The Muted Trumpet's Call

I knew when I saw that bomb go down, as long as I see that hole there is going to be an explosion within 4 or 5 seconds. So that’s why I hid my body over from that leg of that tripod, and I couldn’t see the hole then I knew that I was safe. The good Lord was with me that day. The Lord has taken me all that time and through the war too.
Russ McCurdy, USS Arizona, Pearl Harbor

A minute later a plane flew low and overhead carrying a torpedo and the men could see the Rising Sun on the wing. Another sailor said “ That’s a Japanese bomber” and then the General Quarters alarm was sounded again and the word passed over the loud speaker, “ THIS IS NO DRILL, ALL HANDS, MAN YOUR BATTLE STATIONS!”
Roy Anglen, USS Henley, Pearl Harbor

Three more guards rushed into the scene, brutally kicking at the prostrate form. Further lashes would fall upon a body that could feel no more pain unless something happened.
It did!
"Enough!" Spoke the voice of Lieutenant Richard Nott Antrim as a stunned silence fell over the camp at his unprecedented action. "I'll take the rest!" Lieutenant Antrim said.
Prisoners could only stare in incredulity. The Japanese were stunned. They had never expected to see such an act of unselfish, personal sacrifice by any of the prisoners they despised as sub-human. So stunning was the proclamation, no one on either side of the camp could believe what their ears had heard. Lieutenant Antrim had to repeat his offer.
Richard Antrim, Executive Officer, USS Pope, POW of the Japanese, saving a fellow sailor from a fatal beating.
There were several hundred, Americans and British. Some of the Americans were in the Bataan Death March. When the Philippines fell, the Japanese marched the American prisoners and if they fell down they were bayoneted, kill them right there, shot them. And then we went from there to some copper mines—American prisoners were working there. When we saw the prisoners, all of us, prisoners and sailors had tears in our eyes.
Hugh "Joe" Trower, USS San Juan, freeing American POWs in Japan

The shell exploded four feet behind me. I was knocked unconscious and my body was pierced by shrapnel. The bones in one hand were crushed. When I came to, I ran back to where the radio operator was. I was going so fast I missed the foxhole and had to turn around and come back. I think there’s still a trench over there where I ran. I don’t ever remember going back to the beach, don’t ever remember going to a hospital. I suppose I was in shock. The corpsmen rescued me and sent me to the hospital ship.
The bravest men to me were the Corpsmen who tended to the wounded on Iwo Jima. They had to go out there where our men were hit and dress their wounds. It’s one of the most dangerous jobs that there can be, really.
Lawrence "Slats" Trower, USMC, Iwo Jima

One event that still bothers me, even today, was when I was out on my own with a Thompson sub-machine gun. As I was walking along a Japanese soldier jumped up from his hiding place. He had his rifle across his chest with a surprised look on his face. I shot first and he died. That still bothers me, but if he had been faster, I would have been the dead one. It is different when you are up close and personal.
Bill Foley, USMC, Okinawa

We had cleaned out our section by three in the afternoon and had gone back with Hdq. Squad and Lt. Oleson to a hotel where a Polish girl was going to fix us something to eat. Neither Griggs nor I wanted anything to eat so we were drinking a glass of wine while the others ate. I had leaned my rifle in a corner but Griggs held his across his lap with a cigar showcase between the door and himself. Suddenly an S.S. sniper with a burp gun stepped in the door demanding “American soldaten surrender”. He had to yell it twice before the gravity of the situation sunk in, but then we all started to raise our hands. All except Griggs. I anticipated his move and as his rifle barrel came up, I dived for the floor. In one motion Griggs had his rifle and fired twice through the showcase. At the same time the Kraut touched his burp gun but that was all; it burped a few rounds, then Griggs second shot caught him in the shoulder and spun him back into the other room. By that time I had my rifle and the Lieutenant had his pistol out and the three of us took care of the second S.S.er in the door behind the one that surprised us. There were three more outside but we were so anxious to get out of there we didn’t bother with them. We knew since the Krauts had come back to the area we had just cleared, that they were throwing a counter attack and since one of the Hdq. boys was hit, we wanted to get back to our half tracks.
Bill Congleton, 10th Armored Div. in gun fight with the German SS

We flew through the debris and just all of a sudden our plane lurched and we started sliding in a 45 degree slide. This is out over the northern Alps, and the pilot and co-pilot were fully opposite rudder trying to pull the plane out of its fall. All of a sudden it took hold and we ended up level. We were flying at around 24,000 feet, and it slid all the way down to about 7,000 feet. All I could see was mountains looking out that turret. People were wondering what was going on. The pilot said, “Everybody quiet, shut-up, I’m trying to get this airplane under control.”
Earl Pendergrass, Belly Gunner, B-24, 15th Air Force, Italy