00:00:02.500 - 00:00:16.940

[laughter] Well, we've got a black tub out there for him. He chases, or runs after Larry all the time. He thinks Larry and the feed truck and that gator out there is his.

00:00:17.300 - 00:00:30.680

So he chases them or runs them all the time. And so then he comes in and he actually does go in like that now. Head first in that tub. Then he sleeps on it, or he doesn't sleep in it, but he'll lay down in it.

00:00:31.300 - 00:00:57.140

Okay, I'm going to start off, Miriam. I'm Deanie Parrish, and we're in the home of Miriam Anderson in Eureka, Kansas. Miriam was WASP and graduated with Class 44W4, and today is July 12, 2001. I'm the cheerleader! Okay, Miriam, if you'll just tell us your name, where you were born, and when you were

00:00:57.360 - 00:01:07.980

born, if you want to tell us. My name is Miriam Anderson, better known as Roby. I was born in Eureka, Kansas in 1921. What's your birthday?

00:01:08.600 - 00:01:14.480

July 12th. Okay. Who were your parents? Lilda and Elwin Roby.

00:01:14.760 - 00:01:21.580

Okay. What did your dad—tell me about your dad, Miriam. I don't really know too much. He was a Texas Ranger.

00:01:22.280 - 00:01:32.720

He and another one were captured by Pancho Villa one time. But how they got out or anything, I don't know. Levy: Okay. Where was he stationed as a Ranger?

00:01:33.210 - 00:01:42.760

Steele: I don't know. Down there near the border someplace. Levy: Okay. But how old were you when he—did he die?

00:01:42.880 - 00:01:46.560

Was he killed? Steele: He had cancer. He died. Levy: Okay.

00:01:46.710 - 00:01:52.440

Steele: Yeah, in '58. Levy: Okay. His first name was what? Elwin.

00:01:52.820 - 00:02:03.760

Elwin. Then, where did your mother—you were born here in Eureka, so your dad was here at that time, right? Yeah, he was born in Eureka.

00:02:05.980 - 00:02:21.420

Mom was born in Iowa, so I've forgotten where. How old were you when he died? Well, it was 58 when he died. And then what did your mom do?

00:02:22.840 - 00:02:35.340

Just housewife. Okay. What are your earliest remembrances of your childhood? Jumping off the garage roof thinking I'm going to make a parachute jump.

00:02:35.780 - 00:02:44.520

Always ending up with a sprained ankle. Do you remember the first airplane you ever saw? Ever saw? Uh-huh.

00:02:45.420 - 00:03:12.800

when I was in school, Miss Harris Florida School for Girls, uh-huh. Some of us flew over to Cuba in a clipper. That was the first time I'd been up. How old were you then? I was a junior in high school. Okay, let's go back and start with your childhood. Where did you start school?

00:03:14.300 - 00:03:27.400

In Ms. Cushman's school down in Miami. Ms. Cushman's school. But you were born in Eureka and then you moved to Miami? Yeah, my grandfather had heart trouble and so they said that we should go to Florida.

00:03:28.200 - 00:03:38.900

I was six months old. And so we went down every winter after that. So during the winter you went to school in Florida. And then what did you do in the summertime?

00:03:39.620 - 00:04:05.400

back up here and then we'd go to Colorado or Canada, but usually I up here and then Dad had to take care of the ranches, so a lot of times I'd go with him. When you were in school, in elementary school, do you remember any of your teachers? Miss Harrison is the only one I remember. Okay. Did you have siblings?

00:04:06.900 - 00:04:16.840

My sister, Markie. Is she older or younger? Younger. When you would come back up for the summer times,

00:04:17.420 - 00:04:28.640

how did you spend that summer? Would you spend it on the ranch? Well, I never lived on the ranch until I got married. We'd go down to one of the ranches or go to one of the ranches

00:04:29.260 - 00:04:43.720

and work cattle or something like that. So I'd always help. I started when I was in my early teens helping. This particular ranch where you live now, has this been in your family?

00:04:43.920 - 00:05:09.600

This was in my husband's family for, I don't know how, it was early 30s I think when they got it. Where was your father's ranch in relationship to this ranch? There's one about 18 miles northeast. There's one up by Topeka. There's one over Gridley.

00:05:09.700 - 00:05:33.240

I guess that's about 20, 30 miles. And one down south about 26 miles. When you were a child, tell me what a Christmas was like at your house. Gosh, I don't know. It was just kind of maybe a little wild sometimes. I don't know. Did you have a Christmas tree?

00:05:33.800 - 00:05:38.340

Pardon? Did you have a Christmas tree? Oh yeah, yeah. Did you help decorate?

00:05:40.320 - 00:05:56.000

Well, I don't know if you'd call decorating or not, but yeah. Can you describe decorations that's been many years ago? Oh, just lights and bulbs, I guess. I don't remember. Do you ever remember making things for the tree?

00:05:56.460 - 00:06:03.600

No. No. Okay. In growing up, tell me about your grandparents.

00:06:05.580 - 00:06:24.020

Well my grandparents moved from Iowa to Gridley, Kansas and bought a farm there and then Granddad hit oil, and so he made enough money to buy all the rest of the ranches, outside of this one. Kelly: Okay.

00:06:24.320 - 00:06:32.200

Was that your dad's mother and dad? Litz: No, my mom. Kelly: Your mom. How about your father's mother and dad?

00:06:32.200 - 00:06:43.580

Litz: I did not know them at all. They both passed away long before I was born. Kelly: Do you remember spending time with your other grandparents? Litz: My grandmother.

00:06:43.580 - 00:06:51.120

I don't my grandfather, but I do my grandmother. Describe your grandmother. Pardon? What was your grandmother like?

00:06:52.340 - 00:07:05.620

Kind of ornery. She bought me a motorcycle. How old were you then? Oh, seventeen, eighteen, something like that, seventeen I think.

00:07:08.800 - 00:07:26.240

She was pretty good as far as me wanting anything, and she bought me a car. Well my sis and me, we were always fighting who was going to drive it. So she took it away and then just bought each one of us one. That's the one I had down in Sweetwater.

00:07:26.980 - 00:07:53.620

-Oh, okay. In Florida, how far did you go to school in Florida before you moved back to Kansas? -Oh, I graduated. -Okay. Then let's talk about junior high school. Did you go to the same junior high? -No, after sixth grade I went to Miss Harris Florida School for Girls. That's what everybody laughs at when I say that. -Was that a religious background school? -No.

00:07:53.980 - 00:08:18.720

It was just a private school. Do you know why your parents wanted you to go to a girls school? Well, I had several surgeries and I couldn't climb stairs and just jump off roofs. But I couldn't climb stairs and do a lot of stuff, so that's the reason they put me in private school and then we just kept on. Okay. Did your sis go to the same school?

00:08:20.400 - 00:08:32.820

Yeah, she went all the way too. When you were in junior high school, what were your ambitions? Fly, I guess. Okay, but at that time you had not been up in an airplane?

00:08:33.440 - 00:08:48.940

No, no. I think I was a junior in high school before, and we flew to Cuba. Okay. I'm going to ask you about that in a minute. In junior high, then to go to high school, did you change schools? It was all in one school.

00:08:48.980 - 00:09:12.440

In high school, what was your favorite subject? Time to get out. Do you remember any special teacher? No, well, the one that he was the captain of the sailboat and he taught us to sail and stuff like that.

00:09:13.810 - 00:09:19.540

He was my favorite. - Yeah, in high school you were still in a private school? - Mm-hmm. - Okay.

00:09:20.140 - 00:09:35.840

- It was on the bay down in Miami. - Okay, and growing up, who were your role models? - I don't think I had any really. - Okay, let's talk about the trip that you took.

00:09:38.360 - 00:09:59.740

Do you know why did you take that particular trip? Was it just a fun? - To Cuba? Cuba. All the school just had it that so many of us could go and I thought I'd like to go so I went. What did you do when you got to Cuba? I don't really

00:09:59.920 - 00:10:24.300

remember too much about it. It wasn't with the whole fun group. We did hit sloppy Joe's bedroom. Do you think that particular trip is what really started your— No, even when I was in grade school, I'd build model planes out of balsa wood and stuff,

00:10:25.540 - 00:10:39.380

get kits. Did you know that any women flew? Had you ever heard of— - Okay, when you were in high school,

00:10:39.540 - 00:10:52.720

what were your social activities like? - I'd go home and fish, 'cause we lived on the bay, and just things like that.

00:10:53.580 - 00:11:04.960

- What was your dad doing in Miami? - He'd go deep sea fishing. - But as far as his job, what did he do? - Nothing, he'd just come back up here when we had to

00:11:04.960 - 00:11:20.560

and check the ranches and check cattle and stuff. - How was your mom involved? Or was she in things that you did at school? - Well, I don't know.

00:11:22.740 - 00:11:28.480

'Cause I'd never tell her anything. - Okay. - I never wanted her to know if I was gonna be doing something.

00:11:29.980 - 00:11:41.420

- Did you have, were you involved in any kind of sports in school? Just basketball and sailing. - And basketball, were you on a team?

00:11:41.900 - 00:11:54.480

- No, it was just a bunch of us playing. - How many graduated with you from high school? - Oh, might've been 10. It was a small school.

00:11:55.360 - 00:12:20.880

- Did you have a prom or any of that type thing? - Well, we had class parties that we went to. Did you make lasting friendships from that school that you still have? No. I heard from one gal when I was stationed in Eden that was down there and she was in the waves.

00:12:21.550 - 00:12:43.440

And I heard from her and that's the only one. Before you graduated from high school, did you know what you were going to do when you finished high school? Did you have any ambitions as far as going on to college? Well, they wanted me to go to college, but they wouldn't let me fly, so I wouldn't

00:12:43.440 - 00:13:01.220

go to college. Tell me how you got started flying. How did you get started flying yourself? I went over to Wichita to Rodden Brothers and started taking lessons over there.

00:13:01.780 - 00:13:09.540

- Which ties how far from your region? - About 60 miles. - And how would you get over to which to? - Drive over or ride my motorcycle.

00:13:13.000 - 00:13:17.580

All right, Caesar, I don't want to shake hands. Now go on. Go on. - Okay.

00:13:17.660 - 00:13:22.400

- Go over and see Aunt Betty. - Come over here. Come on, get over here. They're orange.

00:13:22.720 - 00:13:25.340

- Okay. - We gotta get this on tape. Wait a minute. - Ouch.

00:13:26.160 - 00:13:30.140

Well, you did that. - Give a smile for the camera, Caesar. - Huh? - On camera, Caesar.

00:13:31.840 - 00:13:41.700

(laughing) - That's all right, okay. - Now don't paw, you just split my arm. - How did you find an instructor to teach a girl to fly?

00:13:42.660 - 00:13:50.980

- Oh, it just went over there. My dad went with me naturally. - What is the first airplane you flew? What kind?

00:13:51.080 - 00:14:04.980

- J3. - Tell me about your first solo. Well, I surprised myself and I surprised the instructor because I'd read enough and everything.

00:14:05.010 - 00:14:18.520

I pretty much knew what I did and I made a smooth landing. And he couldn't believe it. And he told me to hit the wet spot that was down there, a little puddle, and I hit it.

00:14:18.820 - 00:14:28.980

Then he got mad. - How often would you drive over to Wichita to take lessons? Oh gosh, I don't remember.

00:14:31.680 - 00:14:39.120

Go on, George. - At the time you were taking lessons. - Is he out of sight? - Yes.

00:14:40.020 - 00:14:44.420

- But now you got a tail going. - Just tell George to move. - He's gonna sit down, he's fine. We're rolling.

00:14:48.080 - 00:15:07.640

- When you first learned to fly, what year was that? - I think it was '42. Let me go back for a minute and ask you where you were and what you remember about Pearl Harbor. Well, I think I was here in Eureka.

00:15:09.380 - 00:15:27.540

No, let's say that was '41. Yeah, because I graduated in '40. Yeah, so I was here in Eureka. That was the first year that I stayed up here for part of the winter. And did your folks still live, have a home in Florida? - Yeah, they sold it when I was stationed in Enid

00:15:27.720 - 00:15:38.160

because my sister was married and they knew that she wouldn't be coming back and I wouldn't be coming back, so they sold it. - Did your mom and dad want you,

00:15:38.430 - 00:15:47.100

instead of flying, maybe to go on to school? - Like Smith or something like that? Now that would have been a laugh. - Yeah.

00:15:48.540 - 00:16:10.900

Did you just, did you enjoy school? - No. - No. I hated school. As far as other things other than basketball, did you enjoy music or speech or drama?

00:16:10.980 - 00:16:21.960

Oh heavens no. Speech? You've got to be kidding. How do you think Pearl Harbor?

00:16:22.840 - 00:16:35.540

What changed in America after Pearl Harbor? Well, everybody I knew seemed to be going in the Army or Air Force or something like that. And I went in CAP.

00:16:36.980 - 00:16:45.360

Okay. What is CAP? Civil Air Patrol. What did you do with CAP?

00:16:46.340 - 00:17:02.580

I was transportation officer and pilot. And what kind of airplanes were you flying in? J3. Levy-Goulet: When did you first hear about women going into training to be military pilots?

00:17:02.730 - 00:17:21.600

Steele: One of the gals, well, my CO in the Civil Air Patrol was going in. In fact, she was in 43-5. She was a good friend, so some of the gals got in before I did. I think five of us went in.

00:17:23.280 - 00:17:37.860

What did your mother think about your flying? I don't think she was really for it, but she knew I was going to do it, so she just let it go at that. But then after I got my wings, very proud.

00:17:39.300 - 00:17:53.060

And your dad? Oh, he was busting at the seams. When you heard about this training, did you apply immediately? No.

00:17:55.580 - 00:18:12.120

It was whenever W-5, 43 W-5 graduated, I went down and then Cochran interviewed me. Okay. Where did you go for that interview? Right there in the ad building, there on the field.

00:18:12.840 - 00:18:23.440

In Wichita? No. Avenger. I was down there for the graduation. Okay. And she was down there for that. Okay. Tell me about that interview.

00:18:24.780 - 00:18:39.380

What were your thoughts when you met her? How did she treat you? She treated me fine. Just asked me lots of questions is all. Can you describe her? Pardon?

00:18:39.700 - 00:19:01.380

Can you describe Cochran? Well she seemed to be very pleasant. >> And then what did you do after the interview? What was your next step? >> I came back home and then I had orders to report to PICA there, Force Base there, for my physical. >> Want to tell us about that physical?

00:19:01.460 - 00:19:22.840

>> Oh, they'd never given a woman a physical for that before. They didn't know what to do. And the nurses and doctors were scrambling back and forth. Another gal went in with me from from Wichita. And Redding and I'd sit there and we'd say, "I don't know. I don't think this is gonna work." And they finally got it done though.

00:19:23.900 - 00:19:50.300

That old 6-4. Right. And then did you have to take also take a test? No. Came back home then I got ordered to report down there. When you reported were there other girls from this area that went with you reporting at the same time? One went with me, one that was in CAP. How did you get to Sweetwater? Drove. Your car that your grandmother gave you? Uh-huh.

00:19:50.740 - 00:20:19.100

Okay. When you arrived at Sweetwater what did you do? just went on out to the field. Okay. Can you tell us what was the purpose of the training that you have applied for? What did you think you would be doing if you successfully completed that training? Well I thought you know right

00:20:19.180 - 00:20:35.920

then it seems like everybody was being sent to Ferry Command so I was real happy that I got sent to testing. What was the purpose of training these women? To do things so that the men could go overseas.

00:20:38.880 - 00:20:54.000

When you got to Sweetwater, were there other trainees already there that would be in your class? Yeah, quite a few of them. They stayed at the hotel and the cattle truck took them out.

00:20:55.020 - 00:21:08.220

- But you drove on out to Avenger. Can you describe the meeting when you all met at Avenger? First, tell me, how did you feel when you drove up and saw all those airplanes?

00:21:09.280 - 00:21:19.860

- Well, of course I'd been down there for W4's or W5's graduation. So I knew about all them. - So when the cattle trucks arrived

00:21:19.960 - 00:21:30.640

with all these other girls, what did you do? - Oh, let's say Redding and I were already in the ad building. And they all came in and lined us up

00:21:30.700 - 00:21:45.520

and asked us a few questions and then told us to raise our hand and swore us in. And sent us to different bays. - Describe the barracks where you were gonna live.

00:21:45.620 - 00:22:08.900

Well the first ones I went in, it was just one room and one bathroom. It was way over at the end. Then we were, every time class graduated, you were moved over some other barracks. And then we were moved over to where there were two rooms with a bathroom in between,

00:22:09.540 - 00:22:24.660

two toilets, two wash basins, and two showers. And everybody hated to take a shower when I was in there because the nozzles came down like this and somebody back into my water and I was freezing them to death and I'd scream they were scalding me.

00:22:25.640 - 00:22:38.180

So I didn't have too much trouble with anybody. Nobody'd go in when I was in there. Can you tell me about your bay mates? Oh, they were a great bunch.

00:22:39.920 - 00:22:48.320

I still keep in touch with two of them. We call each other, well, just like we were in the same time, or town, we just,

00:22:49.600 - 00:22:58.680

I think Shave called me three times the other day. Whatever somebody thinks of you, just call. Tuck called last night. - Were they all from Texas?

00:22:59.960 - 00:23:11.540

- No, Shave was from Philadelphia. And she didn't like me at all to start out with. She thought, oh, gad, I'm gonna be in with her. And about the next day, well, we were best friends.

00:23:12.520 - 00:23:28.880

And Tuck, she, when anything had disturbed her, she'd throw her cowboy boots at us. - Tell me about the uniforms. What did you wear once you got started?

00:23:29.400 - 00:23:38.020

- Zoot suits. - And what is a zoot suit? - Large size coveralls. We'd have them rolled up, several rolls,

00:23:38.640 - 00:23:52.660

on our arms and on our legs, and pull the belt so it wouldn't fall down. And if we couldn't get them washed in time or something, we'd get in the shower and just pour oxygen

00:23:52.740 - 00:24:00.940

all over the top of us and take a brush. And somebody'd scrub your back and you'd scrub the front and wash your hair at the same time, then hang them up, let them dry.

00:24:05.260 - 00:24:17.800

Did they, tell me what they told you about how long the training would last, what your training would consist of. - Well, navigation, meteorology, Morse code, engines,

00:24:21.500 - 00:24:32.100

meteorology, physics. - That was ground school? - Yeah. - Tell me about what the flight training would be like.

00:24:32.660 - 00:24:52.760

PT-17s to start out with, and then they changed us over to 19s, which was the Fairchild rather than—no, the PT-19 was the Fairchild, and that's what we started out on. And then changed us over to the 17, which was the Stearman. And after we finished that, then we went—I think we were the first class that went from

00:24:53.360 - 00:25:09.920

PTs straight to ATs, with no BT in between. And then we went back to BTs for instrument flying. And how much flight time would you get on each airplane? I can't remember how much it was.

00:25:12.900 - 00:25:19.540

102 hours? 120. 200 hours? No, 120 I think on each.

00:25:19.700 - 00:25:32.280

Thank you. Or maybe, no, it was 70, total of 210. Yeah, yeah, I guess that's right, yeah. And how long was the program to last?

00:25:33.040 - 00:25:49.940

I think it was seven months. Do you know, were there some of your class washed out? Lots. And some of them were good pilots. And I think probably a couple, three that weren't good, got through.

00:25:50.390 - 00:26:03.940

I don't know how, but they did. What was a day like in training? If you had a checkride, everybody was scared to death. Checkitis.

00:26:05.280 - 00:26:17.700

And who would give you these checkrides? Civilian instructors and Army instructors would come in. Okay. Describe your first solo flight in a PT-19.

00:26:19.680 - 00:26:32.300

Oh, it was great. Bigger than the J-3, and I thought it was really something. and low wing, I really liked that. - What was your biggest fear in training?

00:26:33.760 - 00:26:45.840

- The first time I had night flying in an AT6, the exhaust out the side, I thought it was on fire at first. And then it dawned on me that it was the exhaust. - Did any of your bay mates wash out?

00:26:46.980 - 00:26:55.200

- Yeah, two. - How did that make you feel? - That I was lucky. Anybody was lucky.

00:26:56.440 - 00:27:08.080

(laughter) And during the day, what, once the Reveille bugle sounded, then what would happen? I did that.

00:27:08.980 - 00:27:18.820

I was bugler. (laughter) And they hated me. How did you, how did you wake up so early?

00:27:20.520 - 00:27:26.620

Didn't go to sleep. (laughing) I don't know, I just did. - Where did you learn to play the bugle?

00:27:27.420 - 00:27:37.460

- Oh, just fiddling around with it in school, grade school or sometime, I don't know. - And you were the bugler. - Yeah, I'm one you hated.

00:27:39.780 - 00:27:53.340

Until I tried to get another gal to do it, in a lower class, and she didn't wanna get up that early 'cause I'd get up at five. and go over the OD office and see that they were up

00:27:53.400 - 00:28:00.520

and one thing or another, and then go start getting everybody else up. And she decided that was too early. So she bought a record.

00:28:01.260 - 00:28:13.740

And so there at the last, that's what they were using. They might've been using that when you were there. - Describe the mess hall and your meals. Where did you eat?

00:28:14.520 - 00:28:44.980

- The mess hall was just long tables with benches. And the food wasn't too bad, but if they had spaghetti and meatballs, you could always expect the garbage can to be full. And if they had liver, and I was just getting to know I like liver, they'd put it in a big pan with flour and then put it in the oven. And sometimes you'd get it with the flour still on it, not cooked, maybe just a slight color of green.

00:28:46.640 - 00:29:01.800

Other than that, it wasn't too shabby. You would go then to maybe ground school for half a day? How did that work? Ground school for half a day and then flying for half a day.

00:29:03.100 - 00:29:13.620

Flight one would go one time and flight two would go the next. When you would go to ground school, would you wear the zoot suits? What would you wear? Zoot suits.

00:29:13.720 - 00:29:30.560

We wore zoot suits for everything but the town and for graduation. And then what did you wear? Khaki pants and white shirt and an overseas cap. In your spare time, what did you do?

00:29:31.600 - 00:29:42.360

What spare time? Weekends? I don't know. We'd just go downtown and fool around or something.

00:29:44.440 - 00:29:59.360

When you finished your PT training and had maybe three days off, what did you do during those three days? We didn't have three days off. We didn't get off except for Christmas and Thanksgiving.

00:30:00.920 - 00:30:09.780

You were there during a Christmas. How did you celebrate Christmas? My dad came down. My mom went up to my sister.

00:30:09.960 - 00:30:22.040

She was in Boise. She was married and he was in the Air Force. She went up there, so Dad came down to Sweetwater and took all of us gals down to San Angelo to dinner.

00:30:24.560 - 00:30:33.540

Kelly: Did he stay in Sweetwater in the hotel? Hildebrand: Yeah, at the hotel. Kelly: Did you stay in the hotel? Hildebrand: No, I could not stay in the hotel, yeah.

00:30:36.320 - 00:30:51.300

Then you started AT6 transition. Tell me how you felt the first time you went up in that AT6. - That thing was big. And then we'd never had radio training

00:30:51.820 - 00:31:08.080

and here we were on radio and everything. And CIGFTPR, I remember that. And GUMP, we memorized all that. What was your favorite ground school subject?

00:31:08.900 - 00:31:17.720

What did you enjoy about ground school? - I don't know, I think I was asleep half of it. - But you passed everything? - Yeah, yeah.

00:31:19.000 - 00:31:32.960

- Morse code? - Morse code I wasn't just real crazy about. - Once you finished your AP6 transition, your 70 hours, and then went into instruments,

00:31:33.700 - 00:31:45.280

Describe how the instrument training worked in an airplane. - You were under a hood. And what we did, excuse me, that the guys never did,

00:31:45.900 - 00:31:55.880

was have a buddy to go with you after you had learned, had a few hours on instruments, for a buddy to go with you to ride up front so in case you started to hit somebody

00:31:56.080 - 00:32:10.880

or have some problems, they could get you out of it. That used to be fun. I'd get 'em in all kinds of things if I was the buddy. Can you tell me about anything unusual that happened to you while you were flying at Avenger?

00:32:11.350 - 00:32:24.520

While you were in training? No, I don't think so. Okay. Any strange things happen in your bay that you might want to talk about? No.

00:32:25.860 - 00:32:38.140

Okay. Except if I get mad about something, I'd go get me a banana from the mess hall if they had any, and then I get up on top of the lockers and turn my cap sideways and then everybody starts laughing and get me in a good mood.

00:32:41.140 - 00:32:59.360

I want you to describe that Bay area. It was large enough for, I think it was six cots, six bunks. I remember when we first went in, they told us we have an F-semi Saturday morning inspection and the bed had better be tight.

00:33:00.480 - 00:33:09.900

Some of the gals had got some of them. I did too. That first time, get underneath and pull all those covers tight so you could drop a quarter on and it'd bounce.

00:33:11.330 - 00:33:24.260

You probably did that. Kelly: Right. Can you describe what calisthenics was like? Ramey: I had no trouble with them at all because I was athletic and I was used to doing stuff.

00:33:25.760 - 00:33:38.820

But some kids, you know, they hadn't done anything and they kind of had a few problems doing all of it. Caesar? Kelly: While you were in training, classes would graduate.

00:33:39.740 - 00:33:55.020

Can you describe what your part in that graduation would be? What would your— Hildebrandt: We just marched by the graduates, marched by and reviewed. Kelly: Were you aware of what any of the graduates were doing after they left Avenger?

00:33:55.020 - 00:34:12.600

- Oh yeah, most of them went to Ferry Command until I think it was '44, one or two, and they were sent to other places too. - While you were in training,

00:34:14.610 - 00:34:24.980

Miss Cochran got some new uniforms. So that when you graduated, you would graduate in a uniform. - Yeah, I think we were the first ones.

00:34:25.400 - 00:34:39.680

- Can you describe those uniforms? - Santiago blue, and skirts, slacks, blouse, battle jackets, beret, flight cap. - What did you think about them?

00:34:40.240 - 00:34:52.200

- I liked them. - When you graduated, describe your graduation. Did some celebrities come? What happened?

00:34:53.440 - 00:35:14.820

I don't think so. I don't, I suppose Arnold Cochran was there. I don't remember anybody else. I want to back up for just a moment because you started out with class 44 W3. Yeah. And then you were washed back to 44. Describe why you were washed back.

00:35:15.220 - 00:35:41.300

I was getting in the 6th and I had snow packed in my shoe and when I stepped on the step to get in, It slipped, and so the parachute and I were hanging by my thumb in the hatch. One flight surgeon said it was broken, one said it was sprung, one said it was dislocated. They'd tape it up, pull the tape off, tape it up, and I got tired of that.

00:35:42.080 - 00:35:56.160

But they had me all flan for two weeks, so that's the reason I dropped back. I'd lost too much flight time. Kelly: Describe one of your cross-countries. Say a long cross-country in '86.

00:35:56.700 - 00:36:16.440

Where did you go? Steele: Oh, to Blake, California. I had never flown over mountains before, and I got up a little bit high and no oxygen. I just kept, without thinking, easing back on that old stick until I was up 15,000 or

00:36:16.440 - 00:36:32.280

Something like that, I guess. Anyway I was so worried about them, I kind of got lost. Since we have no EOs or anybody that I can get washed out and get court-martialed, I didn't know where I was.

00:36:32.430 - 00:36:53.120

I remembered seeing a small field way back, so I went back and I did a short field landing. They used to tell us, "If you ever got to Mexico, just call the field. send your clothes down because you aren't going to get out for a while. I crawled across the fence and I went to this adobe house and I said, "Am I in Mexico?"

00:36:53.780 - 00:37:03.220

They said, "No." Thank God. So I went back and started the thing, put old flaps down and held the brakes and got her off.

00:37:03.680 - 00:37:13.340

They'd almost had the ATC out looking for me because I hadn't come into Tucson. Kelly: But then you made it into Tucson. Oh yeah. Okay.

00:37:14.360 - 00:37:24.480

During the time you were in training, Eureka is not too terribly far from Sweetwater. Did you ever come over and buzz this place? Uh-uh. No.

00:37:25.060 - 00:37:39.620

I was a good kid. Sure. Oh, okay. What is the most memorable experience you had during training?

00:37:41.160 - 00:38:18.020

training. Oh gosh, I don't know. I mean, it was just great all of it. Just any of it, I guess. Anything unusual happen on your PT cross-country? No, I made that one without any problems. Kelly: Okay. Do you remember any instructor that's outstanding to you? Hildebrand: I liked Kubik and Boxberger. I liked them all. Yates, I liked them all, except

00:38:19.120 - 00:38:34.660

one on AT-6s, Lamaril. But I don't think he even liked his grandmother. - Okay. Were you ever frightened that you might wash out?

00:38:35.840 - 00:38:45.920

- I think everybody was, 'cause you never knew. - Right. And describe the Army check rides. - It was usually pretty rough.

00:38:45.920 - 00:38:58.860

I remember the last one I had, I was on base leg and just starting to turn on final, and he said, "I've got it." I thought he had it, and we just went right on by.

00:38:59.440 - 00:39:17.760

I called the tower and told him I would be back in. By gosh, we did the same thing again. The next time when I was on base, I said, "Sir, do you have this or do I have it?" "Well, you have it.

00:39:17.820 - 00:39:29.780

Who do you think has it?" "I don't know, sir." We went in then, and when he got out, he was standing on the wing and he looked at me and said, "Well, I guess you know how you did."

00:39:29.780 - 00:39:39.900

I said, "Yes, sir, pink slip." "No, you passed it and got off and that was it." Kelly: Describe the auxiliary fields. What were they?

00:39:40.640 - 00:39:59.980

Steele: It was just a field of pasture that had a strip in it. And then we had hurdles there where you'd have to come in on a six and see how close to that hurdle you could get without hitting it before you hit the ground. Kelly: Okay.

00:40:01.020 - 00:40:11.720

What were they used mainly for? Hildebrandt: The hurdles? Kelly: No, those auxiliary fields. Hildebrandt: Oh, they'd have too many flying on the main field, so they'd take different

00:40:11.780 - 00:40:26.180

ones over to auxiliary field. two fields. Okay, I changed tape. I want to hear your answers.

00:40:26.580 - 00:40:44.660

Are you sure that isn't all you want? No, you're doing great. When you were given a choice, supposedly, of stations when you graduated, what did you request?

00:40:46.620 - 00:41:02.400

I don't remember whether I requested Enid or not, but that's what I got, and which I I was very thankful for, because it wasn't too far from home. It was a great field. The CO was darn good looking, everybody thought that.

00:41:03.260 - 00:41:11.800

He was just a great guy. How did you get described graduation? Did your family come? Yeah.

00:41:12.620 - 00:41:30.240

Yeah, my mom, dad, and grandmother all came down on the train. I guess that was quite a trip. I don't know any much about it, but they got there. I couldn't get there at the station, so Shaf and Tuck took my car and went to the station

00:41:30.360 - 00:41:41.700

to pick him up and take him to the hotel. Kelly: Do you remember how you felt when you had that uniform on and your parents came? Reed: When what? Kelly: When your parents were there.

00:41:42.030 - 00:41:53.960

Do you remember how you felt when they saw you? Reed: Oh, I was just tickled to death and happy to get my wings. It was nice having them there, but I was just thankful to get the wings like everybody. Kelly: Okay.

00:41:55.180 - 00:42:06.800

After graduation then, did you ride back on the train with them? Steele: No, we all drove back in my car. Kelly: Okay. When you got back to Eureka, did you have friends that were here?

00:42:07.990 - 00:42:21.980

Steele: Well, yeah. When I was little, I grew up here part of the time in the summer, so I had some friends. Do you remember, did you wear your uniform? Did you go back over to Topeka and wear your uniform?

00:42:22.550 - 00:42:38.140

Steele: No. Kelly: Were there any publicity events? Steele: No, not here. There might have been a little tiny piece in the paper, but that was about it, I guess.

00:42:39.520 - 00:43:03.440

So then you were stationed at Enid. How far is Enid from Eureka? Well, I don't really remember how far it is, but it's not too far across the line in Oklahoma. Were other of your classmates stationed at Enid with you? Well, later on, yeah. She was in Flight 1.

00:43:03.520 - 00:43:15.000

She was stationed there too for a little while. And I had orders to go to B-26 school. And I like testing, so we went up and talked to the CO to got our orders changed,

00:43:15.080 - 00:43:27.080

'cause she wanted to go to 26 school. So she left then and went to B-26. I'd forgotten, I was thinking it was Almagordo, but New Mexico, but I'm not sure.

00:43:28.220 - 00:43:43.080

- When you arrived at Enid, to whom did you report? to the CEO, Colonel Altman. - And what did he tell you your assignment would be? - He said, "Well, you girls are gonna be test pilots."

00:43:44.260 - 00:43:53.240

And he looked at us and he says, "It isn't like what you see in the movies, "so you don't try to dive it down to the ground." We said, "That doesn't bother us."

00:43:53.420 - 00:44:00.900

- Okay, what were your quarters like? Where did you live? - We had, in the barracks, we had, each one had a room.

00:44:01.780 - 00:44:15.360

It was a large bathroom, several johns and several stall showers. And the top floor and then about half of the bottom floor was for the guys, but there was a partition there.

00:44:16.840 - 00:44:29.580

And the gals were in the front. We had a couple of WAC officers in there too. - How did you get from your barracks to the flight line, for example?

00:44:29.680 - 00:44:35.100

- Drove. - You drove. - Where did you have your meals? - Over at the Officer's Club.

00:44:35.980 - 00:44:45.740

- And what was the Officer's Club like? - It was real nice. They had a dance floor and a bar and a good dining room and great meals.

00:44:46.540 - 00:44:58.980

They had great meals. And George. - And at this point, were you dancing? - Dancing?

00:44:59.420 - 00:45:09.000

(laughing) Flitting around, no. - Did you meet anybody special at Enid? - No.

00:45:11.820 - 00:45:21.240

- What was your social life like while you were at Enid? - Oh, just some, well, I knew a gal in town and a family in town, and so I'd go over at their house sometimes,

00:45:21.380 - 00:45:29.940

and then the gal that I knew, she was in the flight surgeon's office, and we kind of ran around together, and then some of the other gals that were stationed there,

00:45:30.740 - 00:45:41.320

we'd run around together. But that was about it, but we had fun. - Okay. Describe one of these testing missions that you would fly.

00:45:41.420 - 00:45:55.920

- Well, I'd usually just take it up and do some snap rolls and loops. And they always said, you know, if a BT held together on spins, you were doing good.

00:45:56.500 - 00:46:08.360

So then I just spin it down. >> And why did these, were they all BTs? >> Yeah, I flew some 6s. >> Why did these airplanes need testing?

00:46:09.330 - 00:46:20.380

>> They'd been worked on, they'd been cracked up or had to have a new engine, new wing, something like that. And I cracked one up. I just took off and the thing peeled off to the left

00:46:20.700 - 00:46:33.440

and shoved the engine back and crumpled the wing up and landing gear was a way off and stuff. The rudders, it worked fine on the ground. In visual inspection, you couldn't see anything.

00:46:33.940 - 00:46:44.340

But then when I got in the air, she just peeled off with me. -And where did you land that thing? On the airport? -Yeah, I smashed in right there on the airport,

00:46:44.370 - 00:46:56.020

on the runway, or just off the runway. -And what happened? -I threw the hatch back and grabbed form one. I didn't want to get anything wrong there.

00:46:56.560 - 00:47:05.800

Grabbed form one and jumped off the wig. They said I was about still jumping off when the thing was still bouncing. So I guess I got out pretty fast.

00:47:05.920 - 00:47:16.660

I switched everything off I could find though. I was kind of afraid of fire. Then I went back and I signed out. The meat wagon was there and stuff like that.

00:47:16.660 - 00:47:27.440

And I just signed out and then I wouldn't go to the hospital. Wasn't anything wrong with me. Pride was hurt, but that was all. So then I went back and got another plane.

00:47:28.220 - 00:47:35.020

- But the tower saw you when you went in? - Pardon? - The tower saw you when you went in? - Oh yeah, yeah, saw the meat wagon

00:47:36.040 - 00:47:45.760

and firetrucks were right there. - Did you have to make out a report or meet a board or any of that? - No, they just asked me, you know, what was wrong

00:47:45.820 - 00:47:55.000

and I wrote it on form one. Blew and thing crashed. - You didn't fly that airplane again, did you? - No, they took it out, I did a good job.

00:47:55.020 - 00:48:10.240

I don't believe in doing anything halfway. They took it out on a truck, off the field, out of the field, out of Enid, on a truck. - Did you do other things at Enid,

00:48:10.420 - 00:48:17.960

administrative or liaison or anything? - No. - Small testing. During the time you were at Enid,

00:48:19.040 - 00:48:33.100

How many girls were then stationed there eventually? - Well, when I went in, there were two. And Brown and I went in at the same time. And let's see.

00:48:35.100 - 00:48:48.720

Then Abby from my class was sent from someplace else. And then Jean Moore, she was in class before. I think it ended up that there were six of us, five or six of us there.

00:48:50.840 - 00:49:03.780

- Miriam, I'm sorry, but let me take us back to in training about three weeks before you graduated and something tragic happened at Avenger. Tell us about that.

00:49:04.180 - 00:49:20.480

- Oh, two gals were coming in from different directions and the tower, I don't know where the tower didn't warn them and the sun was getting down to where it was blinding housing And they crashed into each other, hit each other.

00:49:20.940 - 00:49:34.220

Both of them were killed. Where were you when that happened? I was just coming back in the field. And it happened when I landed.

00:49:36.300 - 00:49:48.320

Did you see it happen? No. Do you know what happened with those two girls that were killed? How the arrangements?

00:49:49.520 - 00:50:02.080

I don't know. I never heard. But I know if anybody was killed, sometimes you'd have to take up some money from the other wasp to send the body home.

00:50:03.830 - 00:50:26.020

And some fields would let a wasp go home with the body. Here's your daughter, thanks." Kelly: Okay, now we'll go forward and you're at Enid. Did you ever have any time off at Enid to do other things other than fly?

00:50:26.020 - 00:50:45.720

Steele: Oh, yeah. After we got off in the evening, unless we had an awful lot of planes to test, we could go in town or they had a movie there on the field too, but we'd always go in town. You could do whatever you wanted to.

00:50:48.340 - 00:51:04.500

Then I got a plane one time to fly down to see my buddy that was stationed in Montgomery, Alabama at Gunner Field. They let me have a plane and a friend that went, one of the gals that was stationed there with me, let her have a plane too.

00:51:06.100 - 00:51:23.800

So we both flew down there. Kelly: Was there anything unusual about that flight? Ritz: Well, the weather kind of closed in and they didn't want us to leave from someplace. I don't remember what field it was anyway.

00:51:23.940 - 00:51:33.240

I said, "Well, I've got my instrument ticket. She can fly my wing." They finally let us go. We broke out in a B-24 traffic pattern.

00:51:36.100 - 00:51:52.220

That kind of gives you a thrill. During all the times that you were flying, how were you treated generally? Great. I know some weren't, but then at my field I was.

00:51:52.980 - 00:52:10.220

Until it was just about time, it was after we had our orders that we were being disbanded, There was one that was, he was, well he was a HP. He'd just gotten there, he hadn't been there long, and he thought he was God's gift to everybody.

00:52:12.260 - 00:52:28.920

And he's the only one that ever said anything. Can you describe how you felt when you first heard that the WASP would be deactivated? Like everybody else, down in the dumps, wanting to stay in. How did you learn about that?

00:52:28.920 - 00:52:44.600

Do you recall? I got a letter from Cochran and from General Arnold. At that point, what did you think that you would do after we were disbanded? I didn't have the slightest idea.

00:52:45.840 - 00:52:59.680

Like most everybody, I think. On December 20th, when the Watts were disbanded, what did the air base do for you? Nothing. Bye.

00:53:00.880 - 00:53:27.920

We had another CO that time, and we called him the Greerstoppo, Colonel Greer. Boy, if you've parked and got on a blade of grass, he'd make the wax go out and dig ditches and stuff. So we always made sure we were never on any grass. So when on December 20th you hung up your parachute and where did you go?

00:53:28.660 - 00:53:47.660

Came back to Eureka. At that point did you know what you wanted to do? No. Dad had a bunch of young horses lined up for me to break, but I went out and looked at them and they were too small, so I cut that out right fast.

00:53:48.500 - 00:53:59.960

- Okay. Were your mom and dad at that point living on the ranch? - No, they lived in town with my grandmother. - What did you love about the ranch?

00:54:01.340 - 00:54:13.220

- Anything and everything. Hard work, but you love it. - Once you got back to Eureka, then where did you go from there?

00:54:13.900 - 00:54:27.040

What was the next thing you did? - Went to Colorado for just for the summer and then came back and just fooled around. I helped break about 400 head of horses to send to France.

00:54:28.980 - 00:54:39.020

That was it. - Was your dad in the export business? - No, no. The fellow that did horseshoeing and stuff like that

00:54:39.020 - 00:54:49.400

and broke horses, he asked me if I'd help because that way he could get guys to help 'cause if I'd do it, they figured they could do it. - Tell me how you break a horse.

00:54:49.480 - 00:54:58.100

What do you do to break a horse? - Hope you stay on. Oh, there's lots of different ways. Everybody has a different way.

00:54:58.600 - 00:55:10.040

- And why do you have to break a horse? - So you won't get pitched off, so you can ride 'em and then rein 'em. - Are these horses that nobody's ever ridden?

00:55:12.920 - 00:55:31.300

- He'd ride 'em first and then I'd ride 'em. And then they'd see that a girl was doing it, so then they'd do it. Then eventually you left Eureka again? No, been here all the time.

00:55:31.380 - 00:55:52.100

Been here all the time. Yeah, I started going with a guy that I'd known for a long time, and we just got married. Wasn't anything else to do, we were bored. What attracted you to him? What qualities did you see in him that made you fall in love?

00:55:53.540 - 00:56:13.580

Gosh, I don't know. He was a lot of fun. What was his ambition? - He was in the bank, but then we came out here and then we bought this place from his dad.

00:56:14.960 - 00:56:23.660

And then they were shorthanded in the other bank. So they came out and talked him into going into the other bank. So he told him, well, he'd just do it for a little while

00:56:23.760 - 00:56:37.240

but he was there 21 years. - Was he also a person that loved horses? - Oh yeah, but then he didn't ride an awful lot. - Okay. While he was banking, what did you do?

00:56:38.200 - 00:56:47.840

- I was out here working with cattle and horses. - Tell me about your work with cattle. What did you do with cattle? - Well, that's hard to explain.

00:56:48.020 - 00:57:07.880

You got to work in calves, that's castrating, giving shots, dehorning, and all that stuff and everything. And cows spraying and whatever needs to be done. - And what eventually happened to these cows?

00:57:10.020 - 00:57:22.140

- We'd sell them. - Would you take them to market? - Yeah, of course we had a big, well not a large herd, but a herd of Angus and we had rustlers

00:57:22.200 - 00:57:35.620

and they had 11 of our best ones that were due to calve stolen. So we got out of the Angus business. And I guess we just started getting into a few other things.

00:57:35.680 - 00:57:46.820

And then the beefalo, we started getting in the beefalo. - What is a beefalo? - That's 5/8 domestic and 3/8 buffalo. - And what are these primarily used for?

00:57:47.360 - 00:58:02.800

- Well, the meat is 35% less cholesterol and lower in triglycerides and higher protein, lower fat. So we just sell like a quarter of a beef to somebody that has heart trouble

00:58:02.980 - 00:58:15.060

or high cholesterol or something like that. We used to sell quite a few, but we finally stopped that because Larry, it was just too much trouble for him, for one thing.

00:58:15.200 - 00:58:28.540

So we just sell it to people that have high cholesterol and heart trouble. - And do you breed those cattle, those beefalo? - We have purebred bull,

00:58:29.260 - 00:58:42.200

and we change bulls every now and then. And we've got purebred cattle, beefalo. - Where do you take these to market now? - Oh, just down here to the,

00:58:42.340 - 00:58:54.160

they've got a good sale down here in Eureka. - Primarily this area, is it mostly beef cattle? - Yeah, cattle, uh-huh. Beef cattle.

00:58:54.620 - 00:59:05.640

Not, we're the only ones with beefalo, I think. Might be one other guy, but I'm not sure, he may live south of town or something. But I think we're about the only ones with beefalo.

00:59:06.940 - 00:59:14.080

- And beside the Angus, are the beefalo the only other cattle that you have raised? - Buffalo. - Buffalo.

00:59:14.880 - 00:59:25.360

What did you do with the buffalo? - Well, it breaks your heart when you have to sell the calves but I don't have enough room to keep over three cows and a bull.

00:59:26.120 - 00:59:40.180

And then when the calves get old enough, take them to a sale up in Salina. But I have them pretty well tamed where they come up to eat out of my hand and stuff.

00:59:41.160 - 00:59:52.300

And you've never heard a buffalo growl or you've never heard a growl until you hear a buffalo growl. The bull, Cochise, was telling me to get out of the corrals one day.

00:59:52.880 - 01:00:02.420

I thought he must mean it the way he sounded, so I did. He did. He meant it. Kelly: Have you ever been injured by any of your animals?

01:00:02.880 - 01:00:16.660

Litz: Oh, yeah. I've been bucked off, fallen off, fallen on, kicked, jumped on. I fell under a bunch of cows. My feet slipped on the back of a pickup throwing hay out one time on some ice.

01:00:16.900 - 01:00:28.520

So I fell under a bunch of cows, but they walked over me. They just hit me once. - At the present time, how big a herd do you have? - About a hundred head of beefalo.

01:00:29.900 - 01:00:37.820

- That's a full-time job. - It is for Larry. Of course he has his own too, and then he helps other people.

01:00:39.080 - 01:00:52.720

In fact, he's out helping this morning over at the Coke Ranch shipping. - After you married, eventually you had a little one. Tell us about her.

01:00:53.780 - 01:01:01.760

- Him? - Him, I'm sorry. - Well, we tell everybody that we were married New Year's Eve and he was born near New Year's Day,

01:01:02.250 - 01:01:10.860

which is nothing unusual now, but we never told him it was six years later. And you should see some of the looks. It shocks some people.

01:01:11.380 - 01:01:24.620

Then they find out it was six years later. - Since you were such an active person, how did you take time off to have a child? - Well, they told me not to ride a horse,

01:01:24.680 - 01:01:33.540

so I rode our bull. If he'd get out, I'd go up in the pasture and take a hauler and ride him down. - Does this son love cattle also?

01:01:34.420 - 01:01:40.020

- Pardon? - Does he love cattle also? - Yeah, he liked them. In fact, we were gonna turn the place over

01:01:40.520 - 01:01:54.000

to Chucky and to Larry when he was killed. But Larry is the, he's the cowboy around here now. I don't get out much and do much stuff because he gets tired of yelling,

01:01:54.140 - 01:02:01.000

"Get out of the way, mother. Something's gonna hit ya." While I stand in the way. - Right.

01:02:01.400 - 01:02:11.900

Tell me about when your little boy was in school. How did you participate? - It was Harry that did it because he was in town at the bank.

01:02:12.140 - 01:02:23.560

So he was the one that went to the meetings and stuff like that. Not me, unless I absolutely had to. - And I know now that you have a little granddaughter.

01:02:24.080 - 01:02:33.360

Tell us about your granddaughter. - She isn't very little. She's much larger than I am. She trains horses and everything for dressage.

01:02:34.040 - 01:02:42.060

She has her own horse that she's trained. And I guess in a couple of years, she'll be internationally rated. - She's doing great with it.

01:02:42.980 - 01:02:48.760

- And she also has some other talents. Tell us about that. - She what? - Has other talents.

01:02:49.280 - 01:03:05.520

- Oh yeah, she can paint, draw and sing. She gets it all from me. Why is everybody laughing? - Miriam, in looking back over your life,

01:03:07.680 - 01:03:23.880

What is the one thing that you're most proud of? Getting my wings. Do you want to tell me why? Well I think everybody was, just that you got through that.

01:03:24.800 - 01:03:47.780

Because the instructors were not easy on you. What is your personal opinion of Jacqueline Cochran? I thought she did a beautiful job and I admired her. I thought she was great. In looking back, all of us have good times and bad times,

01:03:48.580 - 01:04:16.240

some sad times and some glad times. What has gotten you through the sad times? Friends, I would say. In looking ahead to future generations of your grandchildís offspring or children that

01:04:16.240 - 01:04:50.120

you donít know or wonít ever know, what could you say or what would you like to say to that granddaughterís and her children and to those other children that might encourage them to do their best? Just do the best you can. All I know. That's what Teresa's done. Here she's riding dressage though and I'm cow man, cow woman, and I never

01:04:50.280 - 01:05:17.060

thought I'd have a granddaughter riding dressage. I thought she'd be out there riding stock horses. No. But I'm mighty proud of her, the way she's doing. Is there anything that I've left out that you would like to say? I don't think so. Are we through?

01:05:17.520 - 01:05:27.520

- No, almost. What's your favorite word? - I can't say it now. [laughter] - I'd love to hear it.

01:05:28.040 - 01:05:35.620

[laughter] - I don't think I would. [laughter] - Can I ask you real quick, because you were talking about

01:05:35.680 - 01:05:43.760

being a bugler. We haven't talked to anybody else that was a bugler. Could you kind of describe for me what that means? Did you blow into a microphone?

01:05:43.760 - 01:05:49.660

I mean, I know you got up early. How did that work? Did you sleep with your bugle under your bed? I mean-

01:05:49.660 - 01:05:57.180

- Just got up early and no, it was there in my locker, on my locker. - Was it your bugle or was it- - Uh-huh.

01:05:57.980 - 01:06:07.460

- So you brought- - I called dad and had him bring it down. - Did you then learn from somebody else who was a bugler and-

01:06:07.460 - 01:06:16.280

- No, I just picked it up. - Did you volunteer? - Yeah, if somebody said she knows how to play it, - And then where would you go to blow it?

01:06:17.520 - 01:06:25.320

- Down each barracks. - Oh. - Yeah, oh. You'd be surprised what'd come your way.

01:06:26.960 - 01:06:39.900

- Did anybody ever throw anything at you? - Uh-huh. - Where did you first pick up a bugle? - Oh, God, I guess it was in grade school

01:06:40.040 - 01:06:46.640

or something like that. I don't know. - And you kept, did you keep the same bugle all those years?

01:06:46.820 - 01:06:56.240

Was that the same one? - Yeah, and Chuckie threw it out the window and bent it all up so it's all stood out. - That was a piece of history.

01:06:57.180 - 01:07:07.600

- Yeah, I wasn't very happy with him. - Let's see, anything else? - I don't think so. - I don't want there to be anything else.

01:07:09.700 - 01:07:18.220

- Hey Miriam, this has not been that bad. - I think that's a dead story. - I probably-- - Even this ranch itself, I mean,

01:07:18.480 - 01:07:26.420

it looks historical to me, where we're sitting and all the things that you've collected. - Well, you have two historical ones right here. (laughing)

01:07:26.560 - 01:07:35.100

- We're pioneers. - Right. (laughing) - When you got lost, remember when you got lost

01:07:35.160 - 01:07:43.620

when you were flying, how'd you get back? - Flew back. - I mean, how'd you, you were lost, you landed, - And how did you, did you ask him which way is north?

01:07:43.740 - 01:07:53.780

- I just asked him where I was and I looked at my map. Of course, what helped me too, the reason I didn't know where I was, my maps were down in the compartment, not where I was.

01:07:55.160 - 01:08:03.040

So I had to get my maps out of the baggage compartment to find out where I was. Did you do that too? (laughing)

01:08:03.040 - 01:08:13.380

- No. - What was your favorite plane of all? - I think the six, but I liked the BTs A lot of gals didn't really care for them, but I liked them.

01:08:14.940 - 01:08:26.360

If you did a snap roll and you were fast enough, you'd turn around, you'd see the tail coming over just after you were already over. You had to be fast.

01:08:27.960 - 01:08:32.500

- I wouldn't think so. Okay, all right. - That's a wrap. - That's a wrap.

01:08:32.620 - 01:08:42.700

- That's the, you've been great. And I'm sorry it made you nervous in the beginning, but I could tell you relaxed. - No, you relaxed some, and so did the boys here.

01:08:43.020 - 01:08:53.160

- Yeah, look at all this. - They gave up. - It took a while to get the dogs to calm down. - Oh yes, well thank you, I thank you.

01:08:53.160 - 01:09:02.880

- Thank you for doing this. - I know this is not your thing, I understand that. - It won't be so bad in the more deceitful ways though. You've got an interesting life, really.

01:09:03.180 - 01:09:11.700

- Yeah. - Oh, and there's a lot more I'm sure that you didn't tell us. - Like your favorite word. It depends on who she's talking to.

01:09:13.080 - 01:09:22.940

What'd you say? I said it depends on who you're talking to is what your favorite wording is. Yeah. Listen, you are one of a kind.

01:09:23.280 - 01:09:34.760

But everyone speaks one of a kind. Yeah, I think so too. Do most of them live in larger city type situations? Or are they just pretty much scattered everywhere?

01:09:35.300 - 01:09:41.920

They're pretty much scattered everywhere. - Are they? - Really, yeah. - Oh yeah. - I think there's only one other wasp here in Kansas.

01:09:41.960 - 01:09:49.280

I rode in the Rexall and jumped off and jerked my saddle off and got on bareback 'cause it was warmer that way. - Why don't we get that on tape?

01:09:49.420 - 01:09:58.020

- Well, I got it on audio now. - I can't believe. - They just have Tinkerbell, a lot of goats that lived in the house with them.

01:09:58.900 - 01:10:08.640

- I have some pictures of Tinker. - And Tinker was a goat? - Yeah. And I wouldn't know better doing it than putting me on the show.

01:10:08.660 - 01:10:13.720

What happened for a big dog? Yeah. I can't care less. That's what the big thing.

01:10:13.860 - 01:10:17.460

I agree. That sponsored this project. Yeah. I was hoping kids would love these.

01:10:17.600 - 01:10:22.180

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'd like to know what he weighs.

01:10:24.500 - 01:10:32.020

See. Hi. Hi, guys. Those babies are about two months old.

01:10:35.620 - 01:10:41.940

Where are they? More feet! (dog barking) (dog barking)

01:10:42.060 - 01:10:49.100

More feet! (dog barking) That's the kind of thing you throw in the dirt. (inaudible)

01:10:50.660 - 01:10:58.240

This is all the big ones. Here we are at the... Hey! Hi, guys!

01:10:59.960 - 01:11:07.140

This is awesome. (dog barking) More feet! Okay, all right.

01:11:18.160 - 01:11:45.560

You're so glad it's over you're just happy as a yes, I can see that. Bye guys. Thank you. We will. Bye-bye! Yep, pretty much.

01:11:47.860 - 01:12:02.920

Can't really see what I'm doing, but, because I can't hit anything. There we go. I've still got 10 minutes. minutes left on this tape.

01:12:05.490 - 01:12:33.160

I see them. There they are right there. Маленькие собаки. Она кладет котика.