Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans

COMBAT STORIES FROM World War II

Omer Poorman | 264th Infantry Regiment, 66th Infantry Division - Army

3:35   |   Boarding the ship to cross from England to France was a disorganized mess, recalls Omer Poorman, who was on the SS Leopoldville. It was nearly there when a torpedo from a German submarine hit it in the stern. The captain of the escort destroyer HMS Brilliant valiantly tried to save the ship and the men. (This interview made possible with the support of COL ROBERT W. RUST, USMCR (ret.) in honor of LtGen Lawrence Snowden & LtGen George Christmas.)

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Keywords   :     Omer Poorman    Southampton    England    SS Leopoldville    Belgian    torpedo    German    submarine    HMS Brilliant    Cherbourg    France    Purple Heart

Videos ( 2 )
WWII
  • Omer Poorman  |  WWII  |  264th Infantry Regiment, 66th Infantry Division  |  3:44

    He took basic training at Fort Riley, where there was still horse cavalry. The horses were so old and broken down that Omer Poorman asked to bring his own horse from home. After being "stored" for a while, as he calls it, he went to the 66th Infantry Division, which had just been created and was bound for the European theater. (This interview made possible with the support of COL ROBERT W. RUST, USMCR (ret.) in honor of LtGen Lawrence Snowden & LtGen George Christmas.)

  • Omer Poorman  |  WWII  |  264th Infantry Regiment, 66th Infantry Division  |  2:45

    It was a containing action around two French towns where the Germans had submarine bases. There was a lot of artillery fire back and forth and it was friendly fire that nearly got Omer Poorman. After the war ended, he had several occupation duty posts before heading home. (This interview made possible with the support of COL ROBERT W. RUST, USMCR (ret.) in honor of LtGen Lawrence Snowden & LtGen George Christmas.)

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