- Collection:
- Veterans History Project: Oral History Interviews
- Title:
- Oral history interview of William P. "Bill" Montgomery
- Creator:
- Hilliard, Tony (Anthony Stephen), 1944-
Montgomery, Bill (William P.), 1926- - Publisher:
- Atlanta, Ga. : Kenan Research Center, Atlanta History Center
- Date of Original:
- 2019-01-04
- Subject:
- World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American
World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Pacific Ocean
Iwo Jima, Battle of, Japan, 1945
United States. Marine Corps. Marine Regiment, 26th
United States. Marine Corps. Marine Division, 5th - People:
- Snowden, Lawrence F., 1921-2017
- Location:
- Japan, 35.68536, 139.75309
Japan, Iwo Jima, 24.78516755, 141.324132661137
United States, California, San Diego County, San Diego, 32.71571, -117.16472
United States, Hawaii, Camp Tarawa - Medium:
- oral histories (literary works)
- Type:
- Moving Image
- Format:
- video/mp4
- Description:
- In this interview, Bill Montgomery recalls his experiences serving in the United States Marine Corps in the Pacific during World War II. He remembers his growing up years and his father losing his business during the Great Depression. He joined the Marine Corps in high school and was sent to boot camp in San Diego three days after graduation. He recalls further training in Hawaii and describes in detail his experiences during the 37-day Battle of Iwo Jima as part of a rifle company tasked with gathering intelligence along the front lines. He describes many incidents during his time in combat, including watching the flag being raised on Mt. Suribachi; a firefight he experienced while trying to sleep in a slit trench; recovering the bodies of dead Marines many days after they were killed; and how it seemed that younger Marines had less trouble coping with the stresses of combat than Marines in their late 20s and 30s. He spent nine months with the occupation forces in Japan after the war and comments on their preparations to invade Japan before the atomic bombs were dropped. He describes living conditions on Iwo Jima, the food they ate, the weather, and sanitary conditions. He describes a trip he made to Iwo Jima as part of the Reunion of Honor many years after the war and reflects on his post-military career and family.
Mt. Suribachi; scout sniper; "jumping ship"; replacement soldiers; expert rifleman; Reunion of Honor; GI Bill; Private Brown (KIA)
Bill Montgomery served in the United States Marine Corps on Iwo Jima during World War II. - Metadata URL:
- http://album.atlantahistorycenter.com/cdm/ref/collection/VHPohr/id/859
- Additional Rights Information:
- This material is protected by copyright law. (Title 17, U.S. Code) Permission for use must be cleared through the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center. Licensing agreement may be required.
- Extent:
- 1:07:23
- Original Collection:
- Veterans History Project oral history recordings
Veterans History Project collection, MSS 1010, Kenan Research Center, Atlanta History Center - Holding Institution:
- Atlanta History Center
- Rights:
-
