In 2014 and 2015, Newton campus faculty, staff, and students of its Court Reporting program, partnered with local videographers, interviewers, and professional Iowa court reporters to interview over 30 Iowa veterans of the armed forces. This initiative was part of the Library of Congress's Veterans History Project. Additional information about this program can be found at the Library of Congress.
-
Elleen Wheatley
DMACC
Elleen Wheatley grew up in Osceola, Iowa and worked in an ordinance plant in Burlington, Iowa early in the Second World War. When her husband joined the US Infantry, Wheatley enlisted in the Marine Corps Women’s Reserve in 1943 and went into training at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. After training, she was sent to Mojave Air Base in southern California and worked in the office of the quartermaster for over 2 years, reaching the rank of corporal. Wheatley discusses the social life at Camp Lejeune and Mojave Air Base, living conditions and accommodations at different bases, and speaks about the benefits of serving in the Marine Corps and the GI Bill. Wheatley concludes the interview by discussing her family history and her life after returning home from service in 1945.