Jensen, Robert 1986-03-24
Robert Jensen reminisces about his childhood and career.
General Interview Information
Interviewee Name: Robert Jensen
Additional Parties Recorded:
Date: March 24, 1986
Location:
Interviewer: Deborah Wiggins
Length: 45 minutes
Abstract
Tape 1, Side 1: Jensen Robert (Bob),
b. Brooklyn New York January 10 1916,
Age 6 moved to Long Island,
Muskrat hunting,
Lived in last town of Queens,
Old Dodge touring car and Sunday drives,
Father worked National City Bank in New York City,
Fishing Sunday afternoons,
Winter- sheepskin coat row boats,
Smoked fish and night fishing,
Spear-fishing at Rockport Beach,
Catching clam oyster and scallops,
Mother cook fish 3-4 times/week,
Mothers ?Grandfather,
Came around Civil War from Germany,
Wheelwright,
In NYC worked at cider mill,
Grocery store at Brooklyn Bridge site,
Danish Grandfather,
Sailor from Copenhagen to Germany,
In New York break draft horses for wagons,
Family moved to suburb of Philadelphia Pennsylvania,
Father quit working for the bank,
Just prior to Depression,
Graduated high school (1935 or 1936) at Upper Darby Pennsylvania,
Work at restaurant,
Dishwasher and make ice cream/candy,
Course at A & M for multi-lithe operator,
Printing jobs before the War,
Passed Civil Service test,
Moved to Washington DC,
Enlisted in Military,
Shipyard at Philadelphia,
Boot camp at Bainbridge Maryland,
Rank of 1st Class Petty Officer,
After war went into military reserves with regrets,
Called back up for Korean War,
Most of 14 months in Hawaii.
Tape 1, Side 2: Jensen Robert (continued),
Helen is wife’s name,
Back to Government Work,
Tariff Commission in Washington DC,
Print Tariff forms,
Fish hook import issue,
Building at 8th and E Street,
Printing equipment and sprinklers,
Third floor was Civil War prison,
Move to Lubbock,
"End of the line",
Similar to Washington,
Washington work experience (again),
Change in Presidents no impact,
War changed work schedules,
Snow storm day before Kennedy inauguration,
Twelve hour trip to house,
Washington street systems,
Work for plumber in Alexandria Virginia,
Turned down Alaska Highway job,
[ends after 20 minutes].
Range Dates: 1916-1980s
Bulk Dates: 1920s-1960s
Access Information
Original Recording Format:
Recording Format Notes:
Transcript:
Thank you for your interest in this oral history interview. Our oral history collection is available to patrons in the Southwest Collection's Reading Room, located on the campus of Texas Tech University. For reading room hours, visit our website. Please contact Reference Staff at least one week prior to your visit to ensure the oral history you are interested in will be available. Due to copyright issues, duplications of our oral histories can only be made for family members. If an oral history transcript has been made available online, the link will be provided on this page. More information on accessing our oral histories is located here. Preferred citation style can be found here. [ [Category: World War II]]
