OH 1566 | Oral History

OH 1566

Landscape architect. His experiences with G Troop, 112th Cavalry, in the Southwest Pacific Theater during World War II. Growing up in an Italian-American family in Mississippi during the Great Depression; volunteering for the draft and processing at Camp Shelby, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, 1943; basic training at Camp Lee, Petersburg, Virginia, 1943; War Dog Training Center, San Carlos, California, October-December, 1943; assignment to the 26th War Dog Platoon, 1944; assignment to New Guinea, 1944; Battle of the Driniumor River and his attachment to elements of the 32nd Infantry Division, 1944; jungle patrols on New Guinea with his dog; his transfer to Troop, 112th Cavalry, and the invasion of Leyte, Philippines, October, 1944; his new duties as a machine-gunner; small unit combat in the Philippines; living conditions in the Philippine jungles; comments about the fighting prowess of his comrades in the 112th Cavalry; comments about replacements; jungle patrols on Leyte and Luzon; the 112th’s activities around Marungko and Antipolo, Luzon, 1944-45; descriptions of cannibalism by Japanese soldiers; his wounds from artillery shrapnel and evacuation by helicopter; his return to the 112th Cavalry and preparations for the invasion of Japan; witnessing the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay, September 2, 1945; occupation duty at Tateyama, Honshu; relations between Japanese civilians and American occupation troops; destruction of Japanese defensive fortifications and weapons on Honshu; his return to the States, December 1945, and mustering out of the service.

About this Oral History

Physical Description 319 pp. plus documents (92 pp.)
Terms of Use Open
Interviewer(s) Glenn Johnston
Date of Interview November 24, 2003 to December 5, 2003, January 13, 2004 to January 15, 2004, February 12, 2004

Additional Resources

The following lists of links include general-purpose research sites that may have materials related to oral history research methodolgies, or the topic you are interested in.