saint Louis, and then I left there and hitched a ride to Chicago, a guy picked me up across the Mississippi River. I was sitting on a suitcase and there was a honky tonk next door, and he took me to Chicago. Then I worked in Chicago, and I eventually I ended up working in a restaurant as a busboy. And before I went to the service, I left the restaurant and I left and took a train to the state of Washington to pick apples. Then I reported to my draft fort where I was, and the. I picked apples and then I worked at a shipyard in Seattle Washington, then I was inducted in the army in 1943.

Auman: "What did your parents do?"

Risser: "My parents were in the restaurant business in Palmyra, called the Risser Soda Spot. They worked there, and I traveled around the country. My brother wanted to know where I was, and I just started drifting here and there until I was supposed to go into the service, and I didn't know when they were going to call me. Before I worked at Hershey, for a year then I went into the service, then k was inducted into the service in Fortwars, Washington "

Michael: "Were you enlisted or drafted?"

Risser: "I was drafted."

Auman: "Can you tell us about your brother and how he was in the military, or the Service?"

Risser: "My brother was in the Seabees, that's the Navy, they did construction work, I was first in the military and after that I was trained to the combat engineers, where I took basic down in Mississippi, and I took training down there. After I took training down there, I was sent to England where I took basic.

Auman: "Did you take any personal belongings along with you to the boot camp or basic training?"

Risser: "Did I take any what?"

Auman: "Any personal belongings?"

Risser : "No."

Michael: "So you didn't take any pictures of your family or a bible or anything like that?"

Risser: "No"

Michael: "Describe what happened at boot camp and where you were and what you did."

Risser: "The first place was in Battle Creek. That wasn't in my record. I served in the military, and I we were guard of prisoners of war at night time. Then I was transferred to the Combat Engineers, and I took basic for that. Then I took basic in England.

Michael: "What did you do there? like be describe what food you ate there, what you did when you got up any any boot camp you were at."

Risser: "In combat engineers you had to build bridges quick and in England they had to practice to build bridges so tanks could come across. We had three company's and then we would compete against each other. One day we would build a bridge and then tear it down."

Auman: "Did You ever find yourself finding sick at all."

Risser: "No, I lived in a bar in Germany, and the only thing we had was barbridge. My face broke out in sores. "

Michael: "What type of food did you eat at boot camp?"

Risser: "What kind of what?"

Michael: "What type of food did you eat at boot camp? Food, what you put in your body. What type of food did you-"

Risser: "Oh they had cooks that signed up to cook and that's what we ate."

Michael: " Yeah, what type of food was that?"

Risser: " I don't remember much anymore, it was filling up, water, beef, corn, and vegetables, and they had coffee. You had to stand in line every time you wanted to eat. If you were first in line, they fed you. They had cooks you could sign up for cooks."

Michael: "Okay."

Auman: " What was your specialty during training?"

Risser: " Well, like infantry we took training with guns on the rifle range. They showed you how to shoot when the sergeant showed you how to hold your sling and you had to not breathe. When your rifle was missing, you would get a white flag. After I would get Bullseyes, I was getting better."

Michael: " Okay, during the war what was your first place you served?"

Risser: " In January?"

Michael: " During the war what was your first place that you served?"

Risser: " In Germany in was sort of drenalin down, the war sort of the end now. So I missed that and I was there for a while, and then they sent me to the Philippines. You want to know about that?"

Michael: " Yes, please."

Risser: " Well, we went into the luxury liner from Marseille, France. We left there and went on the ship through the Panama Canal and when we got in the Pacific Ocean, we stopped at the Hawaiian islands. That's when Truman dropped the two bombs on the two cities in the Philippines, I mean in the, yeah the Philippines and then they, Japan surrendered. So the we went over to the Philippines. I served while they were there. Then I got a job driving a truck. I was a T5 when I retired from the army. And then I signed up and I got the oldest truck in the company. Then they changed it off. They said they were getting two new trucks. And then they had like a lottery, and I got one of them new trucks. So then I had a new truck that I drove used to go to the ships and get lumber and take it to different places for the, to fill it up in the Philippines.

Auman: " What was the hardest part of being a truck driver?"

Risser: " It wasn't hard."

Michael: " Did you have to go on a ship over to the Philippines, and if so could you please describe what it was like on the ship?"

Risser: " When I got to the Philippines?"

Michael: " On your way over to the Philippines, on the ship."

Risser: " Oh, it wasn't too bad, went through the luxury liner, I never got sick, the only time I got sick was when I left the states. We were inducted into Fort Devens, Massachusetts. And we were on a ship to go across to go to Europe, that was the first switch."

Auman: "Can you tell us about how you were a guard of prisoners?"

Risser: " Oh, I volunteered for that down at Dodge Flute. He takes us four tars to guard the prisoners of war. And the German prisoners were in these compounds and you had to go up on tars and my friend, Buddy, he fell asleep, he was fermented. I fell asleep, but they never caught me. But that was a boring job. We were there for a while. Then we left there. That was the night we were in the military threes. We took bins of steel to Colorado, Trinidad on the train."

Michael: " Did you ever feel bad for the German prisoners? Did you ever feel bad for the German prisoners?

Risser: "No, they were just human beings just like you and me."

Auman: " What activities did you do when you were a guard?"

Risser: " When I was a guard? What did I do?"

Auman: " Like what activities?"

Risser: " Oh well, let's see, what did we do? We had special duties we had to do. When they called you to, the companies were either pickled or mtp and stuff you had to do that, the jobs you were assigned to. You had to keep you place clean and inspection of your gun, you had to be clean. The lieutenant would come along and he would stand at attention and you would stand there with your gun and when he'd reach for it and you had to let go of your gun. And if you were fast and he dropped the gun it was his fault, but when he went to look at your gun, you had to let go very quick. That was one of the things you had to do."

Michael: " During the time of the war, where did you stay?"

Risser: " What?"

Michael: " Where did you stay while you were in the war?"

Risser: " Where did I stay?"

Michael: " Yeah, like did you sleep in a dormitory or tent?"

Risser: "It was an old like back at the gap, you had bunk beds, on at the bottom and one at the top. When we would stay at places like Mississippi, there was mosquitoes, and then you had to put a net across you, and they would come around at around 2:00 in the morning, then you were supposed to put your net down so you didn't get bit by mosquitoes, there were a lot of mosquitoes there."

Mr. Risser: My friend Rozar - He was 18 years old - and he went on an advanced detail. When we came to the camp he was dead. Him and another guy that - this wasn’t in action, it was just leisure time, time that you do whatever you want - and he was walking along the road, and they said “He’s not here no more. And the other fella, he said, “There was a bomb laying on the bank of the road”, and Rozar said, “Well, I’m going over to check it out.” And he did, and he got blown to pieces. That was the saddest part. He was in the next bunk with me. His name was Rozar - I’ll never forget that.

Kaley Michael: Ok.

Mr. Risser: That’s the only casualty I can think of. One fella got killed in France. But that’s about all the people we lost in our company. It was A, B, and C.

Kaley Michael: Ok.

Adriane Auman: Can you tell us about when you were building bridges?

Mr. Risser: Oh, that was over in England. We had different jobs. They built those out of steel, which comes in bins. And then some people carried the beams for the floor and others carried for the sides, and then 3 companies compete, and then when they’re done, they run a tank across and they tear it down and push it away for the day. And that was for the rivers we went across, that’s what we practiced. That was fun. (Laughs) And then we did a lot of rigging, with ropes and stuff to make bridges and stuff.

Adriane Auman: So you enjoyed that part of your service?

Mr.Risser: (Nods)

Adriane Auman: Yeah? Good.

Kaley Michael: So, during the time that you were in the war, did you write letters home to your family, or keep in touch with your relatives at home?

Mr. Risser: I had one furlough.

Kaley Michael: Hm?

Mr. Risser: I had one furlough to come home. That was from Camp Van Dorn I got a pass to come home.

Kaley Michael: Um, but, did you send letters home to them at all or write postcards to them, or?

Mr. Risser: What’s that?

Kaley Michael: Did you write any letters home or receive any letters from home?

Mr. Risser: Yeah, funny thing. When I was over in Germany, my sister used to send chocolate cookies.And then when I’d open the box, they were gone. (Laughs) Everybody grabbed cookies. They didn’t last.

Adriane Auman: What was your reaction when you found out you were able to come home?

Mr. Risser: I left from the Philippines, nothing particular. Only had so much stuff carried around I wanted to bring home, and I left one duffel bag sit because I didn’t wanna bother with it anymore. I went to California, I don’t know exactly where. San Francisco, California...

Kaley Michael: Um, do you remember building the homes for the people?

Mr. Risser: No, we didn’t do that.

Kaley Michael: What? You told me you did.

Mr. Risser: The houses...We went through the cities in the trucks and they were flat, that was in Germany. This was after the war. There was nothing there. And then we had to fix the roofs and stuff.

Kaley Michael: Yeah.

Mr. Risser: But I didn’t do no building. We did when we were over in the Philippines.

Kaley Michael: Yeah, that’s what we mean.

Mr.Risser: Yeah, we got along, and we built a clubhouse and everything else. (Laughs)

Kaley Michael: There we go. Yeah, that’s what we were talking about. Ok.

Adriane Auman: How did you get home?

Mr. Risser: I don’t remember how I got home. I just went home and that was it.

Kaley Michael: Ok, um, how did your family react when you got home? Was your family happy that you got home? Did they have a welcome home party?

Mr. Risser: No I just, there was no big deal. I went to work for my dad in the restaurant and that was after I got out of the service. I worked for him a while. I got 15 dollars a week.

Adriane Auman: Did you keep in touch with any of your fellow friends that you served with?

Mr. Risser: Yeah. We had reunion in 95 down in Washington. It was about one from Manheim, one from uh, up in the Frackville, I mean, uh, a soldier was there and one in Hershey. And then my first lieutenant was from Harrisburg and his name was, uh, he was a nice guy. And my squad sergeant was from California. I got to see him in 1995. Then we had reunions back at Esther’s diner every year, and that was only one left - he lives in Hershey, and me.

Kaley Michael: Well, are you a member of any of the Veterans’ Organizations today?

Mr. Risser: I belong to American Legion.

Kaley Michael: What do they do?

Mr. Risser: Oh they - just a club that they, that you go to. I don’t get there anymore. I used to shoot pole there and stuff, a social club. That’s in Annville. I belong to that in Annville. Since 1951 or 1952, I don’t know what.

Adriane Auman: Can you tell us more about what you did after the war?

Mr. Risser: Worked for my dad in the restaurant, 15 dollars a week. And then I got a job at Hershey in the factory.

Kaley Michael: After the war, were you an ice man?

Mr. Risser: Yeah, my parents decided I could get an ice route. I didn’t know what I wanted to do.

Kaley Michael: Is that where you met your wife?

Mr. Risser: And then I bought the ice truck and every two trucks, I was in the ice business 3 years. That was 1947, 48, and 49. Then I sold it to George Rock. And then I worked as a laborer for different places, worked on an electric line cutting brush, did labor work trimming, shrubbery work, landscaping, did odd jobs. Then I got a job after 1950, January first I got my job mixing mud to earn my trade as a brick layer. And then I worked at that all my life.

Kaley Michael: Ok.

Adriane Auman: Did you learn any life lessons from the war?

Mr. Risser: Any what?

Adriane Auman: Life lessons.

Mr.Risser: (Silent)

Kaley Michael : Any life lessons?

Mr. Risser: Life lessons?

Kaley Michael: Yes, life lessons. Did you learn any life lessons from the war?

Mr. Risser: Not particular.

Kaley Michael: Ok.

Mr. Risser: I learned to do all the marching from the service and to listen to them. [The Generals] And how to make a bed, and it had to be good or else you got demerits. You had to bounce a coin off it. It had to be perfect. I learned how to make beds. (Laughs)

Adriane Auman: Did the war affect you emotionally?

Mr. Risser: No. I did have a claiming for a jungle disease. My hands - from the Philippines - it’s a warm climate out there. And after a couple years that went away.

Kaley Michael: Okay. Do you have any advice for people who may want to go into the war?

Mr. Risser: Pardon?

Kaley Michael: Do you have any advice for people who may want to go into the war?

Mr. Risser: No, I think it’s a good thing. You get good training, but sometimes it works the other way. It gets worse. You can take it, but some people can’t. But I didn’t have any problem.

Adriane Auman: Could you describe the war in three words?

Mr. Risser: No good.

Kaley Michael: Okay.

Mr. Risser: Well, there will always be war. Right now the technology is altogether different. We didn’t have all that technology. In Germany we visited German families, and they were nice, the people that were in the war. We had people to talk to.

Kaley Michael: Ok, how big of an impact did the war, um, how big of an impact did the war leave on your life?

Mr. Risser: I didn’t understand what you said.

Kaley Michael: How big of an impact did the war leave on your life?

Mr. Risser: Nothing really. I went to work there and that was it.

Adriane Auman: How much do you think about the war in your daily life?

Mr. Risser: I don’t… I think about it a lot. I think of a lot of things. I was glad I served three years in the service. But, that’s all I wanted. And then you had to work together in the service. Take heights and stuff. Some people had trouble marching, I never had trouble with it. Some people couldn’t do that and then they flunked out.

Kaley Michael: Ok, um, do you encourage people to join the service?

Mr. Risser: Well I don’t know if you can’t get no job and wanna get paid but, it’s not a bad place to go. But, you never know what’s going to happen in the service. You get killed and that’s it. The Palmyra name, Quincy Balm. I knew Balm, the one that was in the legion. Quincy Balm, he was a friend of mine when I was in the service, and he got killed.

Adriane Auman: That’s a shame.

Mr. Risser: So they call it Quincy Balm. That’s a Palmyra Legion.

Kaley Michael: Ok.

Adriane Auman: What was your happiest moment in the service?

Mr. Risser: What was the what?

Adriane Auman: Your happiest moment?

Mr. Risser: I don’t know - It wasn’t - I met all different kinds of people. In the service there was a colored guy who was friends to me in the next bunk. They had all different kinds of people in the service. And he was just the nicest person you want to meet. And he was colored. Now you have all this kind of mixture and stuff.

Kaley Michael: Okay, um, what was the saddest moment that you experienced during your service?

Mr. Risser: Oh, my rank?

Kaley Michael: No. What was the saddest moment that you experienced during the service?

Mr. Risser: None that I can think of.

Kaley Michael: Would it be, um, when your friend was..?

Mr. Risser: Yeah, that was sad. Cause he was just the nicest guy. I never forgot, and they said he was killed. That was the only sad part. Nothing I could do about it. And it wasn’t in the line of duty, it was just curiosity. He was very - he wanted to learn. But, he did the wrong thing.

Adriane Auman: Did you ever have a hard time not being with your family?

Mr. Risser: Missing my family?

Adriane Auman: Yes. Did you have a hard time not being with them?

Mr. Risser: No. My brother though, he wanted to know what happened to me when I went home to visit. That was when my parents - I don’t know why I was just waiting to go in the service and I didn’t get home though until I got my first furlough.

Kaley Michael: Did serving fill your aspirations in life?

Mr. Risser: It was a good experience.

Kaley Michael: Is there anything else you want to add?

Mr. Risser: I wouldn’t know, I wouldn’t know what to add, the training they gave ya. You know, learn to shoot and stuff like that and make your beds and discipline. I mean, that’s about it.

Adriane Auman: Do you have your uniform or anything you could show us?

Mr. Risser: No, I don’t even have my dog tags. It’s 39204062. And I don’t know where they’re at.

Kaley Michael: Um, thank you for participating in the interview.

Mr. Risser: Are we done now?

Kaley Michael: Yeah.

Mr. Risser: Oh golly. Was it bad, I didn’t know?

Kaley Michael: No, that was good. It was very good, thank you.

Mr. Risser: It was only accidentally that we never got into action. So it - right now you never know what’s going to happen. I wouldn’t know now.

Kaley Michael: Thank you for participating. Anything else you wanna say? Anything at all?

Mr. Risser: It was a good experience.