The Stories Behind the Cases: How Oral Histories Bring History to Life

When working on our George H.W. Bush Gallery, our task was to reinvent how visitors view and interact with our oral histories. Our solution was to pull striking quotes from various oral histories and display them directly within the exhibit cases. These quotes serve as dramatic entry points into the oral histories while also drawing attention to the broader context of the gallery. As for the design behind these quotes, the etched text is meant to represent them as whispers or echoes from the past reaching out to our audiences.

When do we add oral histories to a gallery, and why? There are two main reasons. First, oral histories help tell the stories behind specific battles and events for which we lack supporting artifacts. Second, they allow us to highlight events where objects were likely not saved.

An example of adding stories to a battle where we lack object support is our Battle for Leyte section. The gallery divides the campaign into the Battle of Leyte Gulf (the naval battle) and the Battle of Leyte (the land battle), which were fought simultaneously in October 1944. Although the overall Battle of Leyte lasted longer, the Battle of Leyte Gulf is considered the largest naval battle in history and, as a result, often overshadows the land campaign in both historical narratives and museum collections.

The quote used in the land invasion section comes from Harvey Webb, a sergeant in the 96th Infantry Division who landed during the first wave of the invasion. Webb's oral history vividly recalls the brutal combat conditions on Leyte and the courage displayed by the men alongside whom he fought. In particular, he remembered Medal of Honor recipient Ova A. Kelley, who single-handedly silenced a Japanese machine-gun nest that threatened their company. Webb recalled:

So if it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t be here talking to you.

This dramatic oral history not only provides greater detail about the Leyte land invasion, but the quote itself draws attention to Ova A. Kelley's Medal of Honor story. Too often, sacrifice is discussed broadly in terms of collective service and abstract ideals of freedom. Here, however, the action and its consequences are described in deeply personal terms by someone whose life was directly saved by Kelley's heroism, making the story unforgettable.

An example of using oral histories to highlight events for which few artifacts exist can be found in the Okinawa Gallery. This concept of object not being available may be strange to our audience. Our collection is primarily donation-based, with very few purchased artifacts. In theory, there should be an object for every topic in the war; however, the realities of warfare often make it difficult, or even impossible, to acquire artifacts

One challenge I frequently encounter while working at the museum involves events early in the war, such as the defeats on Wake Island, Bataan, and Corregidor. In these situations, Allied soldiers were either killed in large numbers or taken prisoner. Preserving personal items from a previous battle was often neither a priority nor a possibility. Likewise, because so much of the Pacific War was fought at sea, many of its most poignant stories now rest at the bottom of the ocean. There is only so far a curator can go.

One example of this in our gallery is the Japanese and Okinawan civilian suicides during the Battle of Okinawa. In the Okinawa Gallery, visitors hear from Willard Frank, who served as a Motor Machinist's Mate Third Class aboard the USS Lindenwald during the invasion. Frank witnessed these events firsthand and recalled:

Some of the Japanese was jumping head first off this cliff.

Okinawa was the site of several mass suicides both for civilians and soldiers. These deaths reflected Japan’s determination to resist surrender and defend the homeland at all costs. Several factors may have influenced civilian suicides, including military propaganda that heightened fears of American forces, military orders, and the Imperial Japanese doctrine that encouraged dying for the Emperor rather than surrendering.

The civilian suicides in Okinawa provide important insight into the mindset of Imperial Japan during the final stages of the war. This perception of Japanese resistance influenced U.S. military planning, including considerations surrounding a proposed invasion of Japan and the eventual decision to use atomic bombs. Although few physical artifacts remain, presenting this topic in greater depth helps audiences understand both Japanese wartime ideology and the factors that shaped American efforts to bring the war to an end.

We have nine oral histories featured in our gallery, and many of them reflect the selection process philosophy described above. Can you identify which ones? Visit the George H.W. Bush Gallery to explore the exhibits and find out. If you're unable to visit the museum in person, you can also browse our oral history collection online through the Portal to Texas History.