Southampton - The longer we live the more interesting our recollections become as memories turn into history. A unique collaboration between a library and a historical society in Southampton is attempting to capture some of these precious moments by recording the oral histories of local residents. Everyone has a story to tell.

Marilouise Kelly recalls her experiences as a nurse during World War II for an oral history as part of a joint project between the library and the historical society.

The Southampton Historical Society has taken histories from farmers and fishermen, fuel oil delivery men, garbage collectors, now called "carters" and others in the diverse community that comprises the South Fork. "It's a far reaching program," Southampton Historical Society archivist Mary Cummings said. The program's organizers are trying to capture as many oral histories as they can before these memories are lost forever and unrecorded for future generations. The oral histories will be made available on videotapes and CDs. Printed versions will be in file at the library as well.

The on-going project between The Rogers Memorial Library and the Southampton Historical Society drew a crowd on a peaceful autumn afternoon as attendees took their seats in a lovingly restored vintage home that houses the historical society. A video camera recorded the event.

The subject was World War II. The speakers, Marilouse Kelly and Delores Zebrowski, who both served as Army nurses during the war. Dressed proudly in uniforms that they have stashed in their closets for years - complete with hats and sashes filled with medals and ribbons - they recalled their experiences on the front lines in the European theater where they tended to thousands of wounded soldiers. You could hear a pin drop as the audience sat in rapt attention. These two women survived the war, came home, got married, had children and grandchildren but they never forgot the war years.

Dolores Zebrowski entertained guests with her tales of WW II. Photo courtesy of Penelope Wright

"We took care of the American soldiers first," Kelly said, "then we took care of the Germans." Both women tended to wounded soldiers who arrived in England after D-Day when casualties were heavy. "The Germans were afraid to go under anesthesia," Kelly recalled, "they thought they would be murdered."

Kelly also told a war time story of watching a young man die as he called out to his mother far away. The devoted 23-year-old nurse sat with the 19-year-old soldier until he passed away. "He knew he was going to die," Kelly recalled. "He had extensive abdominal wounds. There wasn't much they could do." Kelly violated military protocol when she wrote a letter to the young man's mother informing her of his death. "You could be court marshaled for that," Kelly said, "but I'm still glad I did it." The soldier's mother had enlisted in the WACS. The boy's mother wrote to Kelly telling her she was glad her son was not alone when he died.

The poignant letter was pinned to the nearby bulletin board along with the stamped and dated envelope that carried the message back to Kelly. "I kept it all these years," Kelly said.

Zebrowski lightened the mood when she described the more mundane aspects of military life noting the nurses worked long hours, slept little and were overwhelmed with work. "We were pretty busy," Zebrowski said, "there were a lot of casualties. Then she told the story about Captain Mary Lou and the 4 a.m. wake-up call to go to mass. "Captain Mary Lou was a nurse who decided to become a nun then she decided to leave the nunnery and join the army," Zebrowski said. "I was up all night when they woke me up to go to mass. I was in the Army. I was a first lieutenant. When a Captain tells you to do something you do it. Anyway, it made my mother happy to know I was going to mass."

Zebrowski recalled the actions of a grateful young man who she helped. The soldier wanted to go and see his wife and new born baby but couldn't leave until he had dry bandages. Zebrowski changed the dressing and he went on his way but not before he left her with a lifelong memory. "He gave me a ring that he was going to take to his wife. He said, 'You keep this and when you wear it always think of me'." The audience gasped and sighed.

Both women recalled the fly boys flights over to Scotland during the war in small air craft. "They made a run and they brought back the scotch," Zebrowski said.

Mrs. Kelly's shares memories with Janet Lavinio, a well loved retired school nurse and Mrs. Krazewski.

So it went as these two grand dames told their war stories on a sunny autumn afternoon near the shores of the Atlantic in a stately building on a tree lined street in Southampton where the war was long ago and far away. They made it come alive again for their contemporaries, many of whom had their own memories. For the younger members of the audience who gather their knowledge of World War II from television shows like "F-Troop" or the History Channel the speeches were particularly informative. History was real they noted, these ladies lived it. They also lived to tell the tale more than half a century later.

Kelly proudly waved a wallet sized photo of her seven children around. The picture taken in the 1950s reflects the post war era. The children are lined up by height, and are all smiles and happiness. The Kellys came to Southampton after Kelly won money on a quiz show called "Two For The Money." "I won $3,500," she said. "We used that money to come out to Hampton Bays and buy land."

Then Kelly told a war story and a love story. "I met him before the war started," Kelly said. "I said I'll see you when the war is over. The war ended and there he was," Kelly said of her husband Eugene.

The couple couldn't get married until the first Thursday after Easter. "He was in a tank in Okinawa," Kelly said. The young nurse returned to the States, got a job in an iron mill and waited for her future husband to come home. "The church was packed," she said.

"The war changed us all," Zebrowski said. "It gave me courage and confidence so I could go on. Nothing was ever going to bother me after that."

More than 20 years later historians would call them "the greatest generation." It is easy to see why as they tell their stories and turn their memories into an historical record for generations to come. Their message is one of hope and most of all a prayer for peace.