80th Division Veterans Association
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80th Division WWII Veteran Video Interviews

During the 2001 80th Division Veterans Association Annual Meeting in Hampton, VA (August 24-25, 2001), COL(ret) Grant Porter sat down with several 80th Division WWII Veterans and recorded their stories. This project was carried through by MG(ret) John P. McLaren and COL(ret) Brydon Jackson. These extraordinary interviews of the men who fought with the 80th Division during WWII will never be forgotten.

Thanks to all who were a part of capturing this amazing video Oral History Project.

  • Angelo Barone Co L, 317th Inf Reg (11m, 16s)
    Story of being captured by Germans. Wounded Sep 5, 1944 at Pont-a-Moussonabout about 9p. Germans captured them the next day, Sep 6. Described being shelled by Allies in the barn, killing some Germans and Lt. Ferguson. Germans took them to Metz, then to Frankfurt Germany; 13 men operated on by German doctors; stayed about 4 weeks. From there, took them to Limburg (hospital) then to Mooseburg, then to Munich for work detail.

  • Leonard Borin (YouTube video) Co E, 318th Inf Reg (19m, 23s)

  • Lloyd Bowes 1st Bn, Co A, Co C, Svc Co., S-4, 319th Inf Reg (1m, 36s)
    Story about being fired upon by friendly forces.

  • Ed Bredbenner (1) Co B, 318th Inf Reg (5m, 5s)
    Story about heading into the Battle of the Bulge; attack on Ettlebruck. Loss of officers, sergeants; up to and attack of Bastogne. Fighting in extreme weather conditions. Wounded, sent back to aid station; shot down during evacuation to England.

    Ed Bredbenner (2) (2m, 15s)
    German soldiers surrendering at end of the war.

    • Clarence Brockman HqCo, 317th Inf Reg (YouTube: 9m, 10s)
    Liberating Buchenwald in April 1945.

  • Bob Burrows Hq Co, 2d Bn, 317th Inf Reg (5m, 53s>
    Story about joining 2d Bn Christmas Eve, 1944 (Feulen, LUX). Miserable conditions (cold, deep 10" snow) & tough enemy. Small patrols (Kehmen); attack at 4:30am. Co E & Co F (attack); Co G in reserve (100 yards behind); last round landed in command group; killed Col Boydstun, Lt. Clark (Forward Observer), Hursh (sp?, radioman), Ernie Form (sp?), Capt Miller (Co F).

  • Bob Burrows Hq Co, 2d Bn, 317th Inf Reg (65m, 00s)
    From the 2017 Reunion, Richmond, VA. Interviewed by Rishi Sharma.
    Stories about working in Civilian Affairs with 12th Corps, transferring to 80th Division; under fire (artillery, mortar, MG, small arms); weapons used during his service; combat; Battle of the Bulge conditions; breaching the Siegfried Line; capturing 16 German prisoners in a basement.

  • Don Davis Co K, 319th Inf Reg (9m, 37s)
    Story of capture by Germans (Sep 27, 1944). Forward observation post; five (5) GIs in a barn with limited visibility; near Pont-a-Mousson (Port-sur-Seille); transported to Straasburg, Stalag 12A, Stalag 7A. Worked on German railroad during winter 44/45. Singing Christmas Carols with Germans. Liberated by 99th Division on April 20, 1945.

  • Lou Engelke (1) 80th MP Platoon (13m, 39s)
    Lou Engelke (2) (23m, 30s)
    Lou Engelke (3) (12m, 10s)

  • Charles Faulconer Co A, 319th Inf Reg (46m, 48s)
    From the 2017 Reunion, Richmond, VA. Interviewed by Rishi Sharma.
    Stories about basic training, joining as a replacement in February 1945; what it's like to be under artillery fire; going on patrol; & being wounded.

  • Frank Gerone 1st Bn, 319th Inf Reg (5m, 40s)
    Story about Sgt Catalge (sp?) busted from Sgt to Pvt (Moorsville, France), Oct 2, 1944. Lt Freske, Sgt Bolt, Sgt King, Cpl Hicks all wounded during firefight. Described Our River crossing with 13 men in a boat, capsized.

  • Bill Lainge Co G, 319th Inf Reg (3m, 58s)
    Story about Sauer River crossing Feb 8, 1945, capture of a German pillbox.

  • Burt Marsh Co M, 319th Inf Reg (35m, 47s)
    From the 2017 Reunion, Richmond, VA. Interviewed by Rishi Sharma.
    Stories about joining the 80th Division as a replacement in Dahl, Luxembourg; his baptism of fire, Battle of the Bulge; breaching the Siegfried Line; under artillery barrage; role of a MG squad in combat; river crossings.

  • Renaldo Martin Co A, 318th Inf Reg (19m, 30s)

  • Bob Murrell Co M, 318th Inf Reg (5m, 02s)
    Story about originally being attached to 2d Ranger Bn, but being transferred to 80th Division (MG water-cooled). Described his first time seeing "what war was all about:" lost three men during Argentan to mortar attack. While at Mousson Hill - a buddy who stated, "I'm tired of digging in." He didn't dig in, and was KIA that night. Described horid conditions of Battle of Bulge, Ettlebruck, loss of men.

  • Gerald Meyers (1) Co G, 317th Inf Reg (34m, 47s)
    Gerald Meyers (2) (35m, 33s)

  • Dempsey Pappas AT Co, 317th Inf Reg (2m, 00s)
    Story about speaking to students in Kansas City; questions from students: "Would you do it again?" "How did it change your life?"

  • Charles Parker Co G, 319th Inf Reg (40m, 20s)
    From the 2017 Reunion, Richmond, VA. Interviewed by Rishi Sharma.
    Stories about using BAR; first experience in combat; night patrols; artillery barrages; river crossing; & Wounded in Action.

  • Eric Reilinger Hq Co, 3d Bn, 317th Inf Reg (14m, 50s)
    Story about being captured by Germans; crossed Seille River on Nov 8, 1944. In charge of Radio Squad in Hq Co. Wounded a couple of times during this action. Germans treated his wounds in a barn; evacuated to a German hospital in Metz, then to St. Avold. Ended up in a prison camp in Straasburg (temporary Stalag) Nov 17.

  • Robert Smith Co K, 317th Inf Reg (6m, 59s)
    Story about closing the gap at Argentan (walked through 1st Bn 318th; seeing 80th men who had been KIA). Described the move in mid-Dec to Luxembourg for the Battle of the Bulge. Company Commander at the time; awarded the DSC during the Battle of the Bulge, in and around Kehman (Dec 24-26): went to find a lost platoon that was separated, bringing them back to the Company. Wounded four (4) times during the war. Wounded at Kehmen on Dec 26, 1944, returned back to England, USA.

  • Jerry Spellman Hq Co, 3d Bn, Med Det, 317th Inf Reg (1m, 36s)
    Story about being the first 80th Division replacement. Wounded toward the end of the Battle of the Bulge. Wounded again & sent home.

  • SSGT Vincent Taglimonte Co B, 319th Inf Reg (1h, 58m)
    Andy Biggio from Boston interviewed Mr. Taglimonte of the 80th Divison.

  • Paul & Alice Wiedorfer Co G, 318th Inf Reg; January 5, 2002 (58m, 37s)
    Congressional Medal of Honor