Joseph L. Robertson

First Interview:

- Robertson entered US Army in 1936 at the age of 17

- Robertson is a WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam Veteran (although he served in a civilian capacity during the Vietnam War).

- Served in 1PL and 3PL of 30 CRT

- Served as a section SGT and later as a PL SGT

- Robertson attained the rank of Staff SGT during WWII

- Robertson noted that there were four platoon leaders of the rank of 1LT or 2LT

- 30 CRT’s force structure and organization was as follows: 1PL, 2PL, 3PL, and a HQPL

- 1PL, 2PL, and 3PL were operational, mechanized-reconnaissance units consisting of approximately three equal-sized "sections" of about ten men each. The total size of each platoon was approximately 30 to 35 men

- HQPL was a support and staff unit, consisting of approximately 25 to 30 men.  This unit was responsible for 30 CRT administration, supply, repair, coordination, and information/orders processing from and to the 30ID

- SGT Joseph Robertson knew Corporal (T5) Joseph Calabrace, and kept a small black and white photograph of Calabrace in his private records cabinet at this home in Columbus, Ohio

- Robertson commented of Joe Calabrace: "Could believe him and take his word as truth. He was a robust, chesty figure…and had dark-colored skin like an Indian. He was not a goof-off, never used a dirty word, and was a good and honest friend."

- Robertson further commented that "Joe Calabrace was the same in the Army as he was in life."

- Robertson’s radio operator was Corporal (T5) Keith Pierce

- Pierce lost his legs in battle

- 1LT, later CPT, Kenneth C. Cornelius was commander of the 30 CRT

- In Robertson’s opinion, Cornelius was a terrible company CO

- Cornelius was severely wounded in battle in Tournai, Belgium in late 1944

- As of December 2003, Cornelius is believed to be still living

- 1LT James Hume was promoted to CPT in order to assume command of 30 CRT after CPT Cornelius was seriously injured

- Hume was well-liked, young—only in his early twenties at 22 or 23 years of age—when he took command of 30 CRT

- Hume was a VMI graduate and was a resident of the State of Virginia

- Hume liked to smoke Camel cigarettes

- Robertson described CPT Hume as "low-key, calm, coming over from commanding 1PL to lead the company. He was very good, the best!"

- Hume died in Saint Louis, Missouri, date (as of December 2003) unknown

- Robertson believes that CPT Hume also spent some time as 30 CRT XO after 1LT Travis H. Cramb

- Detailed the battlefield death of Corporal Dominic S. Vincenzo, whom he described as a "hard-fighting man." Vincenzo received a "Dear John" letter from his wife (with whom he had two children) on the front lines fighting in Germany only months before the end of WWII. He was positioned in a forward observation trench. Upon reading the letter, Vincenzo rose from the trench and with his Thompson machine gun in his hand and began walking across the open field firing relentlessly at the German positions. The Germans finally cut him down, killed him with no Germans being hit. In essence, his grief over domestic troubles and the stress of the war drove him to a sort of fighting suicide.

- Robertson noted that 30 CRT would often send two-man patrols to "gather info" and probe German lines without all-out force intrusion

- Robertson further discussed an incident concerning a "prisoner detail" mission

- Prisoner detail mission consisted of four men within the company. One such mission involved then 2LT Raymond L. Flanner, who departed camp in search of loose German soldiers who might be captured. Upon returning to 30 CRT HQ, Flanner reported that no enemy soldiers were captured. When someone noticed that Flanner departed camp with four people and returned with five people, it became apparent that the fifth individual was not a US soldier and was, indeed, a German who had become mixed-in with the spread-out detail and figured that he was captured, said nothing in reply, and calmly and quietly returned to 30 CRT HQ with Flanner and his detail.

- In training, before deployment to Europe, the 30ID had training maneuvers in Tennessee near the Jack Daniels Whiskey Distillery. One of the sons of the Daniels Family was so impressed by the 30ID, that not only did he arrange for a supply of Jack Daniels whiskey to the troops when they were on maneuvers, but also somehow arranged to attached himself formally, or enlist, as a soldier in the US Army under the command of the 30th ID.

- Jack Daniels Distilleries Co. has maintained a relationship with the 30ID, stocking post-war 30th Division Association meetings and reunions with free Jack Daniels liquors and sponsoring various events