Mission Statement

 

Why does this web master collect and preserve Veterans' World War II Oral Histories?

This question has been asked by a number of folks.

It is a very good question.

 

The answer lies in the sort Veteran story that I happened upon a couple of weeks ago...

 

Going to the local post office a couple of weeks ago, I noticed an elderly gentleman walking into the post office ahead of me. He moved slowly and for good reason, for he was walking on crutches.

I waited momentarily for him to enter the building to see which direction he might take, so that if he went into the section where the line had formed to purchase stamps, etc., I would assist him with the door. He went to the stamp machine located in the lobby instead.

I went in to mail a small package to my brother and while in line standing behind a lady next in line, I glanced to see the elderly gentleman enter and come up behind us in line.

The lady in front of me and I both had the same idea and both offered for the elderly gentleman to move to the front of the line which he did with a smile on his face.

After completing my business, I left and noticed again the elderly gentleman walking towards his car. I had also noticed that he was wearing a baseball cap bearing the inscription "--th Infantry Division".

I called to him and he waited for me to approach.

We began a conversation after I introduced myself and told him what I did as a hobby.

For a while, we talked and I managed to piece together a short story about his experiences in the war.

 

He was descended from a famous Confederate general -- and shared the same name.

He was originally from California and when the war broke out he got a job as a war industry worker helping to assemble B-17s in a plant in southern California.

His job was to utilize a jig and build tail rudder assemblies for the big bomber. When I inquired as to how many he might have built, he indicated that it was probably in the hundreds for he had no way of recalling exactly how many.

Later on, he was transferred by the company that he worked for to New Orleans to help in building the PBY.

This came as a surprise to me, for I had never heard that any PBY's had been built in the New Orleans area. He told me that when he was here, they assembled 18 PBY's for the Navy.

After completing this project, to his surprise, he was drafted and after completion of his training he was shipped off to the European theater where he was assigned to the "--th Division".

He served on the front for six months continuously without being relieved from the front lines.

Normally, his unit was assigned to accompany Sherman tanks and the men rode when and where they could.

He recalls riding a Sherman over the Rhine River into Germany.

He always made it a point to ride on the 2nd or 3rd Sherman in the column for good reason. According to him, the Germans usually targeted the 1st Sherman in line when they opened up on the advancing American formation with their deadly 88's. He had seen first hand just what a shell from these experienced gunners could do to anyone riding in or on a Sherman.

We continued talking for a while and he then indicated that he had to be on his way.

I asked that I might ask him one more question before he left.

I asked if he had ever written down his experiences on paper.

His response was, "Why should I -- It is all up here" pointing to his head.

Why should he indeed!

I mentioned to him that maybe he should consider writing down his World War II experiences for his children, their children and their children.

I left the thought hanging -- "Your experiences in the war, Sir are a part of history -- when you are gone, so are your experiences and so is a small part of our history".

 

This is the reason WHY I spend all of my spare time working on this project...to SAVE yet ONE MORE story.

 

World War II Stories -- In Their Own Words webmaster

 

 

Please Click on the link below to view

World War II Stories -- In Their Own Words

 

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Veterans
Survey Form

image of NEWSeptember 5, 2002.

Would YOU be interested in adding YOUR story --
or a loved-one's story? We have made it very
easy for you to do so.


By clicking on the link below, you will be sent
to our "Veterans Survey Form" page where a survey form
has been set up to conviently record your story.

It is fast -- convenient and easy to fill out --
Just fill in the blanks!

We would love to tell your story on
World War II Stories -- In Their Own Words.

WW II Stories: Veterans Survey Form

 

 

Do You Have a Story to Tell?

Contact me, Joe Richard and I can help.

If You Would Like to E-mail us, Click on the Image Below:

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