Leroy Reece transcript
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of an oral history interview transcript of Leroy Reece who served as a Private First Class in the United States Army during World War II in the all-black unit, Company B, 317th Engineer Battalion which served in the European Theater.
Dates
- Created: 1942-1945
- Other: Date acquired: 06/02/2004
Creator
- Reece, Leroy (Family)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open to all researchers.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests for permission to quote, publish, broadcast or otherwise reproduce from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Associate Dean for Special Collections & Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Florida State University Libraries as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.
Biographical or Historical Information
Leroy Reece was born on May 26, 1922, in Monticello, Florida and died on June 8, 2006. Reece volunteered himself to the Army in 1942 at Camp Blanding, Florida. From there, he went to Camp Claiborne, Lousiana and then embarked to England from Camp Shanks, New York. He traveled on the Queen Mary to England as a part of the all-black unit, Company B, 317th Engineer Battalion.
Reece entered Normandy Beach on D-Day plus 8 and went through France and into Germany with General George S. Patton. While in Louisiana and England, Reece was involved in riots due to violent discrimination against his regiment. He further described instances of racism in the North and South, foreigners' reactions to his race, and relations with women abroad. He also noted his buddies' reactions to Roosevelt's death. After the war, Reece lived in Bronx, NY and worked as a cab driver and Post Office worker. He eventually returned to Monticello, FL.
Note written by Jenna Pope
Extent
1.00 folders
Language of Materials
English
Custodial History
Transferred from the Institute on World War II and the Human Experience to FSU Libraries Special Collections & Archives in July 2022.
Source of Acquisition
Leroy Reece
Method of Acquisition
Donation
- African American soldiers--Biography Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Camp Blanding (Fla.)
- Camp Claiborne (La.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Camp Shanks (N.Y.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Military engineers--United States--History--20th century Subject Source: Local sources
- Monticello (Fla.) Subject Source: Lcnaf
- Patton, George S. (George Smith), 1885-1945
- United States--Armed Forces--African Americans--History--20th century Subject Source: Local sources
- United States--Race relations--History--20th century Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War, 1939-1945--African Americans Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--France--Normandy Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War, 1939-1945--Engineering and construction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- Leroy Reece transcript
- Author
- Jenna Pope
- Date
- 10/08/2017
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- eng
Repository Details
Part of the FSU Special Collections & Archives Repository
116 Honors Way
PO Box 3062047
Tallahassee FL 32306-2047 US
850-644-3271
lib-specialcollections@fsu.edu
