Jack Appel transcript

Collection — Container: Single Folder Collections - 2003 Box 4 (03.0078-03.0124), Folder: 03.0103 - Folder 1

Identifier: 03.0103

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Private First Class Jack Appel's oral history transcript details his life before and during World War II where he served with the 17th Signal Operations Battalion in the United States Army in the European Theater of Operations.

His oral history elaborates on his early life, contracting Spinal Meningitis, completing basic training, trying to apply to Officer Candidate School, becoming a driver/messenger, arriving in Europe, landing at Normandy, traveling through France Belgium, and Germany, witnessing Battle of the Bulge, visiting the concentration camp Buchenwald, interacting with civilians, gambling on leave, the discharge point system, returning home, and his experiences with the Veteran's Administration.

Dates

Created: 1943-1945
Other: Date acquired: 06/10/2003

Creator

Appel, Jack, 1923- (Person)

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

Private First Class Jack Appel was born on September 15, 1923, in Brooklyn, New York. He was in the middle of law school at New York University when he was drafted into the United States Army. Before he could begin basic training he contracted Spinal Meningitis and as a result became deaf in one ear. Once he was well again he completed basic training at Camp Crowder, Missouri.

There he went back and forth figuring out what he could do since the effects of meningitis prevented him from being on the front lines. He joined the 17th Signal Operations Battalion as a driver and messenger. From there he sailed to Glasgow, Scotland on the Fair Isle in October of 1943. He found himself in Bristol, England for more training before he and his battalion landed on Omaha Beach twenty-nine days after D-Day. After that, he traveled through France and Belgium during Battle of the Bulge. Once he entered Germany he went through Aachen and then Weimar where he visited Buchenwald after liberation. Soon after he returned to the United States and was discharged on October 11, 1945.

Extent

1 folders

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

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

Jack Appel, Reichelt Oral History Program

Method of Acquisition

Donation

Related Materials

Link to additional information about Jack Appel: http://www.flasports.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Jack-Appel.pdf

Subjects

Aachen, Battle of, Aachen, Germany, 1944 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Basic training Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Bristol (England) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Buchenwald (Concentration camp) Subject Source: Lcnaf
Camp Crowder (Mo.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Gambling Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Glasgow (Scotland) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Meningitis, Spinal Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Military Discharge--United States Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Operation Neptune Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Operation Overlord Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Rhine River Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
United States. Army. Signal Corps
United States. Army. Signal Operations Battalion, 17th Subject Source: Local sources
United States. Veterans Administration. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
V-1 bomb Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Versailles (France) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Verviers (Belgium) 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--France Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
World War, 1939-1945--Germany Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
World War, 1939-1945--Prisoners and prisons Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings