Guide to the Kenneth D. Andress reminiscences
1937-1945
Collection number: HMC-0058.
Creator: Andress, Kenneth D.
Title: Kenneth D. Andress reminiscences.
Dates: 1937-1945.
Volume of collection: 0.2 cubic feet.
Language of materials: Collection materials are in English.
Collection summary: Memoirs of a miner and soldier in Alaska.
Biographical note:
Kenneth D. Andress was born in Indiana in 1915. He attended Purdue University for one year but was forced to drop out to seek work because of the depression. He left Indiana in 1937 to seek employment in Oregon. He worked in the fishing industry at Ketchikan, Klawock, Petersburg, and other parts of Southeast Alaska (1937 – 1939) and in the Alaska Juneau Mine (1939 – 1941). He left Juneau and traveled to Palmer in 1941. He worked at Independence Mine in Willow (Winter, 1941 – Spring, 1942). In May, 1942, Andress joined the Army Air Corps at Elmendorf. During the war, he served as a member of the Communications Section and was stationed at Cold Bay and later at Umnak. After the war he returned to work at Elmendorf as an electrical engineer. Kenneth Andress retired in 1973.
Collection description:
The collection consists of Kenneth D. Andress’ recorded and written reminiscences. The audio recordings concern Andress’ trip to Alaska in 1937, his experiences in the fishing industry in Southeast Alaska, his work at the Alaska Juneau Mine, his life in Juneau, his trip to Palmer from Juneau, his work at Independence Mine, and his experiences in the Army Air Corps while stationed at Elmendorf and at Cold Bay. The written reminiscences concern his work experience at Independence Mine.
Arrangement: Materials are arranged by type.
Digitized copies: Collection materials have not been not been digitized. For information about obtaining digital copies, please contact Archives and Special Collections.
Rights note: The Archives owns copyright to this collection.
Preferred citation: Kenneth D. Andress reminiscences, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska Anchorage.
Related materials: For similar materials, please view our topical guide, World War II in Alaska.
Acquisition note: The collection was given to the Archives by Kenneth D. Andress in 1988.
Processing information: This collection was described by Dennis Walle in 1995. The collection description was revised by Mariecris Gatlabayan in 2012.
Container list:
| Item | Description | Date |
| 1a | Audiocassette tape 1 side A: Topics include: coming to Alaska from Oregon with his brother Ho in 1938 on an Alaska Steamship Company vessel; description of Ketchikan; his work in Ketchikan, Craig, and Klawock in the fishing industry; and the society in Klawock. The tape has some distortion. | 1937-1938 |
| 1b | Audiocassette tape 1 side B: Topics include; his trip to Wrangell and Juneau in late 1938 and the winter of 1939; the Alaska Juneau Mine and the City of Juneau; his trip to Petersburg and his work with a friend as a handtroller at Petersburg, Funter Bay, and Hawk Inlet during the summer of 1939. The tape has some distortion. | 1938-1939 |
| 2a | Audiocassette tape 2 side A: Topics include: his work in Juneau (1939-1940), his work at the Alaska-Juneau Mine, hunting and fishing trips in the Juneau area, and of his work for the Alaska-Juneau Mine at Camp 6. | 1939-1940 |
| 2b | Audiocassette tape 2 side B: Topics include: events of his life in Juneau (1940-Spring 1941); his trip to Valdez on an Alaskan Steamship Company vessel; his trip to Fairbanks via the Richardson Highway; his activities in Fairbanks and Circle during the summer of 1941; and of the beginning of his solo trip down the Yukon River with his first stop at Fort Yukon. | 1940-1941 |
| 3a | Audiocassette tape 3 side A: Topics include: his trip down the Yukon River during the summer of 1941 to Beaver, Rampart, and Tanana; his activities in Tanana; and his trip on a stern-wheeler up the Tanana River to Nenana. | 1941 |
| 3b | Audiocassette tape 3 side B: Topics include: his trip on the Alaska Railroad to McKinley Park and his travels in the park during August and September of 1941; his trip to Willow on the Alaska Railroad; his stay in Palmer; his hunting trips in the Palmer area; his work at the Independence Mine during the winter of 1941 and spring of 1942; and his joining the Army Air Corps at Elmendorf in May of 1942. | 1941-1942 |
| 4a | Audiocassette tape 4 side A: Topics include: his early military service including becoming a member of the 73rd Bombardment Squadron at Elmendorf, becoming a member of the Communications Section, his participation in training flights, his activities in Anchorage, and life as a private at Elmendorf. | 1942 |
| 4b | Audiocassette tape 4 side B: Topics include: his work at the communications station at Cold Bay on the Alaska Peninsula (1942-1943) including the facilities, military activities, personnel, purpose of the station, weather, entertainment, and geography at Cold Bay and the transfer of his Squadron to Umnak in 1943. | 1942-1943 |
| 5a | Audiocassette tape 5 side A: Topics include: brief stay at Umnak and his activities there; his transfer with several others to Adak in the Aleutians to assist in the operation of a radio station and his activities and the living conditions there; the transfer of his squadron from Adak to Amchitka in 1943 the living conditions and activities there; efforts against Kiska; the flight of bombers to the United States; his furlough to Anchorage in August 1943; the return of his unit to the States on the San Mahael; his time in Seattle and at Paine Field in Everett, Washington; the transfer of his squadron to Pyote Army Air Base in West Texas; the disbanding of the 73rd Bombardment Squadron and his activities at the Air Base and in surrounding communities; his furlough in Indiana in November 1943; and his transfer to Galveston Air Base in January 1944 to work as a code operator. | 1943-1944 |
| 5b | Audiocassette tape 5 side B: Topics include: his activities in Galveston and his transfer in January 1945 to Puerto Rico with stops in Nebraska, Georgia, Florida, Havana and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; the death of President Roosevelt and of his arrival in Borinquen Airfield in Puerto Rico near the town of Aquadilla, the base, the weather, and his activities there; his transfer to Fairmount, Nebraska, and his activities there; the German prisoner of war compound; his furlough to Omaha and Indiana; and his previous furlough to Wakfield, Washington while he was stationed at Paine Field, Washington; the winding down of the war and his time in the military; his activities at Fairmount Air Base; and his mustering out at Portland, Oregon in October 1945. | 1943-1945 |
| 6 | Written reminiscence: Topics include: his experiences working in various jobs at Independence Mine during the winter of 1941 and spring of 1942; the personnel, living conditions, entertainment, and working conditions at the mine; and hearing about the bombing of Pearl Harbor. | 1941-1942 |