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Mr. McWilliams: Ed Metzler: Mr. McWilliams: Ed Metzler: Mr. McWilliams: Ed Metzler: Mr. McWilliams: Ed Metzler: Mr. McWilliams: Ed Metzler: Mr. McWilliams: Ed Metzler: Mr. McWilliams: Ed Metzler: Mr. McWilliams: Ed Metzler: Mr. McWilliams: Ed Metzler: Mr. McWilliams:
Ed Metzler: Mr. McWilliams: Ed Metzler: Mr. McWilliams: Ed Metzler:
He said, "Well, you're only seventeen, so what ... what ... what the hell happened?" What did you do? (laughter) And I laughed real big; I thought it was funny and told him that Dad was Sheriff, but he didn't laugh at all (chuckles), so ... so I wondered if I was joining the right outfit. Yeah, right up front! Right up front. They seem awfully serious (laughter). He did! So, I'm trying to remember ... I don't know ... my geography's not that good. Where is Ballinger in Texas? It's in west Texas and its west of... uh, San Angelo; it's in the San Angelo area. Okay. That's Tom Green County. Yeah. And Ballinger's in the ... Runnels County. Okay. So, they adjoin each other. Yeah, alright. Six years in jail and (laughter) ... My younger brother was born in jail (laughter). Oh, my goodness! And so, how many siblings ... did you have? Well, there was ten of us altogether.
Oh, my word! Ten children! Five ... five boys and five girls. And ... I'm very proud to say that ... during World War II there were ... five of us ... there was ... that served in the military. I had ... four brothers ... I had a sister that was in the WACs. Uh hum. So, we had ... all the branches represented in ... Boy, you guys did more than your part.
The National Museum of the pacific War presents an oral interview with Donald McWilliams. McWilliams finished high school in 1942 and joined the Marine Corps in March, 1943. He went overseas in October and joined the Fifth Marines. At Cape Gloucester, McWilliams served in a headquarters and supply company handling ammunition. He also went to Peleliu and recalls a friend he lost there. McWilliams also went to Okinawa with the First Marine Division. He shares anecdotes about time at Pavuvu and in combat. When the war ended, McWilliams received his discharge.
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