Transcript of interview with Edward Gregory by Jonathan Bellingar, March 2, 1977

UNLV University Libraries Edward Gregory i An Interview with Edward Gregory An Oral History Conducted by Jonathan R. Bellingar Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas Special Collections and Archives Oral History Research Center University Libraries University of Nevada, Las Vegas UNLV University Libraries Edward Gregory ii © Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 2018 UNLV University Libraries Edward Gregory iii The Oral History Research Center (OHRC) was formally established by the Board of Regents of the University of Nevada System in September 2003 as an entity of the UNLV University Libraries’ Special Collections Division. The OHRC conducts oral interviews with individuals who are selected for their ability to provide first-hand observations on a variety of historical topics in Las Vegas and Southern Nevada. The OHRC is also home to legacy oral history interviews conducted prior to its establishment including many conducted by UNLV History Professor Ralph Roske and his students. This legacy interview transcript received minimal editing, such as the elimination of fragments, false starts, and repetitions in order to enhance the reader's understanding of the material. All measures have been taken to preserve the style and language of the narrator. The interviewee/narrator was not involved in the editing process. UNLV University Libraries Edward Gregory iv Abstract On March 2, 1977, Jonathan R. Bellingar interviewed Edward Gregory (born July 28, 1922) about his life in Nevada. The interview takes place at Nellis Air force Base; also present during the interview is an unidentified man. Gregory was born and raised in Nevada; he discusses leaving Nevada to serve in the Army during World War II before eventually returning to Nevada in 1950. The interview concludes with a brief overview of how Nellis Air force Base has changed since the 1950s. UNLV University Libraries Edward Gregory 1 The informant is Mr. E. Gregory, the day is March 2, 1977. The time is 2:00 p.m. The place is Nellis Air Force Base. The collector is Jonathan Bellingar, 45 Stafford Drive, Las Vegas, Nevada. The project is: Oral History Interview. Were you born in Southern Nevada? I was born in Goldfield, which is in the central part of Nevada. And were you educated in Southern Nevada? No, I was not. What occupations have you held since you have been in southern Nevada? I’ve been employed as a structural para-technician at Nellis Air Force Base. Were you married—or were you married in Las Vegas or southern Nevada? If so, when and where? I was married in Las Vegas in 1950. Did your children attend school here? If so, what schools did they attend? All three children attended Las Vegas High, elementary school was John C. Fremont, and junior high was—John S. Park was the elementary, and John C. Fremont was the junior high. As I understand, you first came to Las Vegas in 1942—? I was here in the—I was here in the service, at Las Vegas Army Airfield. What was the Air Force Base like then? Extremely small, like it is now. As a matter of fact, there was only hanger on the base, which is now called the Thunderbird hanger. What was the downtown and Strip area like? The Strip area consisted of two hotels, which was the New—The Old Frontier, and the El Rancho, which has since burned down, it no longer is in Las Vegas. UNLV University Libraries Edward Gregory 2 Where did you go after you left Las Vegas? Re-invited the service; I went overseas and served in the China Burma India Theater. You returned to Las Vegas in 1950—why did you return? An appointment. How much of Nellis changed when you—while you were gone? They had added several hangers, it was quite a little bigger, quite a little larger. It had some newer buildings, updated buildings. How has the Strip and the downtown area changed? Oh, the Strip was tremendous; they had many new hotels: the Flamingo, the Sahara, several of the larger hotels were there by that time. Were there any of the above-the-ground atomic tests when you first got here? Yes, all of them were above the ground. The first, oh, three or four, anyway. Did they rock the ground like they do now? Very definitely, you could also see the mushroom. Were there more tests then, or are there more now? There were several—there were many, many tests, and they also tested the atomic cannon out in the test range area. They had many exercises— (Unidentified man) Hey Max! For foot troops. The Air force brings the whole—all the armed services were utilized out there in the testing. Do you believe that Las Vegas is better now? Or did you like it back in the ‘50s, and why? I like it now, I like the action. Any specific reason? UNLV University Libraries Edward Gregory 3 Oh, I like the larger town, the hustle and the bustle. Just the newer stores, the shops, the—I just like the larger city. Do you believe that Nellis Air force Base is better than it was in 1950? Oh, most definitely. And why is that? Well, it’s a much newer facility. The newer—the Base Exchange is new, a chapel, a hospital. As part of that time, everything was geared around World War Two, which were temporary buildings that we all lived in, they were all wooden, tar paper and so forth. So it’s been updated tremendously. Thank you very much. That’s it? (Tape ends)