Veterans History Project

The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war.

Tom Paul Lindsey had graduated from high school and had a job at a grocery store in Iowa Park, Texas. He knew the Selective Service System (draft board) was highly active at that time and his name was sure to be called. Until that day, he went with the flow... work...get the physical exam ordered by the draft board...be drafted into the Army ...say good bye to family and friends...get on the bus!

The time line is 1943. World War II is raging on the islands of the Pacific Ocean and in Europe. Tom did get a choice as to which theater he wanted to serve in. He chose Europe.

Basic training started at Camp Wolters, TX. When the busload of recruits arrived at the site, the trainees were taken to the barber shop right away. The next stop was the clothing issue point (CIP). The CIP was able to provide all the clothing and equipment for Tom. It all fit – including his size 13 boots and shoes! This feat was unheard of in most CIP circles.

The next group visitation site was the medical facility where their arms absorbed all the shots provided to keep our boys healthy. The time at Camp Walters was fairly short as the men were told to be ready for a train ride to the east coast of the Country. The troop train was boarded and full of new soldiers. Tom said the porters lowered the sleeping contraptions off the walls for rest. The meals served were delightful. The three-day trip was very nice he thought. They delivered the men to Fort Belvoir, VA. (Mount Vernon is essentially out the back gates of this place.)

Training here continued in the rudiments of military life. Marching, fitness, self-defense, rifle marksmanship, performing several different functions, etc. Tom was assigned to assist the Drill Sergeants because one of the men in the Company could not grasp the concept of marching. Tom became a one-on-one tutor to train the man. It got to a point of tying ropes on each of the guy's ankles and pulling the ropes on the correct step. No matter what technique they used, the guy couldn't get it. (He finished basic and was sent to a port area in Michigan where he wouldn't have to march!)

Once training at Fort Belvoir was complete, it was time for another train ride clear across the Country. He and others arrived at Camp Anza, CA. This site was in the city of Riverside, CA. It was a replacement station that was set up to send new personnel to the Pacific Islands. The term for it was "replo depot". The Army almost goofed up but in time, they found out they wouldn't be sending Tom to the Pacific. Instead, he went back east to Fort Smith, Arkansas for further training. The training with the unit got all the men ready to ship out.

Yes, another train ride, this time to the eastern shore of New Jersey. They rested a couple of days then boarded a Victory ship. The ship was loaded with men and departed to cross the Atlantic Ocean. The crew on this ship was mostly British. It was plenty warm in the food prep area so the workers were shirtless. Tom went there to get several loaves of bread. One of the food service men went to a nearby table and grabbed some loaves and held them against his sweaty overweight self and brought them to Tom, who marched on. He was very hesitant to eat any of that bread!

The men were kept in the various holds of the ship. The hammocks used for beds were attached to structures and stacked six high. As the ship sailed, it came into rough seas and swayed side to side. It rocked front to back. An item in the food prep area was an open 40 gallon drum containing apricots. On the rolling seas, the drum sloshed about the deck and eventually overturned sending it's contents about the area. Many of the hammocks below that deck caught the dripping fruit and syrup. The men who would sleep in those hammocks slept standing for the duration of the trip. Nineteen days later, they arrived at Liverpool north western England.

After a couple of days rest, the men boarded a rickety old train that took them to the southeast part of England. Troops who had gone on to the invasion at Normandy had done some partying before leaving. On arriving at their new digs, Tom and his company found that the bedding was full of crabs, and uninhabitable...

Tom's group sailed across the English Channel to the Cherbourg Peninsula of northwestern France. After re-assembling, they traveled by convoy to Belgium where it looked like they would stay for a while. As the German Army continued moving west in the area, Tom's Company was ordered to move south right away. They got to the area in southeast Belgium near Bastogne. Bastogne was a strategic place with land and good road travel. Here, in late December 1944, in the Battle of the Bulge, the 101st Airbourne Division held on to and protected Bastogne. Their supplies waned to near-depletion, when the Third Army arrived and re-enforced the paratroopers.

Led by MG George Patton, the tankers of the 3rd Army enacted a plan to turn 90 degrees and slam through the German lines, raining death and destruction on the way. The plan worked as it split the German force. The Armor units pushed the Germans back east and forced them to cross the Rhine River.

Tom said the fighting was horrific. The temperatures were cold to damned cold mostly, men hunkered down when and where they could. Toms guys would stay in low depressions or holes, or fox holes. There was little to eat. He did recall the foods that came in little boxed kits called C-rations. The cans were opened with little can openers that came along in the kit. At one place, they moved again and found themselves in the country side. They found a nice barn to get into and out of the fight and cold momentarily. Inside they found a large container of sauerkraut. The kraut was soon gone. The men got a bit of a rest there as well.

Tom's unit would acquire, store, and deliver equipment to sites so that the combat engineers could assemble them. The items included foot bridges, pontoon bridges, small landing craft, etc. This engineering effort was invaluable when our troops needed to get their war-fighting material across many rivers so the fight could go on.

Tom was familiar with the Red Ball Express. This was a 24/7 logistics delivery system that moved guns, bullets, beans and troops (etc) around the theater of war. The vehicles were both 6x6 trucks and tractor-trailer configurations.

Tom kept in touch with home by writing letters and using the V-mail system. There was a place for Rest and Relaxation (R&R) in Belgium. The Army provided a band for entertainment and dancing. Tom enjoyed this aspect of soldier life.

The war fighting went on. Eisenhower promised to use every member of his forces to stop the Germans. At a spot in Belgium, a train came to a stop. More men filed out of the cars and headed to the front. This time, Tom recognized the men who were actually the band members from the R & R site!

The fight continued on but started to ebb. In May 1945, the military newspaper "Stars and Stripes" informed the men that the Germans had surrendered. It was time to figure out how best to get our boys back home. The point system helped decide who was among the first or second or third group to go home. Several camps were set up in France and Germany. The Camps were named after cigarette brands. Men with the most points (earliest in the war, injured, etc) were sent to Camp Lucky Strike for example. Guys with the least points would go to Camp Camel, eg. Tom went to Camp Herbert Tareyton.

Tom stayed in Germany for several more months. As engineers, they were essential in helping clean up the towns that had been smashed by artillery and bombing raids. Once a place was navigable by cars and people, they would move on to another town.

The soldiers at Camp Tareyton got closer to redeployment. Soon, they moved out to the port and endured a twenty-one day return voyage on the Atlantic Ocean. The Ocean's waters continued to move the ships about. Men were on their hammock beds. Tom volunteered for Kitchen Police (KP)work. Here he found out where the good fresh milk was kept and since he worked there, he got filled up.

Finally and finally, the ship landed at the New York harbor area. The tug boats and harbor ships met the Victory ship with arching water showers of welcoming. Eventually, Tom was able to get to Texas for the process of being discharged from the Army. With back pay and a duffle bag of clothes, he headed for home, also in Texas. He stuck his thumb out for rides and the first one that came along along stopped, picked him (and another fellow) up, and delivered Tom to the front of his parents house. On opening the door to see who was knocking, Tom's mother did not immediately recognize the taller, grown man at her doorstep. After the hugs and greetings several neighbors joined the celebration of Tom's return.

Tom earned the American Campaign Ribbon, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Sharpshooter badge. Over his right breast pocket was the "Ruptured Duck" patch.

Corporal Tom Lindsey, you continue to bring so much from your heart! Thank you for your valuable service to our Country!