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Robert
Roberts - Ocala, FL
(Click
on pictures to enlarge)
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U.S. Army Medic - WW II - 1st Army in Europe |
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Bob
and wife Florence review material for Web Site at their home in
Ocala |
 
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Bob was born on March 2, 1919 in
Wilmington, Delaware. His home was in Arden, seven miles to the
north. He graduated from Claymont High School in 1937 and entered the
University of Delaware to study Chemical Engineering. After
earning 3 ½ years credit he changed to biology and chemistry but
then had to drop out for a semester for lack of funds. He was hired by
Dupont in Wilmington, Delaware and
transferred to the Explosives Department in Kankakee,
Illinois as a TNT Chemist. |
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Men
arrive at Civilian Public Service Camp |
When the U.S. declared war on Germany and Japan in
December 1941 Bob entered the draft and was inducted in May 1942.
Because he had joined "The Society of Friends" (Quakers)
as a youth, and had entered "Quaker" as his religious
affiliation on his induction papers, he was assigned to a Civilian
Public Service Camp for conscientious objectors in New
Hampshire. Although he believed in many of the Quaker Goals
he felt he needed to serve his country in a more direct way by
joining a military unit. He immediately applied for
reclassification to regular draft status and was inducted into the
regular army in August 1942 in
New Castle, Delaware.
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Christmas
1942 at O'Reilly General Hospital
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Bob
and first wife Alice in 1942
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Basic training was at Camp Gordon near
Augusta, Georgia and technical training at O’Reilly General
Hospital in Springfield, Missouri. While he was in Springfield Bob’s fiancée, Alice Bryan, traveled by bus from Ft. Lauderdale
to be there with him. They wed on December 8, 1942.
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Bob
"relaxing" behind billet at Wooten-Under-Edge, England
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After Basic Training,
Bob was assigned to the 45th
Evacuation Hospital Semi-Mobile, which was a complete portable
hospital, under canvas if necessary. There were 46 officers, 43
nurses and 212 enlisted personnel. The 45th
was shipped to Great Britain just before Thanksgiving,
1943 and assigned to the First Army at Wooten-Under-Edge, England .
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Bob's
copy of Winston Churchill's
Welcome
pamphlet for American Troops
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Quaint
house in Wooten-Under-Edge, England
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After a 9- month stay in Wooten-Under-Edge,
England the never-ending drone of planes pulling gliders toward
the English Channel signaled that D-Day had arrived. On D-Day plus
8 the 45th
was on it’s way to “Hursley Hants” Marshalling Area near
Southhampton. On D-9 troops boarded the British transport Glenearn
and the next morning, D-10, they were on their way to “Omaha
Beach”.
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Bob's
copy of D-Day Letter from General Eisenhower to Troops embarking
on D-Day Invasion
Click
here for D-Day Map
Click
here for more Normandy and D-Day pictures
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Landing
Craft heading for beach
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"Heading
for shore" at Omaha Beach
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| Bob says "by
2 PM that day we were over the side, down a rope ladder and into
landing craft. We were dropped a quarter of a mile off shore of
Omaha Beach. We were loaded down with layers of clothing, full
packs, etc. into chest high water and made our way to the beach.
This was D-10 and mercifully all of the bodies had been
removed".
After this the 45th participated in every major battle
in which the First Army courageously fought, from Omaha Beach to
V-E Day.
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Bomb
damage in small town of
La
Cambe Normandy, France
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Bob
and his buddy Kenneth Hynous
outside "home" in Normandy,
France
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Aerial
view of 45th Hospital at
La
Cambe Normandy, France
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The 45th set up between
the Omaha and Utah Beachheads several kilometers from the English
Channel and 5 to 6 kilometers from the front lines at that time.
The Germans called the Beachhead area “ Golden City” and our
P-47s “Jabos”. "We learned who 'Bed Check Charlie' was, and
what 88’s were, also about 'Hedgerows'”. |
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Picture
from trucks transporting troops
of
remains of St. Lo, France
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Bob
at work in hospital lab
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On July 25th the 45th
hospital moved to Ariel to support the assault on St. LO and the
breakout from the beachhead. The hospital was less than a half
mile from the front and bomb drop area enabling members to witness
the most concentrated bombing of the war. 5000 tons of bombs were
dropped by 2076 U.S. B17, B24 and RAF Lancaster bombers in less than
12 hours on the very small but strategic city of St. Lo. Only 3 to
4 city blocks from where the 45th was set up, errant
bombs killed Three Star General Leslie McNair, Chief of Army
Ground Forces. Along with 111 GIs, an additional 490 GIs were
wounded. Bomb fragments and debris whistled through the trees and
tents, however there were no injuries within the 45th.
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More
Story
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 Email
Bob Roberts
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