Bobby Harnage oral history interview, March 2, 2016

Item — othertype: Oral History

Identifier: HarnageB_20160302

Staff Only

Bobby Harnage oral history

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Scope and Contents

Interviewed by Phil LaPorte. In this interview, Harnage discusses his youth, which centered around sports. He then discusses attempting college, but leaving early to join the Air Force. Harnage discusses his 18 months in the Philippines and the development of his investigatory skills during his time as an Air Force police officer. He then discusses his return to the United States and subsequent jobs. In 1964, he joined his union, which changed the course of the rest of his life. He spends the rest of the interview discussing the many roles he played in local and national union organizations.

Dates

Creation: March 2, 2016

Creator

Harnage, Bobby, 1939- (Interviewee, Person)

Restrictions on Access

Oral history available for research.

Biographical Note

Bobby Harnage was born in in 1939 in Lakeland, Florida. His family then moved to Moultrie, Georgia. He graduated high school in 1957. After attending college for a year, Harnage joined the Air Force. After basic training, he got assigned to a technical school. After completing police school at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, he was sent to Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines. In 1963, Harnage left the military and in 1964, he signed with a union. He quickly gained a title in the union and worked within labor unions the rest of his career, serving in roles that include national representative, national secretary-treasurer, and national president.