Personal Narrative Film, Video Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing Audio Recording Frank Woodruff Buckles Collection

Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: World War, 1914-1918; World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Army
- Unit of Service: 1st Fort Riley Casual Detachment; 122nd Prisoner of War Escort Casualty Detachment Demobilization Group
- Location of Service: Philippines; United States; England; France; Germany
- Highest Rank: Corporal
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/1070
An underage but eager recruit, Frank Buckles lied to a military recruiter to get into the Army, then pestered his officers to be shipped out to France. He drove motorcycles, cars, and ambulances in England and France, and during the Occupation, he guarded German prisoners. Buckles eventually went to work for the White Star steamship line and was in Manila on business in December 1941 when the Japanese attacked. He spent over three years as a prisoner at the city's University of Santo Tomas. His collection includes two interviews, given when he was 100 and 103 years old. As of May 2007, Buckles was still among a handful of surviving World War I veterans.
Interview / Recording
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PlayInterest in joining the military; lying about his age to get into the Army; training in makeshift trenches under British officers. 00:01:35.7 - 00:07:00.0
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PlayHis claim that he was a bank clerk almost landed him an office job with the Army, but he was assigned to drive around visiting VIPs in a motorcycle sidebar or in a car; three buddies getting into trouble. 00:13:07.8 - 00:17:34.4
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Interview / Recording
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Interview / Recording
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Secondary Video Interview
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Frank Woodruff Buckles Collection
Interview / Recording
Transcript
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PlayShipping out to England on the Carpathia, ship which rescued survivors of the Titanic; pestering officers to get assigned to duty in France. 00:05:18.7 - 00:08:34.2
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PlayFrench soldiers were spirited, though they were paid little for their service. 00:12:28.0 - 00:13:15.4
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PlayGoing through the mess line a second time and giving his food to French children. 00:14:33.3 - 00:15:39.2
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PlayTaking prisoners back to Germany on a train; getting some exercise when the train stopped, he missed his coach car and had to ride in a freight car with the prisoners; years later in Brazil, meeting a man who was also in that car. 00:17:13.2 - 00:19:21.5
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PlayGetting leave in France; using cigarettes as currency; staying at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Biarritz; taking extra time and being charged with going AWOL; punishment waived by an envious noncom. 00:23:54.1 - 00:29:47.5
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PlayGuarding German prisoners; recalling only the pleasant incidents; a lone American taking prisoners out on work detail, the guard getting drunk during the day and the prisoners carrying him back to camp in a wheelbarrow. 00:36:58.2 - 00:39:53.0
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PlayReadjustment to civilian life; accustomed to being treated as an adult, even though he was still 18, so he struck out on his own; given only small consideration as a veteran. 00:40:13.8 - 00:42:09.0
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PlayGetting a medal from the president of France in 1999; written up in Life magazine; meeting another WWI veteran at an event in Oregon organized by a high school teacher named Buckles. 00:45:26.2 - 00:49:21.9
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PlayAttending business school with other vets, many of them supported by the government; few could afford to buy civilian shirts, so they wore farm overalls. 00:57:00.0 - 00:58:28.0
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PlayWorking for the White Star steamship line in the 1930s and 1940s; in the Philippines when the Japanese attacked in December 1941; taken prisoner and held for over 3 years. 01:13:09.0 - 01:25:34.0
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PlayMaking a choice to avoid the military after the war; going into a war understanding the big picture; the sense of abandonment felt by people in the Orient during WWII, when the U.S. was concentrating on Europe. 01:26:39.0 - 01:30:41.0
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About this Item
Title
- Frank Woodruff Buckles Collection
Names
- Buckles, Frank Woodruff
- McMillen, Liz
Home State
- West Virginia
Headings
- - Buckles, Frank Woodruff
- - World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Army.
- - World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal Narratives
- - Prisoner of War -- United States
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Male
Status
- veteran
Service History
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World War, 1914-1918
- Branch of Service: Army
- Unit of Service: 1st Fort Riley Casual Detachment; 122nd Prisoner of War Escort Casualty Detachment Demobilization Group
- Location of Service: United States; England; France; Germany
- Highest Rank: Corporal
- Dates of Service: 1917-1919
- Entrance into Service: Enlisted
- Military Status: veteran
- Service History Note: The veteran lied about his age and joined the army at 16. He served as an ambulance driver. After the Armistice, Veteran was with a prisoner of war (POW) Escort company returning prisoners back to Germany.
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World War, 1939-1945
- Location of Service: Philippines
- Prisoner of War: Yes
- Military Status: civilian
- Service History Note: The veteran was a prisoner of war (POW) as a civilian in the Philippines for a year in Santo Tomas and two years at Los Banos. He was traveling abroad for his shipping business at the time of his capture.
Materials
- Manuscript: Printed matter [1 item] -- Typewritten document (collected 2008-03-06)
- Manuscript: Transcript [1 item] -- Transcription of audio recording (collected 2001-12-19)
- Manuscript: Military papers (orders, personnel/201 files, etc) [7 items] -- Typewritten document (collected 1919-1920)
- Manuscript: Biographical information [1 item] -- Typewritten document (collected unknown)
- Audio: Audio Cassette [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2001-12-19)
- Photograph: Mixed (Multiple types of photographs) [3 items] -- Photograph (collected 1917)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/1070
Cite as
- Frank Woodruff Buckles Collection (AFC/2001/001/1070), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- online text
- image
- audio
- video
Additional Metadata Formats
IIIF Presentation Manifest
Part of
Wars & Conflicts
Service Branch
Location of Service
Service Unit
- 122nd Prisoner of War Escort Casualty Detachment Demobilization Group
- 1st Fort Riley Casual Detachment