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Oral History Interview with Paul T. Beeghly, August 22, 2011 transcript

Oral History Interview with Paul T. Beeghly, August 22, 2011

Transcript of an oral interview with Paul T. "Tom" Beeghly. Beeghly was attending Ohio Wesleyen University when war was declared. He enlisted in the Army Reserve and stayed in school until he was called in early 1943. He trained as a medical aid man in the infantry at Camp Joseph P. Robinson in Arkansas. After basic training, he joined the 96th Infantry Division in Oregon for more training. By the time the division left for Hawaii in the spring of 1944, Beeghly was serving as an administrative clerk in the division's adjutant general section. En route to invade Yap, the division was diverted to Manus in the Admiralty Islands to participate in the campaign to liberate the Philippines. Beeghly then describes un;loading artillery equipment onto the shores and being on Leyte while it was being liberated. Eventually, the division left the Philippines and headed for Okinawa. When Beeghly got to Okinawa, he manned a 50-caliber machine gun while others unloaded cargo from an amphibious landing craft. When the Okinawa campaign concluded, Beeghly and the 96th went back to Mindoro to replenish train for the invasion of Japan. They were there when the war ended and eventually shipped out back to …
Date: August 22, 2011
Creator: Beeghly, Paul T.
System: The Portal to Texas History