Loading...
Description
Oral History interview of Alex Thorp. Interview conducted by Stewart, Monique at University of Central Florida Library in Orlando.
Log
2:05 Hometown life & parent background; 4:00 Reasons for joining the army; 4:45 High school, particularly senior year; 5:21 Process of enlisting; 7:45 Deployed in 2009; 8:40 Basic training; 10:40 Mortar simulation attacks; 12:50 TPE logistics experts working with civilian contractors; 13:50 Contact with battalion in Kuwait; 16:20 Missile attack on base; 17:30 Explosion by the bathroom; 17:50 An inactive mortar lands in front of two soldiers; 18:10 Jokes were his coping mechanism; 21:00 Life on base – "Starbucks, KFC"; 21:30 Soldier's Angels organization; 22:15 MREs; 24:00 Adjusting to go home/loss of routine; 25:25 Returned home; 27:00 Meeting his daughter for the first time; 30:00 First tour & the difference between the second; 33:00 Effects of the war on his personality; 35:30 Friends in the military; 39:00 Arguments that happened between comrades and leaders; 41:02 Plans for the future; 41:52 Civilian misconceptions about the military.
Date of Birth
1989-05-03
Place of Birth
Joliet (Ill.)
Gender
Male
Race
White - Non Hispanic
Home State
Illinois
War or Conflict
Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan
Status
Veteran
Begin/End date of Service - 1st
2008-01-17
Type
Video; MovingImage
2015-01-31
Entrance into Service
Enlisted
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Reserve
Unit of Service
195th Terminal Supervision Team; 1174th Deployment Distribution Support Battalion; 1397th Deployment and distribution Support Battalion
Location of Service
Vallejo (Calif.)
Highest Rank
Sergeant; SGT
Prisoner of War
Unspecified
Service Related Injury
Unspecified
Battles
Unspecified
Medals
Army Commendation Medal; Army Good Conduct Medal
Achievements
Was part of Operation Reduction of Forces in Iraq in 2009-2010 and Operation Drumbeat 2014 responsible for the drawdown of combat forces from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Note
Not applicable
City of Birth
Joliet
Country of Birth
United States
Interviewer
Stewart, Monique
Interview Date
2-17-2015
Location of Interview
University of Central Florida Library in Orlando.
Subjects
Thorp, Alex; Afghanistan and Iraq Wars, 2001-present -- Personal Narratives; United States. Army Reserve
Collection Description
Contains logs, audio and video recordings of interviews with Central Florida's veterans as part of a history class project for the students at the University of Central Florida (UCF). The UCF Community Veterans History Project(CVHP) started in fall 2010. It collects, preserves, and makes accessible to the public the experiences of Central Florida's veterans so that future generations will better understand the realities of conflict. It is a collaborative endeavor supported by multiple departments and offices at UCF. The veterans' histories are archived and made digitally available through the UCF library and selected materials are contributed to the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress.
Contributor Affiliation / Organization
RICHES; University of Central Florida
Contributors
Stewart, Monique
Length of Interview
44 Minutes
Publisher
Department of History, University of Central Florida
Type
video
Rights
All rights are held by the respective holding institution. This material is posted publicly for non-profit educational uses, excluding printed publication. For permission to reproduce and/or for copyright information contact Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries, (407) 823-2576. http://library.ucf.edu/about/departments/special-collections-university-archives/
Repository
University of Central Florida Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives
Contributing Project
UCF Community Veterans History Project
Document Type
Interview
Recommended Citation
Central Florida, RICHES of, "Thorp, Alex interview" (2015). Veterans Oral Histories. 375.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/veteransoralhistories/375