Technically, there's a buzz throughout the whole tape -- something which (hopefully) my cousin can remove (or at least lessen) with some audio software he has.

My only other criticism is that I did a horrible job at the interviewing of my uncle.  While my research (close to 300 hours of it) was meticulous, I awkwardly hesitated and asked the most inane things.  I rate myself an "F minus" on my interviewing skills.  I'll try to transcribe the thing (only 43 minutes in total), as the transcript won't be as embarrassing as the actual recording.

Anyhow, my uncle couldn't recall any of the multitude of combat he experienced.  I'll propose a theory for this at the conclusion of this post.

He was initially a sergeant (an instructor) with D Company, 30th Eng. Bn at Ft. Croft, SC, before volunteering to join the paratroopers in late 1941 (for which he had to give up his stripes).  He qualified, and joined what later became the 509th PIB.

In the interview, he recounted how the wind from the plane's engine would blow the shoot back when he jumped.  He also mentioned how some guys refused to go out the door -- while attempting to qualify (obviously, those guys didn't qualify).

About the Queen Elizabeth voyage to Britain, he only remembered that the ship was so big he got lost a few times, and that the food was terrible.

He remembers being stationed near Hungersford (in Berkshire, England), and additional training there.  He mentioned that at one point (not sure when or where) he eventually made Sergeant again with the 509th, but was busted back down to Corporal for fighting with another sergeant with whom he would frequently have "disagreements".

He also casually mentioned a few rowdy antics while in England, and of course, the uh -- women.

He recounted the "accidental" low-altitude demonstration jump where they bailed out at 150 feet in England.  About that, he only stated that "as soon as I was out the door, I was on the ground."  However, he hadn't been hurt -- incredibly.

He remembered the British obstacle course at Mortehoe (although, he didn't remember Mortehoe), and how his unit broke the time record for going through it.  He chuckled at that memory.

While he remembered both Col. Raff and "Doc" Alden, he couldn't recount any personal recollections of them.  He said that Raff was a great leader, and that Alden was "a great guy".

About the flight to North Africa, he could only recount that at one point they were so low that he could hear waves hitting the bottom of the plane.  They were shot down and landed in Algeria, but he remembers nothing else of combat there at Tafaraoui, Youks Les Bains, or Faid Pass.

When I mentioned Gafsa, he remembered the name, and that they hadn't jumped there (were bused there), but nothing of what he'd done there.

His only other memory of Africa was being stationed at the winery.  (That figures.)    And how, on a few occasions, would dip his canteen into the vat.

He said something about a jump that was "cancelled".  I'm assuming that was Sicily (where his unit didn't participate). Either that, or the fact that they went into Anzio amphibiously, rather than by plane?

I asked him about Avellino, and he initially said they hadn't jumped there.  Rather than correct him, I mentioned that it was a "night jump behind enemy lines".  Then he remembered, and said that he had landed on rocks and hurt his leg, and that he was initially alone for 2 or 3 days, until he found someone else from the 509th, and eventually others.

I asked him what it was like being alone those few days, and he said that Italian people would give him food -- raw eggs and some canned stuff (American rations which they had somehow acquired).  He said he'd avoided the Germans by going up the mountain, as the Germans were down in the valley (in town).  When linked with his men, they did recon work and reported back on enemy troop numbers at various locations.

He didn't remember anything else, until I pointed out a contemporary article about him being up a pole with a German shooting at him, which he remembered, and said that the German missed him, and he got down off the pole very quickly.

I then mentioned how the same article quoted him as saying that he had a gun shot out of his hands twice at Avellino (on 2 separate occasions).  He said he'd been crossing a field and the machine gun he was carrying, was shot out of his hands.  He elaborated that it had been an "air-cooled" gun, rather than the "heavier, water-cooled" gun (which he had to jump with).  He mentioned that eventually he was issued a 45, which was "much lighter", and laughed.

I then mentioned how his unit was linked up with Darby's Rangers for Venafro, and he remembered the rangers, but had no recollection of Venafro, or his taking Mt. Croce from the Germans at all.  I tried to jog his memory and mentioned how it rained all the time.  Still nothing.  I mentioned how his company (E) went into Venafro with 92 men, and came out with 33.  He nodded, then said that it was "bad". 

He then said he remembered a shell hitting near his foxhole, and he was dazed.  I asked if he had been sent to the hospital, and he said that he hadn't.  His buddy grabbed him and he was alright -- but had lost his memory for two days.

That was all he could recount of Venafro.

At some point (I think prior to the taping), I'd indicated that his company (E) was changed in Dec. 1943 (after Venafro) to Company B.  He didn't recall that.

I asked him about Anzio, and all he remembered was taking the landing craft ashore while getting shelled (he may have been mistaking this with his leaving Anzio and getting shelled -- see later).

He couldn't remember anything else about Anzio.  I brought up Canero -- thinking that surely he would remember that.

Nothing.  I mentioned how on February 29, 1944, the German assault drove into Canero (1028th Panzer Grenadier Regt), and his company bore the brunt of the assault, outnumbered 3-to-1 (I mercifully didn't mention the hand-to-hand fighting which ensued, nor his own Corps Artillery shelling them -- having given them up as "lost"), and how they held the Germans long enough for the reinforcements to stop the assault, and save the beachhead.  I mentioned their unit being "cited" for their actions that day, and he only nodded.

Then he said that he remembered being in a foxhole, and someone coming up to him and telling him that he was going home.  The only thing he remembered after that was being on a boat, and getting shelled -- then being back in Viriginia.

My guess is that the horrors of Carano were so bad that he's blocked them (and all previous combat) out of his mind (see below).

I asked him if he wanted to say anything at all about his service or his unit, to which he only replied that they were all "men" in his unit, and how "proud" he was to have served with them.

I thanked him repeatedly, and told him that if he remembered anything else and wanted to do this again, I'd run right down.  To which he replied, laughing, "No, this was enough."

Afterwards, off camera, he mentioned that he had "Stand In the Door" (a book about the 509th in WWII -- the book from which I attained most of my notes), but that he'd never read it.  He also mentioned that he never watches "anything" about war on TV.  Documentaries, movies, nothing.  If something comes on, he turns it off.

I think that something happened at Carano, and that he can't bear to think about it, so has avoided any connection to the war for the last 62 years (he's now 87) in order to keep his sanity.

I'm only thankful that he has been able (at least to some degree) to block out these memories which those of us who weren't there cannot even begin to imagine.  While I wish I could've gotten more, I would not have wanted to attain it at the cost of his ability to cope with what happened to him.

I can only hope now that my bringing up all of this won't start a resurrgence of memories that he'd rather forget.

On a final note, after I got home, I noticed that I had accidentally taken his "sergeant's" papers with me (when I'd been gathering my notes from his house to leave, it was on the bottom of the pile, and I accidentally took it home with me).  Realizing I had it, I immediately called him to let him know, so he wouldn't be wondering where it went to, and that I'd return it shortly.

He responded, "That's okay, buddy."

After I got off the phone I realized he'd never called me "buddy" before.  To the best I can remember, I've never heard him call anyone "buddy" (other than in recounts of his fellow 509er's).  I was deeply touched, and felt that he'd unconsciously bestowed upon me a degree of affection that I certainly had not deserved.

While my part in the interview was a disaster and I had not achieved anything close to what I'd hoped for (not to mention that annoying "buzz"), I will ever appreciate my uncle's service and those of all those who have (and still do) serve their country to purchase the freedom we all enjoy, and often take for granted.

Thank you, all.  (There should be an emoticon for "salute")

Gotta tell you that I am so damned glad you made the effort to record your uncle's memories... far too many have gone without passing along theirs.

 

"The degenerative and loony should never be denigrated but, rather, thanked. In their absence, the rest of you would be obliged to fill congressional seats... positions naturally unsavory to the sane and honorable."

Thorax

The cancelled jump may also have been the jump on Rome.  While the invasion of Salerno was taking place the 82nd was originally tasked with jumping on Rome(with the 325th and one battalion of the 504th scheduled to make an amphibious landing in the area).  The mission was cancelled when Maxwell Taylor went in early on covert diplomatic mission and saw that there was no chance of success.

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American GI.  One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.

"History teaches that when you become indifferent and lose the will to fight someone who has the will to fight will take over." COLONEL BULL SIMONS

Thank you for sharing...and you probably have more there than you may realize after you mull it over...good job getting it put down here even if you think you didn't do so hot during the interview, tell your Uncle thanks for his time and service also!

"Let's Go Downtown" - Flight of the Intruder
 

http://www.327infantry.org/second/c_co 

Same Mud Same Blood - NBC documentary filmed 1967 RVN, chronicle Frank McGee

tell your Uncle thanks for his time and service also!

I have thanked (and will continue to thank) my uncle.  I can never look at him the same way I used to, prior to my studying his unit's involvement in WWII.  I don't think anyone in my family will.  We can never thank him enough.

Regarding the emoticon...

Wow.  I never expected anyone to actually find/produce one.   Excellent.  Thanks. 

---

(Regarding paratrooper training in the U.S.)

Q: How did you find out that you were accepted? What did you have to go through to find out? 

Bill: Well, they sent… they notified the Army that I was (indistinguishable), then I went to Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. Then they… we went through the… all formalities you had, you could… to go from breakfast, you had to run. I mean everything… on the double, like, you know. It was interesting. I enjoyed it.

Q: How long was the training?

Bill: Oh… until you qualified. They had a tower. It had a chute, like. They’d take you up about, oh… so high. They’d strap the chute around. They’d take you up on top of the tower and they release it, and they come down like, you know. A lot of broken legs there. (laughs)

Q: How did you do? Did you get hurt or…

Bill: No. I never got hurt. You were supposed to relax, like, you know, when you do it, like. Then they had a chute you drop down. You jump like… you jumpin’ out a door… then you come down that thing on a pulley, and you gotta tumble when you get down there. It was different stuff. And they had an obstacle course. That was pretty rough. Climb a wall, and go through a river, and crawl underneath the -- uh, barbed wire. It was a regular course, like, you know. It was rough.

Q: You had to do qualifying jumps to get your wings?

Bill: Yeah. You had to make six jumps before.

Q: What was that like?

Bill: You go five, fifteen thousand feet in the air. And you go through a door. You had a static line. They just -- they have fifteen guys in there, sitting down, and you stand in the door, and they tap you in the shoulder, and you jump, like, you know.

Q: What’d you feel like the first time you ever went up in an airplane?

Bill: Ahh, just went up. A lot of them, they had a… they couldn’t even push them out, like. They had to bring them back down again. (laughs)

Q: They wouldn’t go out?

Bill: (shakes his head) They wouldn’t go out.

Q: You weren’t afraid, though? You went right out?

Bill: (shakes his head) No.  (meaning that he wasn't afraid, not that he didn't go out the door)

Q: What was it like going through the air for the first time?

Bill: Well, our paratroop… you’re through the door… the propeller blast more or less opens your chute. Like you fall about fifteen… The static line was like fifteen foot long. And when that static line broke it opened your chute up, like, you know. So when you jump, the propeller blast would blow you, more or less, like. And, uh… Then when I… when I qualified with the French… I mean English, we had to sit in a hold at the bottom of the plane. There was like five guys around in a hold, like, you know. That’s what the English paratroopers. And you just sit there and give yourself a push. If you gave yourself too much of a push, you’d hit the side of it, like, you know.

Q: Was it the same kind of plane? Was it a C-47?

Bill: Oh, no. It was a different. We used to go to the bottom of a hold, on the bottom of the plane there was no flap, no blast, like, to open your chute up. And when you jump you’d go down like this, and you’d say, is this thing going to open up or (indistinguishable) it kept on blowing in and out, like, you know.

Q: What were the instructors like at paratrooper school?

Bill: (matter-of-factly) Rough. (pause) Real rough.

Q: I want to read you something, here. It says that, according to the book, Stand in the Door: “Instructors went out of their way to discourage trainees by inflicting physical and mental stress.” Does that sound right?

Bill: Well, yeah. They were, they were… I’ll tell you, they were… they were good.

Q: Do you know why they were rough?

Bill: Well, they had to be, I guess. You wanted to be a paratrooper. (laughs) Whatever they said, goes.

Q: What were Combat Firing Exercises like?

Bill: Right. You had a target to shoot at, and different stuff like that, like. Then the bazooka. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen a bazooka, it… and you put it up, and it almost knocked you on your can when you fired it, like, you know.

Q: So, you were getting trained on all different types of weapons?

Bill: Then we had, uh… M1 rifle, we shot a target… moving targets, like, you know.

Q: What are your personal recollections of Colonel Raff?

Bill: (smiling) He was a rough… (indistinguishable) He was a rough man, I’ll tell you. When you want to march, you don’t dare drop out, like, you know.

Q: Do you have any personal recollections of him?

Bill: Oh, the only thing I knew was he was a great man, anyhow, he was. He was really a good man.

---

(Regarding the voyage to Britain)

Q: What was it like aboard the Queen Elizabeth?

Bill: Oh, good. They treated us right. The food was lousy, though. The English food. Spare ribs. For breakfast, you get like the corn beef, oh boy. It was no breakfast, what we got. It was… not bad. I ate it, though. (cut) Well, just wandered around the deck and shoot some pool, whatever, like. That was a big ship. It would take you half a day to walk, go around it, like, you know. Different, different, uh… spots they were showing us, like, you know.

---

(Regarding additional training in Britain)

Q: You did a Exhibition Jump in August of ‘42. Al Jolson and a couple celebrites were there… Merle Oberon…

Bill: There was a bunch. I don’t know who they were, they were there. Al Jolson was there, yeah. I remember that.

Q: It says that’s when you had the accidental, low-altitude mass jump at 150 feet?

Bill: (nods) Right.

Q: Were you involved in that?

Bill: (nods) Oh, yeah.

Q: What was that like?

Bill: You no sooner left the plane and you were on the ground. (gestures) Boom, like, you know.

Q: Where did you hit?

Bill: I landed okay. But, uh…

Q: On the ground?

Bill: (nods) On the ground. Right.

Q: What was that like, dropping from so low, I mean?

Bill: It was… It hurt, I tell you, when you jumped, like. I never broke anything, really… I relaxed, more or less, when I jumped, like, you know. I knew we were low. I could tell, like… if I looked out, like, I could the see the… you know, where we were gonna jump… (indistinguishable)

Q: You were flown to Northern Ireland in September of ‘42, to the Ulster Aerodrome? And you performed an exercise against British troops there?

Bill: Well, we jumped in… Ireland. That’s when we made the jump out there. It was the softest jump I ever m