osenbaugh

Gayland Osenbaugh, Company E ~

I was born June 24, 1917 in Delaware County, Indiana. I went to Eaton, Indiana grade and high school since I was in the first grade and graduated in April of 1936. I was employed at GM (Delco ) in Anderson, Indiana. I was married in January 1941. I was drafted in March 1942 from Eaton. I am glad that I could serve my country at that time.

I was sent to Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indianapolis on Friday, March 27, 1942 where we received clothing and our medical shots. On Sunday, March 29 at 5AM I was put on my first K.P. duty and was on K.P. until 9AM. About 5AM on Monday, March 30 I was informed that I would be on a troop train at 9AM. We headed west on this train and we thought we were headed for the South Pacific, but as we neared Kansas City, the train headed south. We then headed for Camp Claiborne, Louisiana, where we took our basic training. As soon as we were in Camp Claiborne I was assigned to Company E, 325th Infantry about April 1, 1942. I was in Company E all the time during our training and for the remainder of my service time.

On or about August 1942 we were reviewed by Sgt. Alvin York and was notified that the 325th Infantry was being reassigned as the 325th Glider Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division. In doing this the 82nd was divided into two Divisions and the 101st Airborne was formed at this time. We were instructed not to talk it nor phone our families as this was to be a secret change. However, that night the newspaper from New Orleans came out about this change, so all the world knew about it. I guess I was proud that I was in this specialized Company. We were assigned a glider for "dry runs." Each glider was for 12 soldiers plus the pilot. Of course, while taking glider training we had calisthentics and numerous hikes.

We had a real good bunch of fellows in Company E, and we all got along real well. My closest friends were Daniel Clark and Glen Dering. I knew these two friends from the beginning of my service time. We still correspond after these 58 years, and we visit the Clarks every summer.

At this time Captain Robert Dickerson was head of Company E, a real good Captain. One sergeat I can remember as being very helpful was Sgt. Kenneth Burgess.

On or about June 1943 (?) I was promoted to Company Clerk and was clerk for the rest of my service time, and I was made a corporal. This duty was keeping entries for all the Company men into their respective service records. In doing this duty I was exempt from other duties, and did not go with the rest of the Company into missions.

On or about April 1943 we were shipped out and headed across the ocean and landed in Casablanca, French Morocco, North Africa. We were there two or three weeks and the most time was spent clearing a large area for parades and reviews. Shortly after, we were loaded into 40X8 box cars headed for Algiers, Algeria and Tunis, Tunisia for additional training. It was extremely hot during the day but cold during the nights. The people were nomads, living in makeshift huts and made their living selling jelly (or whatever they called it). Of course, we never bought any because their food was so unclean. The children always begged for candy and the adults wanted cigarettes.

I was away from home on Christmas 1942, 1943 and 1944. I was married at the time, and I guess that is what I missed the most.

(Later, in Italy) we were on patrol in and around Naples and were the first troops into the city. Our particular Company had quarters in the horse stables (no horses around, of course) in an estate which belonged to Princess Pignetelli Cortez. We enjoyed it here because we had a nice place to stay rather than sleeping outside on the ground.

In September 1945 we left southern France and embarked at Boston and then were sent to Camp Atterbury, Indiana, where I was discharged on September 19, 1945. I had a job with General Motors in Anderson, Indiana before the service and returned there after discharge. In October GM went on strike and in the meantime I applied and was accepted with the U.S. postal Service. I worked at the Post Office until retiring in June 1977.

I was married in January, 1941 and after discharge we adopted a boy aged two-and-a-half and a girl aged 19 days, both in 1949. In 1965 we adopted another girl aged 11 days. In 1987 our son had a heart attack and died at the age of 40. My wife also died in March 1992. In March, 1993, I was remarried to Vivian Osenbaugh. We had known each other for about 10 years at our church. We have five grand-sons, three grand-daughters, one great-grandson and one great-grand-daughter.

I was happy to serve my country from March, 1941 through September, 1945 (3-1/2 years)