Veterans' Voices: Untold Stories
Series produced by Ampers
Memories and stories from Minnesota Veterans
Memories and stories from Minnesota Veterans. Made possible with support from the MN Arts and Cultural Heritage fund.
30 Pieces
December 2012, Stephen Rocheford asked a senior officer if the army would advertise for LGBTQ recruits in his magazine Lavender. The Army gave it a...
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Lina Knox, Minnesota National Guard, spent her first deployment at Balad Air Base in Iraq. The base had a nickname – Mortaritaville – because of th...
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Ron Brodigan (Navy 1959-60) talks about how difficult it was to grab a nap aboard his aircraft carrier. Here’s Britt Aamodt.
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Richard Ekholm served aboard an aircraft carrier that housed 5,300 Navy and Marines. This was during the Vietnam War, when service members were cou...
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In Vietnam, Louis Hubbell’s Air Force job was to repair the autopilot system. Sometimes he’d hitch a ride with the Army into town for some R&R. Her...
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Iraq War vet Davalance DePoe talks about PTSD and the healing he’s found through the VA and his spiritual practices. Here’s Britt Aamodt.
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When Dennis Krivinchuk returned from Vietnam, he didn’t talk about his service. Vets were being labeled baby killers. Having a daughter changed his...
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After she was discharged from the Air Force for being gay, Cindy Strange decided to go on with her life. Then the military repealed Don’t Ask, Don’...
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Stephen Rocheford never told anyone he was gay. But his superior officer, after promoting him to staff officer, said Rocheford was the best man for...
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In 2007-08, Lina Knox was on deployment overseas. She was stationed with the Minnesota National Guard. In her free time, she also finished the seni...
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Fran White entered the US Army in 1969. She worked for a colonel, who was particular about red pens. She also did a lot of latrine duty. But her ti...
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Ron Brodigan (Navy 1959-60) and his fellow crewmembers spent months at sea aboard the USS Intrepid, visiting ports in Spain and Cuba. Here’s Britt ...
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For his entire four and a half years in the Marines, John Hill was stationed at Camp Pendleton, California. That’s where he learned how important t...
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Even though the military didn’t want gays to serve, they served anyway. Lina Knox was surprised to find dozens of LGBTQ service members in her firs...
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With the 82nd Airborne, Davalance DePoe participated in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. His unit secured three bridges during the Battle of Samawah. Her...
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Stephen Rocheford encountered a Soviet terrorist gang at his base in Germany. They cut the wires and were attempting to sneak their way on base whe...
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Army veteran Dennis Krivinchuk recounts his tour in Vietnam, fighting the North Vietnamese Army in the A Shau Valley and Con Thien. Here’s Britt Aa...
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Ron Brodigan was part of the maintenance division aboard the USS Intrepid in 1959. He discusses the man facets of his office job aboard ship. Here’...
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Lina Knox met a sassy sergeant on a deployment in Iraq. Years later, she connected with her on Facebook. And now that sassy sergeant is her wife. H...
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Cindy Strange had a girlfriend in the military. But she didn’t tell anyone. It was the era of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. She didn’t want to get kicked...
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