Washington, D.C. WWII Memorial Interviews with WWII Veterans

WWII Memorial Dedicated to Washington, D.C. in 2004 Honors the 16 million who served in the armed forces, and the 400,000 who died, and all who supported the War effort

William Jones: Italy Landed in North Africa and took boat to North of Naples, relieved division before them 105 th Field Artillery Division Worked 12 hours, break 12 hours Traveled the whole span of Italy in two years Traveled up to the Alps: Germans were in the mountains, they were below

“What was the scariest thing that happened to you during the war?” (Ahjanae) “I was sleeping in the back of a truck that was traveling along the road in Italy. All of a sudden I heard a terribly loud noise. I looked up and saw a German fighter plane coming at my truck. The plane started shooting at me. I jumped out of the truck into a ditch and messed up my knee. Later, I had to get knee replacement surgery.”

“If you could go back and be a soldier again, would you do it?” (Brian) “Yes. I liked being a soldier. I was a ranking officer. I spent 10 years in the army. I was also in Korea for 7 years.”

Grandpa Harry: Pacific Realm Served on ship APA 173 USS Hyde that started in Virginia, went through the Panama Canal and docked in the South Pacific, near Guam. Was the first ship in a convoy. His captain was a very high ranking officer. Everyone was terrified of him. When he asked a question to an officer he would start to stutter in fear. Manned the guns on the ships. After the nuclear bomb dropped, his ship took the American and Chinese prisoners of war home

“ How did you feel when you heard that the Allies had won the war?” (Imani) “It meant I was going to live.”

“ Did you think the Americans were right to drop the bomb on Hiroshima?” “Dropping the bomb was bad but it was the best way to go. Truman had guts to drop the bomb”

“ What was the most frightening thing you saw during the war?” (Ms. Ritter) “We were in Guam, going through the mountains on patrol. I heard from another soldier that there were Japanese soldiers around the area, and that they had killed Americans the week before. I was terrified…”

“What was your favorite meal on the ship?” (Ms. Levitt) “My favorite meal was chipped beef with white gravy over bread. It was delicious.”

Howard Oaf: Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge First landed in England, in Doddington Park Was extremely sick, foot was severely swollen Doctors gave him two choices: Go back to Indiana, or go with his outfit to France. Chose to fight. Landed in Omaha Beach a few days after D-Day. Drove a jeep off the boat onto the beach. Still German snipers in the cliffs above.

Howard Oaf (cont’d) Fought his way through Normandy into Germany for seven months straight Battle of the Bulge: 24 American soldiers surrounded in the woods. Ran out of ammunition. Surrendered or were killed by Germans Spent 5 months as a POW in labor camp in Germany. Almost died several times. Malnourished. When liberated was 80 lbs. Right before liberation, took them on a death march, but really set them free

“ How did it feel to ride on the boat to the beach?” (Trevor) “I remember feeling very ill as I rode on the boat to the beach. I was in the cavalry division, so I drove a jeep off the boat onto the beach. It was very heavy. There were still German snipers in the cliffs above. I was very scared.”

Howard and Johnny

Howard Oaf

“How did it feel to witness so many deaths while you survived?”(Demaris) “ I am the luckiest man in the whole world! I survived Normandy and a German labor camp and lived to be 91 years old! My buddy Johnny died from the ramifications of malnutrition from the camp at 47. And here I still am. The luckiest man in the world.”