Transcript of a Chippewa Valley Community Television Program Series, "Vets Remember" [videorecording] : "WWII" with Ralph W. Ely, Charles "Charlie" E. Burce, Paul F. Spallees, & Marshall "Mush" J. McQuillan, 2001.

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Ely, Ralph W., 1921-. Transcript of a Chippewa Valley Community Television Program Series, "Vets Remember" [videorecording] : "WWII" with Ralph W. Ely, Charles "Charlie" E. Burce, Paul F. Spallees, & Marshall "Mush" J. McQuillan, 2001.

Transcript of a Chippewa Valley Community Television Program Series, "Vets Remember" [videorecording] : "WWII" with Ralph W. Ely, Charles "Charlie" E. Burce, Paul F. Spallees, & Marshall "Mush" J. McQuillan, 2001.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/632308123

In this interview appearing on Eau Claire Public Access Community Television, Ralph Ely, Charlie Burce, Paul Spallees, and "Mush" McQuillan discuss their experiences as members of Battery D, 126th Field Artillery Battalion, which left Eau Claire in 1940. Ely explains they had been a cavalry unit, but the outfit was converted to a field artillery battalion in October, 1940 which meant everyone, including the officers, had to "start over." The four young men from Eau Claire (Wisconsin) were assigned to Camp Beauregard (Louisiana) for basic training. The narrators discuss the difficulties of training in the hot swamp. Burce describes minimal equipment and bedding, stating they slept on straw ticks in squad tents and used 1934 Chevrolet trucks to dig ditches. McQuillan addresses the challenges of avoiding coral snakes and tarantulas in the swamp, while Spallees mentions their unit had a pet armadillo as a mascot. McQuillan comments that swamp training in Louisiana prepared him for combat in the Pontine Marshes of Italy. Next, each veteran describes his experience in World War II after basic training. McQuillan discusses at length fighting with a heavy artillery unit in the Fifth Army in Africa and Sicily, and participating in the Invasion of Salerno (Italy). He outlines his unit's progress through Naples, Caserta, Capua, Bonefro, Monte Cassino, Rome, and Milan. In Cassino, the Americans encountered the Russian Army, and McQuillan comments that eight different language were spoken on the Fifth Army switchboard. Later in the interview, McQuillan mentions some American soldiers went to see Mussolini's hanging, and he praises the heroics of Colonel Darby and a soldier named Fletcher who were in the First Ranger Battalion. Meanwhile, Spallees discusses his experiences in France and Central Europe. He describes being assigned in 1942 to Army bases in Oklahoma and Texas to train new troops. Because he had bonded with his trainees, Spallees elected to go overseas with his new unit to England in 1944. While crossing the Atlantic, members of their convoy were hit by German submarines; Spallees' troop ship separated from the convoy and spent two weeks outrunning the Germans until finally landing in Liverpool (England). Spallees reflects that the two weeks of delay meant he missed the D-Day Invasion; however, his unit was sent from England to Utah Beach (France). While awaiting more heavy artillery, Spallees was assigned to work with the free French Underground in Normandy. Spallees outlines his artillery unit's trek from Normandy to Paris to Alsace-Lorraine. His unit fought in the Battle of the Bulge (Belgium) and captured the Remagen Bridge across the Rhine River. Spallees states they eventually helped liberate Buchenwald concentration camp. Spallees reveals he was offered a commission if he stayed in the Army and fought in the Pacific Theater, but he turned it down because he'd "had all the killing and blood that I cared to see." Next, Burce describes his experiences: he grew tired of an extended assignment at Camp Beauregard, so he joined the Army Air Corps, starting his career from scratch. Burce discusses attending airplane mechanics school and scoring in the top ten percent of his class, which qualified him to be an instructor. He taught four classes a day in North Carolina until the Army decided they had enough mechanics. Later, Burce became an electrician for the B-29. Because of a medical problem and his classification as "Essential," Burce remained stateside for the entire war and was discharged in 1945 after five years of service. Last, Ely takes a turn describing his combat experiences. After training with the field artillery at Camp Beauregard, Ely attended a special training program at Ohio State University, but after six months, the program disbanded and he was sent back to the infantry. He was able to switch back to the 126th Field Artillery Battalion because he'd already served for three years, however, he dropped in rank from sergeant to private when he switched, which created tension with superior officers. Ely explains that he fought in the Pacific Front in 1945. After more training in Oahu (Hawaii), he was supposed to go to Luzon (Philippines) for amphibious training; however his group of eighty infantrymen "got on the wrong ship" and ended up in the Invasion of Okinawa. Ely also addresses military life: he remarks Army-issue clothing was either too small or too big, and he tells a humorous story poking fun at the illogic of military assignments. Ironically, his unit's mess sergeant had been a mechanic in Detroit before the war, while the motor sergeant was a cook and owned two restaurants in Detroit. Ely depicts the Japanese as worthy opponents, explaining how his respect for them as fighters grew over time. Next, the four soldiers discuss the benefits joining the military brings to young people. They cite education, self-confidence, discipline, world experience, and friendship as reasons young people should go into the service. Burce expresses regret that he never used the G.I. Bill to go to college, and McQuillan comments with emotion that, of the twenty-seven men who started in his squad, only two veterans were still alive. Finally, the four veterans discuss how the military prepared them for their civilian careers. McQuillan felt his experience with tanks helped him in his career as a firefighter. As a result of his mechanical training, Burce became an auto mechanic and later worked with special machinery at a printing plant. Spallees jokes that the Army was not very relevant to his career in the Post Office, but he feels the Army taught him perseverance which was helpful both in his professional and married life.

Videorecording : 1 videocassette (ca. 40 min.) : sd., col. ; 1/2 in.Transcript : 13 p.

Wisconsin Veterans Museum Research Center