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The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.
Announcements
- 1st of September 2024 marks 25 years since the launch of the Wartime Memories Project. Thanks to everyone who has supported us over this time.
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- 19th Nov 2024 - Please note we currently have a huge backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site. If you have already submitted a story to the site and your UID reference number is higher than
264989 your information is still in the queue, please do not resubmit, we are working through them as quickly as possible.
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Want to find out more about your relative's service? Want to know what life was like during the War? Our
Library contains an ever growing number diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text. |
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Wanted: Digital copies of Group photographs, Scrapbooks, Autograph books, photo albums, newspaper clippings, letters, postcards and ephemera relating to WW2. We would like to obtain digital copies of any documents or photographs relating to WW2 you may have at home. If you have any unwanted
photographs, documents or items from the First or Second World War, please do not destroy them.
The Wartime Memories Project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes. Please get in touch for the postal address, do not sent them to our PO Box as packages are not accepted.
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Did you know? We also have a section on The Great War. and a
Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations.
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Want to know more about 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, US Army? There are:4 items tagged 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, US Army available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
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PFC. Ezra W. "Jodie" Simmons 509th Parachute Infantry Battlion My Uncle Ezra W. Simmons (my Mother's brother) was a POW in Stalag 2B during WW2, he was with the 509th Parachute Infantry Battlion, which was the first American Unit to parachute into combat in November 1942. He would only talk about the war with other vets, such as my Father. I did hear him say that he almost froze to death many times in that camp. He was from Sheridan, LA. After the war, he went on to be a commercial fisherman and alligator hunter on the Pearl River at Slidell, La. I remember him as a very rugged man, who was "not" afraid of anything.
Uncle Jodie was married, and had one son. His wife died, and his son was killed in an accident. Uncle Jodie died in the 1970's. I do remember that he and my aunt went to a couple of reunions somewhere with the group he was with during the war. Hopefully, this info will help someone else in some way.
When he was alive, I never realized the sacrifice he and others made, and never did thank him for that sacrifice. I sure wish I would have. We owe alot to the WW2 Vets. Thank you Vets.
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Pvt. William James Billner Demolition Platoon 509 Parachute Brigade The following was written by my grandfather, William James Billner:
On 15 Feb 1943 I was sent to Dallas, TX for a physical exam to determine my physical fitness for military service. I was found physically fit and was returned home for 7 days to complete my personal affairs. On 22 Feb 1943 I was transported by bus from Sherman, TX to Camp Walters, Mineral Wells, TX. This is where I was to take my Basic Military Training. The first day I received an issue of military clothing which was much too large. I was then issued bedding and assigned to a certain barrack where I would sleep during my basic training. The second day I was sent to the barber shop to get a so called G.I. (this means government issue) hair cut. I proceeded to instruct the barber how to cut my hair. The barber said OK soldier, but you will be back to get the rest of your hair cut off. Sure enough he was correct. I did return to the barber to get it cut as instructed. On the third day I received all of my immunizations. On the fourth day I started receiving instructions in my basic training which consisted of marching, drilling, physical fitness, forced marches and firing and maintenance of various types of small arms; rifle, pistol, machine gun and bazooka. After successfully completing 13 weeks of training I decided that I needed a change so I volunteered for airborne training. I was sent to Fort Benning, GA for the airborne training which was a little more specialized training, consisting of various schools. I attended the demolition school where I learned to use high explosives. After completing five parachute jumps and other requirements of the school I graduated and received my wings. Upon graduation I was immediately sent overseas by ship, taking 21 days and landing in North Africa. I received more training and then was sent to Naples, Italy as a replacement and was assigned to the demolition platoon of the 509 parachute brigade which was engaged in battle against the German army near Mount Venefno in Italy. After this battle and capture of a Roman Coliseum making the Germans retreat, we returned to Naples, Italy to reorganize and make preparations for an invasion of Anzio which was a strong point of the German army. At 4:23 AM on 13 Feb 1944 we landed and established a beach head and drove 3 miles inland causing the German army to retreat, die or become a prisoner of war. After 89 days of fighting we were relieved and returned to Naples, Italy to again reorganize and make preparations for an airborne invasion of Southern France. On 15 August 1944 we were taken to the air field at Rome, Italy where we received a briefing which consisted of an explanation of our mission which was to make a parachute jump 9 miles inland and forcibly take the city of Limoux, France and capture all German soldiers and equipment. We were loaded aboard the airplane. In a few minutes we were airborne. After flying for approximately 3 hours we jumped from the plane at 4:32 AM. Our mission was successfully completed. We continued to fight until the 13th day of September 1944. This was my unlucky day. I was sent on a recon mission along with five other soldiers and five French soldiers. Our mission was to come in contact with the Germans and determine their location and strength in number. As we proceeded up a valley in the Alps Mountains north of Niece, France we were pinned down by German machine gun fire. After a fierce small arms fire fight we ran out of ammunition to which resulted in being captured by the Germans. I was immediately relieved of my adequate American clothing which was replaced by inadequate German clothing and wooden moccasins – this was to prevent us from escaping. We were forced to walk many miles and then locked in an unmarked boxcar with no sanitary facilities. We rode the train for approximately 7 days being strafed daily by the American fighter planes who did not know we were there. We finally arrived at the train station in Mooseberg, Germany where we were taken to a P.O.W. camp – Stalag 7-A. This was a very undesirable place as the living quarters were very inadequate and the food consisted of nothing but a liquid which the Germans called soup. It consisted of 5 potatoes in 5 gallons of water. This was a very poor diet which caused all POW’s to have malnutrition. I lost approximately 45 pounds of weight during my stay in the POW camp. Each day we were loaded on a boxcar and taken into Munich, Germany railroad yards to work rebuilding the railroad track that the American bombers destroyed. On 4 January 1945 I was wading the snow in wooden moccasins working on the RR track in Munich when a sortie of American bombers came over and bombed the RR yard. I received a fractured foot and leg and was taken to a so called German aid station where a cast was applied from my waist down to my toes. I was also given a pair of crutches and instructed that I would have to continue to work. I worked until the 29th day of April 1945 at which time Stalag 7-A POW camp was liberated by the American 3rd army commanded by General Patton. We remained in the POW camp until 8 May 1945 at which time we were flown to France, put aboard a hospital ship and returned to the U.S. After a period of hospitalization and treatment at Brooke Army Hospital, Fort Sam Houston, TX, I was honorably discharged from military service. I have one statement to make concerning my military experiences: I am proud to be an American and I am proud to have had the opportunity to serve my country for a good cause.
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Pte. Harold "Mex" Seay 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment Harold Seay was captured at Solerno, Italy when the 509th made a combat jump behind enemy lines. The Germans had broken Allied codes and knew they were coming. Most were killed or captured.
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Pte. Harold "Mex" Seay 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment Harold Seay was captured near Solerno, Italy after the completion of Operation Torch in North Africa.
500 Paratroopers jumped from the 509th Parachute Regiment, many were killed before they hit the ground, some escaped back to friendly territory, the remainder were hunted down and captured over a few weeks.
He and others were marched North through Italy to Stalag 2B.
Several soldiers died during the march - Harold said the worst was when they were marching with a German supply column and a British plane straffed them and killed 12 American soldiers, he said it was horrible.
They were forced labor on farms, he was a prisoner for two and a half years.
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Pvt. Warren Harding Decker 509th PIR 101st Airborne Division Pvt. Warren H. Decker was wounded and captured during "suicide" mission of the El Djem Bridge on December 27, 1942. POW camps included PG 98, PG 59, Stalag VI, Stalag IV, the "Black March away from Allied/Soviet forces, Wobbelin concentration camp, Stalag IIIA, Stalag IIB, then finally Stalag VIIA.
He remained a POW until liberated by 14th Armored Division of Patton's 3rd Army at Stalag VIIA, Moosburg, Bavaria, Germany on April 29, 1945.
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