Veterans' Voices

The Veterans' Voices Project is a combined effort by Wright State University’s Veteran and Military Center and local NPR station WYSO. Wright State Veteran students record video interviews of Veterans ranging from World War II to the current conflicts. These interviews are then stored in both The Library of Congress and Wright State University archives. All of the interviews are available for viewing at the Library of Congress and Wright State archives. Some of these interviews will be viewable on The Library of Congress website.

Another aspect to this project is our partnership with the local NPR affiliate WYSO. WYSO will be airing pieces for the national project known as “Veterans Coming Home.” These pieces will be about transitions and struggles that Veterans in the Dayton area have faced and overcome.

This project is conducted by Veterans, for Veterans. Many military service members have never told their story, this is their chance to do it. Recording and archiving these stories preserves them for future generations.

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Jere Myers Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project

Jere Myers and David Morse

Jere Oblender Myers enlisted in the United States Air Force in February 1961. Mr. Meyers served with the 374^th Tactical Airlift Wing in the Philippines and Thailand during the Vietnam War. He also served in Dyess and Lackland Air Force Bases in Texas and McClellan Air Force Base in California. Mr. Myers retired from the Air Force in 1983.
James Nelson Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project

James Nelson and Katie Bradshaw

James Nelson was drafted into the United States Army in October 1971. Mr. Nelson served with the 1^st Battalion, 31^st Infantry, 7^th Infantry division stationed in South Korea during the Vietnam War. Mr. Nelson left the Army in 1973 with the rank of E-5.
Donald Nesheim Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project

Donald Nesheim and Katie Bradshaw

Donald Nesheim was commissioned into the United States Army in January 1958. He served in the Army’s security agency in Kanghwa-Do, Korea, Germany and Fort Meade Maryland. Mr. Nesheim left the Army in 1979 having achieved the rank of CW4.
William Nicholson Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project

William Nicholson and David Morse

William Nicholson enlisted in the United States Navy in 1964. He served at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Pensacola Florida and in South Vietnam. He received the Vietnam Service Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, and more. He was discharged in 1967 having attained the rank of Petty officer 3rd class.
Paul Nicks Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project

Paul Nicks and Jeremy L. Tkach

Paul Nicks was commissioned into the United States Air Force in July 1964. Mr. Nicks was a munitions officer/supervisor during the Vietnam Conflict. He was later a missile launch officer/supervisor. Mr. Nicks served at Edwards Air Force Base, McConnell Air Force Base, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Whitman Air Force Base and Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station at Peterson Air Force Base. Mr. Nicks retired from the Air Force in 1984 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Agnes Ruth Nischwitz-Ewalt Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project

Agnes Ruth Nischwitz-Ewalt and Ericka Carter

Agnes Ruth Nischwitz-Ewalt enlisted in the United States Air Force in April 1981. Ms. Nischwitz-Ewalt served all over the United States and Europe including assignments on Air Force One and in the Pentagon. Ms. Nischwitz-Ewalt was working at the Pentagon during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. She retired from military service in 2007 having achieved the rank of Master Sergeant.
Matthew Nunemaker Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project

Matthew Nunemaker and David L. Morse

Matthew Nunemaker enlisted in the United States Air Force in September 2006. He was a member of the 88 Security Forces Squadron. He was stationed at Wright Patterson AFB, Eglin AFB, Davis Monthan AFB. He was deployed to United Arab Emirates in 2008 and to Iraq in 2009. He was awarded the Global War on Terrorism and Iraq War medals as well as the Tuskegee Airmen Award. He left active duty in 2014. He currently serves in the Air Force Reserves.
Tamara O'Donnell Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project

Tamara O'Donnell and Ericka Carter

Tamara O’Donnell was commissioned into the United States Air Force in January 1993. Ms. O’Donnell attended officer training school and became a personnel officer and eventually served as a protocol office for The Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff. She was at Mildenhall Air Force Base in England giving a spouse’s tour when the 9/11 attacks happened. Ms. O’Donnell served in a support role in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn. Ms. O’Donnell retired in 2016 as a Lieutenant Colonel.
Michael O'Grady Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project

Michael O'Grady and David Berry

Michael E. O'Grady joined the United States Air Force on June 7, 1967 as commissioned officer after graduating from the United States Air Force Academy. He served as a fighter pilot, staff officer, arms negotiator, and a Congressional liaison. During the Vietnam War he participated in Operation Linebacker. He received the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, and 34 Air Medals. O'Grady retired from the Air Force on July 31, 1987 after attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
William O'Malley Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project

William O'Malley and David Berry

William O’Malley was drafted into the United States Army in February 1966. Mr. O’Malley served with the 592^nd Transportation Company, 1^st Logistic Command, 57^th Transportation Battalion in Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Mr. O’Malley left the United States Army in 1968 with the rank of Specialist E-5.
Robert "Bob" Oppenheim Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project

Robert Oppenheim, Anne Moore, and Bradley Wang

Robert "Bob" Oppenheim was drafted into the United States Army in 1945. Oppenheim served in Japan with the 33rd Division Quartermaster Trucking Company and the 24th Infantry Division. Bob speaks of seeing the devastation in Hiroshima after the atomic bomb was dropped. For his time in the Army, Robert Oppenheim was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, the Japan Occupation Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal. He was discharged in 1946 after achieving the rank of T-4.
Larry Otto Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project

Larry Otto and Ericka Carter

Larry Otto enlisted in the Air National Guard in 1949. Mr. Otto later joined the Navy Reserves and eventually received a commission into the United States Air Force becoming a test pilot, helping to increase safety and mission capability through flight test operations. Mr. Otto retired from the Air Force in 1976 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Raymond Otto Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project

Raymond Otto and Ericka Carter

Raymond Otto enlisted in the United States Air Force Reserve in September 1984. Mr. Otto received a commission in the North Dakota Air National Guard & United States Air Force Reserve in 1993. Over his long career Mr. Otto earned many awards for his service including Airman of the Year. Mr. Otto left military service in 2019 having achieved the rank of Colonel.
James Owensby Interview for Veterans' Voices Project

James Owensby and Jeremy L. Tkach

James Owensby enlisted in the United States Army in June 1980. He served as a supply sergeant in Germany. Mr. Owensby left the Army in 1983 with the rank of E-4.
John Palmer Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project

John Palmer and David Berry

John Monroe Palmer was drafted into the United States Army Air Corps in 1941. Mr. Palmer was a pilot stationed in the South Pacific during World War 2. Mr. Palmer flew P-38’s and copiloted B-24 bombers. Mr. Palmer was discharged in 1944 holding the rank of Captain.
Duane Papke Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project

Duane Papke and Katie Bradshaw

Duane Papke enlisted in the United States Army in September 1966. Mr. Papke served in Kanghwa-Do, South Korea and Mt. Meisener, Germany with the United States Army Security Agency. Mr. Papke left the Army in 1970 having achieved the rank of Specialist 5^th Class.
John Parise Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project

John Parise and Jeremy L. Tkach

John Parise enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in March of 1966. He received teletype training and was initially stationed in Okinawa, Japan. He later served at Khe Sanh Combat Base in Viet Nam during the Vietnam War where he was a perimeter guard and message runner. He was discharged in January of 1969.
Cory Paul Interview for Veterans' Voices Project

Cory Paul and Nate Gunler

Cory Paul enlisted in the United States Army in February 2010. He served in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. Mr. Paul left the Army in February 2016 with the rank of Sergeant.
David Penrod Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project

David Penrod, David Berry, Lucas Schroeder, and James Hale

David Penrod enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1943. He attended Communication School at Camp Pendleton to be a cryptographer. After his job was eliminated by Navajo Code Talkers, Penrod became a rifleman. He served during World War II and fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima. His troop landed in Japan to make the initial assault prior to the atomic bombs being dropped in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He witness the aftermath of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima. Penrod attended the University of Dayton on the GI Bill and received a PhD in Economics.
Richard (Rick) Perales Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project

Richard Perales and Adrian Hill

Richard (Rick) Perales was commissioned into the United States Air Force in 1982. He served as Project Manager at Space Transportation System in Los Angeles, California, Program Manager at the Foreign Military Sales in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Chief of Engineering at Spangdahlem Air Force Base in Germany, and as Commander of Operations and Maintenance with the 788th CES Squadron at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. Perales retired from the military at the rank of Major in 1997. More information about Perales can be found at http://www.voteperales.com/home.
Larry A. Peters Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project

Larry A. Peters and Eric Wiete

Larry A. Peters enlisted in the Air Force on November 4, 1959. He served in Panama, the Azores, Germany, Washington DC, as well as in Vietnam during the War. Peters retired from the Air Force on December 1, 1986 as a Chief Master Sergeant (E-9).
Lawrence Peterson Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project

Lawrence Peterson and Ericka Carter

Lawrence C. Peterson enlisted in the United States Air Force in June 1970. Mr. Peterson served with the 456^th Munitions Maintenance Squadron in Nakhon Phanom, Thailand, with the 16^th Special Operations Squadron at Ubon Air Force Base and Ubon-Korat Air Force Base in Thailand during the Vietnam War. Mr. Peterson left active service with the Air Force in 1974.
William Peterson Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project

William R. Peterson, David Berry, and Jeremy L. Tkach

William Peterson was commissioned into the United States Air Force in August 1965. He served in the Air Defense Command and 2 tours in the Vietnam War. He also served with NSA Special Operations. He was awarded the Bronze Star and Meritorious Service medals. He achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and left military service in 1980.
Kathy Platoni Interview for the Veterans' Voices

Kathy Platoni and Jeniffer Seavey

Kathy Platoni, PsyD was commissioned in United States Army 1979. She served in the Contiguous United States, GTMO, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Platoni also served as the Chief Psychologist in the United States Army Reserve and Chief Psychologist in the Ohio Military Reserve. She retired with the rank of Colonel (0-6).
Cody Poley Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project

Cody Poley and Jeniffer Seavey

Cody Poley enlisted in the United States Air Force in 2009. He served at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio and was part of the 88th Security Forces Squadron. Poley attained the rank of E3 and participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was discharged from the service in 2013.