Oral history interview with Ervin Sartell, [videorecording], 2002.

ArchivalResource

Sartell, E. J. (Ervin J.), 1922-2009. Oral history interview with Ervin Sartell, [videorecording], 2002.

Oral history interview with Ervin Sartell, [videorecording], 2002.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/764604590

Ervin J. "Doc" Sartell, Jr., a Janesville, Wisconsin native, discusses his National Guard and Army service before and during World War II and the Korean War, including duty in the 32nd Infantry Division and the Americal Division. Sartell talks about the World War II service of his father, Ervin Sartell, Sr., who served as an officer with the 32nd Division in France. He describes his father's efforts to reorganize the 121st Fuel Artillery Band in Janesville and his own activities as band mascot from 1930 to 1936. At age sixteen, Sartell speaks of joining the National Guard in 1938, his pay rate, and the federalization of his unit in 1940. He describes living in a tent city and training at Camp Beauregard (Louisiana), using World War I-era equipment, having to purchase his own boots, and staying on the base over Christmas to guard the equipment against sabotage. In the summer of 1941, Sartell speaks of participating in the Louisiana maneuvers: becoming a regimental mail sergeant, making money by reselling whiskey, entering a bar filled with "enemy" soldiers, and seeing snakes and alligators during a monsoon. He tells of losing his furlough after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the reorganization of the 32nd Division, and taking a village fighting course at Fort Riley (Kansas). Shipped overseas to the Americal Division at Caledonia, he tells of jungle training, transfer to a defense platoon at Bougainville, and recalibrating a new weapon at "Million Dollar Hill" after losing his equipment in a tent fire. Sartell mentions having duty guarding prisoners, patrolling, and stationing a listening post. He details being on an Army football team that played against a Marine team to boost morale. Sartell talks about relieving the 32nd Infantry Division in the Philippines and duty as a squad leader during the invasion of Sibu Island. He comments on unloading LSTs under fire, being shot at by a sniper, invading the island of Negros, and escorting twenty body bags back to Sibu. He describes preparing for the invasion of Japan and celebrating on August 10th after hearing a false rumor that the war was over. Sartell speaks of invading an airfield on Yokohama, taking souvenirs from a warehouse, and watching Japanese movies at a Japanese theater. He details his interactions with Japanese civilians and characterizes them as surprisingly friendly. Sartell touches on looting a warehouse of beer, taking money from a safe, and being shipped back to the States for discharge at Fort McCoy. He talks about his civilian career and joining the 84th Reserve Division. Sartell portrays his shock when he was recalled for the Korean War and shipped back to Japan. Assigned as a recon platoon sergeant, he states the first sad thing that happened in Korea was that a truck in his unit hit and killed a little girl. He mentions seeing combat at Yong Dong Po, stringing barbed wire along the 38th Parallel, being injured twice, and being shipped home ten months after his arrival. Sartell highlights the number of World War II veterans who were recalled to service when the Korean War started. He details his homecoming from the Korean War: not having a place to live, discovering friends didn't know he had been serving in Korea, and the frustration of having to start over his life a second time. Sartell comments on the average age of the men in his units, describes beach landing in an LST at Leyte and Sibu, and portrays the beauty and noise of naval gun bombardments. During World War II, he mentions injuring his knee while unloading tents. He speaks of his father's use of Army connections to try to stop his son from being shipped to Korea. In the Philippines, Sartell mentions adopting a couple of puppies but being ordered to dispose of them after they got worms. He reflects on one of his friend's getting killed on a night patrol and another friend's excitement after getting a "million dollar wound." Sartell comments on being surprised by a Filipino guerilla unit at a listening post, accidentally putting the base on alert when he took a potshot at an animal, stealing alcohol during a transportation detail, and drinking homemade whiskey. He states there was a lot of boredom, which is why the men did crazy things. Sartell talks about buying food from civilians, eating fresh coconuts cut down by Filipinos on his work detail, protecting Japanese prisoners of war from Filipinos natives, and and his getting in trouble for killing a big snake.

Video recording : 2 video cassettes (ca. 63 min.) ; sd., col.; 1/2 in.Transcript : 22 p.

Wisconsin Veterans Museum Research Center