The War: Nebraska Stories
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Combat:
Over There

Soldiers running during combat in Europe.
Courtesy Nebraska State Historical Society.		 "The most important thing on your mind was trying to stay alive."
—Bill Gilgren, Dalton, NE
Third Infantry Division
in Europe

"It's just kind of hard to describe really. You are scared, jumpy, and you prayed. You knew when there was a [kamikaze] raid and the planes were coming in, that somebody was going to get hit because it was just a one-way trip for the pilot."
—John Zimola, Wahoo, NE
Fire Controlman First Class
USS Louisville



In the videos, the soldiers sometimes refer to Japanese people as "Japs". This term was as offensive back then as it is today to Japanese and Japanese Americans, but was in fairly common usage by non-Japanese in the first half of the twentieth century. Because we were at war with Japan, government officials, newspapers, and propaganda posters as well as military personnel of that era all used the term to show contempt for the enemy.

For More Information within Nebraska Studies:
The War: Nebraska Stories, Minority Experiences: African Americans
Nebraska & World War II: Pearl Harbor
Nebraskans on the Front Lines: Uncle Sam Wants You!
Nebraskans on the Front Lines: Nebraska National Guard