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World War II raw and unfiltered . . .
A Private in the Texas Army
At War in Italy, France, and Germany with the 111th Engineers, 36th Division, in World War II John A. Pearce
Sulphur Springs native Frank Webster Pearce was a soldier in Texas’ own 36th Infantry Division and the 111th Engineer Combat Battalion. The Division’s story has been told before, but never from start to finish by a combat engineer, whose footprints stirred the sands of three invasion beaches, wallowed through the mud, and trudged in the snow of every battle. From training in the United States to the war’s end in Austria, Pearce chronicled it all. With the combination of diary, numerous letters home, and official division reports, this is the most complete look ever produced on the 111th Engineers and their war against Hitler’s Germany. This is a primary account written daily as the events unfolded. It was the war years. Here you find out how to properly bury a man in the water soaked Italian soil, a fool proof way to smuggle liquor from the US to the soldiers overseas, the foul stench of death reeking across the battlefield, and the beauty of exploding artillery shells in the night sky. These are his thoughts and letters as he wrote them—raw and unfiltered. JOHN A. PEARCE has been a requested speaker for over fifty years and an author of numerous articles concerning his vocation, football. He was the head football coach at Stephen F. Austin State University for seven years, an assistant at Texas A&M University for three seasons, UCLA for four years and the assistant head coach at Rice University in 2006. “A Private in the Texas Army” is his third book. He was also a former history teacher in public schools.
“Made dressing from C ration biscuits, two eggs, onions, bell pepper etc. Mashed potatoes and coffee. Best turkey I’ve ever eaten. Lieutenant Gautier and Lieutenant Beahler came by and helped us eat it.” “Not much to do. Drank bottle of rum Sergeant Glenn got for me in Caserta. Pure poison. Must have been made out of fuel alcohol.” “Went into Herrlisheim and swept roads for mines. Town just taken. I counted 28 of our tanks knocked out (12th armored) American & German dead all around. Town a total wreck. Still snipers there. Young was killed by mine last night. Hit it with jeep.”—from the book
978-1-64967-005-2 paper $39.95 978-1-64967-006-9 ebook 6x9. 300 pp. 100 illus. 19 Maps. Notes. Bib. Index. World War II. Texas History. Military History. November
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