Joseph P. Paradis

- Was wounded "the first night in Belgium on September 1st into 2nd, 1944."

- Paradis was in charge of mortars and bazookas in 3PL

- Did not know Joseph Calabrace, but thinks the name was associated with 1PL at times

- Noted that the three operational platoons were always separate

- 30 CRT’s CO’s since 1942 were, according to Paradis: Stewart Hall, Kenneth Cornelius, and James Hume, Jr.

- Paradis was able to add some information on the Battle of Mortain and 30 CRT: He said that the "2PL [of 30 CRT] was cut off" and that 30 CRT’s involvement was "short and intense." He remembers that the 1PL was on the right flank with the 35th SS Panzer Division, and that the SS tanks tried to break through with their Tiger tanks and 88 millimeter tanks guns and artillery pieces.

- Paradis detailed operational sections of each platoon and how they conducted mechanized reconnaissance patrols: Each platoon had three sections, roughly, with each section containing one point Jeep with a .30 Caliber pedestal machine gun, next came a mortar jeep, and last an armored car with a 37 millimeter cannon and .50 Caliber machine gun. In total, there were a total of three point Jeeps, three mortar Jeeps, and two to three armored cars.

- Remembers that Corporal Donald R. Gill was on a point Jeep, and that PVT Neil P. McGuinn was a gunner on one of the Jeeps

- During the war, Paradis noted that the unit seemed to capture a lot of bridges, and even some soldiers and small units, and that, indeed, they met the Russians on the Elbe River while manning the levies there in Eastern Germany.

- During the period surrounding the Ardennes, Paradis said that 30 CRT was one of the units to capture and occupy Aachen.

- They were also the first unit sent to Malmedy

- They were halted at Stavelot, where he noted the Germans had a ton of tanks on a ridge. This was a very dangerous period because the tanks were almost surrounding the 30 CRT and Paradis noted it was "nip and tuck there for a while."

- The 30ID and 30 CRT were on the north side of the German Ardennes offensive during the Battle of the Bulge, near Stavelot, and were in the path of advance to the oil and gas reserves the Germans so desperately needed. Therefore, they met some of the earliest and fiercest resistance during that December 1944 offensive.

- Again, stated that the 30 CRT met the Russians at Oschersleben, Germany in 1945

- Details a town called "Hoff" and mentioned that 30 CRT captured quite a few towns and villages, even though it was a mobile unit.

- Stated that once the war was over, the Germans were absolutely petrified of the Russians.

- Remembers that when the 30ID went to England for the pre-invasion phase of Operation Overlord, his transport ship landed in Liverpool, England. He notes that some of the unit landed in Scotland.

- Paradis further recalls that they were stationed in a town in England called "Chollywood" and that all four of the platoons were together at that time.

- He explained that he met his wife "Joyce" when he was stationed in Chollywood, England and that she was in the British Land Army, and that she delivered milk with a horse and cart to the inhabitants of the town "Croxly Green".

- At war’s end, he was wounded and went back to England to the City of Salisbury.  After recovering he went AWOL to go see Joyce

- Paradis mentioned a "103rd Division" and "General Konig"???