Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans

COMBAT STORIES FROM World War II

Ray Rogers | 1st Infantry - Army

:52 | Ray Rogers recalls the Germans' unfortunate choice of escape vehicles during an artillery attack in France

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WWII

Ray Rogers | WWII | 1st Infantry | :52

Ray Rogers recalls the Germans' unfortunate choice of escape vehicles during an artillery attack in France

Showing : WWII Videos

Frank Pomroy - Marines +35 Total Videos

2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division

It was an old tub the Marines boarded for the trip to the Pacific. In New Zealand they unpacked the ship and repacked it for combat though they didn't know yet where it would be. Frank Pomroy recalls that the locals were ready to party. (Second interview)
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7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division

He didn't even notice that he'd been hit. A piece of shrapnel from a Japanese artillery shell found Harold Barber's leg but he kept right on fighting because of the adrenaline. The Corpsman bandaged him and he was right back in the battle for Peleliu. The Navy was able to stay and take part in the fight unlike when he was on Guadalcanal.
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Frank Pomroy - Marines +35 Total Videos

2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division

It went without saying. Frank Pomroy explains why returning World War II veterans quietly went on with their lives and didn't talk much about the war. That would change as the years went by and he now feels that it's important to preserve the memories and the history of it. (Second interview)
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Ed Harrell - Marines +12 Total Videos

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Frank Pomroy - Marines +35 Total Videos

2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division

During the battle on Peleliu, Frank Pomroy encountered a group of Marines who asked him if he knew how to operate a flamethrower. Why yes, I do. (Second interview)
LtGen Lawrence Snowden - Marines +16 Total Videos

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Clyde Burnette - Army Air Corps +13 Total Videos

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It was their third mission over Berlin and they were heading home. Four German fighters pounced on the B-24 and it was engulfed in flame and going down. Clyde Burnette fought for consciousness as the other crew in the back of the plane bailed out. He woke in free fall with no idea how he had made it out, and soon he was in German custody. Everyone made it out of the plane except George "Danny" Daneau, the nose turret gunner, who went down with the aircraft.
Frank Pomroy - Marines +35 Total Videos

2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division

There was a warrant officer in charge of Frank Pomroy's platoon at Cape Gloucester. When Pomroy woke him up to tell him the Japanese were assembling in front of their position, he scoffed but got up anyway. As they stared out into the night he lit a match and held it in front of his face. No Japs out there. See? (First interview)
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2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division

Frank Pomroy remained on the transport while his unit made the unopposed landing on Guadalcanal. He was helping unload the weapons and supplies but, before they could get much off the ship, a Japanese air raid bore down on them. Part 1 of 2. (Second interview)
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Frank Pomroy - Marines +35 Total Videos

2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division

In combat, you have tunnel vision. Frank Pomroy experienced that when he faced waves of Banzai charges on Guadalcanal. They were intended to frighten you enough that you turned and ran but it didn't work on the young Marines. (Second interview)
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2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division

Frank Pomroy had left a man for dead on the Guadalcanal battlefield. Everyone agreed that he was dead and they pressed on. But he wasn't and, after almost being buried alive because he could not speak, the two encountered each other in the rear area. This was only the beginning of his sad story. (First interview)
Nollie Carpenter - Army +11 Total Videos

8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division

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Frank Pomroy - Marines +35 Total Videos

2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division

After the Pearl Harbor attack, seventeen year old Frank Pomroy tried to enlist in the Marines but was told he was too young. Undaunted, he and another eager teen concocted a scheme to get in. (First interview)
Harold Barber - Marines +14 Total Videos

7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division

After Guadalcanal, Harold Barber went to Australia for refitting and more training. The next fight was at Cape Gloucester, where he was not on the front line but still faced naval artillery fire and air raids
Frank Pomroy - Marines +35 Total Videos

2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division

Frank Pomroy was late for the battle on Guadalcanal so he volunteered for a lot of patrols. He and a pal went on a lot of them, then they decided to take it easy for a day. That day turned out to be anything but easy. (Second interview)
Frank Pomroy - Marines +35 Total Videos

2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division

The Japanese had given up on the Banzai charges by the time of the Peleliu landing. Instead they would send raiding parties toward the beach and it was during one of these attacks that Frank Pomroy took a bayonet wound to his knee. It only slowed him down a little, he was not out of the fight. Part 2 of 4. (Second interview)
Frank Pomroy - Marines +35 Total Videos

2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division

After a stop in New Zealand where the men made their own liberty, the Marines of the 1st Regiment went to the island of Guadalcanal. It had been chosen for the initial confrontation with the Japanese. Frank Pomroy was ordered to stay on the transport to help unload but an enemy torpedo bomber crashed into it and the crew abandoned ship. Part 1 of 2. (First interview)
Frank Pomroy - Marines +35 Total Videos

2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division

He was on the 37mm gun and he only had 55 rounds to last the night. Frank Pomroy chose his targets carefully and the grapeshot he was firing was really an anti-tank weapon mowing down the charging enemy. Finally the Banzai attacks ended. This was the first defeat for the Japanese in the Pacific. (First interview)
Frank Pomroy - Marines +35 Total Videos

2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division

Frank Pomroy prepared his last stand. He had a bayonet wound and three machine gun bullets in his leg but he was still ready to fight. He lined up his hand grenades on the coral ridge in front of him and waited. At daybreak he heard Japanese voices coming. Part 4 of 4. (Second interview)
Frank Pomroy - Marines +35 Total Videos

2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division

Chesty Puller was a legendary Marine leader. Frank Pomroy describes his encounters with the man, from getting caught fermenting Jungle Juice to holding court at reunions. (Second interview)
Frank Pomroy - Marines +35 Total Videos

2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division

Frank Pomroy was on a raft with another Marine after their troop transport was consumed by fire. They were fortunately rescued by a US destroyer just in time to witness the Battle of Savo island, a disastrous defeat for the US Navy. Part 2 of 2. (First interview)
Frank Pomroy - Marines +35 Total Videos

2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division

Frank Pomroy was painting his sister's house when someone drove up and said Pearl Harbor had been attacked. He and another seventeen year old boy hitchhiked to the recruiter who told them they were too young. A ruse was required.(Second interview)
Frank Pomroy - Marines +35 Total Videos

2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division

After surviving artillery fire from US ships that had mistaken his group for Japanese, Frank Pomroy fell in with a Lieutenant who was organizing a patrol through a swamp. They were not very far along when they became completely pinned down by Japanese artillery and sniper fire. Part 4 of 5. (First interview)
Frank Pomroy - Marines +35 Total Videos

2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division

The Japanese had another battalion on the way but they attacked the Marines at Tenaru River without waiting for them. They should have waited. Frank Pomroy was manning a 37mm gun and that was a big reason that Banzai charge after Banzai charge failed. (Second interview)
Frank Pomroy - Marines +35 Total Videos

2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division

Frank Pomroy and his fellow Marines were so tired and wracked with malaria that, when they shipped out, they were unable to climb the cargo net. Frank has a novel theory that there were three fronts in the war, the German Front, the Japanese Front and the Douglas MacArthur Front. (Second interview)