Dean Oggel Oral History

Authors

St. Cloud State University

Document Type

Interview

Publication Date

6-14-1990

Abstract

Biographical Information:

Dean Oggel was born on December 10, 1914 in Maurice, Iowa, to Herman and Maude Oggel. During World War II, Oggel served in the Army from 1942 to 1946. He was first assigned as a medic in the China-Burma Theater then transferred to be a correspondent for Yank, the Army weekly magazine. After the war, Oggel worked for the Sioux City Journal until 1974, then worked for the St. Cloud Daily Times from 1974 to 1976. In 1937, Oggel graduated from the University of Iowa with a bachelor of arts degree and certificate in journalism. He married Inez Shibley on April 20, 1941 and they had two children, James and Mark. Oggel died on November 11, 1998.

Transcript Summary:

In an interview conducted on June 14, 1990, Dean Oggel described his experiences in the Army during World War II. Oggel was drafted in 1942 and initially being assigned to be a medic. Oggel recounted his experience training as a medic. After training, Oggel shipped out to India and was assigned to the 234^th General Hospital in Upper Assam near the Burma border. He was assigned to payroll while at the hospital, after some time he got the opportunity to transfer over to Yank magazine in Calcutta. Here Oggel described his time with Yank magazine for the rest of the war. He went on several missions as a journalist with Yank magazine, including an attempt to return a downed bomber and following the Merrill’s Marauders unit. Oggel also remembered housing and environmental conditions while in Calcutta and entertainment and interactions with the local people and the British. Oggel also described the end of the war and coming home. Finally Oggel ended the interview explaining his views about Vietnam War and his feelings regarding men who dodged the draft.

Comments

Image ID: 14280

See additional files below for full transcript.

Recommended Citation

St. Cloud State University, "Dean Oggel Oral History" (1990). World War II Veterans. 32.
https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/worldwar_oh/32