What does it all mean??

I am really inspired by something Ken said during the interview: he wants/plans to write a book about his experiences in WWII. I think he has a great voice and story that it is feasible to write a great book concerning his experiences! He wants to focus on the positive aspects of war. I know this sounds a little strange- it’s war, people are killing others, it’s terrible!! But there are positive aspects, especially concerning the camaraderie among the men and women serving their countries. It is truly amazing that Ken is able to sit around and talk about his experiences in a positive way, laughing and chuckling about certain men he met and the different debacles they go into.
By looking at the pictures I posted, it is clear to see the men working with Ken did in fact have some fun while they were deployed in the South Pacific. There are images of the men lounging around under palm trees, presumably on a beach, laughing and smiling with each other. Granted the exact things making these men laugh may not be remembered, but it is recall some memories that make veterans laugh now when looking at these photos.
The language Ken uses when he recalls his friends, he did not say one thing negative about them. He seems to put a positive spin on events, even when his friends were being shot down right next to him. He spoke about visiting his friend after being shot down, and laughed about being thanked- it was not necessary for his friend to thank him for saving his life. Ken solely had a job to do: to protect his fellow Marines, a job which seems to have left a very good impression and recollection of World War Two.
This "book" or analysis of the positive aspects of the war would be an excellent “public history” resource. I think if a mixture of photographs and writing would provide people in the general public with a great and diverse view of WWII. Of course, the story would need a great writer in order to really illustrate the story to its fullest potential.
I think it would be amazing to be able to survey other WWII veterans for their opinions on these matters. This would be incredibly helpful in determining the social impacts of the war on the military and the individuals that participated in the War on a very active basis. I’m not very well-versed in WWII social research, but I find this topic very interesting. I would not have guessed that veterans had “good times” while they were fighting in a heated war.
In another way, Ken’s interpretation of the War could also make a great museum exhibit (or even exhibition?). He has these amazing photographs and the recorded oral history that relay his opinion. These primary sources can be easily turned into a diorama, but it can be taken even further. Creating a video (or a few videos) combining these times would be incredibly helpful to a museum and/or its website. I would love to work on these videos, perhaps I’ll spend my summer trying to figure out the techniques of this type of project. The written transcript is taking up more of my energy for the time being.
The transcript itself is even part of the public history realm- alloying individuals to access this interview without sitting through 2.5 hours of talking. The online version of the transcript can easily be linked/transferred to an online database for use by the Hayward Area Historical Society (and other institutions), greatly adding to the ease of research in this particular topic by scholars and anyone else that interested in WWII.