Ruby Gilliam

Segment Synopsis: Gilliam describes her childhood and growing up during the Great Depression. She talks about her education, attending Lees College in Jackson, Kentucky and teaching. Gilliam discusses meeting her first husband, Darwin Caudill, who died in France in WWII. Out of eight children in her family five served including Ruby and her oldest sister.

Keywords: Depressions--1929; Education; Fleming-Neon (Ky.); United States. Army. Medical Corps; World war II

Subjects: Childhood; Family Military History

Segment Synopsis: Gilliam reflects upon boot camp in Bronx, New York at Hunter College, which is now Lehman College. She discusses her surprise at being assigned to the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery where she found that she was not going to be a nurse but work with computers. Two years later she met her second husband, Charles Gilliam, a Marine who fought in the Guadalcanal Campaign.

Keywords: Hunter College; United States. Department of the Navy. Bureau of Medicine and Surgery; United States. Naval Reserve. Women's Reserve; United States. Navy

Subjects: Boot camp; Bureau of Medicine & Surgery

Segment Synopsis: Gilliam gives a more complete description of her family's military service. Gilliam joined the Navy when she was 22. Her oldest sister, who had lost a son in the fighting, joined at the same time, she was 44.

Keywords: United States. Army; United States. Army. Women's Army Corps.; United States. Naval Reserve. Women's Reserve

Subjects: Family military heritage

Segment Synopsis: Gilliam explains life with her first husband, her feelings about when he was drafted, and how she felt when he was killed in action. She talks about her family members lost in battle and receiving her husband's medals.

Keywords: Draft; Medals; Minerva (Ohio); United States. Army. Medical Corps

Subjects: First husband

Segment Synopsis: Gilliam begins briefly with her decision to join the WAVES.
She discusses forming North Coast Unit 21, a organization for WAVES veterans. She describes arriving at boot camp, their uniforms, her training, and assignment.

Keywords: Boot camp; Lehman College; United States. Naval Reserve. Women's Reserve

Subjects: Boot camp; Why WAVES

Segment Synopsis: Gilliam talks about getting married to her second husband.
She moved to upstate New York with her husband before relocating to Minerva, Ohio where her husband had got a job with Republic Steel. She got a job working with the computers for the steel industry.

Keywords: Board of Elections; Canton (Ohio); Politics, practical; Republic Steel Corporation; Work

Subjects: Second husband; Work

Segment Synopsis: Gilliam explains how her family was split between between Democrats and Republicans. She talks about her family members running for political office, her roles as a delegate for 32 years, and her trip to the Democratic National convention.

Keywords: Clinton, Hillary Rodham; Democratic Party (Ohio); Dukakis, Michael S. (Michael Stanley), 1933-; Electoral college; Republican Party (Ohio); Trump, Donald, 1946-

Subjects: Family politics; Running for office

Segment Synopsis: Gilliam, having been involved in politics since she was young, talks about the 2016 election comparing it to previous elections. She discusses fake news and an election that she thought was run positively.

Keywords: Carter, Jimmy, 1924-; Clinton, Hillary Rodham; Feature stories; Politics, Practical; Presidents--Election; Trump, Donald, 1946-

Subjects: 2016 Election; Fake News

Segment Synopsis: Gilliam reflects upon what she has learned from her time in the military and her overall experiences serving the United States military. She talks about some of the veterans' organizations of which she has been a part. Gilliam describes the feelings she has when remembering her service and the importance of understanding military sacrifice.

Keywords: American Legion; Friendship; Military families; United States. Naval Reserve. Women's Reserve

Subjects: Lessons; Morals; Service