Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans
1:09 | Jake McNiece talks about one chilling thought that he and his men may have felt as they flew on their dangerous mission into Normandy.
In an eye opening account, Jake McNiece describes how trouble with the law led him to enlist in 1942, and how no one could talk him out of training for a dangerous job.
Although his brother warned him not to join the paratroopers, Jake McNiece enlisted anyway. Here Jake relives the brutal training that prepared him for the grueling demands of war.
Jake McNiece reflects back on the trouble he caused while training for the Parachute Infantry and how he ended up in the stockade.
In this account, Jake talks about living in a freezing cold stockade, how he taunted one of the captains, and why he thought being locked up was fun.
In a march from Atlanta to Fort Benning, Jake McNiece relives a 142 mile trek and describes how the grueling exercise affected many of the troops.
He was part of the most unruly unit of soldiers first called the "dirty five." Here he shares how they behaved as the group grew to become the "filthy thirteen."
In this vivid account, Jake McNiece talks about parachute school, how one of the boys froze before jumping, and what made every jump scarier than the one before.
Training as a paratrooper, Jake McNiece relives the day to day rigors, jumping off towers, and becoming proficient with explosives and all forms of transportation. Here he colorfully describes the experience.
In this humorous account, Jake McNiece laughingly recalls stealing a train, driving it back to camp and blowing up a tree behind a guard at Camp McCall. He tells what happened after he caused a heap of trouble.
Jake McNiece relives how U.S. troops outfoxed the Germans and describes what happened after he and his men were caught illegally hunting on a wealthy Englishman's property.
Assigned to blow up two bridges in Normandy, Jake describes why he got this misssion. Then, he recalls being hit by flak, jumping from his plane, and what happened when he hit the ground.
Recalling his jump into Normandy, Jake describes how he outsmarted the Germans with certain English words and the importance of using "crickets" on the battlefield.
In this vivid account, Jake describes his dangerous assignment of blowing up bridges in France and what happened during fierce battles with the Germans.
In this chilling account, Jake McNiece relives a bayonnet assault on the Germans in France and describes a monument dedicated to the heavy losses his division endured.
Jake McNiece reflects back on how the health habits of the German soldiers led to lice and unsanitary conditions. Here he recalls how he avoided these issues while unexpectedly starting a popular new trend.
Reflecting back Jake describes how two of his fellow soldiers were left for dead in Normandy and the shocking surprise of learning what really happened to them.
Awarded medals, Jake and his men were honored in a French town when they were unexpectedly attacked. In this vivid account, he shares how that tragedy affected him and how he later hunted down snipers in a local church.
In this dramatic recollection, Jake describes the smell of death in the air as he and his men took on the assignment of burying the dead.
After fighting in Normandy, Jake received a seven day pass, but couldn't resist going AWOL. He humorously recalls what happened to him next.
The jump into Holland to prevent the Germans from delivering supplies proved to be much more difficult and dangerous than expected. Jake vividly describes the "Market Garden" mission and why it eventually paid off.
Leaving an indelible image in his mind, Jake McNiece describes a severely wounded soldier, and how he unexpectedly met him after going AWOL.
In this compelling account, Jake McNiece compares the fighting in Normandy and Holland and explains how he adapted to very different life and death situations.
In the city of Eindhoven, Jake warned one American officer that a German plane that appeared to be on fire was about to attack them on a bridge they had captured. In this compelling story, he tells what happened next.
As an acting first Sargent, Jake McNiece led a group of paratroopers into Bastogne where the Germans were gaining ground. He describes how his plan helped win the Battle of the Bulge and a rare Presidential citation.
A post-war visitor reveals what the Germans did to blonde haired blue-eyed girls during WWII and how U.S. paratroopers prevented unthinkable atrocities.
Jake McNiece sums up the hellish pain of WWII, what it means to him, and how he feels about those who lost their lives.
