Oral History Interview: Clarence Berbaum of Champaign

                                    
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Transcript for file: clarenceberbaum2007-09-05.mp3

00:00:00

This is an interview with Clarence were banned for the 

Veterans History Project. September fifth two thousand and seven 

when. conducted by Jesse Philippine Institute 

studioX.. 

Campbell Hall at the new aisleT.V. event tonight. 

OK. 

00:00:36

First question were you were you aware of. 

The war that was already going on. 

Overseas before Pearl Harbor. Oh yes. Very much so from the 

from the from when I first got here. Their first 

started into Europe. You know and we had a 

lot of information and. 

You know. OK and how it went. How was that was it usually in the news or. 

00:01:03

As well as it was radio news of course itdidn’t have a television that they had that the 

radio covered things quite well. You know and then we 

we heard the problems. 

They had over there. Of course I think our. One over the president 

said that wedon’t want to get mixed up. Butwe’rewe’re left to leave it to 

them. You know right until course until Pearl Harbor and they are 

very much. Remember Pearl Harbor. But if. 

00:01:32

You can. 

Do memories of what you were doing when you heard about it. Well I was so 

far. 

I had. I gotten out of high school 

and I was. 

I worked for dad. For one year summer and then I got a chance to work on 

in radio at Robeson was. And I worked for a man there 

00:02:04

for two years repairing radios. And 

then I was called in at the service and drafted 

in February of forty two. 

And. What. 

Do you remember what it was the general feeling of 

like among the people you knew the town. 

on in terms of what was the general feeling of whether or not America should 

00:02:36

even get involved. 

In that. Well just so just like there are people today 

that are saying we should get out of Iraq. And there were 

people were saying no weshouldn’t be there. 

And you know we were before Pearl Harbor. And then of course when 

Pearl Harbor was hit. A lot of a lot of the ideas 

changed. And you know we you know then 

00:03:05

most of the country got behind. The idea that the 

effort. 

When when and you go into the service in. 

February of eleven one thousand nine hundred forty two. 

I was drafted in the fall. 

And I was working for Ken the flap on. And robot 

salutes. And my dad had a man 

00:03:39

working for him and he was drafted. And so my dad needed some help for the 

fall work. And so he went to the draft board and got me 

off until January first. And. Then of course and they turned me 

they turned him down then so I got back was called on February eleventh. 

OK. 

And so OK so how old were you at the time I was twenty two. 

Point five and were drafted in theory to. 

00:04:14

Hundreds of trees and. 

Well that was a long time later I said that. 

When I was first drafted. I went to Camp 

Grant for that. 

To be inducted. And then they shipped me along with a whole bunch of other 

people of the you know whole group of us went down to Fort Knox to 

the fourth arewe’re not to have the armored basic training. 

00:04:41

Is that the basic training for armored force. And we had two 

months there and then they shipped just to find 

Camp New York to the Fourth Armored Division. And then I was in the tank at that. 

And. Forwe’ll. 

All that here. And then I got a chance that fall 

to go to a radio school in Fort Knox. And I had three and a half 

months there and then they had. By that 

00:05:16

time. The fourth armored was in the desert in California. 

And so I went to. So then. 

We got off of a nice train into a very bad desert 

that if it was a different life. 

So how how was it like. 

Well it was in. We it was in January. 

It was from January through April. And in 

00:05:45

January when Too bad it was you know seventy or eighty in the desert but it gets cold as. 

They can to fight this second course. And then. 

They the snakes and the whole thing. You know will be. But then we would 

go out and bring in the tanks and then either. I said in my 

documentary that we went up and down those those hills in the desert 

there in California and the awful lot and. 

So that yeah we were always in there until I thinkit’s about March. 

00:06:19

I got a chance to go to the division side. No. Probably because I 

was in there had been a radio and I said I want to get some to get by radio. 

And so I was in in the signal Company. 

And then and then we we moved the date of the whole 

division moved to Camp Bowie. 

Texas and we were there a couple of months. 

And. I had I had heard that the Air 

00:06:49

Force Army Air Force at that time. was 

looking for air airmen pilotsco- pilots 

and navigators so forth. And so I luckily I 

applied. And luckily I got to the Air Force cadets. 

And Mount Pleasant Iowa and have five months of college. 

Andthat’s where they every week. They would bring in another 

another class. You know and. 

00:07:25

We graduated on a Friday and that was in the spring. 

And then. 

On on Saturday. The company commander. 

I guess they call him a squadron commander.They’re called us all together and said 

guess what.We’re closing the school andyou’re either going back to your 

outfit oryou’re going to the infantry. And. 

That’sthat’s how I ended up in the eight hundred infantry division. 

00:07:57

Before we went overseas. And. 

So you said you were working for like a 

radio. 

Repair. Ohyou’re doing the repair. 

For the UK And this is a man I had. 

A little shop in Robeson was at that time it was a Robeson. This is a 

department store in the basement and I went down and asked him I says I 

00:08:25

all I know is farming. AndI’d like to know some more about radio. 

And so that sliver of look this is all I can afford to hire you know 

I saidI’ll work for nothing. So I did that I worked for a week for nothing. 

And fine and then he said well you can afford to come in here for nothing. So he gave 

me five dollars a week. And that and that was my 

pay for about a year in a nice raise to seven fifteen. And then 

finally before I retire for quite there. I was making ten dollars a week 

00:09:00

with a look at it. 

And so you were working while you were in. 

The lowest that was I was this before the Army if I had gotten out of school. 

I graduated in one nine hundred thirty eight and then from Champagne high. 

And so I. So Idon’t. 

want to be something else. And I honestlyI’m getting offered me the job. 

And so I work I did radio repair for two years and learned a lot 

00:09:28

about the basics of radio. 

And so on. 

And it was it was it was. AndI’m glad I did because as I said to 

my wife and some other people probably that saved my life. 

Because by. 

Just talking about radio I was able to get into the radio 

repair of overseas. 

00:09:53

Opera and I could tell some stories about that too. But I will 

say thatthat’sthat’s another story. But I was able. 

To leave by.That’s my battalion and go to the 

regimental deep area they were collecting all the radio 

repairman and putting them in. One unit 

and then in the regimental headquarters and wethat’s what we did radio repair. 

We were anywhere from mild to three miles behind the lines. 

00:10:28

And then usually with the big big guns one hundred five so that 

they were shooting all the. 

Time. So thatthat’s how I. 

Got through there. And then after the war. We occupied from May 

until January second when I got on the boat. 

To come home and that. 

You know that was kind ofthat’s a very quick story of my Army 

00:10:56

career. If if if if. And. 

Ifit’s. 

So. When and where the andyou’ve 

probably said this is somewhat what 

would. 

worry me. Like dates that you served. 

From when you started and ended in the Army. 

00:11:32

Well when I started the army. Yeah. Well of course that was. That is when 

you’ve first giving the army. The first thing you find out is do 

whatyou’re told in this and we see an officer slew and. Those 

are the things you learn real quick. And so I was very careful whatever they 

said to do. I did it. 

And. 

I as I say went to Ft to Fort Knox where we had our two 

00:12:00

months of basic training. And by the way my first 

couple of months I was paid nothing but an entire sum of 

twenty one dollars a month. Minus my laundry 

and minus my by insurance which. 

We got about seventeen dollars a month with and then they then they would 

raise it up. And we got fifty dollars a month. That was that was something. 

That’s And then I made fifty dollars a month all the time until I went overseas. And 

00:12:36

I got overseas pay was seventy eight dollars. I got to be a first class 

atP.F.C. it. Andthat’s as far as ever going. 

Well when and when was it again that you 

were there. You were like released from the army when youdon’t 

like the end of. 

The war and at the end of the war or. You know like when you got home. 

And well that was. Yeah. 

00:13:06

When I got off I got home. I help 

my dad and my brother was farming at that. By that time 

and I helped him move. And then I repaired radios. 

And I wired houses and so forth. In one nine hundred forty six. 

OK. Wired houses and. 

Now that just picked up. 

My I just saidI’ll have to get some time off and then out in 

00:13:38

January of forty seven. I went to American 

television in Chicago. Technical School. And I was there. And so 

through through April of forty eight. 

And at that time. 

All Engineers for end of broadcast service had to have a first class 

ticket. And so I I got my flag up and you know and 

I got my first class ticket. And in the end when I was up in Chicago 

00:14:08

in the school and I came down and applied for a job 

at a station called W K I D. It was in Urbana off of 

final road and I was there for two years. 

The first year and a half. I was an engineer and. 

There was some engineer equipment a few other people. And so I got to be chief engineer. I 

really was not too well acquainted with it all. But I was the chief 

engineer for six months. And I went to. 

00:14:41

W I L L. And I. Had such a chance to 

get in there with the and the recording service. And 

then I went to television and came back as chief engineer. I was his chief. 

And over there. And I was there for twenty nine years. 

It was a good experience. I certainlydidn’t care for 

the Army and my eye is. 

That I took a lot of movies. When I was a service. My wife says How does your a 

00:15:17

good bond with a thing like that. I took pictures of of us marching and so forth. 

And then but I made a documentary. 

For my documentary of. my Army career 

and my and my sister last saw and she 

afterwards she was at our house. She said. 

Why was it so depressing. I says becausethat’s what it was I was 

depressed for forty years. But it yeah. I try to give a 

00:15:49

history of my Army career. 

Where. And where in his her. Brother Where did you serve in. 

All I served in theA.T.L. and European theater in theology. That night 

when we were we. We hit the battle 

lines in thevoters’ mountains. That was in the 

late fall and well although we got over there in November. 

And we had hit the line around after that. And. 

00:16:22

As a sideline to this story are this my 

Army career. I. 

Have I. From what I heard of the vote. His Mountains had never been 

conquered in all of militant military. 

History and we were the first ones that went through and 

and we you know we will flee the Division I certainly was 

behind the lines. I think. You know on some of that. And they 

00:16:52

they kept at the Citadel and. 

Beach France. And. 

Sothat’s our moniker on the hundred Division. We call it the 

loyal sons of. 

Beach and we always we always said it. He 

said We always enjoy the saying that. Yeah. So then we went to 

we went and it finally. 

00:17:16

broke through the eyes of the nation a line 

was of tremendous fortifications even yet. And 

then we went into Germany went through. Manheim. 

And now and then where. And we were we went to high caliber 

on in there and then they made another stand there and killed a lot of the fellows. 

And finally that we the division. 

conquered or you have got to be.They’ve got higher ground. 

00:17:52

And we were then we were circling Stuttgart or Stuttgart. So when the war ended. 

We were we were going nowhere around. But halfway in our division was 

when you know when the war ended in May What was it the eighth or ninth thing that 

you think the tenth. I stillcan’t remember. This year is around there. You know. 

And we were we were in. 

Occupation from there onwe’re in a little town colony on Bear. 

And then we moved into Stuttgart. And bad time step which is a suburb which 

00:18:29

is due to start and then we were we were very 

fortunate. Then course it was still the war was on or near over and over in 

Asia and. We were getting ready they were still training us 

to go overseas over there. And then the Japan surrendered. 

So then I got a couple of very good leaves 

one to the Riviera which I never could have afforded.It’s thatit’s 

beautiful. I spent a week there and I went to spend spent a week in London. 

00:19:03

So we were very lucky once. Once thewar’s 

ended. We were. They were so that the these services were. 

Very just congenial with us. And. So I did get to see a lot of 

areas over there that. 

Have. 

been OK. 

Did you justI’m curious did it and. 

00:19:32

Were you involved in any of like freeing any 

concentration camps or any of that. 

After the war. 

When we were in the first part of the occupation. And 

I had a very good friend Eli 

as he was you know and you know. He was he was Jewish. 

And we ran around we saw some of the 

00:20:04

concentration camps. From the outside and how it must have been 

bad. You know and this. was 

and I was sayingI’m going back.I’m stuck for a while then I was 

transferred to Camp time winter Tech which is 

a town about halfway between 

Stuttgart. And. That city with wheels round all. 

And then it was gone. And we went to. Ican’t say the 

00:20:38

name now but. 

All. 

I have to stop and think you know what is that. 

Stuttgart old Munich meaning to it. 

Man one more one Sunday and this was after the after 

the war ended. And. 

I decidedI’m going to get out of here today. So I put a kit wrench in my pocket 

00:21:10

and went on about a bond and started going why am I right. And 

an officer and two. 

Soldiers were in in in the in the 

jeep and they saw whereyou’ve gone so dress is undaunted going 

downtown Airways places where wellwe’re goingwe’re going to Munich. 

So butwe’re stopping and Dakar. And 

that was a real experience. It was only a short time afterward and 

00:21:43

being cleaned. I mean weeks then and I got to 

see the crematory and. Where their people were home when I got 

pictures of all this and that was that was revealing. 

And as I understand from myBrother-In law who has been over there 

recently to see if we just left about the same. It has never been change. 

But yeah I mean it was that was quite depressing. And that was quite a 

Sunday outing and then I did get to. to Munich. 

00:22:18

And I saw the bear perp walk. And I learned that sort of thing. And then I got home and. 

That was this is quite a Sunday. It was like yesthat’s the only thing 

I can really say that I saw pretty much first thing. 

In. And you. 

Tell me about. 

Like the chaos of the war but 

how did that affect you. 

00:22:59

I mean. Well I had some experiences 

we had some. You know or had 

some rough times. And and I came home and Idon’t talk about it for a 

long time. And we never got married was 

thewife’s of the times that I would. Roll around in bed and have dreams. 

You know yeah you know if it is in effect. Itdidn’t affect me nearly as 

much. As a lot of the fellas that 

00:23:34

have it much worse than that now. But yes it 

it is. It is a term radical and dramatic experience. 

Where where there are times in the war. Where. 

I think Idon’t know. 

There was so much confusion going on. I think was where did you. 

OK Did you know where you were mostly time like where the enemy was where your 

objective was and. 

00:24:03

truly thankful that Ididn’t know where I was and wedon’t we. 

We get in the truck and that little trailer which picks up and we 

move to another place. And I know I know this is a big 

reader showing. 

Gross. Readers showing it in those those little towns. And Iwouldn’t know where they were that 

day and by my hand the same bread a lot. His wife went over and looked at and 

found those places. And he told me the story is more of a war. We know 

00:24:33

what they are today and horses.It’s altogether different now. And oncethey’re. 

There. 

As. 

You said that you have and you have. 

Stories about your experiences with you know. 

doing radio prepare for the media. 

That is another side. 

00:25:03

light of that week that we did get the radios. 

You know from the front lines and that most of it was just a wet messy 

year. You knowit’s all just perils. The snow and wet snow. And of course 

the guys there with. 

Theyou’d have these radios andthey’d get a mall way out. And so we have a lot of work 

to clean them out and dry them out. And courses. Some 

on with buttons blown out. And we have to do some repairing and 

00:25:35

yetwe’re always getting those things in and our communication. 

The little hand radios they had in those days. People 

today would we would recognize them. 

And theyweren’t much good. They go maybe a mile. Ifyou’re lucky you know and 

they want to sit at their radios that would go a longer view. 

They were a big pack is a big pack. With the battery. I would say would be 

oh probably eight or ten pounds. Just for the. 

00:26:05

Battery. And that was what went with this radio and of course 

the officer would try to have a radio man with them when they could 

do to communicate with others. But a lot of what was in 

my opinion for what I get from some of the fellows. It was 

a lot of myth confusion and maybe even chaos that it 

isn’t. But yeah we got a lot of it. A lot of radios 

repaired to repair like. 

00:26:39

They’re into. And and so you said that you were. 

We usually like to further back. With the radio. 

Yeah we were we usually are about a mile behind the lines maybe two miles where you 

know after all of us. There was there was definitely you know. 

There were definitely lines. I mean you knew where the Germans were you 

know where the Americans were. And you know once or we have 

somebody. German kind of wander up in our area and they find out that he was in the 

00:27:13

wrong way before. Gary and scramble you know and our guys would 

one of our alignment. And I saw we were talking 

about this years laterI’m in Michigan and he said that they they were 

doing a lot of wiring in the dates that they ran a lot of wire in those days 

it was you knowthat’s their communication. And he said they were 

told go to one house and put up a telephone. It was night. And it was 

dark and they had to field or wait for it to get through in the next 

00:27:47

house theydidn’t know it butwe’re all Germans. 

And so it was that close in the house. You know when they were in these small towns. 

And he had some funny stories about that. Butthat’s 

not the the things they would do for them and know that they see somebody in the 

unit. You just you just fall down and be quiet. And honest with you. You 

knowthere’s. Those are those stories. You know you hear 

it’s interesting too. To hear Sean Ididn’t get into that are always usually. 

00:28:21

This foreigner back then. And when I was I was lucky on 

their part. 

And I was just when they were running. Communication lines. 

Yes You know when they they tried to run. Communication lines and. Then of course 

when the battle would move them. And then the guys would go on and they 

take the jeeps and so forth. Or a take.They’d take a little. 

Or a reel or some try to reel up. All the wire they could reel 

00:28:52

signals so they could use it. The next time because it was mainly wire. Wire 

communication radio was just not not that. They are 

reliable. And in certain cases it was. And of course we go back 

farther where they had the more powerful radios. 

They had that was much more reliable 

than the R S. but that we had on the front lines. 

And. Some progress and I was in Moscow for those 

00:29:23

most inwhat’s called another. 

Kind way to learn the Morse code. But they were using much Morse code. And it was just boys 

those boys over. Lionel saying Oh I see. You know we live in when I was in school and. 

She in and Fort Knox. And we were 

we had to go through my learned Morse code often. 

And they said. 

So but you know there are there are certain places. I think the Navy 

00:29:52

and different places they used Morse code. And then you know weigh 

in weigh different ways. And of course it was all coded and peoplewouldn’t 

couldn’t catch what it was and. 

You know you. 

One during the war. What. And. 

What did you believe or did you have any beliefs about. What was at 

stake in the war. 

00:30:27

And specifically you know as you. Well the. 

I think my feeling was just about what all the the soldiers were. 

And then this get this thing over with and go home but here. 

We we knew what and Ididn’t knowX.L. put 

it this way. Ididn’t know how bad. 

The situation was in Germany with the Jewish 

population. 

00:31:00

Until after the war. When I went through Dhaka. And 

and. 

The stories that some of those people that those people told. 

They hit their head because they had there was one fellow that could speak 

just fairly good English. And he told some stories that well I 

would would hate to repeat it just you know so 

wedidn’t realize how bad it was. And I do remember 

00:31:32

one point one place one little town. 

In in France whenwe’re in that winter 

we were there. And when one of my 

Nancan’t comes came to me and said bear. You want to 

see you. know what what the Germans do 

have done to some of the people. And I thought about it 

about it a little bit. And I said no because it was it was in a 

00:32:05

building there. And they he had seen it. And he showed what what had 

you know some people went through and 

it was bad enough but yeah. 

You. 

So. 

So you just wanted to maintain it in. 

Atlanta but I just wonder for you. 

00:32:30

Now and then I mean do you have any strong beliefs about 

what you were fighting for more than. 

The young who are fighting to keep Hitler from going any 

farther because of course he had their alliance with. 

Italy and Japan. And why did we. Why was 

Japan. Why did Japan strike. Pearl Harbor and 

there was an alliance they wanted to. Well they all wanted to take 

00:33:02

over this. The United States and they want to take a piece of it. And they they 

were with him there was going to take. He was the way taken 

France and he wanted to take England. And we know how bad 

that was and how probably the English were treated before we got into 

it. And so yes it was. It was it was 

we we felt that it was worthwhile to do what we knew what we needed to do 

and. 

00:33:39

But OK And did did that view of the war. 

change at all at all though did it change at all when you got. 

Overseas and started fighting or any time. 

There is not much you know that wedidn’t. Idon’t think any of us thought that way. Or. 

It was we were in the service. We had a job to do it. 

And you know. 

And soshe’s realized more and once you finally got to the concentration camp then. 

00:34:10

Well yeah I was a stay at the concentration camp. But alas wedidn’t wedidn’t realize 

at all. After the war and occupation. Andit’s a good story there. And I only 

saw one doctor I understand the other ones were the other concentration camps 

were just as bad or worse than. 

But. 

You’ve kind of already answered this but. 

How did you feel about. 

00:34:46

The the specific the specific and the meetings that you were fighting that 

sometimes. Idon’t know if you ever find Italians. 

You know I am. Ididn’t get into that. OK Well I know some friends and people that they had 

they started in Africa. And they came up through Sicily and Italy and all of them 

so mum had it pretty rough for a long time. And now Ididn’t go 

out at all. I always faced where the Germans and. When they 

got to be where some of the war. Were the officers were. 

00:35:20

Already fanatic. And the latest. They just pushed their of the 

soldiers into into our lives. Andthat’s what I 

understand. 

The little we that we would hear him come in and. 

So you kind of feel that there are soldiers more as fanatics or were 

just our soldiers. They have been the enemy soldiers. 

The German soldiers. So I think. Well a lot of men got killed 

00:35:51

because they just but. Idon’t know. I have I have no 

idea. And we met a few of the German soldiers after the 

war or during the occupation and they were glad to have a go. 

And they were happy that they were back home and. Could do their their thing 

again. And yet you know you know ordinary living you know. 

Well I remember when I did that night. My cousin picked me out 

to take me to the draft. You know to to the bus and then I 

00:36:27

told my dad.S.. Idon’t expect to be there. And Ididn’t know a lot of 

fellows weredidn’t come back but I was very lucky to be in. 

There. And how did that feel when you before you got on the bus 

with the family and. 

What do you do in the event that there is a point 

where this is it drafted. Ican’t do anything about it then 

I’m going to do what whatI’m told. And. Idon’t know 

00:36:58

where or whereI’m going to go. But you know I had no idea mania. MaybeI’m 

like Ididn’t have any idea where I would be the next day. 

Or you know. 

Because when we left for Fort Knox. We 

didn’t know where we were going. And what outfit. We were going to be going. And 

finally I have to move east of me. And of us in the train. If I only 

found out that we were going east. And so finally we went up to 

00:37:31

northern New York State in Pine Key in Watertown and find camp. 

And then we found out.We’re going to fourth armored division. You know andthere’s no way theywouldn’t tell me 

if there was no real information like that. In the Second World War very 

very tight. And in the news media. 

Are. 

Very tight. And I you know even for our soldiers. Itdidn’t 

mean that much of anything. We stillweren’t told and. 

00:38:01

I’m sure the officers knew they had more of an indication that 

we still were just as a private the 

P.R.C.. If youdon’t hear that.That’s just part of life. You have to look 

into your own. 

How. OK. 

And what. 

What kinds of things. Did 

00:38:37

to do your resume in the videos that you can walk 

away. 

With Because a lot of issues. And I of course I when I got our 

C.D.‘s they. Icouldn’t take anything out of the military. And 

that is one thing. See we had I think five dollars 

and a warrant officer and a warrant officer will part with us day and night. You know they would.We’re all 

together. And then he said one thing youdon’t think verbal is what are the 

00:39:06

guns or anything like we are. We had pictures of. 

I have one of them. And one little town. At that time how they would 

wash their clothes. They had a there was a. tank in the 

middle of town and people would bring their clothes andthey’d dump in the water and then scrub them off. And 

that’s how it works close. You know I have pictures of that now and 

people walking around you know. who are trying to get 

food. But this is you know so they can eat so forth. 

00:39:41

And I do have some pictures of like half tracks from. 

All right. going down the road. And I do have one picture. 

If you want a movie of us going 

over the plan to bridge at Manheim. And 

we there waswe’re in a smoke screen. Itisn’t very good but it does we can see 

thatit’s just there and we are going to have this part where 

we have pictures of I have some pictures of the bridges that. 

00:40:16

were knocked out. Andthat’s what made them. 

foxhole. So that. 

If you would care to seeI’d be glad to show he is not 

very good. But you know Larry. Whenyou’re probably think. You 

don’t scare me like I have some water with this thing. 

And then talk a little bit. 

If I am bringing back a lot of memories. A heck of a lot. And for years. You know. 

00:40:49

It’s going to you know in that. 

It was an experience has been a long long time ago. When. 

On. 

Any particular good memories of the 

world. And. 

Yes You know I when I was in the desert. I got 

athree-day pass to to Los Angeles. 

00:41:23

And that was more than that. 

And it was I got to know it was several days past. You knowwe’ve got one 

weekend and as. 

You said it was as you said before 

over here if you. Do like that you get. 

When I was we went to we got toL.A. and there and 

I heard someone say that if you want to see a movie studio. Why sign 

00:41:57

up here. And so I signed up and then they said you 

meet at a certain door. The next morning. Well it was seveno’clock. And I think about 

sixo’clock I was there I would rise from of the line. And 

luckily that day. They were only tape. They only took seven of us. 

To a place called mano a mano gram studios. 

In Maine and of course I had my movie carrier. And I took. 

I took some pictures of them when they were you know making movies. 

00:42:30

And of course I took while they were doing rehearsals and so forth. And the camera 

man was so wonderfully. Let me set up on a camera dolly and take pictures. doing 

that. And I got all several minutes. And the people that 

were there. They said that the talent that was there at that time and in. 

The end it was that was quite an experience because I I like 

movies at that time. You know and I thought well geeI’ve got all the kids and. 

That wasthat’s part ofwhat’s in the documentary I had to show some of the heads of 

00:43:04

it. And so yes that was an interesting 

day. And then and then I got this go aroundL.A. and see the the the 

beach and the few things like that. And. Yeah that was that was a good 

experience and said when our. 

seas were after the war. When I got to go to 

to the Riviera. And they the way one in one 

town one city there along you know along the ocean 

00:43:37

along the. Mediterranean 

there is to be. 

One of the hotels is called the heritage. OK. Kermit 

cage a bit is the heritage of the French. I guess. But we were treated 

like just morally. I mean it was the only way they would you come to the door 

and then they would see. You know Lester for all your meals. 

And then it was that was quite an experience like that. And I 

00:44:08

spent a week and now in the Riviera and then. That 

was at. That was of course after the war and. The officers could 

be there in that town. But they said youwouldn’t. Youdon’t salute offices that make 

it easy. You can get by. And and so but wecouldn’t go to their town becauseit’s you 

know recently and it was yeah that was that was quite an experience there. And of course 

I went to London and then I got to see. The the the 

sights of London. On this day in London for to Iraq. That was ten days and 

00:44:42

then an experience that I had quite interesting. I was in 

London. Walking down the street. 

And I looked up. And there was my first cousin. Jack 

Barrios and he was an officer and I said Jack 

and I backed up and I saluted that but. 

He he and I got together then and he had married a girl from 

London. And I spent the day with him in his he and his wife and they 

00:45:17

as a family. And that was quite an experience you know to walk through London 

and not even realize you knew anyone. And here was my first cousin. 

But it was there was something unusual. You know because. We had some time there. So I did have some 

good.It’s a good experience is almost somewhere to the war 

with the you know those that at least I did get to see 

a lot of Europe land this United States. And. 

Yeah. Yeah. I was I was favorably impressed with some of the thingsI’m. 

00:45:53

Just lucky that I got out the way it is you. 

know. What. And you talked about 

how some of it. And some of it. And some of your footage you. Got to see 

the I like the town life. And I guess 

France and Germany and. 

I’m not doing well. I washed it all. So wedidn’t see many of the. 

You know Iwasn’t. By the time we got into the town the people in France is in. That 

00:46:29

is a good example. They were gone. They were they were going to stay there because if 

the war was going through there then. But after 

after the they would. You know that the Germans were pushed back. Then. And then 

a few of the people would start coming back into the town. Yeah. Yeah. 

And wait. Yeah we got to meet a few of them of course French. And I just 

spoke very little French. And they spoke very little English. And we got along there. And 

yeah so yeah I went a bit. They were 

00:47:02

that they were having a very hard time because they had come for several 

years of. You know Germany and 

taking everything from them. So you know they they were just trying 

to exist. 

I’ve been so. 

It was yeah it was a standard you know an ordinary one French 

village sitting right away. And you know. You know Nancy and I we were 

00:47:33

both. You knowwe’rewe’re fighting through the herd right here. So you saw how they were 

and how they were struggling. And yes boy. Yeah. Yeah. We saw a lot of that where the 

people were just struggling to get anything any food. So before they get a 

loan here. 

And did you have to help them out 

with likeit’s a zillion things like after. 

Wedidn’t we were too far too much of the front line said you know itwasn’t it 

00:48:06

wasn’t. Itwouldn’t be a part of our group we were just hoping to get through there so 

we can go. So the next town. 

Over. So that was more where the bulk of the population was probably. 

You know they were they had they were elsewhere that some of them. We just went to the woods 

and they lived in a lot of the the oceans mountains were low 

mountains but there are a lot of woods there. And people just went into the woods. And for 

a while until till this all is passed. 

00:48:36

On. Did you meet with. 

Curiosity. And if you met with. Some of the. 

French resistance against the Germans when you went you know. 

Ididn’t see any of the French resistance group of the people in our area in 

the on that day. They were I think there were more of the intelligence groups 

in different you know in different areas. of the islands you know 

with these. Wedidn’t know maybe that they werewe’d we would have no one in the mountains or 

00:49:10

anything. You know now you. Can But the mountains 

were there there were enough mountains enough for rolling hills that if 

it was it was difficult country to be you know we.Didn’t have fighting 

or anything. And of course then the the. eastern 

side of it between France and Germany was on my show a lion. Of course the 

Siegfried Line was on the other side and then but Idon’t think we 

were that the Siegfried Line did as good and much. about holding us 

00:49:45

back. And by the time we broke through the nation a line. So 

that they that the German army was pretty much in. Any 

pain and chaos really. And they were running on ice. And still of 

course when they went to high. Albert which is a lot about. 

thirty forty miles farther east and that was along the neck a 

river. And they were going to hold that point. And she a 

lot of guys got their views. If wedidn’t we were bred into you know the the 

00:50:19

division. Then they ran into this not knowing that 

they were on a hold and it was pretty rough. 

So they were initially like defending the mountains. And. 

You know and it was it was very hilly in that area. You know. 

So they have they had in the higher ground on. 

That ticket. And it was a lot of a lot of manufacturing and not a place that those 

people could hide them. Apparently the food that was it was it was. 

00:50:51

Kind of. 

So. 

How do you. 

feel about the war now in retrospect 

looking back on it and you. 

feel both the enemy. You know at the end of the Second World War. Yeah well. 

I well. 

00:51:17

My feeling was it was either it was necessary then because what had the 

Jack the Japanese did then and how that was and how vicious that 

was over there. 

And we needed to. To stop 

it. And we need to. And I feel as though. You know. And as for 

now it should have been it should have. They should have done what they did. And 

because it has changed the whole global. 

00:51:49

situation. And one of the other of the Europe and Japan and 

China policies. A lot of. Politics and 

political change and now. 

You can. 

WhenI’m. 

Gone through most of my questions if. 

I can. 

00:52:26

Say or anything else. Do you think. And I think you know I just opened up 

to you and I have become. I really missed on a lot of things. Welldidn’t. 

You think we cover most of the ground. But I think yeah absolutely. And. 

I hope that this will turn out to be. A very 

interesting series. 

As you know and in program. So yeah. Oh 

well. 

00:52:59

It will. Will I get a copy of this to see what I mean I think so. And I 

would like very much to happen. Andit’s. Just a 

V.H.S. tape with me. You know and see what would be on. And I 

would I would like to but. It could be done. You know 

all of the fine.