Interviews

During the 103rd Unit Association’s post-war reunions, soldiers from the 103rd Infantry Division sat down for informal interviews about their experiences. In contrast to oral histories, which were conducted by historians who wanted to record the formal history of these soldiers, these interviews were more informal records. The interviews below were not overseen by a formal historian, but rather by a member of the division or someone associated with the 103rd Unit Association. The goal of these interviews was to allow soldiers to speak freely about the events, topics, or memories they chose from their time in the 103rd Infantry Division. These less structured interviews are vital to the history of the division because these men weave in to the official records some more personal aspects and stories which could range from the lighthearted to the tragic. Please scroll through below to listen to some of these interviews and read about the war in the men’s own words.

Note: These interviews are unedited and may contain graphic descriptions of wartime experiences.