Title
Dorothy Brashers interview with Bill Feis
Subject
World War, 1939-1945-Iowa-Oral histories
Description
Brashears had worked at Look magazine before she entered military service, so she spent her time working in an office. She met her husband, Leroy (also interviewed), while she was on duty in the library. She says that for years neither she nor Leroy talked about the war until their grandchildren showed interest.
Publisher
Buena Vista University
Date
3/31/2011
Rights
These oral histories are available for personal, non-commercial, and educational use, provided that a credit line reads: "Courtesy of Buena Vista University Archives, Storm Lake, IA." Prior permission from the BVU Archives is required for any commercial use.
Format
video/mp4
Language
English
Type
Moving Image
Identifier
Interviewer
Bill Feis
Interviewee
Dorothy Brashears
Transcription
DOROTHY BRASHEARS
William Feis [00:00:00] Today is March 31st, 2011. We are interviewing Dorothy Brashears, and she is from Storm Lake, Iowa. First question I have: why did you decide to join the Navy?
Dorothy Brashears [00:00:19] Well-- My-- I had a friend. We were living in Des Moines, Iowa, and we were working there, and we just both decided that it was the thing to do. [Laughter] At that time.
William Feis [00:00:39] Did you see-- how did you hear about it? Did you see recruiting posters or--
Dorothy Brashears [00:00:45] Well, I guess when the ships were hit in Hawaii [Editor's note: Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor], I don't know, then we were kept up on the news and we used to-- I belonged to the YW-- the women's organization at the YMCA, and we used to go to Fort Dodge out at the camp. They'd haul us in the truck and we'd go to dances. And we just got enthused and decided it was what we should do.
William Feis [00:01:28] Were you glad when you went?
Dorothy Brashears [00:01:30] Yes, I-- I enjoyed it all.
William Feis [00:01:35] Did you go through training? Did they put you through training?
Dorothy Brashears [00:01:37] Yes.
William Feis [00:01:38] What was that like?
Dorothy Brashears [00:01:40] Well, it was like boot camp, I guess. It was at Hunter College New-- at the Bronx in New York. And oh, we did exercises and a lot of marching. [Laughter] And I'm-- I'm so short that I always carried the flag in front of the line. [Laughter] But it was this-- I-- you know, I can't remember a lot of things about it, and at that time, I didn't think to keep a journal. I don't know why I didn't, but I didn't.
William Feis [00:02:22] What sort of things did they-- they train you to do or what job did you have?
Dorothy Brashears [00:02:26] Well, I was the office-- I worked in-- at the Office of Look magazine in Des Moines. And so that's what I-- when they transferred after boot camp, they transferred me-- for me to Stillwater, Oklahoma. And it's like a stenographer. It was-- then I come out as a yeoman, and then I worked in the office.
William Feis [00:02:58] Did you-- what-- do you remember any experiences that-- that stick in your mind as you worked in the office and anything related to the war or just anything that comes to mind?
Dorothy Brashears [00:03:15] I don't know, I can't-- it-- I-- I don't know how to answer that. I don't know. I think we had-- I think I fared better than probably a lot of American citizens in their homes because we got delicious meals and didn't have to worry about stamps [Editor's note: referring to ration stamps]. So I don't know--
William Feis [00:03:48] Did you ever, being in the Navy, did you ever want to go out to sea on a ship? Did you ever think about wanting to do that? If they would have let you. Would you have--
Dorothy Brashears [00:04:00] Oh, I think I was happy just where I was. [Laughter]
William Feis [00:04:06] When-- when the war ended, do you remember how you felt or where you were when you heard when the war ended?
Dorothy Brashears [00:04:16] Well, I met my husband in the service. In fact, I was on duty in the library, and that's where I met him. And so we-- he was on a ship and he was there. And the next time, I guess he was there twice. Because the next time we got married in the Navy of the naval chapel, and I was stationed in Norfolk, Virginia, and that's where we got married. And then-- then I could get out of the Navy. So I got out in April, and the war was over in May.
William Feis [00:05:01] Now, I understand that a chaplain tried to talk you out of getting married.
Dorothy Brashears [00:05:07] Yes, he did. [Laughter] I'd like to-- My husband always said that he'd like to see him today and tell him we'd been married 66 years. [Laughter]
William Feis [00:05:20] Oh, that's great. When-- when you left the service-- when you left the Navy, did you-- did you have any desire to-- if they would have let you-- to stay in the Navy? Or were you done?
Dorothy Brashears [00:05:33] Well, I really never thought of that [Laughter] so I don't know how I would have felt at that time.
William Feis [00:05:43] True, true. Well, when did you get home?
Dorothy Brashears [00:05:44] When?
William Feis [00:05:45] When did you get home from the war? And what did you do after you--
Dorothy Brashears [00:05:52] Afterwards? Well, I went to my mother's, and then later I got home in, I think, in May, and he got a job, and I was a housewife. [Laughter]
William Feis [00:06:10] When you think back on your experience, what-- what do you think of as far as-- what are you most proud of-- of your--
Dorothy Brashears [00:06:18] My what?
[00:06:20] What are you proudest of, from your service? The time that you served in the Wave?
Dorothy Brashears [00:06:29] Well, I-- I don't know just what you mean.
William Feis [00:06:35] When you think about when you served-- are there-- is the sense of pride that you have, that you served-- when you-- when you think about what you did. What kind of things do you-- are you most proud of that you-- from your service that you--
Dorothy Brashears [00:06:54] Well, you know, when we came home, I don't know, we didn't talk about it. And I don't think other veterans ever did either. I never even thought of it. In fact, I've thought of it more in the last ten years here than-- and then I think back and realize what-- what I had done. But for years, I don't think we even talked to our children about it. And I don't think any others did either. I don't-- I often said to him, why was that? I--
William Feis [00:07:43] Do you have grandchildren?
Dorothy Brashears [00:07:45] I have-- we had four children, and I have, what, five-- six grandchildren. And one, two, three-- four-- four great. Let's see, three, four, five, five great-grandchildren.
William Feis [00:08:15] My. Do your grandchildren or your great-grandchildren, did they-- do they ask you about what you did?
Dorothy Brashears [00:08:20] Well, more so now. Our one grandson, he's-- was very interested in it. In fact, he has a lot of the things that Roy brought home, and he read books. And-- and then since we both went on the Honor Flight and then all our other great-grandsons-- well, they're all great-grandsons, five of them. And they wanted to know more. And we've talked more now than ever when our own children were growing up. And then a couple of the grandchildren had a-- I don't know, a semester or something of-- that was in-- that they studied about it. And of course, then they'd ask grandpa and grandma for all--.
William Feis [00:09:24] Sure.
Dorothy Brashears [00:09:26] --information for school.
William Feis [00:09:26] Sure. Now, you mentioned you went on the Honor Flight to Washington, DC?
Dorothy Brashears [00:09:31] Yes. Uh huh.
William Feis [00:09:33] Can you tell me a little bit about that?
Dorothy Brashears [00:09:35] Well, it was wonderful. It-- just something great. We left from Fort Dodge, Iowa, at 7:30 in the morning and-- and arrived back at 10:30 at night. [Laughter]
William Feis [00:09:55] That's a long day.
Dorothy Brashears [00:09:55] Then we first went, of course, to the World War II [memorial] and then we got to visit the others. And, oh, they fed us good. It was-- everybody so nice. When we got off at Washington, DC, they had a lot of volunteers, and I never got so many hugs and kisses and handshakes in my life. They were so good to us, and it was a wonderful day. Then we kinda toured all the things that we didn't stop to walk at, but we got to the Vietname and the Korea [memorials] and all those. Yes, it was-- it was fantastic. And then, of course, it was all World War II veterans, and it was just wonderful.
William Feis [00:10:58] What did you think of the World War II memorial when you saw it?
Dorothy Brashears [00:11:02] Oh, it's-- it's fantastic. It's-- yeah, it's-- it's wonderful.
William Feis [00:11:12] Well, that's all the questions I had.
Dorothy Brashears [00:11:14] OK. [Laughter]
William Feis [00:11:15] That wasn't too hard, was it?
Dorothy Brashears [00:11:16] No [Laughter], I guess I survived.
William Feis [00:11:19] You did survive. You did fantastic. And it was-- it was great to have you share that with us. And I'm glad people are asking you more about your experience because you have some-- some very interesting things to say.
Dorothy Brashears [00:11:31] Oh, I might say we've traveled a lot in our married life. We've been all over, and-- but we never hit Norfolk. And so our two daughters-- we went by car. The two daughters took us about three years ago, maybe four, back to Norfolk. And of course, Fleet Service School wasn't there anymore, which I knew it wouldn't be because they made that during the-- for the war. And-- but we toured the receiving station, which was right across-- well, a fence was in between, and that's what we got the tour. We couldn't get off the bus because it was after the New York affair [Editor's note: perhaps referring to 9/11] and-- but our chapel was still there. [Laughter]
William Feis [00:12:30] Is that right?
Dorothy Brashears [00:12:32] It was the only thing we noticed because it was in the receiving station. Our base didn't have a chapel. And so that was a wonderful memory.
William Feis [00:12:46] Well, that was great. I was going to ask you if you got to go back to Norfolk and you answered my question before I asked it. [Laughter] So, thank you.
Dorothy Brashears [00:12:51] Yeah, I always wanted to-- and I just--
William Feis [00:12:55] Well, that's great.
Dorothy Brashears [00:12:55] And they knew that. I guess that was one of our anniversaries that they decided to do it.
William Feis [00:13:02] Sounds like you have great kids.
Dorothy Brashears [00:13:03] Yeah.
William Feis [00:13:03] Well, that's all the questions I have. I want to thank you for sharing. It was delightful.
Dorothy Brashears [00:13:09] Okay. Thank you for putting up with me.
Dorothy Brashears [00:13:12] Oh, not a problem. There was no problem at all.
William Feis [00:00:00] Today is March 31st, 2011. We are interviewing Dorothy Brashears, and she is from Storm Lake, Iowa. First question I have: why did you decide to join the Navy?
Dorothy Brashears [00:00:19] Well-- My-- I had a friend. We were living in Des Moines, Iowa, and we were working there, and we just both decided that it was the thing to do. [Laughter] At that time.
William Feis [00:00:39] Did you see-- how did you hear about it? Did you see recruiting posters or--
Dorothy Brashears [00:00:45] Well, I guess when the ships were hit in Hawaii [Editor's note: Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor], I don't know, then we were kept up on the news and we used to-- I belonged to the YW-- the women's organization at the YMCA, and we used to go to Fort Dodge out at the camp. They'd haul us in the truck and we'd go to dances. And we just got enthused and decided it was what we should do.
William Feis [00:01:28] Were you glad when you went?
Dorothy Brashears [00:01:30] Yes, I-- I enjoyed it all.
William Feis [00:01:35] Did you go through training? Did they put you through training?
Dorothy Brashears [00:01:37] Yes.
William Feis [00:01:38] What was that like?
Dorothy Brashears [00:01:40] Well, it was like boot camp, I guess. It was at Hunter College New-- at the Bronx in New York. And oh, we did exercises and a lot of marching. [Laughter] And I'm-- I'm so short that I always carried the flag in front of the line. [Laughter] But it was this-- I-- you know, I can't remember a lot of things about it, and at that time, I didn't think to keep a journal. I don't know why I didn't, but I didn't.
William Feis [00:02:22] What sort of things did they-- they train you to do or what job did you have?
Dorothy Brashears [00:02:26] Well, I was the office-- I worked in-- at the Office of Look magazine in Des Moines. And so that's what I-- when they transferred after boot camp, they transferred me-- for me to Stillwater, Oklahoma. And it's like a stenographer. It was-- then I come out as a yeoman, and then I worked in the office.
William Feis [00:02:58] Did you-- what-- do you remember any experiences that-- that stick in your mind as you worked in the office and anything related to the war or just anything that comes to mind?
Dorothy Brashears [00:03:15] I don't know, I can't-- it-- I-- I don't know how to answer that. I don't know. I think we had-- I think I fared better than probably a lot of American citizens in their homes because we got delicious meals and didn't have to worry about stamps [Editor's note: referring to ration stamps]. So I don't know--
William Feis [00:03:48] Did you ever, being in the Navy, did you ever want to go out to sea on a ship? Did you ever think about wanting to do that? If they would have let you. Would you have--
Dorothy Brashears [00:04:00] Oh, I think I was happy just where I was. [Laughter]
William Feis [00:04:06] When-- when the war ended, do you remember how you felt or where you were when you heard when the war ended?
Dorothy Brashears [00:04:16] Well, I met my husband in the service. In fact, I was on duty in the library, and that's where I met him. And so we-- he was on a ship and he was there. And the next time, I guess he was there twice. Because the next time we got married in the Navy of the naval chapel, and I was stationed in Norfolk, Virginia, and that's where we got married. And then-- then I could get out of the Navy. So I got out in April, and the war was over in May.
William Feis [00:05:01] Now, I understand that a chaplain tried to talk you out of getting married.
Dorothy Brashears [00:05:07] Yes, he did. [Laughter] I'd like to-- My husband always said that he'd like to see him today and tell him we'd been married 66 years. [Laughter]
William Feis [00:05:20] Oh, that's great. When-- when you left the service-- when you left the Navy, did you-- did you have any desire to-- if they would have let you-- to stay in the Navy? Or were you done?
Dorothy Brashears [00:05:33] Well, I really never thought of that [Laughter] so I don't know how I would have felt at that time.
William Feis [00:05:43] True, true. Well, when did you get home?
Dorothy Brashears [00:05:44] When?
William Feis [00:05:45] When did you get home from the war? And what did you do after you--
Dorothy Brashears [00:05:52] Afterwards? Well, I went to my mother's, and then later I got home in, I think, in May, and he got a job, and I was a housewife. [Laughter]
William Feis [00:06:10] When you think back on your experience, what-- what do you think of as far as-- what are you most proud of-- of your--
Dorothy Brashears [00:06:18] My what?
[00:06:20] What are you proudest of, from your service? The time that you served in the Wave?
Dorothy Brashears [00:06:29] Well, I-- I don't know just what you mean.
William Feis [00:06:35] When you think about when you served-- are there-- is the sense of pride that you have, that you served-- when you-- when you think about what you did. What kind of things do you-- are you most proud of that you-- from your service that you--
Dorothy Brashears [00:06:54] Well, you know, when we came home, I don't know, we didn't talk about it. And I don't think other veterans ever did either. I never even thought of it. In fact, I've thought of it more in the last ten years here than-- and then I think back and realize what-- what I had done. But for years, I don't think we even talked to our children about it. And I don't think any others did either. I don't-- I often said to him, why was that? I--
William Feis [00:07:43] Do you have grandchildren?
Dorothy Brashears [00:07:45] I have-- we had four children, and I have, what, five-- six grandchildren. And one, two, three-- four-- four great. Let's see, three, four, five, five great-grandchildren.
William Feis [00:08:15] My. Do your grandchildren or your great-grandchildren, did they-- do they ask you about what you did?
Dorothy Brashears [00:08:20] Well, more so now. Our one grandson, he's-- was very interested in it. In fact, he has a lot of the things that Roy brought home, and he read books. And-- and then since we both went on the Honor Flight and then all our other great-grandsons-- well, they're all great-grandsons, five of them. And they wanted to know more. And we've talked more now than ever when our own children were growing up. And then a couple of the grandchildren had a-- I don't know, a semester or something of-- that was in-- that they studied about it. And of course, then they'd ask grandpa and grandma for all--.
William Feis [00:09:24] Sure.
Dorothy Brashears [00:09:26] --information for school.
William Feis [00:09:26] Sure. Now, you mentioned you went on the Honor Flight to Washington, DC?
Dorothy Brashears [00:09:31] Yes. Uh huh.
William Feis [00:09:33] Can you tell me a little bit about that?
Dorothy Brashears [00:09:35] Well, it was wonderful. It-- just something great. We left from Fort Dodge, Iowa, at 7:30 in the morning and-- and arrived back at 10:30 at night. [Laughter]
William Feis [00:09:55] That's a long day.
Dorothy Brashears [00:09:55] Then we first went, of course, to the World War II [memorial] and then we got to visit the others. And, oh, they fed us good. It was-- everybody so nice. When we got off at Washington, DC, they had a lot of volunteers, and I never got so many hugs and kisses and handshakes in my life. They were so good to us, and it was a wonderful day. Then we kinda toured all the things that we didn't stop to walk at, but we got to the Vietname and the Korea [memorials] and all those. Yes, it was-- it was fantastic. And then, of course, it was all World War II veterans, and it was just wonderful.
William Feis [00:10:58] What did you think of the World War II memorial when you saw it?
Dorothy Brashears [00:11:02] Oh, it's-- it's fantastic. It's-- yeah, it's-- it's wonderful.
William Feis [00:11:12] Well, that's all the questions I had.
Dorothy Brashears [00:11:14] OK. [Laughter]
William Feis [00:11:15] That wasn't too hard, was it?
Dorothy Brashears [00:11:16] No [Laughter], I guess I survived.
William Feis [00:11:19] You did survive. You did fantastic. And it was-- it was great to have you share that with us. And I'm glad people are asking you more about your experience because you have some-- some very interesting things to say.
Dorothy Brashears [00:11:31] Oh, I might say we've traveled a lot in our married life. We've been all over, and-- but we never hit Norfolk. And so our two daughters-- we went by car. The two daughters took us about three years ago, maybe four, back to Norfolk. And of course, Fleet Service School wasn't there anymore, which I knew it wouldn't be because they made that during the-- for the war. And-- but we toured the receiving station, which was right across-- well, a fence was in between, and that's what we got the tour. We couldn't get off the bus because it was after the New York affair [Editor's note: perhaps referring to 9/11] and-- but our chapel was still there. [Laughter]
William Feis [00:12:30] Is that right?
Dorothy Brashears [00:12:32] It was the only thing we noticed because it was in the receiving station. Our base didn't have a chapel. And so that was a wonderful memory.
William Feis [00:12:46] Well, that was great. I was going to ask you if you got to go back to Norfolk and you answered my question before I asked it. [Laughter] So, thank you.
Dorothy Brashears [00:12:51] Yeah, I always wanted to-- and I just--
William Feis [00:12:55] Well, that's great.
Dorothy Brashears [00:12:55] And they knew that. I guess that was one of our anniversaries that they decided to do it.
William Feis [00:13:02] Sounds like you have great kids.
Dorothy Brashears [00:13:03] Yeah.
William Feis [00:13:03] Well, that's all the questions I have. I want to thank you for sharing. It was delightful.
Dorothy Brashears [00:13:09] Okay. Thank you for putting up with me.
Dorothy Brashears [00:13:12] Oh, not a problem. There was no problem at all.
Original Format
DVCAM
Duration
0:13:15
Bit Rate/Frequency
80 kbps