Oral history interview with Kirby Ross, 1979 December 20
Table of Contents
Overview of the Collection
- Interviewee
- Ross, Kirby S. (Kirby Stewart), 1893-1984
- Title
- Oral history interview with Kirby Ross
- Dates
- 1979 December 201979-12-201979-12-20
- Quantity
- .1 cubic feet, (2 audiocassettes (1 hr., 25 min., 52 sec.))
- Collection Number
- SR 18
- Summary
- Oral history interview with Kirby Ross conducted by Charles Pavlovich on December 20, 1979. Ross was awarded a Silver Star for his service in the U.S. Army in France and Germany during World War I.
- Repository
-
Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97205
Telephone: 503-306-5240
Fax: 503-219-2040
libreference@ohs.org - Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open for research.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Digitization funded by the James F. Miller Endowment.
Biographical Note
Kirby Stewart Ross, also known as Kirby G. Ross, was born in Huntington, Oregon, in 1893. In 1899, his family relocated to Hood River, Oregon. In 1914, he moved to Portland from Hood River and joined the Oregon National Guard. He served on the U.S.-Mexico Border in 1916. He served in the U.S. Army in France and Germany during World War I, and was awarded a Silver Star. He attended Oregon State College. In 1921, he and Madeline Alice Nelson were married; they later had three children. He worked as a Multnomah County bridge operator, primarily on the Broadway Bridge, retiring in 1966. Ross died in 1984.
Other Descriptive Information
Incomplete transcript (6 pages) is available for in-person use at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Content Description
This oral history interview with Kirby Ross was conducted by Charles Pavlovich on December 20, 1979. Ross' son, Kenneth Nelson Ross, and a person identified only as Mr. Johnson were also present and occasionally contributed to the interview.
In this interview, Ross discusses his service in the U.S. Army in France and Germany during World War I, including capturing enemy soldiers, retrieving bodies of fallen Allied soldiers, and fighting in the trenches. He also talks about where he was during the signing of the armistice. He then talks about his civilian life and serving in the Oregon National Guard before the start of World War I, including being deployed to disrupt efforts by the International Workers of the World to unionize agricultural workers. He then revisits the topic of his service in the U.S. Army in France and Germany during World War I, and describes at length his experiences on the front lines. He closes the interview by discussing where to donate the oral history interview and related materials.
Use of the Collection
Alternative Forms Available
Audio available online in OHS Digital Collections.
Preferred Citation
Oral history interview with Kirby Ross, by Charles Pavlovich, SR 18, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Restrictions on Use
Copyright for this interview is held by the estate of Kirby S. Ross. Use is allowed according to the following statement: In Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/.
Administrative Information
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- World War, 1914-1918--Personal narratives, American
Personal Names
- Ross, Kirby S. (Kirby Stewart), 1893-1984
Form or Genre Terms
- interviews
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Pavlovich, Charles (interviewer)
