Eugene S. Brown transcript

Collection — Container: Single Folder Collections - 2003 Box 4 (03.0078-03.0124), Folder: 03.0105 - Folder 1

Identifier: 03.0105

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Eugene S. Brown served as a member of the 78th Infantry Division in the European Theater during World War II. He served from 1943-1946. His unit arrived in France in November of 1944. He performed duties as a runner and a jeep driver for his unit. This collection contains a transcript from an interview conducted June 7, 2000.

Dates

Created: 1923-2000
Other: Majority of material found within 1943-1946
Other: Date acquired: 06/10/2003

Creator

Brown, Eugene S., 1923-2009 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for 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

Eugene Brown was born May 6, 1923 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. He moved with his family to Dubuque, Iowa and finished high school in Bloomington, Wisconsin before attending the University of Wisconsin where he was a member of ROTC. Brown was color blind, which disqualified him from joining the Navy. Instead, he joined the Army in the hopes of becoming an officer. In 1943, he joined the 78th Infantry Division and went overseas for training. Though he was not involved in the initial landing on D-Day, he arrived in France with his unit later in November 1944. He was a driver for the commanding officers of his unit, working under Colonel Frazier for the majority of his service. He was involved at the Battle of the Bulge and Remagen Bridge, Germany. He shares memories of these battles, as well as his narrative of the German surrender. He describes his encounters with French and German citizens he met while abroad. He earned the Combat Infantryman’s Badge and a Bronze Star. He was offered the Purple Heart but turned it down. Brown stated that he was a Christian, which helped his morale during the war. He recounts his experiences in Belin following the German surrender. When he returned home, he attended college under the G.I. Bill, though he never finished his degree. Brown had begun taking photographs while he was in Europe, which then expanded into a photography business after the war. Brown died March 27, 2009.

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

Eugene S. Brown

Method of Acquisition

Donated.

Subjects

Ardennes, Battle of the, 1944-1945 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Berlin (Germany) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Bournemouth (England) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Council Bluffs (Iowa) Subject Source: Lcnaf
Dubuque (Iowa) Subject Source: Lcnaf
Purple Heart Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Remagen (Germany) Subject Source: Lcnaf
Rhine River Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
United States. Army. Infantry Division, 78th
United States. Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 Subject Source: Lcnaf
World War, 1939-1945 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Europe 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--Missing in action--United States Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
World War, 1939-1945--Religion Subject Source: Local sources