These stories can also be heard on Sunday mornings around 10 am on WILD 102’s “Look Back in Time” program. Each week’s radio story will be posted here on our website.
Weekly radio stories are researched, compiled, and read by Sheila Winstead, RCHS Board Member.
November 10, 2024
Today I’ll continue reading from an interview of Melvin Johnson, done in 1997, in which he describes his
time in the Army during WWII. As I concluded last week, Melvin was serving in Tunisia.
While in Tunisia, Melvin served as an anti-tank gunner. A weapons carrier similar to a pickup
pulled the anti-tank gun. Seven men made up the crew that operated and fired the 37 millimeter
gun. Melvin’s job as the first gunner was to elevate the gun, sight it in and fire it. German tanks
were their usual target. In addition to the anti-tank gun, they were also familiar with operating
30- and 50-caliber machine guns. Melvin’s outfit was also responsible for maintaining
telephonic communications with other units and made repairs and replacements as needed.
Their outfit never took any prisoners, but they did have to guard many prisoners that had been
taken by others.
Home in Tunisia was a two-man pup tent. Melvin carried half of the equipment to make up the
tent and his tent mate carried the other half. Sometimes during fighting when they were moving
up, there wasn’t any place to sleep except in front of the big artillery guns. However, all night
long the guns would continue firing, so you can imagine how little sleep there actually was under
those conditions.
When it became necessary to give the troops fighting in the front a rest, they would be pulled
back and troops from the rear would be brought up. The troops coming from the rear would also
transport ammunition, food and water along with them by donkey, horse, or mules. The mules
were stubborn and hard to work with. Shells could be falling around them and the men would
urge the mules on but they seemed to only want to go slower. Someone, however, came up with
a good idea to solve the problem. One guy got a package of hard candy and gave every guy a
piece to hold in front of the mules. This was enough to get the mules moving.
Most of the transporting was done after dark and many of the areas they traveled in were
mountainous. Sometimes a pack animal would step off the trail and tumble down the
mountainside. When this happened there wasn’t time to look for the animal or retrieve the
supplies – they had to be left behind.
Sometimes other groups would be brought in to the area to help with various duties. One time a
whole battalion of Japanese-Americans was brought in. Their job was to scout the area at night
and locate the enemy.
Melvin saw a number of dog fights. The planes were usually very high up in the air and moved
so fast that it was hard to tell who was who. The men would stand outside and watch until the
bullets started coming down around them, then they would duck for cover under trailers.
One time while in Tunisia an Allied plane was forced to come down near the camp. The pilot
managed to land safely but the engine of the plane had been hit so the plane was useless. A
guy in their outfit called “Hillbilly” removed the copper tubing from the plane. He bought a barrel
of Italian wine and ran it through his makeshift still to produce moonshine. One drink of that
awful stuff was enough for Melvin. Some of the guys sat and caught it coming right out of the
pipes. Drinking it made many of them sick and a few ended up being locked up for their
behavior.
After serving in Tunisia, Melvin and the other troops were transported by ship to Italy. He saw
action in Sicily and Naples, participating in the Foggia Campaign. While in the Anzio beachhead
battle, they were surrounded on three sides by the enemy and by the sea on the fourth side.
Though there was little recreation time while in Italy, Melvin did manage to meet up with Sammy
Stromstad, an old friend from home, and they were able to do a little sightseeing, viewing the
remains of Pompeii together.
Melvin completed his foreign service in Italy and sailed from there aboard a small ship which left
port on June 14, 1944. He arrived in New York on July 10, 1944. From New York, Melvin again
traveled by truck convoy, this time to Texas. Here the experienced troops were used to help
train the rookies. One day Melvin was put on the firing range and the other two men he worked
with were in the rifle pit checking targets. As Melvin was laying on the firing range on his
stomach operating the phone, a four-star General came up behind him and kicked him on the
bottom of his shoe. Melvin jumped up and saluted and the General asked him what he was
doing out of proper uniform. Melvin told him that he had turned in his clothes overseas. The
General reprimanded the Lieutenant for having the veterans on the firing range and after that a
jeep was left for them in camp so they had transportation. They did repair work until Melvin was
discharged on December 31, 1944.
Melvin spent three years, eight months and ten days in the service. Two years, two months and
eleven days of this time was spent in foreign service. He was lucky enough never to be
wounded. He received three bronze stars – Tunisian, Sicilian and Naples-Foggia. He also
received the European, African and Middle Eastern Theatre Campaign Ribbons.
After being discharged, Melvin returned to his former activities. He farmed for a while and then
went back to doing carpentry work. He no longer has his military uniform. The pants were worn
out many years ago and the coat was discarded when it became too small for him to use.
Melvin died just a year after this interview at age 80.
Thank you to 
for letting us share our county’s history with your listeners by donating air time, studio time, and production staff every week.