Personal Narrative Film, Video Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing Audio Recording Frank E. McKee Collection
Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Army
- Unit of Service: 2nd Battalion, 508th Paratroop Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division
- Location of Service: Florida; Fort Benning, Georgia; Tennessee; South Carolina; Camp Shanks, New York; Northern Ireland; Great Britain; Normandy, France; Belgium; Germany; European Theater
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/3942
Frank McKee found out just how pugnacious his fellow paratroopers could be when he pulled MP duty in England and had to break up pub fights between the men of the 82nd Airborne and other units awaiting orders for D-Day. The night before the invasion, his plane dodged anti-aircraft fire, and he landed safely. He wasn't as lucky a month later, on July 4, when he "felt something like a horse kicked me in the back" during a skirmish with German troops. But he recovered from his wounds to parachute into Holland and fight through the coldest winter in Europe in 40 years, in the Battle of the Bulge.
Interview / Recording
Share
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PlayThe paratrooper's equipment. 00:10:04.0 - 00:12:09.0
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PlayMaking the jump into France. 00:14:20.0 - 00:17:47.0
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PlayFirst action on the ground; killing a German general. 00:18:25.0 - 00:20:19.0
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PlayWounded in action. 00:30:00.0 - 00:32:42.0
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PlayJoining the Battle of the Bulge. 00:40:30.0 - 00:44:58.0
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Play"Too many guys, too many grenades." 01:03:16.0 - 01:06:24.0
More Resources
About this Item
Title
- Frank E. McKee Collection
Names
- Eastern Paralyzed Veteran Association (EPVA)
- Frederickson, Donna
- McKee, Frank E.
Home State
- New York (State)
Headings
- - McKee, Frank E.
- - World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Army.
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Male
Status
- veteran
Service History
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World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Army
- Unit of Service: 2nd Battalion, 508th Paratroop Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division
- Location of Service: Florida; Fort Benning, Georgia; Tennessee; South Carolina; Camp Shanks, New York; Northern Ireland; Great Britain; Normandy, France; Belgium; Germany; European Theater
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Dates of Service: 1942-1945
- Entrance into Service: Enlisted
- Military Status: veteran
Materials
- Manuscript: Printed matter [1 item] -- Typewritten document (collected unknown)
- Manuscript: Correspondence [2 items] -- Typewritten document (collected 1979-10-19)
- Manuscript: Maps [1 item] -- Handwritten document (collected unknown)
- Photograph: Original photographic print [1 item] -- Portrait (collected 2003)
- Video: VHS [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2003-01-31)
- Video: Digital Betacam [1 item] -- Digitized Copy (collected unknown)
- Manuscript: Transcript [1 item] -- Typewritten document (collected 2011-01-31)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/3942
Cite as
- Frank E. McKee Collection (AFC/2001/001/3942), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- online text
- image
- audio
- video
Additional Metadata Formats
IIIF Presentation Manifest
Part of
Wars & Conflicts
Service Branch
Location of Service
- Belgium
- Camp Shanks, New York
- European Theater
- Florida
- Fort Benning, Georgia
- Germany
- Great Britain
- Normandy, France
- Northern Ireland
- South Carolina
- Tennessee