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OH189d Forrest C. Pogue Oral History - Session 4

Forrest C. Pogue Oral History - Session 4

Collection Title: Forrest C. Pogue Audio Collection

Series Number: OH189 (Session 4)

Interviewee: Pogue, Forrest C.

Interviewer: Wayne Beasley

Date interviewed: February 14, 1991

Processed by: Processed by Benjamin J. Drake in October of 2012.

Date processed: October 17, 2012

Description: 2 sound disks (94 minutes)

Abstract: Forrest C. Pogue discusses, in a phone interview, his childhood and early adulthood in Lyon County, Kentucky and his years attending and teaching at Murray State Teachers College (presently Murray State University). He offers a family history, early impressions of the Murray State campus and experiences at other academic institutions. Pogue also discusses his close ties with Murray State and the impact it had upon his life.

Biographical / Historical note: Forrest C. Pogue was born on September 17, 1912, in Crittenden County, Kentucky. He received his Bachelor's degree from Murray State Teachers College in 1931, his Masters from the University of Kentucky in 1932 and his doctorate from Clark University in 1936. From 1937 to 1938, he studied at the University of Paris, France. Upon his return to the United States, he taught at Western Kentucky College and later at Murray State Teachers College. He was drafted in 1942 into the United States Army and in spring of 1943 was transferred to the Historical Division of the War Department. In 1944, he landed with the American troops at Normandy, France. He conducted interviews with the soldiers and officers until the war's conclusion. After the war, he served as a civilian historian for the Department of the Army from 1945 to 1952. He briefly returned to teaching at Murray State College in 1954 and 1955. The following year he became the director of the newly established George C. Marshall Research Foundation. In 1974 he became the Director of the Eisenhower Institute for Historical Research at the Smithsonian and held that position until his retirement. He is best remembered for his four volume biography of George C. Marshall and published works on the European theater of the Second World War. He died on October 6, 1996 at Murray, Kentucky.

General information: No user access to original recordings. Use audio user copies, digital derivatives, transcripts, and/or tape indexes. This collection may be protected from unauthorized copying by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code). Permission for reproduction must be requested from Murray State University.

Subject Headings / Descriptors:

Pogue, Forrest C., 1912-1996.

Pogue family.

Lyon County (Ky.) – History.

Eddyville (Ky.) – History.

Murray State University – History.