Pop's Oral History

Pop's Oral History, Tape 2a

Tapes by Gus Pagels, circa 1980
Posted September 15, 2010
© 2010, Herbert E. Lindberg

Tape 1a -- Leaves Berlin at 14
Tape 1b -- Begins railroad hobo trip west across U.S.
Tape 2a -- Gets to San Bernardino and Los Angeles
Tape 2b -- First stay in Santa Barbara, working at Ott's hardware
Tape 3a -- Back east in New York, Key West, then Georgia, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Flint Michigan
Tape 3b -- Returns to Germany, Marries Mom, returns to U.S., builds house in Sacramento
Tape 4 -- Gus, Otto and Harry born in Sacramento, buys first car: 1919 Buick

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Tape 2a (23 minutes) [Right click to download the tape]

a. Rides tank car by hanging onto a hand rail (very dangerous because had to fight sleep). One more train to San Bernardino, walks to Los Angeles, works as dishwasher.

b. Los Angeles: two butter horns and coffee for a nickel. Meets Fred Nichol, who became a movie director. Plays convict in a movie, and as a crowd extra in others.

c. Santa Barbara: Works at Ott’s Hardware as tinner. Lives with Swedish family for about three years.

d. Joins Naval Reserve at about 17. Towed targets with tender for 4-inch gunnery practice. Operated guns, too, and was a good shot. Wasn’t accepted for regular Navy because of bad eye.

e. Goes with Swedish family to Los Angeles, later takes boat to San Francisco. Doesn’t like it, so heads south to Santa Cruz, hops train up to Santa Barbara.