Joseph W. Campbell was just 16-years-old when
the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Campbell, from Bristol, Tennessee,
had attempted to join the Army Air Force in early 1943 to follow
in his best friend William
"Sonny" Mitchell's footsteps. Sonny had joined up
to serve on January 6, 1942, and was stationed as a radio operator
on a B-17 crew. |
 |
 Joe Campbell Camp Phillips, KS, 1944 |
However, Campbell failed the written
test by nine points, and was later rejected because it was discovered
he was color blind. He then chose to join the United States Army
in the Spring of 1943. After being inducted at Fort Oglethorpe,
Georgia, Campbell went through basic training near Muskogee, Oklahoma,
and was assigned to the 42nd "Rainbow" Division. He trained
with K/Co of the 232nd Regiment until the Spring of 1944, when another
group from Rainbow was transferred to Camp Phillips, Kansas, to
join the 79th Division - the Cross of Lorraine unit. The 79th was
preparing to deploy overseas - the European Theater of Operations. |
|
Joe Campbell was assigned to the 314th Regiment Headquarters
Company as a wireman. The job was to maintain telephone communications
at all times between Regimental HQ and the three Battalion Command
Posts. The duty called for posting the wire unit in a "suitable
place somewhere between the Regimental CP area and the Battalion
CPs." |
Joe Campbell, Tommy Thompson, |
The phone wire was on huge reels mounted on a Jeep, then strung on the ground. Breaks in the lines were frequent, and required repair as soon as possible. Placing the wire company in a centrally located position reduced repair time considerably, as well as reduced the chance of the position being hit by enemy fire.
 |
In a letter home dated 26 April, 1944, Campbell
spoke of arriving in England safely, and liking the countryside.
The 79th was to be sent across the English Channel, landing on Utah
Beach, and marching into France proper. |
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