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William Bryant [2005]

Veterans History Project Service Summary:

  • War or Conflict: World War, 1939-1945
  • Branch of Service: Army
  • Unit of Service: 370th Infantry Regiment, 92nd Infantry Division
  • Location of Service: United States; European Theater; Italy
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/29080

View full service history

"I didn't feel too kindly toward the United States then. But that did not hinder me from doing the best I could." (Audio Interview, 13:54)

After being drafted in September 1941, William Bryant was as eager to serve as if he had enlisted. He found basic training "fun," and he requested an assignment to the paratroops. He was turned down for medical reasons, not his race, but he was soon on his way to Europe with the infantry. An incident with Red Cross workers who pointedly ignored black troops when handing out coffee and snacks didn't discourage him from wanting to get to the front lines. Even an incident of friendly fire that decimated his unit didn't cool his ardor. Bryant recalls the last day of the war and a long voyage home to his see his son, born while he was serving overseas.

William Cullen Bryant Collection
Interview / Recording

Transcript

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About this Item

Title

  • William Cullen Bryant Collection

Names

  • Jones, Tamara
  • University of Toledo
  • Walter, Joe
  • Bryant, William Cullen

Home State

  • Ohio

Headings

  • -  Bryant, William Cullen
  • -  World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal Narratives
  • -  United States. Army.

Repository

  • Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Gender

  • Male

Race

  • Black or African American

Status

  • veteran

Service History

  • World War, 1939-1945

    • Branch of Service: Army
    • Unit of Service: 370th Infantry Regiment, 92nd Infantry Division
    • Location of Service: United States; European Theater; Italy
    • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
    • Dates of Service: 1941-1945
    • Entrance into Service: Enlisted
    • Military Status: veteran

Materials

  • Audio: CD [1 item] -- Reference copy (collected 2005-07-09; 2009-08-20)
  • Manuscript: Transcript [1 item] -- Typewritten document (collected 2009)
  • Photograph: Original photographic print [1 item] -- Photograph (collected 2005-07-09)
  • Audio: Audio Cassette [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2005-07-09)

Collection Number

  • AFC/2001/001/29080

Cite as

  • William Cullen Bryant Collection (AFC/2001/001/29080), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Online Format

  • audio
  • image
  • online text

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

Using VHP Material in Publication or Exhibition

The Veterans History Project (VHP) at the Library of Congress collects, preserves and makes accessible the firsthand recollections of U.S. military veterans who served from World War I through more recent conflicts and peacekeeping missions, so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand what they saw, did and felt during their service. The Veterans History Project Collection includes oral histories along with documentary materials such as original letters, diaries, photographs, and memoirs.

Veterans and interviewers contribute these materials to the Library for scholarly and educational purposes, retaining any copyright they may hold. Therefore, permission must be obtained before using the interview or other materials in exhibition or publication. Researchers or others who would like to make further use of these materials should contact the Veterans History Project for assistance.

As a publicly supported institution, the Library generally does not own rights to material in its collections. Therefore, it does not charge permission fees for use of such material and cannot give or deny permission to publish or otherwise distribute material in its collections. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of an item from the Library’s collections and for securing any necessary permissions rests with persons desiring to use the item.

Please contact us with questions.

Obtaining Copies of VHP Materials

In order for VHP materials to be duplicated, we must receive written permission from the interviewee for you to obtain a copy of the recording unless the proposed use is limited to personal use, research, or other uses permissible by copyright law. If the interviewee is deceased, their next-of-kin may grant written permission.

Please contact VHP for assistance if you need to contact a veteran for permission to use their materials in exhibition or publication, or if you have received permission from the veteran and need access to high-resolution copies of VHP collection materials.

Citing VHP Materials

Please use the following formats when citing Veterans History Project materials (substituting the appropriate name and collection ID number).

Materials as a whole:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Manuscript material:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Memoirs (MS02), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Transcript (MS04), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Correspondence (MS01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Recording:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Audio recording (SR01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Video recording (MV01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Photograph:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Photographs (PH01), photographer unknown, Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Photographs (PH03-PH14), Ralph Williams photographer, Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Computer file:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Computer file (CF01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Artifact:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Artifact (AR01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Jones, Tamara, University Of Toledo, Joe Walter, and William Cullen Bryant. William Cullen Bryant Collection. 1941. Personal Narrative. https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.29080/.

APA citation style:

Jones, T., University Of Toledo, Walter, J. & Bryant, W. C. (1941) William Cullen Bryant Collection. [Personal Narrative] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.29080/.

MLA citation style:

Jones, Tamara, et al. William Cullen Bryant Collection. 1941. Personal Narrative. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.29080/>.