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World War II Honor Roll Guy L. Long August 28, 1911 - December 10, 2008
Date of Induction- January, 27, 1941
Branch of service-Army
Date of Embarkation-June 11, 1944
Served in European Theatre
Wounded in action August 3, 1944
Engagements-Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes
Medals: Purple Heart, European African Middle Eastern Service Ribbons
Discharged-August 6, 1945, Fort Meade, Maryland
Rank-Private First Class I registered for the Army on October 16th, 1940, in Baltimore County. I went in the Army on January 27th, 1941. Dee had taken me to Frederick; there was a big snow storm, and he got hung-up coming home. I
reported to Fort Sam Houston, Texas. This was the greatest change in my life!
A new law was enacted, allowing those over 28 to be discharged. I had received my physical, was packed end scheduled to be discharged on December 10th. However, December 7th, 1941, Japan invaded Pearl Harbor. War was declared, and my plans of going home
were changed! I stayed in Texas.
In February of '42, I got home on a 5 day furlough, On Thanksgiving Day of '42 we moved to Camp McCoy in Wisconsin. On December 18th, Dolly and I were married. I stayed there until October of 1943, then went to Fort Shenk, New York.
Stayed there a week, and then sailed to Ireland, which took 21 days. We stayed there until April 15th, 1944.
This was hard on Dolly! I thought she might lose her mind! She would stay--up sometimes all night, and write letters. She didn't like to stay by herself. While I was in Ireland, we slept in an old Mill. They put planks on trestles, and
then put straw ticks on them to sleep on. That sure brought back memories of my childhood.
From there we went to England. On June 4th we loaded and moved into France on June 6th. This is where I was wounded, in August. A piece of shrapnel hit me in the wrist. From this I was awarded the Purple Heart! In October 1944 we moved
into Germany!
On December 16th the Germans made a break through, and we were pushed back to Belgium. Another close call for me came, as a piece of shrapnel hit my helmet, and put a hole in it. Also, three men with me, were injured at one time, but I
wasn't, Then in 19/4 we started to push, and got clean into The Elb River by the first of May.
One strange thing happened to me! Once, while on the front line, and it was still dark, I heard the brush out in front of me moving, I pulled the pin on my hand-grenade, then I heard the droppings from an animal, but it was too late, I
had thrown the grenade (because I had to discharge it) and blew-up a cow.
From there we went to Czechoslovakia, and in three days, May 7th, 1945, the War was over! We then went back to Germany. Another close call for me came, as I had been riding in a trailer, hooked to the beck of a truck. Once when we had stopped on our
journey, I decided it was time I rode up in the truck. As we continued our journey, the trailer broke loose from the truck, and went down over the bank. After this, I was put in a category with another division, to he sent home.
I started home, by way of Africa and South America. Upon leaving South America, the planes engine caught on fire, but we were able to make it back down safely. We then flew to Cuba and on to Florida, arriving. July 30th. From there to Camp Meade,
Maryland, on August 5th. I won discharged on August 6th, 1945, which was the same day they dropped the Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima, Japan.
Read Guy Long's Obituary
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