Oral history of Joyce Robinson
Clemson University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives A video recording of an in-person interview conducted by Lindsay Odom with Captain Joyce Robinson on November 10, 2015. Born on August 4, 1920, Captain Robinson served in the United States Army during and after World War II. Inspired by her college classmates entering military service, she pursued officer training and joined the Women's Army Corps. She specialized in languages and intelligence, which led to her assignment in postwar Japan.
Robinson recounts her Japanese training at the University of Michigan and her deployment to Japan during the American occupation. She describes her work in intelligence, managing Japanese staff and monitoring communications for anti-American sentiment. She reflects on the strict discipline under General Douglas MacArthur's command and the Japanese's cooperative attitude. She also discusses her time working in the Pentagon in military intelligence, handling classified documents related to Latin America. After leaving the military, Robinson traveled through South America, working in embassies and private companies where she met her husband, a United States diplomat.
Oral history of Joyce Robinson
Clemson University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives A video recording of an in-person interview conducted by Lindsay Odom with Captain Joyce Robinson on November 10, 2015. Born on August 4, 1920, Captain Robinson served in the United States Army during and after World War II. Inspired by her college classmates entering military service, she pursued officer training and joined the Women's Army Corps. She specialized in languages and intelligence, which led to her assignment in postwar Japan.
Robinson recounts her Japanese training at the University of Michigan and her deployment to Japan during the American occupation. She describes her work in intelligence, managing Japanese staff and monitoring communications for anti-American sentiment. She reflects on the strict discipline under General Douglas MacArthur's command and the Japanese's cooperative attitude. She also discusses her time working in the Pentagon in military intelligence, handling classified documents related to Latin America. After leaving the military, Robinson traveled through South America, working in embassies and private companies where she met her husband, a United States diplomat.
Oral history of John Allen
Clemson University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives A video recording of an in-person interview conducted by Anna Hickey with Brigadier General John Allen on November 9, 2012, in Seneca, SC. Born on October 17, 1935, John Allen served in the United States Air Force, flying strategic bomber missions during the Cold War and Vietnam War. He talks about his extensive flight training and career progression, which led to his role as a bomber pilot.
Brigadier General Allen reflects on his time standing alert in bombers on nuclear missions, three tours in Vietnam, and flying bombing missions, including Operation Linebacker I and II. Beyond combat, he discusses his later role in military planning and logistics at the Pentagon, his post-retirement transition to Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) consulting and serving as a prominent advocate for military funding.