- Collection:
- Veterans History Project: Oral History Interviews
- Title:
- Oral history interview of William H. Smith
- Creator:
- Tate, Candy
Smith, William H., 1916-2017 - Publisher:
- Atlanta, Ga. : Kenan Research Center, Atlanta History Center
- Date of Original:
- 2016-12-05
- Subject:
- World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American
World War, 1939-1945--Participation, African American
World War II Memorial (Washington, D.C.)
United States. Army. Tank Battalion, 758th (1941-1945)
Honor Flight Network (Organization) - People:
- Horne, Lena, 1917-2010
Holiday, Billie, 1915-1959
Obama, Barack - Location:
- Africa, 7.1881, 21.09375
Italy, 42.833333, 12.833333
United States, Michigan, Wayne County, Detroit, 42.33143, -83.04575
United States, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County, Pittsburgh, 40.44062, -79.99589 - Medium:
- video recordings (physical artifacts)
- Type:
- MovingImage
- Format:
- video/mp4
- Description:
- In this interview, William Smith recalls his service in the United States Army during World War II. He grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was drafted into the Army, serving in the 758th Tank Battalion, the first of three armored units comprised entirely of Black soldiers. He remembers the maintenance the tanks needed and recalls training in Arizona, traveling by ship to Africa, and participating in combat in Italy. He describes playing the trombone in Army "pickup bands" before going overseas. He remembers meeting and working with a number of fellow musicians after the war, including Cab Calloway and Billie Holiday, and being childhood friends with Lena Horne, who later became a dancer, actress, singer, and civil rights activist. He and his daughter took part in an "Honor Flight" to Washington, D.C. in 2016 to see the World War II Memorial there and he recalls chatting with President Barack Obama.
welder; musician; streetcar; trombone; Honor Flight
William Harold Smith served in the United States Army 758th Tank Battalion during World War II. - Metadata URL:
- http://album.atlantahistorycenter.com/cdm/ref/collection/VHPohr/id/828
- Additional Rights Information:
- This material is protected by copyright law. (Title 17, U.S. Code) Permission for use must be cleared through the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center. Licensing agreement may be required.
- Extent:
- 49:42
- Original Collection:
- Veterans History Project oral history recordings
Veterans History Project collection, MSS 1010, Kenan Research Center, Atlanta History Center - Contributing Institution:
- Atlanta History Center
- Rights:
-
