Listen to Thomas E. Coon's account of the 295th narrated by Marv Allen (Intro by Anne Margery). A truly unique story.
The History of the 295th Ordnance Heavy Maintenance Company (Streaming Audio: Spoken Word)
Most World War II "aficionados" have never heard of the 295th Ordnance Heavy Maintenance Company. In fact, whenever I mention Camp Toccoa or Curahee Mountain, they immediately connect with the HBO series, "Band of Brothers" or Easy Company but an Ordnance unit never comes to mind. Up until recently, the Toccoa Historical Society was also unaware of this "ghost" company.
While Camp Toccoa was certainly an important US Training camp, impressive is the fact that this company of men trained at over eight U.S. military facilities in preparation for the war in Europe.
Moving, always by convoy, these men were constantly on the go, in the US and abroad. This audio presentation is dedicated to all the men of the 295th Ordnance Heavy Maintenance Company (HM).
Special thanks to professional voice actors, Anne Margery, of voice123.com (audio intro) and Marv Allen for his outstanding voice and effort narrating this story!
Note: To enhance your listening experience, please visit the 295th Ordnance Heavy Maintenance Wikipedia article.
295th Veteran Phone Interviews (located in the player above)
Due to the lack of professional telephone-recording equipment, the quality is not superb; however, I have done my best to capture their voice and their stories.
As you listen, please keep in mind that many WWII veterans are "getting up their in age", battling physical illness and it's been a really long time since WWII. I can't even remember 3rd grade and that was in the 70s!
Note: I have removed my voice from these clips in order to increase sound levels; therefore, some of the interviews may come across a bit odd..sorry :-). Hopefully, you'll still enjoy these as much as I enjoyed doing them!
Track 12: 5-23-2008 - Amherst "Howard" Lamb Interview
Thank you to Howard for spending a great deal of time on the phone with me. We had a good time!
Track 13: 5-22-2008 - Conley Miller Interview
Spoke to Conley on the phone this evening. Conley is a super guy who loved his 295th brothers, but he didn't really like the army much and is happy it's behind him.
Interview Notes:
- Camp Sutton (Started Basic. Toughest Camp (Majority of Men Stated This))
Note: They slept in tents.
- Camp Toccoa (Currahee Mountain) - Forced Marches
Note: They slept in barracks. Also, they were already pretty conditioned when they arrived for phase II of basic training so it wasn't too bad on them! I guess the view from the Currahee was beautiful!
- Awkward Squad - Talking about the Football Team (Jack Hope) and James (James Rocket)
- Didn't like Army. Tried to forget it. Didn't really like "orders"
- I asked why he was alone and if he had friends
- 93 and still driving! No pictures.
Track 14: 5-17-2008 - Jack Hope: Dachaua Concentration Camp
Note: Jack wasn't sure why German opposition put the bodies in the cans and labeled them.
Track 15: 5-17-2008 - Jack Hope: Camp Sutton, Toccoa, and Fort Campbell
- Armistice Day Football Game, Camp Toccoa, 1943: The 295th football team fought hard against the Le Tourneau Corp. professionals but lost by a score of 13 to 6. From what Jack is stating, this event was open to the public.
- Hope and Rockett sleep together overseas!
- The 295th first went to Camp Sutton for about 6 weeks before Toccoa Georgia, where they stayed for 12 weeks.
- After Toccoa was Fort Campbell (the weather was quite cold).
- Jack's birthdays across the world.
- I had asked Jack about the paratroopers training. They apparently took some paratrooper boys to a training facility in NC? The obstacle course Jack is talking about is back at Toccoa.
Note: The hot "tents" he's talking about are at Camp Sutton, not Toccoa. I wanted to clarify this since my audio editing was lacking somewhat and we might have been bouncing around locations a bit.
- I thought Jack asked me if I'd ever had "Black Lung"! We had Black Flag days when I was kid (Southern California smog)! :-)
- 295th Reunion will be in Aug or Sept (most likely September). Contact Arden H. Hill if you've never been before and would like to attend. As it stands, there will only be a small group of veterans (+ their families).
Track 16: 5-17-2008 - Jack Hope: Remembering the Boys!
- James T. Rockett (my granddaddy)
- Joseph A. Conley (moonshiner, cook, and eventually sheriff)
- John G. Reavis
- Roy L. Inscore
- Durwood A. Holder
- Conley R. Miller
- Thomas G. McCorkle (Fred Murphy's buddy)
- Fred B. Murphy (Frankie, his the "wife" mentioned in this audio and is really nice! Fred, deceased now, is the Staff Sargent mentioned.)
- William (Bill) A. Volz (Their original section Sargent when they first went in.)
- Russel K. Sage
Note: 16 guys total in Hope (Jack) and Rockett 's "Small Arms" section. They had 2 trucks with 8 men to a truck. Jack has a faded post-war image of all the boys in the truck.
Track 17: 5-17-2008 - Jack Hope on Floyd "No Pictures" Baggett