A Private in the Texas Army : At War in Italy, France, and Germany with the 111th Engineers, 36th Division, in World War II / John A. Pearce.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Pearce, John A., 1946- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Italy.

World War, 1939-1945.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (325 pages)

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Kerrville, TX : State House Press, [2021]

Summary:

Sulphur Springs native Frank Webster Pearce was a soldier in Texas' own 36th Infantry Division and the 111th Engineer Combat Battalion. The Division's story has been told before, but never from start to finish by a combat engineer, whose footprints stirred the sands of three invasion beaches, wallowed through the mud, and trudged in the snow of every battle. From training in the United States to the war's end in Austria, Pearce chronicled it all.. With the combination of diary, numerous letters home, and official division reports, this is the most complete look ever produced on the 111th Engineers and their war against Hitler's Germany. This is a primary account written daily as the events unfolded. It was the war years. Here you find out how to properly bury a man in the water soaked Italian soil, a fool proof way to smuggle liquor from the US to the soldiers overseas, the foul stench of death reeking across the battlefield, and the beauty of exploding artillery shells in the night sky. These are his thoughts and letters as he wrote them--raw and unfiltered.

Contents:

Cover

Half-title

Title

Copyright

Dedication

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1. Road to War

Chapter 2. A Dose of Reality-Africa

Chapter 3. Baptism Under Fire

Chapter 4. Napoli

Chapter 5. Inch by Agonizing Inch

Chapter 6. Necessary Losses?

Chapter 7. A Refreshing Break

Chapter 8. Walker's Masterpiece

Chapter 9. Goodbye to an Ego and an Echo

Chapter 10. Le Tour de France

Chapter 11. Uncaring Metal

Chapter 12. Broken Hearts

Chapter 13. England

Chapter 14. Footprints on the Third Reich

Chapter 15. 104 Points Equals Home

Chapter 16. The Ruptured Duck

Appendix: CASUALTIES

EndNotes

Bibliogophry

Index.

Notes:

Includes index.

Description based on print version record.

Other Format:

Print version: Pearce, John A. A Private in the Texas Army

ISBN:

9781649670069

1649670060

OCLC:

1292970318