View a promotional video for In Their Own Words: Voices of Our Veterans
View video interviews of veterans
Bob Konrardy never had discussed with his family the battle wound that ended his participation in the Vietnam War more than 40 years ago.
"I don't think I ever would," the Davenport war veteran told St. Ambrose senior Shelby Steger of the mortar shrapnel that pierced his back in a distant jungle in southeast Asia. "I don't want them to hear how I almost died."
Konrardy and eight fellow veterans of United States wars ranging from World War II to the most recent conflicts in the Middle East readily shared many of their most harrowing experiences with Steger and fellow KALA-FM (88.5) senior intern Shelby Shepherd during interviews this past summer.
The St. Ambrose Communication Department and KALA, the public radio station at St. Ambrose, will share those stories with the public on Nov. 11, Veteran's Day, through a special 90-minute program, In Their Own Words: Voices of Our Veterans.
A listening party and reception for the 7 p.m. program will be held that evening in the Rogalski Center Ballroom.
Konrardy, World War II veterans Herb Wood and Joe Walton '50, Korean War veterans Robert Fitts and Joyce Steingraber, Vietnam War veterans Curt Leslie and Patrick "Rick" Gillespie '73 and Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans Amy Hess and Michael Leal '14 are expected to attend. There as well will be Steger, Shepherd and fellow seniors Mitchell Widmeier and Alyson Blech, who each wrote a segment of the special program.
Steger, a senior majoring in Radio/TV production and journalism from Kewanee, Ill., said she gained a new perspective on veterans and the military as a result of her interview experiences.
"These interviews changed me in a way," said the 2014 SAU Homecoming queen. "These men and women opened up to us and let us into their lives for a few hours. They expressed the smell of war, the sounds, the scenery. It is amazing how these veterans opened up to us, told us the funny moments of war and, for some, the moment they thought their lives were over. I want to hug every veteran I see now."
Johnna (Klossing) Kerres '09, a production specialist for the Communication Center, said In Their Own Words grew from a class project initiated by Larry Skillin, PhD, an assistant professor of history, and Alan Sivell, an assistant professor of communications.
Kerres, KALA Operations Manager David Baker '88 and Ken Colwell '73 , PhD, a communications professor and director of the Communication Center, discussed capturing additional veterans stories as part of a senior internship.
Andrew Gates '11, the St. Ambrose coordinator of veterans recruitment and services and an Iraq War veteran himself, aided the project.
"I am absolutely proud of the St. Ambrose community for embracing a project like this," Gates said. "It sends a positive message to the veterans community that the students at St. Ambrose are interested in their stories."
Interested and impacted. Steger said she long will remember how three veterans independently shared that the hour between 2 and 3 each morning was their most fearful while in a combat zone and that, years beyond battle, "nights are still a problem for most."
She also won't forget new friendships, including one with Wood, the 92-year-old WWII Navy fighter pilot who still was flying small aircraft until recently.
"Before I left, Herb shook my hand and said, ‘If you ever want to be my co-pilot, let me know and we can go fly,'" she said. "To me, Herb is a hero."
Pictures and additional video interviews of veterans can be found in the coming weeks at sau.edu/KALA
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