Initials

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Introduction

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Military branch of service
Army Infantry. No Air force at this time.

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Rank upon retirement
22 year career- Lieutenant Colonial

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First military experience
University of Alabama-1938 ROTC

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Enlistment
After college, worked for one year in Birmingham. Continued in ROTC. Commissioned at end of the year. Went to OCS. Inducted 1943.

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OCS
Training Fort Benning, GA-May 1944

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Inducted 1943

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Commissioned
Second Lieutenant- Infantry- May 1944

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After commissioned
Sent to Fort Rucker-66th May-May 1944. Trained with Division

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Sent to New York.
Port of embarkation. Arrived in England. Crossed channel to Europe.

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Command experience
Commanded infantry platoon.

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Arriving in Europe
66^th Infantry-historic tragedy

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New York to England
Arrived in England in waves.

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Waiting to cross channel to France Waiting in South Hampton. Infantry division of 15,00 men. Sent in waves.

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Battle of the Bulge
Important part of the war.

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Ships in South Hampton
Located sleeping quarters. Time passed to leave. Convoy ahead, 2,000 to 3,000 men, sunk by German submarine. Navy tragedy.

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Crossing the channel
Lost 1/3 of division. Left crippled

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Germans scattered
Turned toward west. Coast of France. Stayed in France.

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Time in Europe
One and a half years.

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Germans well armed
Had different weapons than U.S. Tanks built better. Had famous 88-mm. cannon mounted on tanks.

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American weapons
Used 75 and 76 mm cannon;  M-l rifles-reload every eight shoots. Used clip.

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German weapons
Good weapons. Portable sub machine guns.

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German surrender
Seized piles of weapons. U.S. soldiers picked out weapons they wanted to keep. Carried for six months. Traded.

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Schmeizer-German machine gun
Took weapons to range. High velocity.

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Travel to Southern France
Marseilles. Soldiers would assemble for embarkation to U.S. or the East.

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Atomic bombs
No idea about atomic bombs. People have disputed moral aspects of using bomb. No debate among troops. War is a terrible thing.

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Marseilles, France
Men assembling by units. Shipping to Japan. Fall of 1945-stayed in Europe.

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Sent to Austria
42^nd Infantry = line infantry.

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Assigned to Division Head Quarters
Assigned to Salzburg. Personnel department. 1945-1946. Shipped to embarkation port. Returned to the U.S. in 1946.

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German resistance
Fighting in several directions. France and Belgium. German soldiers were well trained.

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Change in mission
Germans would not give in. Continued fighting. .88 ~er being used against the U.S. Could not let them move.

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Tragedy in English Channel
Set to go to the Battle of the Bulge. Lost 2,000 to 3,000 men. Turned west. Remained in France.

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Took enemy fire
Never wounded. Some were wounded, died. Artillery shelling.

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365

Experiences in Salzburg
Received message from Head Quarters. Report to director of personnel office. Selected to be Asst to Division Personnel Office.

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American troops use hotels
 Stayed in Downtown Salzburg. Music house-opera music. High quality.

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