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  Collection: Iowa's WWII Stories

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Wilbur Tiffany bought a car for $35 in 1942 and drove home to Independence, Iowa to enlist in the paratroopers. He ended up a sergeant with a heavy weapons platoon. After crossing the Rhine River, Tiffany and his jeep driver, Fred Moore, lead the spear head toward Berlin. They drove 2 ½ miles an hour, followed by a Sherman Tank and 21,000 troops. Tiffany says there is a 50/50 chance you’ll be killed doing that. But if you don’t, you can tell some amazing stories about it.

Wilbur also tells us about Sylvan Van Gobes. He was a Belgian and also a Jew. His parents were afraid that he would be put into the German army. So, he came into the United States and joined the American army. When Sergeant Tiffany’s troops entered Belgium, Sylvan reminded Wilbur that he was from Antwerp. He went to find his family, and came back to the unit with news that they had all been sent to Auschwitz.

Documents:

• Transcript (RTF)

Tags:

• World War II
• veterans
• Independence
• military
• soldiers
• Europe
• Auschwitz
• Nazis
• Germany

Post Date: September 20, 2007