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OH156 Charles W. Perry Oral History

Charles W. Perry Oral History

Collection Title: Jackson Purchase Oral History Project – Black Veterans – World War II

Series Number: OH156

Interviewee: Perry, Charles W. “Dub”, 1918-

Interviewer: Belue, Ted

Date interviewed: October 24, 1986

Processed by: Benjamin J. Drake

Date processed: November 16, 2011

Description: 1 sound disc (1 hour 7 minutes)

Abstract: Charles W. “Dub” Perry details his experiences as an African American soldier during the Second World War. He describes volunteering for the United States Army and training at Fort Belvoir, Virginia and Fort Bragg, North Carolina. During the war, he was stationed at Fort Belvoir, Fort Bragg, Fort Indiantown Gap, Brooklyn, the Barbados Islands, Australia, New Guinea, San Francisco Camp Atterbury, Atlantic City, and Fort Leonard Wood. He details the missions he was involved during the New Guinea Campaign and concludes with his medical discharge in 1945.

Biographical / Historical note: Charles W. “Dub” Perry was born in Almo, Kentucky on November 11, 1918. At nineteen he moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee. In March of 1941, he volunteered for the United States Army and attended Fort Belvoir, Virginia for basic training and was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina with the 96th Battalion, Corps of Engineers. When the Second World War began he was shipped to Townsville, Australia and fought in the New Guinea Campaign. He remained in New Guinea for thirty four months. While on a three month furlough in the United States he was diagnosed with gastritis and discharged at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

General information: No user access to original recordings. Use audio user copies, digital derivatives, transcripts, and/or tape indexes. This collection may be protected from unauthorized copying by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code). Permission for reproduction must be requested from Murray State University.

Subject Headings / Descriptors:

Perry, Charles W., 1918-

United States. Army. Corps of Engineers (Colored). Battalion, 96th.

Fort Belvoir (Va.)

Fort Bragg (N.C.)

World War, 1939-1945 – Campaigns – New Guinea.

World War, 1939-1945 – Participation, African American.

World War, 1939-1945 – Personal narratives, American.