Mayor Takes Part In Veterans History Project
WARSAW — Staff from the office of U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly, along with Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer and several other volunteers participated in preserving history yesterday afternoon, Feb. 26, at Lake City Place Senior Living. These volunteers collected the oral accounts of American veterans for the Veterans History Project.
The VHP was created in 2000, so veterans could share stories of their service in the United States military. These recorded accounts are then sent to the Library of Congress for anyone to listen, appreciate and understand what soldiers experienced while in the service and service during wartime.
Volunteers participated in the event by conducting interviews and talking through experiences the veterans were willing to share. Each interview lasted exactly 30 minutes, per Library of Congress rules.
Among the veterans interviewed by Thallemer, and four other volunteers, were Navy veteran, Robert Abbott; veteran Army chaplain, Keith Kleespie and Navy veteran, Phillip Neff.
Thallemer conducted an interview with Neff, who served in the Navy from 1958-1962. Neff and Thallemer were having a lighthearted conversation before the interview as Neff asked the mayor, “How’s things going downtown? Going pretty good?”
Thallemer told Neff, “Yeah, so far so good. I just started my second term and I haven’t been screwing up yet.” Neff then asked, “Any body shot at you?” Without missing a beat, and to the amusement of all present, Thallemer replied, “Not that I know of. If they did they missed.”
After the laughter died down the interview began with Neff telling the mayor where he was born, about his family and why he chose to enlist in the Navy. “I thought the schooling was better for what I wanted to do, which was electronics and they assured me I would get that, and I did.”
The veterans were also allowed to bring any letters, photos, and other memorabilia that would be archived with the recorded interview.