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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMilitary Panel Group 01Calvin Boykin William Breazeale Jerry Armstrong �r (1-14-p I'd like to start by asking each of you just to introduce yourself and to tell a little bit about yourself one at a time and then we'll proceed with the questions, I've got a list of questions, but there is no way we're going to get through today, but I will do some guide and of course, from what I'm hearing now, we can change all that, so ahh, Mr. Boykin we'll start with you. Bo- I'm Calvin Boykin, I started school at A &M in 1942 as a freshman during a tri- semester arrangement after I completed the second semester. I volunteered for the draft and went into the Army. I served in the 814th Tank Destroyer Battalion of the 7 Armored Division though four campaigns in Europe. I published a History of my Battalion in 1995. My wife Rosemary and I have four children and seven grandchildren. We live here and have lived here for a long time. I worked in the agricultural and economics department. I graduated from A &M in 1949. Most of my career has been spent here and then we have had several assignments overseas, including ten years in the Middle East and Southern Africa, before I retired finally in `93. O.K. , all right, thank you, and we'll move on to Mr. Breazeale Br- I'm W.G. Breazeale, born and raised in Houston County, attended A &M as a freshman in 1931, graduated from A &M in `35, at which time I received my commission, went out into high school teaching' and coaching for about 5 years. Got my orders to report for military duty on September 25, 1941 before "Pearl Harbor" and, my first assignment orders was report to Fort Sam Houston at San Antonio. I was living in El Paso county, and I requested a transfer to Fort Bliss so that I would not have to move my family, My request was approved, received 1 2 orders the day before I was to travel to San Antonio. So I reported to the reception center at Fort Bliss, El Paso. They were training new troops and I stayed there until February `42 at which time they needed replacement at Camp Shelby, Mississippi for the 37 division, Ohio National Guard, and my number was drawn to go to Camp Shelton, Mississippi. I arrived there in the afternoon, and reported to my company commander who told me, if I had a car, I better put it in storage because we were going to Indian Town Gap, Pennsylvania tomorrow as a staging area for overseas assignments. I put my car in storage, mailed the storage check to my brother -in -law in Texas, who came to get my car. Our original destination was North Africa by going to Ireland as a staging area. The ship that we were to go on to Ireland sank in the New York harbor, so we had no assignment. The war department called on to the 37 Division, For one infantry regiment to organize a task force. My regiment was selected for this task force. We completed our training and loaded on troop ships in New York. We went out of harbor past the Statue of Liberty in early March and dressed in wool clothes because we thought we were going to Iceland. We got out away from The Great Lady Statue, then turned South and went through the Panama canal, and on to the Pacific. I stayed 38 months and 12 days and was involved in five campaigns, beginning with a landing in Tonga Islands. From this landing, we moved to Guadalcanal, Green Island, New Aledomia and finished our mission on Iwo Jima. I returned home to the United States June 19, 1945. I- So you really did participate in a large number of campaigns. 3 Br- Yes, I had 5 different campaigns, came home and was sent to Florida for what they call R and R, rest and recuperation and our primary purpose is to see what you were best suited for, and be reclassified for the rest of the time you were on active duty, so the classification officer thought I should be sent back to Fort Hood and be with the training center at Fort Hood. He told me to watch the bulletin board to tell me when my orders would be ready. I looked at the bulletin board the next day and got my orders to go to Fort Rucker, Louisiana, the last place any officer would want to go. So I went in and talked to the Major who had classified me and I said, "there must be a mistake, you want to send me back to Fort Hood." He said, "there has been a mistake and I'm going to do the best I can to correct it." So the Major told me to sit tight, and listen to what I have to say. He called his supervisor in the War Department and told him that the officer has been in the Pacific for over three years, and he had a lot of jungle training and combat experience, and I thought he would be best suited for training new troops, and I asked that he be sent to Fort Hood, where he would be near his family for the rest of his days on active duty. And he said, "that was my request, and if it can not be honored on my reasons, send me a new assignment and reassign me. So the next day I got my orders to go to Fort Hood and was there ready for new troops to be trained. However, before we got our first shipment of troops, they had dropped the atomic bomb on the Japs, and we never did get any troops. The campaign was called oft and I went through processing of the first group of 8 officers, who were separated from the service. This was on the 25 of September 1945, which was the same day of the month that I was called to active duty, four years earlier. This was my involvement, before final separation, January 16, 1946, Because, I had accrued 114 days of leave, that was given to me on discharge. I was employed at TAMU, in November 1946, until retirement, August 31, 1974. Br- Ended up back on the same day with the same group, and was waiting for an opportunity to go back to my previous high school. I- Maybe, can we come back to that in just a minute, because I want to give Mr. Armstrong a chance to speak up too, and then I'll come right back to each of you with a few questions, but thank you. Br- O.K. I made my explanation a little long than.... I- That's OK! No problem, what an odyssey though. That's why we're here, that's why we're here. Mr. Armstrong, ah again, if we could just get you to introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about yourself ah as part of the project, Mr. Jerry Armstrong. Ar- I'm Mr. Armstrong and I served in the South Pacific, I got paralyzed over there and they sent me back to the states. I- At age 28? Ar- Yea I went overseas in `45. I was in Tokyo, Japan and I was by the force. I was in the Air Force. I- So were you part of the occupation force in from Japan? Ar- Yes, ahh, occupation force after uh it was all over, I was in the occupation force to Japan. 4 I- OK Ar- It wasn't two miles no.. 2 kilometers from Tokyo I- I see. Ar- And I stayed over there for uh, forty no not 40, but 20 -30 months uh then I got paralyzed in air 5 and I went back to I- What is that? Is that an aircraft? Ar- Uh huh, air 5 aircraft and I went down to the rice paddy. It was terrible!! I was paralyzed for 7 to 10 months, then they sent me from Japan to San Fresco and then to San Antone and to a hospital in Temple. I stayed there for 7 or 8 days, everything was all right, but I couldn't talk . I had to learn to talk all over, everything all over again. I was really ...like a baby. I- That's such a quite an achievement. Ar- But way down here my records got hung up in San Antone or in St. Louis in 1950 and I'm here to get the army locators to locate the captain and lieutenant and anybody else was in the hospital at that time. I- I'm not sure we can do much about that for you right here and now, like I said, that's really not what we're here about this morning. Possibly one of the folks here attending the event can get with you on that after, after we're through here. In the meantime we would really appreciate it if you could give us information along the lines that you have been describing as far as your service in the Pacific immediately after the war. Uh, that is very valuable and again that's why we're all here. I would like to again thank you everyone for being a part and I'd like to proceed with a few specific questions and ask each of you in turn to address 5 those a little bit if you could. Does that sound good? We're going to take pictures for a moment here. I- OK, urn well, based on what we've heard from each of you, I'd like to just ask some general questions about what life was like at that time. The time when the war broke out with regards to some specifics. Ya know, from somebody in my generation, the things that we heard about, it's kinda hard to put yourself right there; but I know that, for example, there was getting mail and sending mail if you were overseas or if you were preparing to ship overseas uh was not quite the same as what we would consider the operation to be today. Just stick a stamp on and there it goes. I wonder if uh we can start with you again Mr. Boykin and if you could tell us a little more about that as far as sending and receiving, whether censorship's was a factor, that kind of thing B- Well, I consider the mail service the key to morale and we had very good service. Write free on the envelope or pay a little money and get "V" mail; it would go a little faster. Not only that, but while in Europe we received packages periodically. The hi. blight that I remember was during the Battle of the Bulge and we were practically cut off. Our supply officer said get those boys their mail and their packages. Right in the middle of it I received a package from home. It was a fruitcake (laughs). That truck got through , and I guess it got back out all right. It was there that I learned to write. I was given a fountain pen with my name on it when I graduated from high school, and I learned that if you were to get letters, you ought to write letters, so I wrote a lot of letters and I received a lot of mail. My mother kept the letters I wrote from the time I was 6 overseas and I thought —great I can go back, and write a memoir. The thing is they were censored but , self censorship was the thing. We were afraid to say very much and so we didn't say very much . I mean I didn't, I had very few things cut out of my letters. Our platoon leader, I was section sergeant, and our platoon leader would go through our mail and sign off on it. And I'm sure there had been periodic checks all up and down the line, but self - censorship was what paid off because we were determined that, if we were captured or if somebody had stolen our mail they wouldn't know more about us than they needed to know. So this was the high point of the mail service. I: Would you say that the uh officers and soldiers pretty much understood that same business about self - censorship? B: I think so, but I'm sure there were some who tried to give little code words. You hear the wild tales and everything We could put down on our letters in France or somewhere in Belgium, Germany or wherever we happened to be. I: Mr. Braezeale, what about you, any tales to tell as far as getting mail? Br: Well, I can elaborate a little on what Mr. B said when they had what they called "V" mail You'd write a letter on a certain size something and address to back home or they could address it to you, for instance, if they were sending one to us out there "V" mail it went to San Francisco because all the army post officers in the Pacific went to San Francisco and ran those through a camera machine and made a 35mm tape and they'd send the tape of all the letters on the 35mm tape that was going to a particular army post office and send that by plane to the army post office and they would run it through and printout the "V" mail just about the 8 same size as it was when the person at home wrote it, and uh all of them came through, some of my family did not use "V" mail so some of the other letters were slow. I might get 10 or 15 at one time. I thought the mail service was very good. A few places over were stationed long enough that little trinkets were often good trading material for a stalk of bananas, a stalk of bananas would not last long in the accompanying area if everyone knew where they were, so they put them out in the bushes somewhere and wrap a "shelter tent" around them and let them ripen and you would never know what the great taste of a banana was by what you buy green and `ripen" at home, it taste different. It helped the morale and it was very, very... Now I do not have any of my mail or "V" mail letters except one; I sent one to an uncle that I was pretty fond of and he passed away last December. In going through his belongings they said, here's a "V" mail letter you sent him for a Christmas card, would you like to have it and I said yes, I wanna have it. That particular system was good and I'm sure they have had the same system in Europe. Thank you. I: Mr. Armstrong, I know that you were over in the Pacific a little bit later than the period that Mr. Braeazeale was talking about, but what about mail service there? What was it like? Can you talk about that? Ar: It was fine, it was really really late, but it was fine. The mail service I didn't have a pitch about that. The Army boys, we were right there by General MacArthur, ya know, and the air force was trying to get by itself but hadn't made the grade yet. We used to have a problem with the Air Force. I: New Service? Ar: Yes, uh huh it was and a couple of years later all by itself. I: And so was there still like a "V" mail type system in place at the time you were over there? Ar: No, at least I didn't hear about it. I: Ok, did you get mail pretty reliably, though, from the states? Ar: Yeah, un huh. I: Did it take them a long time? Ar: Well about 10 - 15 days, so I supposed I was all right you know. I: It's really important I guess when you're on the other side of the world, no matter what the circumstances. To get a sense of a little closer to home since we're involved with College Station history, Uh, I wonder if I could get yawl's impressions of what it was like around A &M during the war, um obviously the mission of the University — college at the time, was the war effort, the center point. Uh, anything about the Corps that you might like to share or any other organizations active on campus and in keeping with our pattern, I'd like to start with you sir. B: Well my decision to come to A &M was based on the fact that I would eventually pursue military service. Entering like I did in June 1942 really speeded things up because by Feb. `43, I had completed my freshman year. Now during that year we had two former A &M students come. One was the Lieutenant Colonel Hilger, who was deputy commander of the Doolittle Tokyo "RAID" and he came back here and spoke to 9 10 the cadets at Kyle Field and told us what's going on. Then next came "Ensign Gay ", a naval aviator who was with Squadron 8 that was shot down over Squadron during the battle of Midway. He was the only survivor, and he watched the battle floating around in a life raft I suppose, or a life jacket. He came to Kyle Field and he spoke to us. So by that time, of course, we had read the newspapers. The freshmen didn't have much time to read the paper, (laughs) but these things really made an impression. And so we were gearing up, but the thing was if we were freshmen or sophomores what was going to happen? So the opportunity came for those of us, the freshmen and sophomores, to sign up for the Army Enlisted Reserve Corps guaranteeing a possible longer stay in school. In my case, I decided not to do anything I went home to Big Spring, checked with the draft board to see how long would I have. Well, maybe a semester or more they said, but if you volunteer for the draft you get your choice of branch of service. So I did but I didn't get my choice. (laughs) I wanted the Air Corps, of course, but I ended up at Camp Hood and tank destroyer training From there I went to Louisiana on maneuvers. There were some very important people from A &M involved in the tank destroyer force. General A.D. Bruce, class of `16. He had served in World War I, the youngest Lieutenant Colonel commanding a machine gun battalion in the Army. While in France, Bruce earned the he served as commandant of cadets at Allen Academy in Bryan. Now known as the Father of Fort Hood, General Bruce established the then Camp Hood, and did much of the political groundwork for naming the camp after the Confederate General Hood of the Civil War. General Bruce established the Tank Destroyer Force at Camp Hood. Other 11 A &M men who served in the Tank Destroyer Force was Captain Marion Pugh, A &M Class of `41, who commanded a gun company of the 893rd Tank Destroyer Battalion. His wife, Helen, still lives in College Station. Serving under Captain Pugh was a former member of the A &M Class of `43, Lieutenant Turney Leonard, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions at Kommerscheidt, Germany. Lieutenant Leonard was killed in action. A &M contributed in the war effort beyond imagination. During 1942 -1943 Hollywood came to A &M to make a movie. The Aggies were all excited about this, for the movie stared Noah Berry Jr., and an up and coming actor named Robert Mitchum. The script writer, who was noted for his Tugboat Annie stories in the Saturday Evening Post, dealt as much with the fictional Japanese gardeners, who spied for the Japanese as they worked on A &M grounds, as with he actual lives of the A &M Corps of Cadets. It was a war propaganda movie with he cadets marching in the background. I remember being among the cast of thousands, standing for hours on the drill field in dress uniform, waiting for the sun o come out for proper camera lighting for the filming of Final Review. The Aggies were glad to see Hollywood come to town, but were gladder to see them leave. My Class of `46 scattered, for some did as I had done and volunteered for the draft, while others joined the Army Enlisted Reserve Corps. and stayed in school for another semester or two. However, many of these went to infantry. Yet, there were a good number who stayed in school and graduated as scheduled. I returned to school in 1946, and graduated in 1949. I have been to reunions of my class, but seldom have found many whom I know. 12 I- A lot, a lot of waiting. B- Yeah. Ar- Sir, did you have many fights in the military, the air force United States Armed force, the navy and marines, I don't know how many of those guys were going to A &M. We would all get together and at evenings and fight!!! B- That's another point, because we had Sailors and Marines over in barracks that were right next to the corps. I remember charging up the domitory stairs, one time because the sailors had cheered for whoever we had played against, (laugh) just to irritate us. It was the Marines especially who were rough. The Sailors, I think they were training in electronics or whatever, and I'm not sure what the Marines were up to. They were a pretty tough bunch. I- A lot of folks together, a lot of waiting going on. How bout you sir as far as around A &M, what were your impressions? Br- Well, whether it was fortunate of unfortunate, I was not here at all during that time because see I was coaching and teaching in El Paso county when I got my orders, but I think I can pick up where I had to leave off a while ago. About the conditions that were found when I did get back to campus,. I was separated from the service in September 1945 and I had 119 days leave come in because you didn't get leave while you were over there. So I was rebuilding the house for my mother and waiting for midterms to go back to my school job and it became necessary for the University to organize some type of systems group and controls for the veterans who were back after WWII. So the Cadet Corps was probably in about 3 dorms and that was all, or they were disqualified for various reasons, otherwise they had 13 been somewhere else and they had been in the Cadet Corps and wanted to come back to A &M and get their degree, they did not want to go back to the corps. So while I was waiting to go back to my old high school job, they organized the first Department for Student Affairs, was what it was called then, the same organization that Dr. Malon Southerland is now head of, the Vice President of Student Services. And the first Dean was a football coach who was with Homer Norton. He was 'Dough" Rollins and he had, I guess, four or five generations of Aggies before and after hint He was the first Dean, he found out I was between jobs and he contacted me over at East Texas and let me come over the next weekend ( they were playing Baylor here in late October) to see if I could help organize and join his staff. So he furnished me a house on campus with all off the utilities paid for $19, that was a pretty good job arrangement, so I came to the university as part of the first Department of Student Affairs on November 1, `45. It was well organized It had one division that was better than the administration run by the university, for all Veterans Affairs and their paperwork. That was, at that time, in Goodwin Hall and we tried to fill every need that the veteran had, to go on and finish his degree. Most of them chose the classes they started out with, for some of them it had been so long, they couldn't remember their class so they joined any class. So I stayed with the Dean's office for 25 years and my first assignment was in the Cadet Corps because they had new cadets coming back. Some were going to return to the corps or people that had not been in school. My first assignment was with the Cadet Corps as a Cadet Counselor. I was there for two years 14 since I was helping to organize the 36 Division of the Texas National Guard. I was in uniform when they thought all officers that worked in the office should be in uniform in the Cadet Corps. I said well, one day a week is all I want to wear my uniform for the National Guard drill so I asked "Please I would like to transfer to south side campus and west side campus to work with civilian students," which they did. My office was in Puryear Hall and I stayed there for 21 years and still helping the veterans and any others who did not want to be in the Corps of Cadets. So it was a very, very enlightening experience. But all the things in view, what went on here were a few people that were not qualified for military service that were still here when I got back, that was my observation, but they were well taken care of. Everything they needed was provided. You came back to a very different place. Br- Absolutely different, absolutely different. Quite a job to put all that together in a post war environment. Br- Well, we had some good people. One of the men in the new department was Woody Varner who was a Cadet Colonel about the late 30's he was a Cadet Colonel he stayed with us about a year and a half then he went to University of Nebraska. Before he retired there he was President of the University and President of the University of Nebraska Systems. We just had a lot of good people and provided well for all. I did not finish my retirement with the dean's office because of problems that I wasn't satisfied with, while on duty. Occasionally I'd go to Sbisa Hall where the veterans were eating, both Vietnam Veterans and Korean Veterans, The Dean at that time was a West Point General, 15 I thought part of their training here was a proper dress, for meals. I tried to counsel them and play softball, as long as we wanted to take a shower and put on clean clothes to come to the Dining Hall to eat. And they protested to that. So the Dean wanted me to let them come in under any conditions except throwing chairs. I applied for a new job on the campus to direct the University Mail Service and was selected, not because of my knowledge of the mail, but because I was known on the university campus, and I stayed there for five years and retired in `74 and I have been here ever since. This is a wonderful place, and lots of observations, more than you could ever record. I- Sir, sir. Tell about these two wars, Vietnam and that other war. Do you think that was all called for or not ?. Br- Well, I wasn't in the position to say, I got, I was a buffer when they came back (laughs). I- There you go. Ar- These wars, Vietnam and that other war, I don't think those were called for because the "President" shouldn't have gone over there. He didn't have no right to. Br- That comes under somebody else's jurisdiction. I- Ya- that's something a lot of folks have ah had a lot of concerns over for a while now. I don't want to leave you out, as far as your perspective, Mr. Armstrong, of A &M at the time. Can you talk to us a little bit about A &M immediately before or during or right after the war, the second World War, and your part in it. What it was like to be around here. What you saw. Ar- After the war, after I got out. I was in no shape to tell anything But before, in the early 1940's the army , the marines, and the navy - He said we did, but as of that I know nothing about it. I- Were you here for any of that time? 16 Ar- Yeah, I was here in the early part of'45, the first I- Well, before you left for there, what was it like being here for you? Ar- It was all right, you know, the thing of it is us A &M boys hated other boys trying to come in and take our territory. The Air Force and the Marines and the Navy all said "this is our territory" so they'd come in and start stuff. I- So there was a lot of tension? Ar- Oh yeah, there was a lot of tension. Even they would fight you know, get down with it, and knock each other out. I- Good grief! Ar- That was during the war. I thought that was all war stuff I was in the damn Air Force overseas so I never saw A &M boys till I got back. I- Now, when you did come back, did you come back to this area and see what was going on with the school and its transition after the war period. Ar- I returned to this area, but I was paralyzed and I couldn't walk and I couldn't talk and I had to learn how to talk all over and everything I forgot most of my studies and I forgot everything that had to do with writing. I learned sign language and signing words. I- Were there facilities here that helped you overcome some of those problems at the time? Ar- I don't know, I never did... I- You didn't return to the A &M community? Ar- I lived around here, but I never did return to A &M. I- O.K Ar- Lots of us wound up here. I- Well again, I wish I could be of more help myself right now, but maybe we can help find somebody that'll put you in the right direction. Ar- O.K I- But anytime, you know, we're very interested in hearing what you have to say about your impression of life in College Station and around the University at that time like the other gentleman were talking about. Ar- Like I said, I know all about before, but I don't know a thing about after. I- Well O.K I would like to cover a few more things related to this area, if I could... I know that from what all of you said there was a lot of surface activity, kind of ... what's the term ?... converging on this area in connection with the war effort and one of the questions I've got here and bear with me cause I'm not from around here myself. I'm from San Antonio. The Bryan Air Force base during World War H. If anyone can speak to that. That would be something we'd like to get a little additional information on. Coulter Field or the Air Force base... Mr. Boykin. 17 Bo- I don't recall anything about the Bryan Air Force Base, other than when it closed. That was about '56. That really shook things up. O.K. Br- After it was closed, it was turned over to the University for their use and I was involved there because we had more applications for new students than we could have on the campus and they used it for about 5 years for freshman cot, and the upperclassmen plan was to get it to keep from being hazed, but they just didn't have room. They had all the facilities at Bryan Air Force base for everything except chemistry lab, machine shop, and things that required a lot of lab equipment and they were transported by bus on Saturday mornings to fulfill their responsibility. They had their own dining hall, representative of dean in charge, They had a library of their own, and a responsibility of their own. They would interview American cadets to find out if some of them had had high school ROTC cadets. And it went well all the time. Everytime there was a big event on campus somebody's say, "You don't remember me, but I was at the annex with you when you were a freshman out there. I was an A &M Student Affairs representative and added to this list of invites, people to invite, was Dr. Buford Hancock who was retired from the Horticulture department. He and his wife were students at that time and they took care of all the telephone calls incoming from 5 o'clock to 8 o'clock the next morning. I called after sending the invitation to get him to come to this meeting. Maybe he'd decline, but he could tell us exactly the year, it was around '50 when I got him. The University still used it for a lot of 18 19 things, but that was 4 years since I made trips out there every day. And we did not have Highway 47 to get there either. I tell you, since we have you gentlemen, kind of at different levels of specific involvement with the University and campus during the World War II period. Maybe we should shift gears for a little bit and talk about some things regarding general life during that period that are not connected specifically with the area. That's on my list too. There's much more here than we could ever cover this morning, but just for some kind of conversation starters or whatever lets talk about what it was like on the homefront either through your own personal experiences or through your family members and we'll keep with a pattern. Just to give you some ideas of kinds of things we might have you speak to anything you might like say about rationing, about black outs (were there any and what were they like), what shopping was like and how it was different, fashion, social events, such as they were, and I don't want to be too specific about that, but Mr. Boykin maybe you would... Bo- When I came as a freshman, I had to bring my sugar ration stamps and turn them in to receive my share of the sugar. Our style, as far as being in the corps, we only had one style. But you could wear civilian clothes after we left campus or arrived at our destination. Ordinarily we kept them on so we could catch a ride. Either at the eastgate or down in Bryan going North or in College Station going South. You could always go down below, but you couldn't up- stream. You had to stand a lot and wait your turn. No one had a car, in my outfit, not because of gasoline, rather because our families couldn't afford a second car 20 and sometimes not a first car. Our only car we did have belonged to one of the freshmen, Ike Ashford's son, Ike Jr. Colonel Ashburn was a commandant at A &M back in the 20's and early 30's. And he had a car. I- Ike Jr. had a car? Bo- And he piled everyone in there. The homefront collection of scarce materials. I don't remember any drives to collect tin foil or cans or scrap metal. I guess all of that had been collected earlier. Br- Tires and gasoline were rationed. I- What was that like? I mean when I want to go somewhere, I just get in the car and go that must have been very different. Br- All I can account for is my wife and my little boy lived up close to Temple and my parents lived in Houston county which is about nearly a 150 mile stretch and they didn't make the trip for 4 or 5 months because my parents said it would take so long to save the gasoline to make the trip. They had to have some of the ration back to go buy a tire and that's all I remember. I- Wow! I guess you had to plan ahead a lot. Br- We sure did, yeah. I- Were there different classes of ration stamps, I mean how did you qualify for that? Br- They did some time or so much gasoline per month or something like that, I'm not familiar I- O.K what about you sir; as far as ... Ar- One stack of My daddy run an alfalfa mill. I- Alfalfa mill? Ar- So he got gas in the boat or trucks and tractors and things he's running for the operation. We'd steal our gas from him and come in our car and take off but the tire rations! You had to take your tires into the ration folk and show `em that tire was no good. I- Goodness. Ar- And you'd get a new tire. But the thing of it was that it was made of this reprocessed rubber and they blow out, Bam!! I- They'd blow out quick? Was there real rubber being used in the war? Ar- Yeah, it was being used in the war. I didn't criticize them for using them in the war, but I criticize them for having me there. (laugh) (talking about using tire that blows out)(laugh again) I- So how did that affect, (I mean this is kind of for everybody if you can't just go where you want when you want for rational reasons. Obviously this is going to make some changes in peoples social life in pattern activities. The things you do from day to day. What was the difference how did that work. Ar- I was pretty rough because we didn't have many friends that would come a long way to see us. You know the friends we had were right around here they couldn't get out. I- What's your experience? 21 Bo- Well on another part of rationing, there was nylon. Nylon hose were at a premium anywhere. (laughs) My girlfriend from Big Spring, she came. That was quite a trip, because there was a dance at the Grove. She didn't have any nylons. But she had some kind of a dye that she painted her legs with. And I looked at that, and I said "I'm not takin' you to a dance or anywhere else." It was okay for we went to the dance and had a great time. But if I hadn't have seen her put that dye on. I wouldn't have known the difference anyway. I- Resourceful. Bo- Real camouflage. I- So as far as the pattern of living and the restrictions you lived under, you know having to do with mobility and things, anything else? Br- Well, the corps they were mobile they depended completely on the rides that would come by. Everybody would stop and there'd be one man in charge and they'd say how far you goin? and how many can you take and he'd call down, `well, he's going' to Navasota, well they were on their way to Houston, but there ought to be somebody going' on from there. So I'll go to Navasota and catch on from there. That was something everybody had in their lifestyle. I- I think one of you said earlier, was it important to be in uniform for that? All- Yes, yes it was. I- So, if you were a civilian you didn't get picked up, is that right? Bo- Well, otherwise I just don't know what kind of luck you would have. 22 Br- It was easy to go anywhere if you were in uniform. I- What kind of trips did you take? I mean how far did you have to come and go that way? Br- Well I hitch -hiked the time when I was a student, but none after that. I- Was it hard to get rides and hitch -hike once this ration went into effect? Were there fewer people on the road? Bo- There were probably fewer people on the road, but they still would pick you up. Ar- My first hitch- hiking trip was from San Antone to Hearne, I hitch -hiked both ways. I- Were you in uniform? Ar- Yeah, they were known to give rides from San Antone to here and from here back to San Antone if you were in uniform. I- So that was your passport. Some of the other things listed here under homefront, and again, I invite everyone's reaction. Social (how many were held in churches, homes , other places) Memories of troop trains or other military activities kind of on a first hand basis other than the stuff we've already talked about. As far as your acts here on campus. Troop trains moving through the area or convoys with military equipment. Did anything kind of come to mind during that period that were signs that the war in progress or underway? Br- I think all that was over by the time I got back on the homefront, but as far as the socializing in the small community, my wife had a number of friends in the small towns. 23 Bo- These were trains, diesel - powered, from here to Dallas and here to Houston. And we almost felt like we owned stock in the rails because we'd catch out often on the catch ends. Then girls would come in from TSCW in Denton, SMU, Baylor, and we would go there. I even remember catching a train to Waco. Had in Hearne. It was kind of hard to get around, but as far as I know no troop trains came through here because we weren't on the route; east to west or north to south as it was then. I- Was there any convoy activity? Bo- I don't remember anything. Ar- Trains used to run from Hearne to Caldwell. Sometimes we'd go 2 trains because it was too far to walk. It was about 12 miles. I- How often would you say you saw them or how often did they come back? Ar- About once or twice a week. I- And this was when? Roughly, you said, in the early years at the war? Ar- Early forties, 41, 42, 43. I- How did World War II affect local business prices: did they go up? credit? How long was the range, how long to pay it back? Receiving shipping goods? Work force; did any women start working? Just the impact on business in this area. Bo- Well we had price control for rent and other things of course. Bryan was a major shopping center. College Station, I don't remember if they had much shopping there at all. We had many churches, and of course a couple of beer drinking 24 25 places and they didn't mind serving freshman beer. We survived. But the merchants more or less had a monopoly and whether they took advantage or not, I don't know because we were well outfitted and we didn't have to go out and buy a whole lot. I- What about availability of things as far as other items besides the ration items we talked about earlier, were the stores pretty well stocked? Br- Well you had to go to Dallas, Houston, Waco, Austin, No, they had the department stores. The dry goods stores, in limited sizes. If you didn't fit the common denominators, you were out of luck. I- So there weren't a whole lot of special sizes. Mr. Braezeale I know you weren't here much during the period, do you have anything to add. Br- No, I can't add anything I- What about you Mr. Armstrong? Then we'll move on. Ar- Just like this gentleman said, there wasn't a whole lot of special sizes and if you wanted something special, you usually had to go out of the city limits to buy it Dallas, or Austin, or Waco, or San Antone, the merchants in College Station didn't come up until `60 or `70. I- Well, we're a young community. We're going to change gears now, I appreciate y'all bearing with me. I'm still trying to find each of your areas of expertise and special interest. To jump back in time a little bit, Mr. Braezeale, since you're not particularly from this area we'll start with you. Did you have any relatives involved in the Spanish American War? 26 Br- Well, the first cousin I had was in World War I . I still have a lot of his pictures and discharge papers and he had a very interesting assignment. He went to join the Navy for 2 years, passed his basic training and was assigned to a task force to sweep the North Sea of all mines And they did that with 2 cruises about a '/2 mile apart drug a heavy cable between them that would set off any mines between the two ships. I- That would be quite a wake up call, having mines go off right next to your ship. Ar- So they cleared the North Sea of German mines I- So you said this was your cousin, sir? Ar- ls` cousin. I- And do you have his letters? Ar- No, I have a lot of his photographs and his discharge papers. I had a grandfather in the Civil War, but that's a little bit too far back. I was the only one in my family in W.W.II. I- What about you, Mr. Boykin? Do you have any second hand memories from friends, relatives about the first World War or the Spanish American War? Bo- Well, I had an uncle who fought in W.W.I and the only thing I know about him is that he was gassed and suffered from that for the rest of his life. He was quite a talker, but I wasn't around him enough to hear any of his stories. But, I had a very close friend whose father was a Supply Sergeant in France during that war. He stayed over through the occupation, and strangely enough I received a letter from him when I was in Germany and he wrote: "Well I was in W.W.I in a place 27 called Remagen. We were right there at Remagen, shelling the Germans across the Rhine " I- Good Grief! (All laugh) Bo- My younger brother went in the Navy V -12 program and became a Navy Pilot, a fighter- bomber pilot, but the war ended about the time he received his wings. The Navy put their pilots through a lot of training It took a lot longer than Air Corps. pilots. But he did serve on Okinawa soon after the war. Br- This might be of interest. After W.W.II we had a reunion for everybody to come back in the spring of `46. General Eisenhower was the war hero, of course, and he was the speaker at this big reunion that was held at Kyle Field. My senior class president had lost his life at home and I was selected as the Class Agent of my class and nobody wants it and I can't get out of it (all laugh). The big Eisenhower reunion was a real homecoming Do you remember that? Bo- I remember it. I was off somewhere. I do remember that General Eisenhower was awarded an honorary doctorate of law at that time and also that General A.D. Bruce, class of `16 was also awarded an honorary doctorate of law at the same time. I- That must have been quite an event, kind of a homecoming Br- It was a big homecoming. It must have been in the spring of `46, because in the spring of `45 the war wasn't over. It was a big, big event. I- To continue with our discussion, do you have any family that was involved in W.W.I? Ar- W.W.I, my father, W.W.II three brothers and myself. I- Do you remember any specific stories from W.W.I that made an impression on you? Ar- 28 Bo- I'd like to add one thing about W.W.I. The 7th Armored Division, in which I served, took Verdun, France, and its old World War I battlegrounds from the Germans in September 1944. We were part of General Patton's Third Army. Will Rogers Jr., son of the famous humorist, served as a platoon leader in the same reconaissance company in which I also served, and he remembered Verdun well. during a Great Issues speech he made at Texas A &M in 1958, Rogers told of his leading an armored task force through Verdun's terrain, still filled with memories of the old battles that cost nearly one million lives, German and French. Old trenches, rusted barbed wire, shell holes all around, and a few old helmets. Over is Jeep' radio Rogers briefed his platoon on how the battles were fought, and was just getting into more of the details when the voice of his task force commander interrupted his military history lesson. 'Lieutenant Rogers." the Colonel shouted, "let's fight one war at a time!" Following his telling of this story Rogers pointed to me in the audience and said, "if you don't believe me just ask Cal Boykin. He was with me that day." I- Let me do one more programmed question: Mr. Braezale, you touched on this already by virtue of your career and the things you did here. After the war, but I invite comment from any of you - explain what a was like as a returning veteren from WWII in our area. Reguarding adjustment to the community, housing, continuous schooling if that's apropriate, finding a job, that post WWII period. Br- As I mentioned earlier, Dean Rollins asked me to join his staff he offered me one of those old campus houses for $19 a month. It was an adjustment, because we were very busy continuously, because of the need of the WWII veterens that were back. I was able to take one course per semester and obtain a master's degree in `48, which was very helpful. Everyone was very receptive at churches and schools. I feel very fortunate for this. It was good to come home. I- Mr. Armstrong, what about you? You talked about your period after the war and the mishaps you had. Is there anything you'd like add about the homecoming, once you came back. Ar- Nothing spectacular, when I came back I was paralyzed. I could't talk or walk. About two years later, I could put some words together. I- Was the community supportive? Ar- I don't know, I just don't know because I just didn't get out of the house. I- That's quite an adjustment. Ar- It's been almost 50 years and I'm still adjusting. I- I'd say you've come a long way. Mr. Boykin, how about yourself as far as adjustment issues, post war? 29 30 Bo- I spent time in a veterans hospital being examined for my hearing loss, which they couldn't do anything about then. Hearing aids help a lot now. Was that from your tank? Bo- Yes, too much gun fire, for too long a time. (laughs) As I came back to school I wore, as did others, a service pin issued by the Veterans Administration upon discharge from the service. It was shaped like an eagle in flight. We called it "the raptured duck." (all laugh) We soon discarded that pin. The main problem on returning to school was finding proper housing. A &M was building married student housing out of old Army barracks, and I had to wait some time before my wife and I could move into College View. My wife had graduated from SMU in June 1046, and we had married the last day of June. Here she was a college graduate, and I was a sophomore, if that. I attended A &M under the GI bill, and because of my hearing loss I recieved an additional allowance under what was called Part Seven of the bill. Nevertheless, my wife had to work part time to help us out. We had a daughter, born in 1947 with another on the way as we left A &M in 1949 for a job in West Texas. I spent little time in college activities, although I probably joined the Student Veterans Organization. The only thing I remember about them was their filing of complaints to the legislature about the College administration, which generated a large hearing in the old wooden assembly hall To wind things up, if there is anything that you would like to add to the Oral History project. Bo- This is a military school, military environment and a lot of military people came back here to retire. The University will eventually, as I knew it would, turn out like the University of Texas. There may be an ROTC, but you won't see as many uniforms. We could have held our ground as a military school, but our enrollment would have never exceeded three -four thousand. Now there's excellent teaching and research, and, if anything, it's going to get too big and spread out where you lose your identity. I- Mr. Breaezale? Br- I think since the beginning of the organization of the Department of Student Affairs and the 23 years I spent with them, everyone was trying to fulfill the needs of the veterans. They did a wonderful job. Mr. Rudder came along and did great things. The Corps was improved when it was made optional. Women were admitted and now they are trying to curtail admission. I- Mr. Armstrong, I'm going to give the same opportunity that I gave the other two gentlemen in conclusion. Ar- 31 emarks: Memory Lane: Military Interview No. Name Jerry Armstrong Interview date 2 / 1 9/97 Interviewer John Holder Interview length 2 hours Interview Place CS Confernce Center Special sources of information Date tape received in office 2/19/97 # of tapes marked 2 Date L / -"I9 Original Photographs Yes No # of photos Date Recd Describe Photos Interview Agreement and tape disposal form: Given to interviewee on 2/19/97 Received Yes No Date Signed Restrictions - if yes, see remarks below. Yes No Transcription: First typing completed by Community Service Workerp 30 Date 3/20/97 (name) First audit check by Karla Ray p ages 30 Date 3/20/97 (name) Sent to interviewee on 3/20/97 Received from interviewee on Copy editing and second audit check by Final copies: Typed by 4 City of College Station Memory Lanes Oral History Project Oral History Stage Sheet (name) Pages Date Pages Date Proofread by: 1) Pages Date 2, Pages Date Photos out for reproduction: Where to: Date: Original photos returned to: Date: Indexed by: Date Sent to binclery by Date Received from bindery Date Deposited in archives by: Date ?marks: City of College Station Memory Lanes Oral History Project Memory Lane: Military Sent to interviewee on Oral History Stage Sheet Interview No. Name Calvin Boykin Interview date 2/19/97 Interviewer John Holder Interview length 2 hours Interview Place CS Conference Center Special sources of information Date tape received in office 2/19/97 # of tapes marked Original Photographs Yes No # of photos Date Recd Describe Photos Date 41 " I\7 Interview Agreement and tape disposal form: Given to interviewee on 2/19/97 Received Yes No Date Signed Restrictions - If yes, see remarks below. Yes No Transcription: First typing completed by Community SErvice Workep 30 Date 3/20/97 (name) First audit check by Karla Ray Pages 30 Date 3/20/97 (name) 3/20/97 Received from interviewee on ff� // i C o p y e d i t i n g and second audit check b y ` ' S l d,{/.4 Pages Date 3 / (name) Final copies: Typed by /e a (Ake.4 Pages Date 3/3O/1 Proofread by: 1) (.!la 11/ ) / y 4 Pages Date 313011 ' t 2 Pages Date Photos out for reproduction: Where to: Original photos returned to: Indexed by: Sent to bindery by Received from bindery Deposited in archives by: Date: Date: Date Date Date Date °marks: City of College Station Memory Lanes Oral History Project Memory Lane: Military 4 Oral History Stage Sheet Name William Breazeale Interviewer John Holder Interview Place CS Conference Center Special sources of information Date tape received in office 2/19/97 # of tapes marked z Date 2.11911Y Original Photographs Yes No # of photos Date Rec'd Describe Photos Interview Agreement and tape disposal form: Given to interviewee on 2 Received Yes No Date Signed Restrictions - If yes, see remarks below. Yes No Transcription: First typing completed by Community SEz+vice Workep 30 Date 3/20.97 (name) First audit check by Karla Ray Sent to interviewee on 3/20/97 Received from interviewee on Copy editing and second audit check by Pages 3/ Date 3 /2J /1 (name) Final copies: Typed by Li") , 1) ai'L., r ta-zeatk . Pages Pages Photos out for reproduction: Where to: Date: Original photos returned to: Proofread by: Indexed by: Sent to bindery by Received from bindery Deposited in archives by: Interview No. Interview date 2/19/97 Interview length Z hours (name) Pages 30 Date Pages ' ` Date 3 / /7W Date: Date Date Date Date Date Date 3 / � s /