Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans

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Maurice O'Donnell

WWII | 262nd Infantry Regiment, 66th Infantry Division

Coming out of the Depression, Maurice O'Donnell was fine with being drafted. They had regular meals there in the Army. He found the training camps in the South to be quite hot, unlike his home in Michigan. His duty post on the Atlantic crossing gave him another opportunity to eat. (This interview made possible with the support of COL ROBERT W. RUST, USMCR (ret.) in honor of LtGen Lawrence Snowden & LtGen George Christmas.) (3:50)
When Maurice O'Donnell was crossing the English Channel, he was surprised to see another troop ship all lit up. It was the SS Leopoldville, which had just been struck with a torpedo. His division had a change in mission because of the steep losses when it sank. Unfortunately, there were German 88's there, too. (This interview made possible with the support of COL ROBERT W. RUST, USMCR (ret.) in honor of LtGen Lawrence Snowden & LtGen George Christmas.) (5:20)
Max Della Pia

Operation Desert Storm | Multiple Units

Max Della Pia was sixteen years old and speaking at a Rotary luncheon about his desire to attend the Air Force Academy. A man came up to him afterward and ridiculed his speech. He never forgot that guy but he did go to the Academy and have a long career as a pilot and commander. (6:04)
He nearly left the Air Force Academy to go to law school but an instructor talked him out of it. Max Della Pia graduated and became a C-130 pilot but he left the service after five years and became an attorney. He was practicing his new profession when the Gulf War broke out and he felt the call back to service. (5:29)
After the Gulf War, C-130 pilot Max Della Pia went to the Reserves while practicing law but then he was offered a position in Washington as a military legislative assistant to Senator Carl Levin. This led to other assignments in the Capital, including one where his efforts led to an important veteran health care reform. (10:36)
Max Della Pia was at a retirement ceremony for a friend when someone asked, why does the General talk about you like a favorite son? He then heard the tale of a complicated air drop training mission which was plagued by problems but was still successful. (8:08)
Max Della Pia held a number of positions in his Air Force career but the most surprising may have been when he lucked into a job as commander of the 109th Airlift Wing. This is the only unit that operates the heavy cargo aircraft equipped with skis. (3:57)
Kandahar Airfield was a huge facility that hosted NATO member forces and the newest US drone aircraft. During his time as the Air Expeditionary Group Commander in charge there, Max Della Pia had to contend with regular attacks on the base. (3:22)
As the Air Force officer in charge of Kandahar Airfield, Max Della Pia had to deal with a big problem when a B-1 bomber with a full bomb load had to make an emergency landing. As anticipated, the runway was too short and the huge aircraft went right off the end and got stuck there. (7:31)
One of his maintenance supervisors came to Max Della Pia and told him about a young ground crew member who was having a personal crisis because his wife was leaving him. The man had spoken of suicide, and the supervisor asked if he could speak to him. (5:20)