Rating |
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Title |
Oral history interview of Braswell Brue Deen, Jr. |
Creator-Interviewer |
Marr, Christine |
Creator-Interviewee |
Deen, Braswell Drue, Jr., 1925- |
Description |
In this interview, Braswell Deen describes his early life, his career in the Marine Corps, as a lawyer, judge and mediator. He recalls his childhood as the son of a college president and U.S. Congressman, living in Washington six months a year. After graduation, he and his sister both worked building Liberty Ships in Brunswick. He wanted to join the Army Air Forces but was told he was too tall. The Marine Corps sent him from Atlanta to New Orleans and then to San Diego for basic training. He traveled by ship, experienced a crossing the equator ceremony, to New Caledonia, where he experienced 30-mile hikes, milk shakes of goats milk and courses in Japanese language and weaponry. He trained as a BAR man, and was often point man because of his height. He discusses losing 80% of his unit in the Battle of Pelileu. He details his daily life in the Marines, the sights and sounds of battle, and his duties within his unit. During the Battle of Okinawa he was wounded by mortar, operated on underground, and sent back to hospitals in Guam, Hawaii, San Diego, San Francisco and Charleston. After the war was over, he was discharged and was in college in two weeks. He was President of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, and successfully ran for the Georgia legislature, and helped pass the 1953 Georgia Women's Jury Bill. |
Geographic Location |
Atlanta (Ga.) McRae (Ga.) Alma (Ga.) Brunswick (Ga.) Washington (D.C.) New Caledonia Guadalcanal (Solomon Islands) Pavuvu Island (Solomon Islands) Shurijō (Naha-shi, Japan) United States--Armed Forces--Leaves and furloughs |
Subject |
Browning Automatic Rifle Peleliu, Battle of, Palau, 1944 World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Japan--Okinawa Island Seppuku |
Personal Name |
Deen, Jean Buie Deen, 1924-2000 Deen, Braswell Drue, Sr., 1893-1981 Deen, Mildred Louise, 1924- Deen, Marie Jones Lovell Sanders, Carl, 1925-2014 Hope, Bob, 1903-2003 Langford, Julia Frances, 1915-2005 Miller, Zell, 1932- Jones, Barry |
Corporate Name |
United States. Army--Equipment and supplies University of Georgia Emory University South Georgia Methodist College (McRae, Ga.) Boy Scouts of America United States. Marine Corps. Marine Division, 1st United States. Marine Corps. Marine Regiment, 1st. Battalion, 3rd Pi Kappa Alpha |
Keywords |
Hara-kiri; Suicide |
Date Original |
2004 Mar 9 |
Date Digital |
2014 |
Type |
MovingImage |
Format |
Video |
Analog Format |
MiniDV |
Digital format |
mov |
Extent |
1:00:15 |
Catalogue Number |
VIS 201.0108 |
Collection |
Veterans History Project oral history recordings |
Related Collections |
Veterans History Project collection, MSS 1010, Kenan Research Center, Atlanta History Center |
Publisher |
Kenan Research Center, Atlanta History Center, 130 West Paces Ferry Rd., Atlanta, GA 30305 |
Rights |
This material is protected by copyright law. (Title 17, U.S. Code) Permission for use must be cleared through the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center. Licensing agreement may be required. |
Notes |
Braswell Deen was a Marine in the Pacific during WWII |
Source |
https://www.youtube.com/embed/ppwoTV9cfrk |