James's War Story from the Eyes of his Grandson

Written by James W. Craven

As a young child, I was deeply fascinated by the events and battles of the Second World War and the American campaign in defeating Hitler’s tyrannical Third Reich. While other children my age were playing ball, I was spending my time absorbing everything I could about American weaponry vs. Japanese and German weaponry. At a very early age, I could distinguish an F6F Hellcat from a P-51 Mustang just by looking at the tailpiece. With such a deep interest in the Second World War, I am very fortunate to have an American Veteran as my Grandfather. Because I have always been close to my grandfather, I have had many opportunities to listen to his accounts as an American soldier. Though my grandfather had told me much as a child, I had never documented his stories. Recently, my grandfather and I sat down and he recounted his experiences, allowing me to document fully his efforts, stories, and life as a soldier in the Second World War. Though it has been over 50 years since he was a soldier, something so tragic as war never fades from one’s memory. After speaking with my grandfather, I realized the tragedy of what he had been through, solidifying my childhood view of him as a hero.

Born on a small farm in Georgia, James Ira Reddin spent his childhood in the height of the great depression. Spending nearly every day plowing the fields, the days were long and hard. Life was fairly predictable, as farm-work comprised most of the daily activities. Little did he know that his life would be suddenly turned upside down as he was drafted into the US Army on Oct. 30,1942. Boarding a bus with only the clothes he had on, James Reddin along with a bus full of young men from his and a neighboring county began their transformation into American Soldiers. The destination of that bus was Fort McPherson, Atlanta to be sworn into the US Army. Once at Fort McPherson, all civilian clothes were sent home as each of the young men received their drab green fatigues, the only clothes many would ever wear again. After enlistment, the men were then sent to Fort McClellan, Alabama for basic training. The camp was both physically and mentally challenging due to the little knowledge James had about military life. After James completed basic training, he was sent to Camp Harry Hand in New Orleans, LA and then on to Camp Shanks, New York where he was staged to be sent to North Africa.

In New York, James was placed into a non-combat unit that was in charge of supplying food, shelter, and clothing for five hundred paratroopers. With his unit, James along with 8,048 other soldiers boarded the USS West Point for the seven day long journey from New York to Casablanca. Arriving on May 20, 1943, the paratrooper divisions completed their desert training in the Sahara, and then were sent by ship to Perlano, Italy. Many of the Georgia soldiers remained together in North Africa, as James’ first commanding officer was the famous athlete, Forrest Towns from Fitzgerald, GA. Towns captured Olympic Gold in the 1936 games for the high hurdles. James recounted how Forrest would line up army Jeeps and train by leaping over them effortlessly. Also previously an excellent football player at the University of Georgia, Towns later became a Coach and eventually the athletic director at the University. Once in Italy, James’ unit marched into Naples and set up camp in Mussolini’s personal racetrack. In the racetrack, James remembers meeting another soldier from a nearby town, one that he is still in contact with today. James’ unit’s primary job was handling soldier replacements going to combat units to replace the killed and wounded. While stationed in Mussolini’s racetrack, positions became available in the infantry and James willingly volunteered for one of those vital positions. James was placed in the Forty-Fifth infantry division where he was sent into combat for the first time in Anzio, Italy.

The Forty-Fifth infantry division was originally from Oklahoma and at one time was comprised solely of Native-Americans. However, due to enormous losses, soldiers from any nationality were placed into the division. Entering the Forty-Fifth, James was placed under the command of the skilled American Indian, Sgt. Hilderbrand. Sgt. Hilderbrand, due to his skill in surveillance, could return from scouting missions without anyone detecting his presence. Once in Anzio, the first thing James did was dig his first of many foxholes. Due to heavy, sporadic German bombardment, soldiers could remain in their foxholes for any length of time as James experienced much of his combat duty of the war in one. Three or four days after arriving at Anzio, the Forty-Fifth division emerged from their foxholes and began marching to the great ancient city of Rome. The once formidable capital of the Roman Empire ironically fell without a fight as German forces exited the city upon receiving news of American advancement. Because the Pope requested that no fighting take place in Rome, the city was left in tact for the American soldiers to tour the great city they had just conquered.

After the fall of Rome, The Forty-Fifth was pulled out of Italy and prepared for its fourth amphibious landing of the war in Southern France. Fighting his way though the French countryside, James was issued the Browning Automatic Rifle in his squad. Because he carried the most firepower of his squad, James always had two men follow him at all times, specifically to carry ammunition for his rifle. During his campaigning through France, James came extremely close to loosing his life.

As his division came upon a small village filled with German soldiers the division was badly outnumbered and was forced to retreat. Running to seek refuge up a mountain, James heard and felt a blow to his back but kept running to escape certain death. Knowing for a fact that he had been hit and puzzled as to why he experienced no pain, James arrived at a safe place to eat and relax. That night while scavenging through his backpack, he discovered the thing that had saved his life. By some miracle, the shot that had hit him went through his bag, and managed to hit his metal toothbrush holder, deflecting the bullet out the side of his bag. Examining the holder, you can see how the bullet entered and exited at a ninety-degree angle.

Continuing his fight through France, James spent nearly seventy days on the front lines. During this time he was only able to take off his boots and change his socks once. Staying cold and wet for the entire time, his feet were so black and swollen when he finally removed his boots that he had to be rushed to the infirmary. With his division only one-forth of a mile away from the German border, James was admitted to a hospital with the diagnosis trenchfeet. At the hospital, the doctor said that he had one of the worst cases of trenchfeet he had ever seen, and that if he had stayed on the battlefront twelve hours longer, the surgeon would have had to amputate both his feet. James, though he fought his way through France, unfortunately, never was able to set foot on the homeland of one of the most evil dictators of all time. James’ combat experience ended as he was placed on a medical ship bound for Charleston, SC in early 1945.

Once in the states, James Reddin was sent, by train, to Brook General Hospital in San Antonio, Texas where he was treated for his trenchfeet. After his condition improved, James was sent to Miami for reclassification. From Miami, James was sent to Fort McPhereson where he was stationed as a Military Policeman (MP) for the duration of the war. James Ira Reddin completed his two year eleven month and fifteen day tour as an American Soldier as he was discharged from the army on October 15, 1945. Though he has the use of his feet, he lives today with the pain of trenchfeet as a reminder of his wartime experiences.

Having been fascinated with the events of the Second World War, I have been blessed to have such a brave American Soldier as my grandfather. I have, over the years been able to hear his accounts and stories as a member of the United States Army. Recently documenting his accounts, I have learned much about the devastation of war, strengthening my view of my Grandfather as a true American Hero.

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