Morley S. Piper Interview Transcript Tony Kedzierski 10/29/2013 This is the October 29, 2013 HistoryRoots transcript of an interview with Morley S. Piper. Mr. Piper is a World War II veteran with the 115 th Infantry Regiment in the 29 th Infantry Division of the United States Army.
What branch of the military did you join? I served in the United States Army with the 115 th Infantry Regiment in the 29th Infantry Division. What was the highest rank you achieved? During my time in the military, I achieved the rank of First Lieutenant. During what years did you participate in the military? I enlisted in the United States Army in 1942 and ended my military career in 1947. Did you participate in any wars? I fought in World War II, including on Omaha Beach during the Invasion of Normandy (D-Day) on June 6, 1944. Why did you join the military, and how old were you when you joined? I enlisted at age 18, as I would have been drafted anyway. By enlisting, I was hoping to get a better job. Where were you stationed, and did you receive any honors or recognition? In the United States, I was stationed at Vancouver Barracks in Washington, Fort Benning in Georgia, Camp Ellis in Illinois, and Fort Meade in Maryland. In Europe, I was stationed in Tavistock and Cornwall, England. Following D-Day on June 6, 1944, I served in the field all over Normandy, Northern France, and finally Northern Germany. During my service, I received the Bronze Star with Valor commendation; the Purple Heart; the Combat Infantryman's Badge; campaign medals for the Invasion of Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, and Central Europe; and the Presidential Unit Citation for D-Day. Morley S. Piper Page 2
What were your main duties while serving in the military? While in the United States, I was a Tech Sergeant with an Anti-Aircraft Battalion, doing coastal defense in Oregon and Washington. In Europe, I was a junior officer and platoon leader in a rifle company in the 29th Infantry Division during the D-Day Invasion, then throughout Northern France, Germany, until the end of the War on the Elbe River in Northern Germany. After the War, my Division completed Army of Occupation duties in Bremerhaven, Bremen, an area of Northern Germany. How did military service impact your life? My life had not been fully developed prior to the war, having grown up in a small town in Illinois during the Great Depression. I had not been anywhere or done much at 18 In the military, one grows up fast. Young people are given responsibilities beyond their years. You learn quickly about duty, responsibility, service, characteristics that remain with you for a lifetime. Please share a memorable experience that you had while in the military. I can think of two particularly memorable incidents from D-Day. I remember getting off the landing craft in water just over our knees, struggling to get onto the beach and some kind of shelter, soldiers being hit with German fire all around us. I saw just in front of me one of our men go down. Our radioman and I managed to catch him as he was falling, and we dragged him onto the beach. We called for a medic and, to our surprise, one came right away, followed a few minutes later by a second. We could see the soldier's wound did not look life-threatening, but we figured that nevertheless it meant the end of the war for him. The medics put him on a portable stretcher and carried him off for evacuation, but we heard later that one of the medics stepped on a mine and they all went. That night - D-Day night, I was in a ditch on the outskirts of St. Laurent-sur-Mer, just off Omaha Beach. We had been patrol, trying to determine where the Germans were, and their strength, when I looked across the road and there, in a ditch on the other side, was a helmet sticking up. Wrong helmet! German. I fumbled around quickly and managed to get my pistol out of the holster, began to raise it to point it at the German soldier... but as I did, he put up his hands, surrendered. Thank God, but then I didn't know what to do with him, but finally got a few wits about me, and delivered him to Morley S. Piper Page 3
Battalion HQ for interrogation. My guess is they didn't get much from him, a young soldier with probably limited experience. General Eisenhower once said, Plans are nothing. Planning is everything. What was the biggest problem you had to solve on June 6, 1944, and what was the hardest decision you had to make in solving that problem? I was pinned down on Omaha Beach for hours by withering German fire. Slowly I was able to organize troops in the immediate area, move forward, and survive the beach. You received a Bronze Star with V device for acts of heroism during combat on Omaha Beach, yet I read that you said, It was nothing special to get the Bronze Star. Based on what you witnessed and experienced during the War, how would you define heroism? Heroism is difficult to define, for me, anyway. I think I know it the times I saw it in the War, but not sure I can put it into words. The will and the ability to undertake dangerous missions, often is aid of others, without regard for personal well being, and the willingness to sacrifice all. Today, so little time is spent studying our country s history. In your opinion, what is the most important thing young Americans should know about World War II and the men who participated in it? Young people need to know why the war was fought, how it was won, and the price of freedom. If you have a relative or friend, ask the questions and I ll bet the stories, many long suppressed, will come out. More than anything, that will give young people an insight into the remarkable years of World War II. Morley S. Piper Page 4
* * * * * * * * Journalist Tom Brokaw once said, Heroes are people who rise to the occasion and slip quietly away. This reminds me of Morley Piper. Very little went as planned on June 6, 1944 on Omaha Beach. Allied landing craft missed their targets, and German defenses were stronger than expected. Of the 40 men in 19-year-old 2 nd Lieutenant Piper s platoon, only 17 survived. It has been about 70 years since the Invasion of Normandy, and Mr. Piper only started to talk about his actions in France three years ago. Despite being awarded the Bronze Star with Valor for acts of heroism during combat, Mr. Piper does not consider himself a hero. He very humbly said it was nothing special to get the Bronze Star. This has taught me that many veterans may not have shared their acts of heroism in combat and, as a result, there are many heroes we do not even know about. Many history books are written from the points of view of the commanders. Talking with Mr. Piper has taught me how important it is to hear the stories of those soldiers who were on the ground doing the fighting. Morley S. Piper Page 5
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