A lot of the vets in interviews I've watched about their experiences in ww2 are sharp as a tack. I have to think there's a correlation between seeing so much inhumanity for a prolonged period of your life and your brain staying on top of things. It's crazy.
had a friend his name was Edson Stage he had his heal blown off in combat there. a sergeant carried him out of there on his back. 5 miles of pure terror is what he told me. he shoved his rifle in the mud barrel down and left it on the field. he could still recite the serial number back like he had looked at it a second before. it had jammed and he couldn't clear it when he was wounded. he was one hell of a nice man I miss him very much. his son was a drug addict that never seemed to get what his father had been a part of. I farmed his land and he loved when I would stop in to talk about life. I was maybe 18-20 yo. and he gave me advice and a sense of patriotism that will carry forever.
@@kaptainkaos1202 No, the majority of americans would not. They don't feel the same sense of patriotism, pride and nationalism that the great generation did. This generation hates America and has been taught in their schools and their media that America is an unredeemable and racist country. This liberal cancer has infected our military as well. Sad, but true. The great generation were strong, patriotic, and racially homogenous with strong shared cultural and religious values. Today we have a racially and culturally diverse mishmash of socialists, anarchists, atheists, women and transgender people that hold contempt for the historical American people and the historical American nation. When critical race theory is being taught in our military, you know the military is a lost cause.
What a wonderful amazing story you made a good friend that's obvious and there should be more men like yourself in today's youth we'd have a better country
My grandfather and his brother both participated in D-Day, in the same unit. Granpa made it through the war without serious wounds but he carried the death of his brother with him til the grave. Poor guy was cut in half by a German machine gun, 6 days after D-Day. They tried to get him, but they were pinned down and couldn't move. He spent the night under intermittent fire, listening to his brother moaning in pain, until he died at dawn. Breaks my heart
My grandfather was also at D-Day, but was part of the Navy. His view of the carnage, he once told me he'd never thought he'd see so many dead men in his entire life. He was also on board the Nashbulk when she collided with the Saint Michel... from what I understand, it was the last event that occurred that killed Navy Sailors before the surrender of Japan. I came that close!
I thank you sharing the heroic service of your grandfather and his brother during WWII Antoine. They all saved the world! If you have not already please consider subscribing to the channel as it really helps these interviews reach a larger audience!
@@RememberWW2 Wow thanks for replying, I thought I did subscribe but your comment brought me back and I found out I had not !!!? I am now one of you. Cheers
My Uncle Victor was 19 when his tank was destroyed and he was killed, during the push to Cherbourg. Thank you, Mr. Schmidt, for enduring hell with grace and bravery. We all owe you a debt of gratitude we can never repay.
I woke up from a safe nights sleep, ate breakfast, raced to work, completed my day, and did my evening errands before bed. This all because or soldiers like Mr. Schmidt who lived the horror of war to keep us safe. Thank you Mr. Schmidt.
What a great story teller.. I could listen to this for hours and hours.. So much horrible things this hero saw, and I'm glad his story is saved. There are sooo much more stories like these, but a lot of them will never be told, and will always be a mystery. Huge respect for this brave man, Rest In Peace all young soldiers who died fighting for our freedom.
@@blackinpublic4193 Sometimes you fall on the wrong side of history… But rarely do you know it at the time. They were just serving their country in their minds. Think about all the crazy liberals doing their best to end the freedom of speech. Who knows what evil that will birth in the future and all they can do is say, “Well I thought we were doing good by suppressing bad ideas at the time.. sorry kids..” But yet they were suppressing all ideas and we know that through history. Catholic priest hanging from a castle wall with his guts hanging out, people who decided their blood is all that matters and not your freedom of religion, expression and the right to say whatever you want without persecution. Very, very important!! They will change history and change the laws so nothing can be done about it. Example: there are two very different views on Christopher Columbus. One is what pop culture has morphed him into and one is taken from actual Spanish journals. If some universities had their way, you would only be allowed to hear one version of it.. never free to make up your own mind. Remember that, we could loose history like this very easily.
Thank you for watching. I know what you are talking about. You can almost feel you are there! Please consider subscribing if your have not already. It really helps the channel.
I served 8 years in the military and Afghanistan. This gentleman is a true hero. To think he help out the guy who could not see giving him his belt to hold. Life is so unfair. So many lives lost on both sides. Thank you for sharing your story. What a gentleman thank you so much for your time and the service you gave . Much respect for the UK 🇺🇲🇬🇧
@@chloekit4861 all I can say looking back is I am ashamed to of been part of the Afghan war.. look what we have done! ( I was part of ) and left these poor people in a country which is broken. .. I left the military after I returned from Afghan in 2010. OP herric 9 Helmand province
Whenever I feel down or anxious about my own life every once in a while I listen to stories such as these to humble myself and remind myself that, hey, you got it pretty good kid
My grandpa also served under Patton's 3'rd Army at The Bulge but he couldn't go into such detail as this man does without becoming emotional. My grandpa did talk about freezing in a foxhole, airbursts, using one steel pot to melt snow for water and the other as a toilet, and fighting hand to hand in order to take the Germans weapons and ammo as he and his buddy had ran out and would likely have died if they went for resupply. I thinks it's important to hear the stories from these guys while we still can. Never forget.
Thanks for watching Mr.Damon. We thank your grandfather for helping defend liberty and democracy! They are definitely Heroes. If you have not already please consider subscribing to the channel as it really helps these interviews reach a larger audience!
@@RememberWW2 THIS is NOT a "RULE OF LAW" required to view these interesting FIRST PERSON experiences. BUT, what if it were??? Would you subscribe RIGHT NOW ???? FREE and EASY. -----DO IT !!!!!!
One of my uncle's drove a tank after normandy. He never talked about any part of the war. Our entire family was ordered by our aunt to never even talk about the war around him. We found out after he and our aunt passed what happened. His first tank was hit in the turret from the side, he and one other were the only survivors, both seriously injured. His second tank took an 88 round through the right front, he was the only survivor, seriously injured. They tried to force him into a third, seems the clean up and repair crew didn't do such a good job.His tank commander said my uncle wasn't too happy that they had painted over the remains from a previous driver. My uncle was sent home, shell shock was the official reason. Something a lot of people don't know. All military personnel were in for the duration regardless of being drafted or volunteering. Only way to come home, unable to heal death, or shell shock (we call that ptsd today).
@@donniebrown2896 mine was hit also by shell. Grandad would talk to me only lol. I was 12 and on in life. He said, a couple died and he had the shell shock. Till his dying day in 2002, you couldn't wake him up with hands lol. You had to stay about 6 ft away and say his name.... he'd come up swinging on people without realizing it lol. He'd seen his guys other tanks cut almost in half by panzers. He seen nothing but flesh and blood hanging out the side's of tanks. It bothered him...he didn't have to tell me that. He also mentioned they hunted panzers by 4 American tanks. A panzer wasn't as mobile and Swift. He said, if you can drive good and shoot straight at a certain part of the panzer while he's focusing on one out of 4 of ours....we might lose a tank....but we'll get him also! And he told me they absolutely did! I miss him Soo much friend! 🇺🇸
Schmidt saves us the ugly crying by just telling a matter of fact story with the perspective of himself as a young man. So its kind of a naive innocent recount of events instead of the thousand yard stares and sobbing that hit so many veterans like a hammer. But any stories about combat vets experiences are fascinating from WWI all the way to Vietnam.
Words cannot express how thankful and grateful we should be for people like him. And to all WW2 veterans who had to face the worst time of our country’s history. It is an honor and privilege to listen to their war stories.
Organized confusion. There is no rhyme or reason to it. Thank Heaven for these guys. They did the unimaginable and then came home with all those memories inside them. Then raised families like nothing had happened. Thats humility right there.
Most of them were forced into the war they actually had no choice Is the deserted they would've got killed for it so they were in a sticky Situation were they had no choice to fight anybody can do What they did if they were forced into dire Situation for their survival
jijor assad that sounds exactly like it was when I was a Taliban forced to fight or get killed by them. Just kidding, but what you said is the Islamic instruction manual.
Goldmedals the thing you weren't forced to fight the taliban In the middle east because you signed up to be in the military And joined to fight during ww2 a lot of young people were drafted It didn't matter if they wanted to fight or not if they tried to judge the draft they would be put in prison and in some places dodging the draft would get you killed
Training for months told them what to do, adrenaline kicking to 11 kept their feet moving and experience made them good at it. I'm sure alot of them shat their pants when they got bombarded the first time or saw 20 men mowed down in seconds.. I'm sure alot of em had a good cry after their first fight.
Modding i bet you never fought in a war in your entire life same As me I'm not disrespecting these men they went through a lot And deserve to respected all im saying is that these men had very little Option but to fight because most of these men in ww2 were drafted Into the war if they tried to desert in the war they could get killed or Imprisoned so is either fight in which you can survive or get killed Or run but and get killed by your own comrades for deserting But your are right I have never experienced what they went through But I have been through my own struggles that you probably Won't give a dam about and nobody will and the honest Truth nobody gives a dam about the struggles of these Soldiers because most Won't understand that's Why most of these veterans never talk about the war and I never said I was a psychiatrist
@@thatperformer3879 No, I’m talking about Eisenhower’s Death Camps on the Rhine. The Bolshevik Commie Soviets can be blamed for 60 million Russian deaths from 1917-1958 but they can’t be blamed for this. It was all done by our war (heroes) of the USA. “We just defeated the wrong enemy.” - General Patton, shortly before his own mysterious death in 1945.
Mr Schmidt’s memory is so clear he remembers word for word. You can tell the kinda man he is he actually went to find the families of the two that were KIA that he fought next to. God bless Mr Schmidt. I take care of my grandpa he’s a WW11 vet he’s 99 and his memory is clear just like Mr Schmidt’s. The greatest generation is almost gone and these vlogs will be priceless one day. Thank you 🙏
Thank you Mr. Schmidt for your service and God bless you and all the men who served and perished together. You are loved by later generations an d recognized for the valiant service you provided to all of us.
The last generation of true heroes. These men gave all, without question. I could never express how grateful I am for their sacrifice. I wish more people today would remember why we have what we have
@@enveloreal Alright. Fair enough. Do you belive things are heading in the right direction for the german People? Or the western world in general. I'm talking about the decline and replacement of european People.
It’s a true honor to be able to spend the time this channels does with these Brave Men, time after time it brings tears to my eyes. God bless the men who made the ultimate sacrifice. And also God Bless the men who made it back but not without a piece of them missing 🇺🇸🇺🇸
People's always feel giddy when a spotlight is pointed at them. Even if it was some emotional veil, I didn't think anything of it. TLDR: It seemed human. No need to analyze or question.
"Somebody must have done something to make that thing a dud!" Slave laborers at German munitions factories. The Germans struggled against an extremely high failure rate of their ordnance.
Brave as hell because they would have been severely punished in it was found out they had been sabotaging weapons, vehicles and ammunition. I read about a labourer who was working on the assembly of gear boxes for tanks. He deliberately stamped cogs with a single cog tooth that was weaker than the others so it would break during use. No one knows how many tanks broke down because of that man's handywork but it must have been hundreds. He was eventually found out and executed, but that's a war hero right there.
Mr. Schmidt sir, I would like to say thank you so much everything you sacrificed, both mentally and physically for all of us and the freedoms we have today. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, you have all of my respect and gratitude. I salute you.
Thank you for the kind words Rev. Taylor, I really appreciate it. If you have not already please consider subscribing to the channel as it really helps these interviews reach a larger audience!
Thank you mr schmitt...its men like you that inspire men like me...humility..passion . devotion..honor and duty..thank you for giving those things you carry to me..i know you have a proud family,as it should be..blessings🇺🇲🇺🇸
Incredible. Sharp as a knife and a great storyteller. As a 25yo European, I believe that my generation easily forgets how much these heroes went through 75 years ago so that we may live in peace today. This is why videos like this one are so important. Thank you, sir
As a 54 yr old American, I truly appreciate that you even care b/c I don’t run into many young Americans that can tell me anything about WWII. It’s sad how few young Americans know anything about their history.
By far the greatest generation. Not just because of their mind boggling bravery, but their selflessness, dedication and humility. There's something about my grandparents generation that I just love. I think we could learn a lot from them.
Dear Mr. Schmidt...Thank you for serving and for your story. Your friends that died on that hill are kept alive with your voice. I am humbled by your courage under fire. And I am glad that shell was a dud so I could hear your story. You and your friends make me proud to be called an American.
Rest in peace to all those brave men who gave their lives for us in the second world war. Thank you for your service Mr Schmidt, I could listen to your stories for hours. Much love from Australia.
What a heart this man had, along with a great memory. I feel for him, to see your friend's get killed and have to continue to do your job as a soldier. I salute our heroes.
Thank you Mr Schmidt for sharing your combat experience, I appreciate you and all the men that went through such a life changing experience as WW2. I have quite a few relatives that were in were in that war, most made it home, a few did not. Much love and respect to you sir, I appreciate your sacrifice!
Unbelievable how Mr. Schmidt remembers and is sharp as a tack. God bless you sir for all you did for us and for telling your story. You will not be forgotten.
I love listening to these old soldiers accounts of WW2. No two are the same and the vast majority we will never know about. As a not as old former soldier,I can relate to a lot of the things they talk about,but I never saw combat.
A friend of mine died recently at age 91. He regretted NOT being in combat in WW l l . He was maintaining B-24 s .--SEVERAL YEARS AGO, I asked him " DID YOU FOLLOW EVERY ORDER, OBEY EVERY COMMAND ?--- He said "YES". I stated , "You could NOT have properly done any thing else regarding your actions. NO other IDEAS NOR DESIRES could have been pursued. You DID YOUR DUTY. T H A N K Y O U for your service." He seemed somewhat relieved.
I love reading wartime biographies because they are all unique, Wing Commander Tuck RAF escaped from a POW camp with another prisoner, they were sheltering in an abandoned farmhouse when a patrol of Germans showed up so they hid in a pizza oven for three days until the Germans left, the other guy had dysentry...
Germans never had a chance at the Battle of the Bulge, abd even IF by some miracle the Germans managed to reach the sea they didn't have the manpower to hold to the land taken and definitely no manpower to destroy the isolated Allied forces at Netrherlands.
I’ve rewatched and listened to that story atleast 5 times now and it’s something special every time I hear it!!! Thank you for sharing this, sadly my grandfather passed before I was old enough to ask any real questions but I was told his stories in writing. Hopefully I’ll find it one day soon, I’d love to share it!! He was a medic in WWII from Kentucky, Berea actually Lol I’m barely in my 30’s now and it bothers me something awful that people around my age just don’t seem to care about these stories!! The stories that wrote out history and changed our lives forever!!! Thank you again, my ONLY complaint is you didn’t show the girlfriends picture haha
The bravery of these men never ceases to amaze and humble me. This was totally fascinating account. Thank you so much, Mr. Schmidt. I myself am from England but with a Chicago man as a grandfather, and I had American relations who served in the US Military during WWII.
Honestly, these guy’s stories never get boring. I had a grandfather in the 5th ID, a spearhead unit of Patton’s Third Army and I was the only person he would take seriously enough to talk about it, usually after reading a books about it
Thank You Mr. Schmidt for your service to our country. Your sacrifices do not go unnoticed. Even though it might seem that way at times. God Bless You.
My dad, four uncles and my father in law all fought. Four on the western front, one in Africa and one in the Pacific. Any chance I got I talk to them about their experiences I took it. Thank you for your service. It’s always made me wonder how I would have measured up under it.
@@robinb8432 don’t judge the way the wars are fought back then. It was different times and the same was being done the English what does V2 rockets that they were bombarded with day and night. We may not fight wars that way anymore but you never know what we may do if we end up in a war with China. So save your judgments for modern day actions not for what occurred in times of past
@@robinb8432 Thank you for your response. Yes the Germans bombed the English island constantly during World War II and they used something called the V2 which was a rocket that was used to bombard many English cities. no with her blanket bombing German cities was retaliatory or just part of the basic war plan I do understand why both sides would make these targets. In total warfare you of course target cities because the civilian population is what enables the military war machine to operate. So you target factories rail lines and other infrastructure such as the power grid, bridges, Dam’s etc. My point in making judgment was it it’s not fair to judge prior generations using today’s morals and ethics. while there may have been some atrocities that occurred which were viewed as atrocities even in that era, All evidence I have read shows that those are isolated incidents from the Western allies but they were systemic and official policy In regards to the axis powers. One of the reasons the Germans were so eager to surrender to the Western powers was because of the atrocities they committed in Russia and they feared the Reprisals those Russian troops would take upon them. Regardless war is always a brutal and terrible thing and hopefully all of us can convince our so-called leaders to pursue peaceful resolution where possible. in regards to China, we didn’t give technology to the Chinese they stole it. It was our naïve and or corrupt politicians that allowed our industries do use Chinese factories where those technologies could be stolen. The CCP is no friend to the United States, they have been conducting what they call fourth generation warfare against us for decades. and whether or not the Wuhan flu was released intentionally or accidentally they did intentionally hide the fact for months that it is escaped and while restricting travel within their own nation allowed Chinese nationals to travel everywhere outside of China and never warned the rest of the world about the infectious disease. In fact they lied and said it’s not human transmissible. The CCP claimed there is no major problem here. The CCP intends to invade Taiwan within the next six years and they have illegally built artificial islands and militarized them throughout the China Sea. So the prospect of war between the United States and China is very high in fact I would say that we’re at more danger now with Biden in charge than we ever were during the Cold War. I’m sorry if you don’t like that assessment but it is accurate
@@robinb8432 I think what Julie is trying to get at is you are looking at this all from a modern point of view, with all the facts at your disposal and hindsight also. At the time the world was plunged into war and both sides strategically bombed one another (or terrorbombing as you call it) to try and disable industrial targets, docks, factories and warehouses and cripple supply chains. The RAF did bomb major cities at night, without high tech equipment to ensure their bombs would land accurately... they did kill thousands of civilians as a result of this bombing campaign. The germans did the same thing back to the British, it's an awful strategy but one that is just as much about the psychological effect constant bombing has on the minds of the people as the physical effect I think. Civilians die in war, unfortunately, that is the sad truth - civilians always pay the ultimate price.
My grandfather served under McArthur during WW2 . He never talked about it unless he was very drunk. When he did I was in totally in amazement! He was and is my ultimate hero!
WW2 stories might be the most engrossing stories ive ever listened to. That generation had such a better grasp of story telling than so many of us have today.
Your real stories bring us closer to what really happened.....My son is currently serving in the NCNG.....Thanks so much for your service and sharing your life with us...
There would be no United States of America without amazing humans like this. God bless you, sir. Thank you. Hopefully, the sacrifices made by these individuals will never ever be forgotten.
So intense an experience at a young age and the sense of decency and humility that one can sense. We owe so much Mr Schmidt and so many others in our military right on up to today. So much triviality and nonsense going on in our country today; makes me feel that we're letting Mr Schmidt down.
Mr. Schmidt - thank you, Sir - we are all in your debt. My father, Ed Federoff, was an Armorer in the Cannon Company of the 361st Regimental Combat Team, 91st Infantry, in N. Africa, and then Italy, '44 - '45. He landed at Anzio, fought thru the Apennine Mountains, and ended up in Trieste. He contracted TB there, and was sent home to recover at an Army Hospital in Denver. He passed naturally in 2010. He told many excellent stories of his time in combat - I'll recount my 3 favorites: He said the time he was most scared in the war was as a greenhorn in N. Africa. One day the sky in the distance grew dark, and there came a terrible, loud sound - like a roar. In moments, their bivouac was owerflown by a huge cloud of African bees that blotted out the sun. The men jumped in their holes and pulled their shelter halves over their heads. He said the noise was terrific, and seemed to go on forever - the cloud of insects may have been a mile or more long. The second one was about when he was walking up a muddy road in the mountains - an 88mm shell came in right toward him, in line with the road, and splashed into the mud about 20 yards in front of him. He could only stand there and watch for the second or two that it took to burrow through the mud and come to a stop right at his feet - and thankfully - not explode. The last was when he got the chance to get in a knocked out German tank and remove its MG 42 machine gun - he spoke admiringly of the weapon's engineering, and how the roller locking bolt and recoil booster allowed its rapid rate of fire. I visited Anzio in 2018, and the Allied cemetery in nearby Nettuno. I pray there will come a day when there is no more war - until that time, I pray that America always wins theirs.
Mr Schmidt, i am currently sat in my flat in Manchester - United Kingdom. Just finished watching this incredible/insightful little video. I am 31 years old and will be forever grateful for everything you have done. Thank you for your service Sir.
You're a good man Smitty. Thanks for sharing. My father served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam, as did my uncle (his brother) both in the Army air corps/air force as pilots. Two of my older brothers flew fighters in Vietnam, one Air Force, one Navy. A third brother served in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot and a LRRP ranger. I served in GW1 as an instructor and an F-15c pilot. Thank you for your service, sir. It is an honor to be associated with men like you and your compadres. Damned fine men.
He's right,no one would know where Reedley or Dinuba was. My dad was from Reedley, and he went to germany in infantry, Ramagen bridge is about all I recall. He couldnt talk about the war. He said it brought him to tears recalling his friends and all and the way they died. His eyes would fill with tears if he even thought about it . Just died this yr.
That was a wonderful interview and I'm happy that this was recorded for posterity. The last two minutes were simply heart-breaking. The Greatest Generation.
My grandfather was in the navy during the war. I was also in navy from 75 to 79. Thank you for your service, sacrifice and being a great American. God bless you
My grandfather was transferred off the Arizona 20 minutes before the attack on PH. All of his friends died that day. Every single one of them. Our family has some crazy luck. I survived a drowning. 10 minutes under water, but im still here. I'm not anywhere near as badass as my grandpa was tho. He was hardcore.
First time I've heard the term "screaming meemies" in a long time. A WW2 vet was explaining the sound and what they did to me many years ago while explaining his service. This made me think of him.
My father& father-in-law fought WWII. My father-in-law spent 3 days pulling bodies from the Arizona in Pearl Harbor. My grandpa was in WWI. My great-great-grandpa was a captain in the Civil War. 1970 my draft number was 11. I had my pre-induction physical & Nixon stop the draft before they drafted me.
My father was a WW2 Vet in the South pacific theater. My grandfather was in ww1. My uncle was in the Korean war, Another uncle in WW2. My oldest cousin was in the Army during the Viet Nam era but was not sent to Viet Nam because he was the only son to carry the name.
This was amazing, thank you Mr. Schmidt! Your stories and experiences are cherished by many. Your sacrifice and service is so appreciated, more than words can express. Thank you for your courage and for fighting for this country and the free world.
Thank you for conveying in an unvarnished manner what soldiers experience in front line duty; it takes fortitude to do so. God bless you and your family.
I was friends with General Patton's great grandson in elementary school here in Southern California. Never knew until the last day we saw each other on graduation...
GOOGLE his NAME and CITY. Tell him that MANY. MANY thousands appreciate what his GREAT GRANDFATHER did for America in WORLD WAR l l . I know that I DO !!!!!!!!
My grandfather, Earnest, was drafted at 19 and fought in WWII in the 5th army as a tank cannoneer. He was all through Europe, North Africa, Italy, and the former Yugoslavia. He fought in some of the most brutal battles of the war and lost a lot of close friends. Unfortunately, I never had the chance to meet him, as he died 6 years before I was born. His would-be 99th birthday was a few days ago. My mom tells me a lot of the stories he told her but she said she won't tell me everything. We still have a lot of his old documentation, and a lot of his pictures, but unfortunately his medals and things he brought back have mostly been lost in moving or needed to be sold in times of hardship. One of the things you see on some of his papers is that he was the recipient of a Croix de Guerre during his service, as well as several other medals. He was promoted to I believe Sergeant before leaving the service after the war ended. At his funeral when they did the 21-gun salute, some of the soldiers said to my mother they had rarely seen a man this well traveled from the war. Before the war, he was a semi-pro baseball player and had the Yankees in his favor to play professionally, but in his words: "the man with the mustache ruined my love for the game". He ended up living a long, happy, and good life. I have a lot to live up to, and I'm very proud of all he, and other family members have done for this country.
Thank you for your service, I had an uncle that hauled ammunition in the battle of the bulge. He made it thru the war ok but was killed six wks after getting home in a car wreck
He's blessed with clarity of mind for somebody that at least 93YO or more.
Yeah this guy is SHARP.
A lot of the vets in interviews I've watched about their experiences in ww2 are sharp as a tack. I have to think there's a correlation between seeing so much inhumanity for a prolonged period of your life and your brain staying on top of things. It's crazy.
@@0r0r0 Maybe there is a correlation between longevity and the sharpness of ones mind.
its quite impressive
Especially with the measures big bitch brother takes to sabotage exactly that.
had a friend his name was Edson Stage he had his heal blown off in combat there. a sergeant carried him out of there on his back. 5 miles of pure terror is what he told me. he shoved his rifle in the mud barrel down and left it on the field. he could still recite the serial number back like he had looked at it a second before. it had jammed and he couldn't clear it when he was wounded. he was one hell of a nice man I miss him very much. his son was a drug addict that never seemed to get what his father had been a part of. I farmed his land and he loved when I would stop in to talk about life. I was maybe 18-20 yo. and he gave me advice and a sense of patriotism that will carry forever.
very cool man!
I DONT THINK OR I'M NOT REALLY SURE IF MYSELF AND THE REST OF MY BABY BOOMERS COULD DO WHAT OUR FATHERS HAD TO DO.
@@josephchase3240 of course you could. When the time comes if you’re trained well enough it becomes second nature and you do what’s needed to be done.
@@kaptainkaos1202 No, the majority of americans would not. They don't feel the same sense of patriotism, pride and nationalism that the great generation did. This generation hates America and has been taught in their schools and their media that America is an unredeemable and racist country. This liberal cancer has infected our military as well. Sad, but true. The great generation were strong, patriotic, and racially homogenous with strong shared cultural and religious values. Today we have a racially and culturally diverse mishmash of socialists, anarchists, atheists, women and transgender people that hold contempt for the historical American people and the historical American nation. When critical race theory is being taught in our military, you know the military is a lost cause.
What a wonderful amazing story you made a good friend that's obvious and there should be more men like yourself in today's youth we'd have a better country
My grandfather and his brother both participated in D-Day, in the same unit.
Granpa made it through the war without serious wounds but he carried the death of his brother with him til the grave.
Poor guy was cut in half by a German machine gun, 6 days after D-Day. They tried to get him, but they were pinned down and couldn't move. He spent the night under intermittent fire, listening to his brother moaning in pain, until he died at dawn.
Breaks my heart
My grandfather was also at D-Day, but was part of the Navy. His view of the carnage, he once told me he'd never thought he'd see so many dead men in his entire life. He was also on board the Nashbulk when she collided with the Saint Michel... from what I understand, it was the last event that occurred that killed Navy Sailors before the surrender of Japan. I came that close!
Your grandfather and his brother are part of what they call the Greatest Generation., they saved us!!
I thank you sharing the heroic service of your grandfather and his brother during WWII Antoine. They all saved the world! If you have not already please consider subscribing to the channel as it really helps these interviews reach a larger audience!
@@RememberWW2 Wow thanks for replying, I thought I did subscribe but your comment brought me back and I found out I had not !!!?
I am now one of you.
Cheers
Jesus Christ
My Uncle Victor was 19 when his tank was destroyed and he was killed, during the push to Cherbourg. Thank you, Mr. Schmidt, for enduring hell with grace and bravery. We all owe you a debt of gratitude we can never repay.
Tony- My uncle- ''Des'' who was born 4 months premature and was a small body ''Runt.'' served in north africa and Italy
I woke up from a safe nights sleep, ate breakfast, raced to work, completed my day, and did my evening errands before bed. This all because or soldiers like Mr. Schmidt who lived the horror of war to keep us safe. Thank you Mr. Schmidt.
What a great story teller.. I could listen to this for hours and hours.. So much horrible things this hero saw, and I'm glad his story is saved. There are sooo much more stories like these, but a lot of them will never be told, and will always be a mystery. Huge respect for this brave man, Rest In Peace all young soldiers who died fighting for our freedom.
Didn’t expect to see you here
Lovely Germans.
@@blackinpublic4193 Sometimes you fall on the wrong side of history…
But rarely do you know it at the time. They were just serving their country in their minds.
Think about all the crazy liberals doing their best to end the freedom of speech.
Who knows what evil that will birth in the future and all they can do is say, “Well I thought we were doing good by suppressing bad ideas at the time.. sorry kids..”
But yet they were suppressing all ideas and we know that through history.
Catholic priest hanging from a castle wall with his guts hanging out, people who decided their blood is all that matters and not your freedom of religion, expression and the right to say whatever you want without persecution. Very, very important!!
They will change history and change the laws so nothing can be done about it.
Example: there are two very different views on Christopher Columbus. One is what pop culture has morphed him into and one is taken from actual Spanish journals.
If some universities had their way, you would only be allowed to hear one version of it.. never free to make up your own mind.
Remember that, we could loose history like this very easily.
Yeah this guy is awesome!
Oi! How's it going?
I pictured everything in my head when he talked
Thank you for watching. I know what you are talking about. You can almost feel you are there! Please consider subscribing if your have not already. It really helps the channel.
Each and every day we must prove ourselves worthy of their sacrifice.
that is a great comment! you are totally right.
Hell no.
@@suhomelands8259 What?
@@rileymurphy308 At least you don’t speak german, right?
@@suhomelands8259 Please explain.
I served 8 years in the military and Afghanistan. This gentleman is a true hero. To think he help out the guy who could not see giving him his belt to hold. Life is so unfair. So many lives lost on both sides. Thank you for sharing your story. What a gentleman thank you so much for your time and the service you gave . Much respect for the UK 🇺🇲🇬🇧
Thank you for serving!
You are a hero too!!
What was your experience like was it like this
Thank you for serving!!
@@chloekit4861 all I can say looking back is I am ashamed to of been part of the Afghan war.. look what we have done! ( I was part of ) and left these poor people in a country which is broken. .. I left the military after I returned from Afghan in 2010. OP herric 9 Helmand province
Whenever I feel down or anxious about my own life every once in a while I listen to stories such as these to humble myself and remind myself that, hey, you got it pretty good kid
That's a good way to think in my opinion, man.
Yeah same as myself
feeling down and depressed today myself and this strangely gives me some comfort too, somehow i am envious of this great mans life experiences
My grandpa also served under Patton's 3'rd Army at The Bulge but he couldn't go into such detail as this man does without becoming emotional. My grandpa did talk about freezing in a foxhole, airbursts, using one steel pot to melt snow for water and the other as a toilet, and fighting hand to hand in order to take the Germans weapons and ammo as he and his buddy had ran out and would likely have died if they went for resupply. I thinks it's important to hear the stories from these guys while we still can. Never forget.
Thanks for watching Mr.Damon. We thank your grandfather for helping defend liberty and democracy! They are definitely Heroes. If you have not already please consider subscribing to the channel as it really helps these interviews reach a larger audience!
@@RememberWW2 THIS is NOT a "RULE OF LAW" required to view these interesting FIRST PERSON experiences. BUT, what if it were??? Would you subscribe RIGHT NOW ???? FREE and EASY. -----DO IT !!!!!!
Exactly! Mine was there also. Everything you mentioned he mentioned to me
One of my uncle's drove a tank after normandy. He never talked about any part of the war. Our entire family was ordered by our aunt to never even talk about the war around him. We found out after he and our aunt passed what happened.
His first tank was hit in the turret from the side, he and one other were the only survivors, both seriously injured.
His second tank took an 88 round through the right front, he was the only survivor, seriously injured.
They tried to force him into a third, seems the clean up and repair crew didn't do such a good job.His tank commander said my uncle wasn't too happy that they had painted over the remains from a previous driver. My uncle was sent home, shell shock was the official reason.
Something a lot of people don't know. All military personnel were in for the duration regardless of being drafted or volunteering. Only way to come home, unable to heal death, or shell shock (we call that ptsd today).
@@donniebrown2896 mine was hit also by shell. Grandad would talk to me only lol. I was 12 and on in life. He said, a couple died and he had the shell shock. Till his dying day in 2002, you couldn't wake him up with hands lol. You had to stay about 6 ft away and say his name.... he'd come up swinging on people without realizing it lol. He'd seen his guys other tanks cut almost in half by panzers. He seen nothing but flesh and blood hanging out the side's of tanks. It bothered him...he didn't have to tell me that. He also mentioned they hunted panzers by 4 American tanks. A panzer wasn't as mobile and Swift. He said, if you can drive good and shoot straight at a certain part of the panzer while he's focusing on one out of 4 of ours....we might lose a tank....but we'll get him also! And he told me they absolutely did! I miss him Soo much friend! 🇺🇸
These are stories that need to be heard. The Greatest Generation!
Schmidt saves us the ugly crying by just telling a matter of fact story with the perspective of himself as a young man. So its kind of a naive innocent recount of events instead of the thousand yard stares and sobbing that hit so many veterans like a hammer. But any stories about combat vets experiences are fascinating from WWI all the way to Vietnam.
Thank you mr. Schmidt GOD bless you
These war stories from our veterans are so invaluable for hearing the harsh, unsanitized reality of war.
Words cannot express how thankful and grateful we should be for people like him. And to all WW2 veterans who had to face the worst time of our country’s history. It is an honor and privilege to listen to their war stories.
Organized confusion. There is no rhyme or reason to it. Thank Heaven for these guys. They did the unimaginable and then came home with all those memories inside them. Then raised families like nothing had happened. Thats humility right there.
That's depth of character. Not taught in any critical race theory "class".
I can't even comprehend how these guys managed, I would have been shitting myself and too scared to move. Truly the greatest generation.
Most of them were forced into the war they actually had no choice
Is the deserted they would've got killed for it so they were in a sticky
Situation were they had no choice to fight anybody can do
What they did if they were forced into dire Situation for their survival
jijor assad that sounds exactly like it was when I was a Taliban forced to fight or get killed by them.
Just kidding, but what you said is the Islamic instruction manual.
Goldmedals the thing you weren't forced to fight the taliban
In the middle east because you signed up to be in the military
And joined to fight during ww2 a lot of young people were drafted
It didn't matter if they wanted to fight or not if they tried to judge the draft they would be put in prison and in some places dodging the draft would get you killed
Training for months told them what to do, adrenaline kicking to 11 kept their feet moving and experience made them good at it. I'm sure alot of them shat their pants when they got bombarded the first time or saw 20 men mowed down in seconds.. I'm sure alot of em had a good cry after their first fight.
Modding i bet you never fought in a war in your entire life same
As me I'm not disrespecting these men they went through a lot
And deserve to respected all im saying is that these men had very little
Option but to fight because most of these men in ww2 were drafted
Into the war if they tried to desert in the war they could get killed or
Imprisoned so is either fight in which you can survive or get killed
Or run but and get killed by your own comrades for deserting
But your are right I have never experienced what they went through
But I have been through my own struggles that you probably
Won't give a dam about and nobody will and the honest
Truth nobody gives a dam about the struggles of these
Soldiers because most Won't understand that's
Why most of these veterans never talk about the war and I never said
I was a psychiatrist
These guys are the salt of the earth, the best of the best. I am in awe of their casual, immeasurable courage.
They starved millions of Germans AFTER WW2. Is that (salt of the earth) behavior to you?
@@redwingsfan3621 All soldiers are thrown into life and death battles. I will always honor and deeply respect their courage and sacrifice.
@@redwingsfan3621 All soldiers are thrown into life and death battles. I will always honor and deeply respect their courage and sacrifice.
@@redwingsfan3621 I think you’re talking about the Soviet gang rapists in the East but whatever
@@thatperformer3879 No, I’m talking about Eisenhower’s Death Camps on the Rhine. The Bolshevik Commie Soviets can be blamed for 60 million Russian deaths from 1917-1958 but they can’t be blamed for this. It was all done by our war (heroes) of the USA. “We just defeated the wrong enemy.” - General Patton, shortly before his own mysterious death in 1945.
Mr Schmidt’s memory is so clear he remembers word for word. You can tell the kinda man he is he actually went to find the families of the two that were KIA that he fought next to. God bless Mr Schmidt. I take care of my grandpa he’s a WW11 vet he’s 99 and his memory is clear just like Mr Schmidt’s. The greatest generation is almost gone and these vlogs will be priceless one day. Thank you 🙏
BRUHHH i lost this video and i finally found it again!!! I LOVE this guy!!!
Watching this dudes eyes as he’s describing these things... amazing to know behind those eyes he is seeing it like he is right there in the moment,
True. But so sad too! :-(
Dude, really? WTF?...
@kelvyquayo That’s how everyone appears when reliving their memories, especially traumatic ones…
The best 24 minutes, I've spent on TH-cam in a long time...
Which George Smith are you? There’s so many…
@@onesilentarrow 😂🤘🖖
Never Forget The Greatest Generation th-cam.com/video/uZ2q1m9lxlY/w-d-xo.html
I could listen to these ww2 stories all night, my gramps brother was in the 442
Go 4 broke ! 👍👊
Asks about the 88s, gets a story about the other guys family tree... bless.
I noticed that. Don't care.
Ramble on Pops. Share all your memories. Bless you.
RESPECT!
This man, these men WERE real men. As a veteran from a much later time, I cannot describe the emotions and pride I experienced listening to this.
Hey I'm a man too buddy
@@FirewindAstrology nothing like this guys generation.
Thank you, Mr. Schmidt, for your sacrifice and your rendition. RIP Roper and Wigton.
What a wonderful storyteller.
No words except gratitude
what is the name of the song that plays at the end of this interview
well said!
Thank you Mr. Schmidt for your service and God bless you and all the men who served and perished together. You are loved by later generations an d recognized for the valiant service you provided to all of us.
The last generation of true heroes. These men gave all, without question. I could never express how grateful I am for their sacrifice. I wish more people today would remember why we have what we have
Yes, truly heroes on all sides. Just curious, what do we have today that they did'nt have?
@@marcusohlson9448 They made sure that this country wouldn't be ruled by Nazis.
@@enveloreal Alright. Fair enough. Do you belive things are heading in the right direction for the german People? Or the western world in general. I'm talking about the decline and replacement of european People.
@@marcusohlson9448 replacement of european people? sounds like what a neo nazi would say
@@manupino6065 it's happening and even you can't be that ignorant..
It’s a true honor to be able to spend the time this channels does with these Brave Men, time after time it brings tears to my eyes. God bless the men who made the ultimate sacrifice. And also God Bless the men who made it back but not without a piece of them missing 🇺🇸🇺🇸
My dad was an aviator who was killed in the war even though he lived another 53 years. I hope he is resting now.
The sad nervous little laugh at the beginning as he recalls his memory, bless him, war is the worse.
You could tell he was fighting back the pain with that laugh.
People's always feel giddy when a spotlight is pointed at them. Even if it was some emotional veil, I didn't think anything of it.
TLDR: It seemed human. No need to analyze or question.
The GREATEST Generation.. Thank you to all that still live and thank you to all that have died.
"Somebody must have done something to make that thing a dud!"
Slave laborers at German munitions factories. The Germans struggled against an extremely high failure rate of their ordnance.
@@oliverdixon1373 That was my point, yes.
Brave as hell because they would have been severely punished in it was found out they had been sabotaging weapons, vehicles and ammunition. I read about a labourer who was working on the assembly of gear boxes for tanks. He deliberately stamped cogs with a single cog tooth that was weaker than the others so it would break during use. No one knows how many tanks broke down because of that man's handywork but it must have been hundreds. He was eventually found out and executed, but that's a war hero right there.
Another popular sabotage method by forced workers was sand/grit in gearboxes of trains, tanks etc.
@@Carlton_Wilson RIGHT !!!!!! CARLTON,
@@mrzipperface8262 Hope the very expensive porsche i bought doesnt have sand in the gearbox !!!
Honor and respect to this man for finding the son of a fallen after 70 years. Huge respect.
You can this mans been waiting along time to get this off his chest. Thank you sir . Dont forget someone was watching over you!
Thank you for your service. You helped to save the world. Thank you.
Patrick Showalter :::: Saved the world up to a certain time then the darkness took over now.
Heroes all of them and may God keep them close.
Mr. Schmidt sir, I would like to say thank you so much everything you sacrificed, both mentally and physically for all of us and the freedoms we have today. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, you have all of my respect and gratitude. I salute you.
My eternal thanks to you sir, I promise I’ll continue to remember and give thanks. As will my children. My hat goes off to the greatest generation.
The greatest generation. Thank you sir for my freedom. John, Indiana
Conversations like this are precious. Men like this are living relics.
Amazing how they remember it like yesterday
No matter what you never forget
I'd wish for Alzheimer's.
@@maryshaffer8474 no you wouldn't. That's a horrible condition and among the worst ways to go out of this life.
mary shaffer no. I know of a former First Special Service Force had Alzheimer’s and a flash back. He killed his nursing home roommate.
its war, war is never forgotten in a solider.
Thank you for sharing your memories Mr Schmidt! God Bless you with His Grace & Peace.
Thank you for the kind words Rev. Taylor, I really appreciate it. If you have not already please consider subscribing to the channel as it really helps these interviews reach a larger audience!
@@RememberWW2 I thought I was subbed, but when I checked, I was not. Now I am.
Thank you mr schmitt...its men like you that inspire men like me...humility..passion .
devotion..honor and duty..thank you for giving those things you carry to me..i know you have a proud family,as it should be..blessings🇺🇲🇺🇸
What a hero. I thank God he gave us men n women who fight wars to protect everyone from evil. These ppl deserve the world.
Incredible. Sharp as a knife and a great storyteller. As a 25yo European, I believe that my generation easily forgets how much these heroes went through 75 years ago so that we may live in peace today. This is why videos like this one are so important. Thank you, sir
Thanks for watching, please subscribe for other WW2 interviews
As a 54 yr old American, I truly appreciate that you even care b/c I don’t run into many young Americans that can tell me anything about WWII. It’s sad how few young Americans know anything about their history.
By far the greatest generation. Not just because of their mind boggling bravery, but their selflessness, dedication and humility. There's something about my grandparents generation that I just love. I think we could learn a lot from them.
Dear Mr. Schmidt...Thank you for serving and for your story. Your friends that died on that hill are kept alive with your voice. I am humbled by your courage under fire. And I am glad that shell was a dud so I could hear your story. You and your friends make me proud to be called an American.
Rest in peace to all those brave men who gave their lives for us in the second world war. Thank you for your service Mr Schmidt, I could listen to your stories for hours. Much love from Australia.
This man had done more for society than any social media influencer or celebrity would even dream of
What a heart this man had, along with a great memory. I feel for him, to see your friend's get killed and have to continue to do your job as a soldier. I salute our heroes.
thanks for watching and please subscribe for other WW2 interviews!
Thank you Mr Schmidt for sharing your combat experience, I appreciate you and all the men that went through such a life changing experience as WW2. I have quite a few relatives that were in were in that war, most made it home, a few did not. Much love and respect to you sir, I appreciate your sacrifice!
Unbelievable how Mr. Schmidt remembers and is sharp as a tack. God bless you sir for all you did for us and for telling your story. You will not be forgotten.
God bless you sir for your patriotic love for our beautiful broken country.
God bless you sir and thank you so much for the sacrifices you made so we can enjoy freedom today!!!!
I love listening to these old soldiers accounts of WW2. No two are the same and the vast majority we will never know about. As a not as old former soldier,I can relate to a lot of the things they talk about,but I never saw combat.
A friend of mine died recently at age 91. He regretted NOT being in combat in WW l l . He was maintaining B-24 s .--SEVERAL YEARS AGO,
I asked him " DID YOU FOLLOW EVERY ORDER, OBEY EVERY COMMAND ?--- He said "YES". I stated , "You could NOT have properly done any thing else regarding your actions. NO other IDEAS NOR DESIRES could have been pursued. You DID YOUR DUTY. T H A N K Y O U for your service."
He seemed somewhat relieved.
I love reading wartime biographies because they are all unique, Wing Commander Tuck RAF escaped from a POW camp with another prisoner, they were sheltering in an abandoned farmhouse when a patrol of Germans showed up so they hid in a pizza oven for three days until the Germans left, the other guy had dysentry...
We had to win the Bulge and these guys made sure we did. God Bless them.
Germans never had a chance at the Battle of the Bulge, abd even IF by some miracle the Germans managed to reach the sea they didn't have the manpower to hold to the land taken and definitely no manpower to destroy the isolated Allied forces at Netrherlands.
I’ve rewatched and listened to that story atleast 5 times now and it’s something special every time I hear it!!! Thank you for sharing this, sadly my grandfather passed before I was old enough to ask any real questions but I was told his stories in writing. Hopefully I’ll find it one day soon, I’d love to share it!! He was a medic in WWII from Kentucky, Berea actually Lol I’m barely in my 30’s now and it bothers me something awful that people around my age just don’t seem to care about these stories!! The stories that wrote out history and changed our lives forever!!! Thank you again, my ONLY complaint is you didn’t show the girlfriends picture haha
The bravery of these men never ceases to amaze and humble me. This was totally fascinating account. Thank you so much, Mr. Schmidt. I myself am from England but with a Chicago man as a grandfather, and I had American relations who served in the US Military during WWII.
That old frame is hiding an absolute badass. So many of those WWII boys were just the absolute epitome of manhood.
Outstanding, sir!
This guy has a memory that is incredible. He remembers a name from 70 years ago, and I can't remember one from 7 days ago. What a legend.
Then you should drink less and stop smoking weed.
Of course he'll remember the guys who were with him that got killed.
Thank you Mr Schmidt, Mr Roper and Mr Wigton. We can't honor your sacrifices enough.
Honestly, these guy’s stories never get boring. I had a grandfather in the 5th ID, a spearhead unit of Patton’s Third Army and I was the only person he would take seriously enough to talk about it, usually after reading a books about it
Thank You Mr. Schmidt for your service to our country. Your sacrifices do not go unnoticed. Even though it might seem that way at times. God Bless You.
Thank you for your service and bravery! Greetings from Germany
My dad, four uncles and my father in law all fought. Four on the western front, one in Africa and one in the Pacific. Any chance I got I talk to them about their experiences I took it. Thank you for your service. It’s always made me wonder how I would have measured up under it.
Don't worry about measuring up, just do the best you can for the family and let what comes, happen, that is all anyone can do.
@@robinb8432 don’t judge the way the wars are fought back then. It was different times and the same was being done the English what does V2 rockets that they were bombarded with day and night. We may not fight wars that way anymore but you never know what we may do if we end up in a war with China. So save your judgments for modern day actions not for what occurred in times of past
@@robinb8432 Thank you for your response.
Yes the Germans bombed the English island constantly during World War II and they used something called the V2 which was a rocket that was used to bombard many English cities.
no with her blanket bombing German cities was retaliatory or just part of the basic war plan I do understand why both sides would make these targets. In total warfare you of course target cities because the civilian population is what enables the military war machine to operate. So you target factories rail lines and other infrastructure such as the power grid, bridges, Dam’s etc.
My point in making judgment was it it’s not fair to judge prior generations using today’s morals and ethics. while there may have been some atrocities that occurred which were viewed as atrocities even in that era, All evidence I have read shows that those are isolated incidents from the Western allies but they were systemic and official policy In regards to the axis powers.
One of the reasons the Germans were so eager to surrender to the Western powers was because of the atrocities they committed in Russia and they feared the Reprisals those Russian troops would take upon them. Regardless war is always a brutal and terrible thing and hopefully all of us can convince our so-called leaders to pursue peaceful resolution where possible.
in regards to China, we didn’t give technology to the Chinese they stole it. It was our naïve and or corrupt politicians that allowed our industries do use Chinese factories where those technologies could be stolen.
The CCP is no friend to the United States, they have been conducting what they call fourth generation warfare against us for decades. and whether or not the Wuhan flu was released intentionally or accidentally they did intentionally hide the fact for months that it is escaped and while restricting travel within their own nation allowed Chinese nationals to travel everywhere outside of China and never warned the rest of the world about the infectious disease. In fact they lied and said it’s not human transmissible. The CCP claimed there is no major problem here.
The CCP intends to invade Taiwan within the next six years and they have illegally built artificial islands and militarized them throughout the China Sea. So the prospect of war between the United States and China is very high in fact I would say that we’re at more danger now with Biden in charge than we ever were during the Cold War. I’m sorry if you don’t like that assessment but it is accurate
@@robinb8432 I think what Julie is trying to get at is you are looking at this all from a modern point of view, with all the facts at your disposal and hindsight also. At the time the world was plunged into war and both sides strategically bombed one another (or terrorbombing as you call it) to try and disable industrial targets, docks, factories and warehouses and cripple supply chains. The RAF did bomb major cities at night, without high tech equipment to ensure their bombs would land accurately... they did kill thousands of civilians as a result of this bombing campaign.
The germans did the same thing back to the British, it's an awful strategy but one that is just as much about the psychological effect constant bombing has on the minds of the people as the physical effect I think. Civilians die in war, unfortunately, that is the sad truth - civilians always pay the ultimate price.
My grandfather served under McArthur during WW2 . He never talked about it unless he was very drunk. When he did I was in totally in amazement! He was and is my ultimate hero!
Doug- out Doug, yikes !
WW2 stories might be the most engrossing stories ive ever listened to. That generation had such a better grasp of story telling than so many of us have today.
you are right, please subscribe for other WWII Interviews
Your real stories bring us closer to what really happened.....My son is currently serving in the NCNG.....Thanks so much for your service and sharing your life with us...
There would be no United States of America without amazing humans like this. God bless you, sir. Thank you. Hopefully, the sacrifices made by these individuals will never ever be forgotten.
So intense an experience at a young age and the sense of decency and humility that one can sense. We owe so much Mr Schmidt and so many others in our military right on up to today.
So much triviality and nonsense going on in our country today; makes me feel that we're letting Mr Schmidt down.
Thank you both for doing this interview. This gentleman is a treasure
Thanks for watching Sir...please follow for other WW2 interviews
Mr. Schmidt - thank you, Sir - we are all in your debt. My father, Ed Federoff, was an Armorer in the Cannon Company of the 361st Regimental Combat Team, 91st Infantry, in N. Africa, and then Italy, '44 - '45. He landed at Anzio, fought thru the Apennine Mountains, and ended up in Trieste. He contracted TB there, and was sent home to recover at an Army Hospital in Denver. He passed naturally in 2010. He told many excellent stories of his time in combat - I'll recount my 3 favorites: He said the time he was most scared in the war was as a greenhorn in N. Africa. One day the sky in the distance grew dark, and there came a terrible, loud sound - like a roar. In moments, their bivouac was owerflown by a huge cloud of African bees that blotted out the sun. The men jumped in their holes and pulled their shelter halves over their heads. He said the noise was terrific, and seemed to go on forever - the cloud of insects may have been a mile or more long. The second one was about when he was walking up a muddy road in the mountains - an 88mm shell came in right toward him, in line with the road, and splashed into the mud about 20 yards in front of him. He could only stand there and watch for the second or two that it took to burrow through the mud and come to a stop right at his feet - and thankfully - not explode. The last was when he got the chance to get in a knocked out German tank and remove its MG 42 machine gun - he spoke admiringly of the weapon's engineering, and how the roller locking bolt and recoil booster allowed its rapid rate of fire. I visited Anzio in 2018, and the Allied cemetery in nearby Nettuno. I pray there will come a day when there is no more war - until that time, I pray that America always wins theirs.
Amen! Thanks for sharing those stories. Never heard about the bees in N. Africa before. I would have been scared to death myself.
Mr Schmidt, i am currently sat in my flat in Manchester - United Kingdom. Just finished watching this incredible/insightful little video. I am 31 years old and will be forever grateful for everything you have done. Thank you for your service Sir.
You're a good man Smitty. Thanks for sharing. My father served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam, as did my uncle (his brother) both in the Army air corps/air force as pilots.
Two of my older brothers flew fighters in Vietnam, one Air Force, one Navy. A third brother served in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot and a LRRP ranger.
I served in GW1 as an instructor and an F-15c pilot.
Thank you for your service, sir. It is an honor to be associated with men like you and your compadres. Damned fine men.
Thank you Sir for your service.
So many young me sacrificed their lives, physically and emotionally in the prime of life . What a debt we owe them and could never repay.
He's right,no one would know where Reedley or Dinuba was. My dad was from Reedley, and he went to germany in infantry, Ramagen bridge is about all I recall. He couldnt talk about the war. He said it brought him to tears recalling his friends and all and the way they died. His eyes would fill with tears if he even thought about it . Just died this yr.
That was a wonderful interview and I'm happy that this was recorded for posterity. The last two minutes were simply heart-breaking. The Greatest Generation.
My grandfather was in the navy during the war. I was also in navy from 75 to 79. Thank you for your service, sacrifice and being a great American. God bless you
My grandfather was transferred off the Arizona 20 minutes before the attack on PH. All of his friends died that day. Every single one of them. Our family has some crazy luck. I survived a drowning. 10 minutes under water, but im still here. I'm not anywhere near as badass as my grandpa was tho. He was hardcore.
Survives ten minutes underwater.
Profile pic?
Bubbles.
Touche.
Bubbles is a boofer??? Ohhh...
First time I've heard the term "screaming meemies" in a long time. A WW2 vet was explaining the sound and what they did to me many years ago while explaining his service. This made me think of him.
Thank you Mr Schmitt. My father and the fathers of my friends all saw combat in the war. And I thank you all.
My father& father-in-law fought WWII. My father-in-law spent 3 days pulling bodies from the Arizona in Pearl Harbor. My grandpa was in WWI. My great-great-grandpa was a captain in the Civil War. 1970 my draft number was 11. I had my pre-induction physical & Nixon stop the draft before they drafted me.
24 year old man living in the uk 🇬🇧 thank you for your service and thank you for telling these difficult stories!
Vietnam Veteran 1968-69...God Bless you Sir; I feel your pain..
My father was a WW2 Vet in the South pacific theater. My grandfather was in ww1. My uncle was in the Korean war, Another uncle in WW2. My oldest cousin was in the Army during the Viet Nam era but was not sent to Viet Nam because he was the only son to carry the name.
This fellow is a great storyteller. His mind's still sharp as the day he crossed the Rhine
Thanks for letting us be able to live free today! Your sacrifice will never be forgotten!
Thank you for your service Mr. Schmidt.
This guy has excellent recall and memory. I can't even remember what I ate for lunch yesterday. Much respect
What an amazing first account. A true American hero.
This was amazing, thank you Mr. Schmidt! Your stories and experiences are cherished by many. Your sacrifice and service is so appreciated, more than words can express. Thank you for your courage and for fighting for this country and the free world.
Thank you for conveying in an unvarnished manner what soldiers experience in front line duty; it takes fortitude to do so. God bless you and your family.
Thank you!
What an amazing gentlemen. We have no idea what they have endured. Honor to him and other combat vets and may God bless them forever.
A legendary generation. Thank you all
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I love this man, what a story, wow.
I was friends with General Patton's great grandson in elementary school here in Southern California. Never knew until the last day we saw each other on graduation...
GOOGLE his NAME and CITY. Tell him that MANY. MANY thousands appreciate what his GREAT GRANDFATHER did for America in WORLD WAR l l .
I know that I DO !!!!!!!!
My grandfather, Earnest, was drafted at 19 and fought in WWII in the 5th army as a tank cannoneer. He was all through Europe, North Africa, Italy, and the former Yugoslavia. He fought in some of the most brutal battles of the war and lost a lot of close friends. Unfortunately, I never had the chance to meet him, as he died 6 years before I was born. His would-be 99th birthday was a few days ago. My mom tells me a lot of the stories he told her but she said she won't tell me everything. We still have a lot of his old documentation, and a lot of his pictures, but unfortunately his medals and things he brought back have mostly been lost in moving or needed to be sold in times of hardship. One of the things you see on some of his papers is that he was the recipient of a Croix de Guerre during his service, as well as several other medals. He was promoted to I believe Sergeant before leaving the service after the war ended. At his funeral when they did the 21-gun salute, some of the soldiers said to my mother they had rarely seen a man this well traveled from the war. Before the war, he was a semi-pro baseball player and had the Yankees in his favor to play professionally, but in his words: "the man with the mustache ruined my love for the game". He ended up living a long, happy, and good life. I have a lot to live up to, and I'm very proud of all he, and other family members have done for this country.
Thank you for your service, I had an uncle that hauled ammunition in the battle of the bulge. He made it thru the war ok but was killed six wks after getting home in a car wreck