Interview of Dorothy M. Harrison on her service in the American Red Cross during WWII
In a 1983 oral history interview, Dorothy M. Harrison talks about her childhood in Royal Oak, MI, attending the University of Michigan and her service in the American Red Cross during World War Two. Harrison says she volunteered for the ARC in late 1942 and after receiving their training, her unit was shipped to Europe as part of a forty-ship convoy which was attacked by a German submarine during the crossing. Harrison also talks about opening a service club with the 93rd Heavy Bombardment Group in Hardwick, England, moving to the 337th General Service Engineers and later to the 363rd Photo Reconnaissance Group as part of the push across Germany as the war ended. She describes her quarters, her duties, celebrating Christmas with the troops during the Battle of the Bulge, struggling to get the equipment and supplies she needed to keep the clubs running, and the sexual harassment she experienced. Harrison says that she returned to the U.S. in September 1945, resumed her career as a librarian and married and moved with her husband to Louisville, KY to raise a family.
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- In Collections
-
Women's Overseas Service League Oral History Project
- Copyright Status
- In Copyright
- Date
- 1983
- Interviewees
-
Harrison, Dorothy M. (Dorothy McDonald), 1914-2004
- Contributors
-
University of Texas at San Antonio. Libraries
- Subjects
-
Harrison, Dorothy M. (Dorothy McDonald), 1914-2004
American National Red Cross
University of Michigan
Battle of the Ardennes (1944-1945)
World War (1939-1945)
Christmas
Learning and scholarship
Military participation--Female
Sexual harassment
Soldiers--Recreation
War work--Red Cross
Belgium
England
- Material Type
-
Sound recordings
Interviews
- Language
-
English
- Extent
- 01:30:21
- Holding Institution
-
Vincent Voice Library
- Call Number
- Voice 35143
- Catalog Record
- http://catalog.lib.msu.edu/record=b11872588
- Permalink
- https://n2t.net/ark:/85335/m55m5k