Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans
5:21 | He had a deferment from his job, but Ed Pepping wanted to join the war effort. When he saw the Airborne recruiting table, he didn't even make it to the others. "Do you dare?" read the poster and he dared. Training in Toccoa, GA was rigorous and difficult, but he loved it. Wondering if he was a killer at heart, he decided to become a medic. (This interview made possible with the support of JOHN J. FITZGERALD.)
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Medieval history had been of interest to him in school, so when Ed Pepping got to England, it was instantly comfortable, a slice of history. It was the run up to the big invasion, and the Airborne medic felt privileged to be part of the elite group of paratroopers. (This interview made possible with the support of JOHN J. FITZGERALD.)
Just before his plane took off for the D-Day drop, Airborne medic Ed Pepping was ordered onto a different plane. This proved to be most fortunate. He suffered a hard landing, though, injuring his neck. Still, he persisted in the battle for 15 days, caring for the wounded until his luck ran out. (This interview made possible with the support of JOHN J. FITZGERALD.)
The first he time saw a German soldier, the two of them just passed each other on the road and kept going. The Airborne medic was part of the massive jump into Normandy. When one of the officers was hit by a sniper, he went to his aid. (This interview made possible with the support of JOHN J. FITZGERALD.)
With a commandeered German jeep, Airborne medic Ed Pepping evacuated wounded men to the church in Angoille-au-Plain, where the blood stains can be seen to this day. Despite the heavy fire, the medics did their jobs, so busy there was no time for fear. (This interview made possible with the support of JOHN J. FITZGERALD.)
Some of the snipers were French girls. Ed Pepping explains why this was so and reflects on some of his other astounding experiences in the Normandy invasion. Evacuated after being wounded, he joined in a plot to escape recuperation and rejoin his unit. (This interview made possible with the support of JOHN J. FITZGERALD.)
Recovering from his wound in England, medic Ed Pepping worked on a ward for seriously injured men from the front. That was Airborne for you, getting the job done. It was no different off the battlefield, as related by him in several humorous stories. (This interview made possible with the support of JOHN J. FITZGERALD.)
