Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans

COMBAT STORIES FROM World War II

Joe Collie | 100th Infantry Division, 397th Regiment - Army

6:35   |   After their long and rather snowy journey toward Bitche, Collie and the rest of the 100th Division managed to successfully take the entire city over. It was during this time that a friend from another platoon named John Bacos had been hit by a sniper, but luckily survived to tell the tale. From there it was their job to cross the Rhine River. Along the way, Lieutenant Gerald James received help from an unlikely ally to help destroy a German gun emplacement. (This interview made possible with the support of MS. KETURAH THUNDER-HAAB.)

More From Joe Collie

Keywords   :     Joe Collie    Bitche France    100th Division    John Bacos    sniper fire    Rhine River    German    dum-dum bullet    injury/wound    medic    casualty    civilian interaction    truck    IG Farben    shelling    Heilbronn Germany    Stuttgart    tanks    Lieutenant    Gerald James    gun emplacement

Videos ( 5 )
WWII
  • Joe Collie  |  WWII  |  100th Infantry Division, 397th Regiment  |  3:50

    Joe Collie was born and raise in Danville, Virginia. He was a member of the Army Specialized Training Program, received his college schooling from Virginia Tech and was set to go to Cornell afterwards. 2 weeks into Cornell's program, the ASTP is disbanded in favor of putting the members through training for World War II. Immediately, he begun his training at Fort Benning for the 100th Infantry Division. (This interview made possible with the support of MS. KETURAH THUNDER-HAAB.)

  • Joe Collie  |  WWII  |  100th Infantry Division, 397th Regiment  |  6:36

    Before going overseas to Europe, Collie was given training for weapons such as machine guns and mortars. From there, he crossed the Atlantic on the USS George Washington and wound up in Marseille, France. Very quickly he was thrown into his first combat experience and it wasn't long after that his division had its first casualty. (This interview made possible with the support of MS. KETURAH THUNDER-HAAB.)

  • Joe Collie  |  WWII  |  100th Infantry Division, 397th Regiment  |  8:03

    After a few combat experiences, the 100th Infantry Division was instructed to march on to take more towns and cities in France. At this point, Collie was one of many scouts given instruction every day by his platoon leader. Eventually, they found themselves in Mouterhouse, France where they were met with random mortar fire from the Germans stationed not too far from them. (This interview made possible with the support of MS. KETURAH THUNDER-HAAB.)

  • Joe Collie  |  WWII  |  100th Infantry Division, 397th Regiment  |  6:43

    It took a valiant amount of effort, but Collie's division had finally wound up at the end of the Vosges Mountains. From there, they were instructed to march on to the citadel of Bitche and take it for the Americans. Along the way there, they managed to capture a good amount of soldiers from the German side and make them prisoners of war. Collie remembers a few of the interactions he had with them. (This interview made possible with the support of MS. KETURAH THUNDER-HAAB.)

  • Joe Collie  |  WWII  |  100th Infantry Division, 397th Regiment  |  7:09

    Just around the time of the end of the war, Joe Collie was promoted to squad leader. After the war was finally over and the two atomic bombs were dropped on Japan, Collie was sent to join the military police still in Europe. His job there was pretty tame compared to combat, and the worst thing that happened while he was on duty was someone stealing General Withers A. Burress' jeep. Because of his time in combat, he was given a bronze star. (This interview made possible with the support of MS. KETURAH THUNDER-HAAB.)

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