Memories of a Tour of Duty
WWII in Europe
by
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October 22, 1942 was the date of my induction at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indianapolis, Indiana. At Fort Harrison, we were not told where we would be serving, what branch of the army we would be in nor what our occupational specialty might be. These things had all been determined through testing and brief interviews with the outcome apparently a military secret. Cries of, "You’ll be sorry" greeted us frequently as we moved through the processing that converted us from civilians to olive drab (O.D.) clad nephews of our Uncle Sam. Tomorrow, when we had become one-day veterans, it would be our turn to do the shouting for the benefit of an uninitiated new group. A troop train moved the rookies toward that still secret destination. After some hours, the train crossed a large river and eventually halted in a railroad switching yard recognized by some of the men from the area as E-town (Elizabethtown), Kentucky. Almost at once it was rumored that we were headed for Camp Campbell, the new military post on the Kentucky-Tennessee border. This was one rumor that was proven correct when a number of Army officers came aboard and announced that we had been assigned to the newly activated 12th Armored Division at Camp Campbell. Under cover of darkness, the train pulled into the camp and we were housed in the new barracks to await further processing and assignment to specific units. When the confusion of classification was complete, I found myself to be a Private in Company E, 2nd Battalion, 56th Armored Infantry Regiment under the command of Captain Bruce E. Arndt. My request for assignment to an ordnance unit was partially granted and I was entered on the Table of Organization (TOE) as the Armorer for Company E. The position carried a T5 rating and corporals pay. But first, there was basic training to be completed. I had read "The Soldier’s Handbook" on the troop train, had a grasp of military courtesy and memorized the "general orders" so I had a good start In at least some of the things included in basic training. Close order drill and the manual of arms were yet to be mastered while physical training, road marches, the infiltration course and the firing range remained to be endured The rifle range provided an insight to the army way of doing things. Our First Sergeant was an old regular army man assigned as cadre to the new division. He was Sergeant Martin and he worked hard to make soldiers of a bunch of former civilians less than half his age. If you are familiar with the soil conditions along the Kentucky-Tennessee border you know that the ground is basically red clay, very dusty when dry and pure mud when wet. The firing line of the rifle range when we were there was wet. The firing positions without exception were shallow puddles with mud linings. I asked Sgt. Martin if we could take blankets to the range to put on the ground so we would not soil our new fatigue uniforms and could stay dry when firing from the sitting and prone positions. I told the sergeant that I would use one of my blankets in that fashion if the army would dry clean it when our range work was completed. With Sgt. Martin’s assurance that would be done, my blanket became one used on the firing line.
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About the Book
Wartime military service creates unusual situations and opportunities that seem to be almost unlimited in their variety. Here is the story of a young draftee in World War II who experienced life in the Armored Force, the Army Air Force pilot training program and the reality of combat in an Infantry Division. On line with the 106th Infantry in a quiet sector of the Ardennes, these foot soldiers were in the direct path of the massive German offensive that became known as The Battle of the Bulge. Overwhelmed by the sheer might of numbers and firepower arrayed against them, they managed to upset the enemy time table until forced to surrender on the fourth day of what has been called the greatest battle of the war in terms of men and machines. This book is about an individual and his experiences under fire and as a prisoner of war; liberation by the Russian Army and his adventures on the hike across country to rejoin the American Army. Here, an attempt has been made to create the feeling of the times in addition to the problems of the moment. It is a book about real people in a tragic period of history.
About the Author
Earl S. Parker grew up in the dune country of Indiana at the foot of Lake Michigan. Educated under the Work-Study-Play system of the late Dr. William A. Wirt, he served as president of his high school chapter of The National Honor Society, was a member of the band and orchestra and participated in track and field events. Following discharge from the military, he found employment with a major international corporation where he served as Plant Engineer and Manager of Environmental Affairs and Industrial Safety. Retiring at the age of 62, he and wife Phyllis spent the next three years traveling the United States and Canada in their motor home. Earl has flown his own plane, sailed his own boat and now at age 81 is an active computer user and photographer. He and Phyllis have enjoyed several trips to Europe and Scandinavia and look forward to their sixtieth wedding anniversary in 2002. A continuing interest in the history of the day and the activities of his children, grandchildren and great grand children keep him alert and active.