Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans
4:20 | At Saint-Lo, Fred Wiley spent most of the battle in a foxhole. As company runner, it was his job to transfer messages and orders between G Company and battalion headquarters. When he was out on a run, it could get very dangerous, especially if you forgot the password. Later, during the advance across France, he was happy to find a barn to sleep in. It was comfortable but it came with a rude awakening.
Keywords : Fred Wiley Saint-Lo foxhole M-1 carbine runner German password grenade slit trench artillery Pierry France barn eye
Fred Wiley almost missed shipping out with his unit because he got sick just before embarkation. He was allowed to go at the last minute and after a fast Atlantic crossing on an ocean liner, he was training in England for the coming invasion.
It was June 7th, D-Day plus one, when Fred Wiley went ashore on Omaha Beach and saw the grim aftermath of the previous day. There was no resistance moving inland at first, but soon enemy artillery and even some friendly fire became a problem. As the company runner to battalion headquarters, it was not his job to fire at the enemy.
More timely treatment might have saved his eye, but Fred Wiley was walking wounded and there were more grievously wounded soldiers that were attended to first. What really surprised him was that after losing the eye, he was sent back into service instead of home. At least it was MP duty so it was relatively safe.
