Oral History Interviews: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 12:27, 24 March 2026
Text explaining the purpose of this page.
Transcript of Interview of First Name Last Name 3/24/2026
Oral History Interview with John Benjamin Herr, WWII Veteran
Mar 24, 2026, 11:50 AM
Oral History Interview with John Benjamin Herr, WWII Veteran 00:00 06:33
Speaker 1 (0:11) Okay, this is the biographical data form for John Benjamin Hurr, Jr., born April 17, 1917. (0:22) He lives at 314 Hannah Street in Columbia City, Indiana. (0:28) He was born in Thorn Creek Township of Whitley County, Indiana, and he served in the U.S. Army, the 83rd Infantry, 330th Regiment, Company D. (0:42) He attained the rank of corporal. (0:45) His dates of enlistment were October 20, 1942 to October 28, 1945. (0:52) And his locations of military service were at various sites in the States and on to Omaha Beach.(1:07) Oh, Benny, were you drafted or did you enlist? Speaker 2 (1:11) No, I was drafted. Speaker 1 (1:17) Okay, well, let's see. (1:22) Tell me a little bit about the experience as you went to Camp Perry and through training. Speaker 2 (1:28) I was inducted at Camp Perry at Toledo High. (1:32) I was given my clothing and so forth, and went from there to Camp Atterbury. (1:40) I was there during the winter of 1942 and spring of 1943.(1:48) During July, August, and September of the summer of 1943, I was on maneuvers at Nashville, Tennessee, and came back to Camp Breaking Ridge. (1:59) I was there during the winter, and in the spring of 1944, in April, was shipped overseas. Speaker 1 (2:13) Okay, and when did you—and you were landing at Omaha Beach? Speaker 2 (2:22) We landed at Omaha Beach, yes. Speaker 1 (2:25) Okay, was that on June 6th, or was that after June 6th? Speaker 2 (2:31) No, that was before June 6th. Speaker 1 (2:33) Yeah, okay, okay. (2:36) So you were in the thick of it. Speaker 2 (2:42) Yes, we were some of the first ones that went in. Speaker 1 (2:46) Oh, okay, so you were in the first wave. (2:49) Oh, my. (2:49) We were in the second wave.(2:51) Yeah, well— We went in and relieved the first wave. (2:54) Okay, okay, and then tell me a little bit about where you were wounded. Speaker 2 (3:06) I was hit in the shoulder with shrapnel and stopped at the aid station to have some attention, have a Band-Aid put on it, and the medic gave me a shot of morphine right away and told me he would give me a ticket to go back to the field hospitals and have my wound taken care of. (3:37) And the Germans came in and captured us while we were there in the aid station. (3:41) Wow. Speaker 1 (3:44) Okay. (3:46) That was on July the 8th. (3:49) July the 8th.(3:50) Of 1944. (3:51) And how long were you a prisoner? (3:53) Ten months.(3:54) Ten months. (3:56) Do you remember the day that you were released? (4:02) Yeah, May the 8th of 1945.(4:04) May the 8th of 1945. Speaker 2 (4:05) When the war was over. Speaker 1 (4:06) Oh, okay, so you—okay, I see. (4:11) Okay, I didn't know—okay. (4:14) All right, then after the war was over, you returned home. Speaker 2 (4:19) I came back to the United States. (4:21) Uh-huh. (4:23) And you were mustered out and— Well, I still had a little bit of time left, and they sent me out to Camp Adair out of Eugene, Oregon.(4:32) I was out there for a month. Speaker 1 (4:33) Ah. Speaker 2 (4:34) And I was sent to Camp Beale, California, and that's where I had my separation. (4:41) Then I was sent home. Speaker 1 (4:43) Okay, so then you returned to Columbia City. Speaker 2 (4:47) I had to return to Atterbury, where my starting point was, and then I came home, yes. (4:54) Okay. Speaker 1 (4:56) And what did you do after you became a civilian? (5:00) What was your wife's work? Speaker 2 (5:01) Went to work for the Farm Deer Co-op. Speaker 1 (5:03) Ah, okay. (5:06) Well, was there any other things that you think of, interesting experiences or anything that sticks in your mind from those times? Speaker 2 (5:19) I might tell you about being a prisoner. (5:21) I did not spend very much time in camp. (5:24) I was sent out to work most of the time.(5:28) The first time, we were sent out to work at a sugar beet factory. (5:34) We worked twelve hours a day, seven days a week. (5:39) When that was over with, around Christmas time, we were sent back.(5:44) Then about the middle of January, we were sent to Chemnitz to work for the city. (5:49) We were there then until the war was over. Speaker 1 (5:54) Okay. (5:56) What was the food like in the prison camp? Speaker 2 (6:02) About the same as where it is everyplace else. (6:06) They just did not have very much to feed us, that was all. (6:09) They fed us what they could, but it was very scarce. Speaker 1 (6:16) Okay. (6:19) Anything else that— Not that I know of. (6:23) Okay.(6:24) Well, I thank you very much. Speaker 2 (6:26) Very much thanks to you.