Victor A. Bernhardt

 

Birth date

 

 

 April 4,1924

 

Age they entered the service

 

 

 20 years old

 

Hometown

 

 

 Loveland, Colorado

Branch of the service

 

 

 Army

 

Rank

 

 

 Corporal

 

Name of their unit

 

 

 292 Combat Engineers

 

When they served

 

 January 1944-March 1946

 

 

Where did you serve?

 

 Germany (WWII)

 

Did you enlist or were you drafted?

 

 Drafted

 

How did you feel about going to war?

 

 It didn’t seem to bother me, except my wife was having a baby.

 

 

 

Did you have any family members that went to war. If so, did they survive?

 

 Four brothers (WWII) and my son (Vietnam).

Yes they all survived.

 

Were you ever wounded? How and where?

 

 

 No. But two of my brothers were.

 

 

Did you receive any medals? Which ones?

 

 Yes. The good conduct medal.

 

Do you have a war story you would like to tell?

 

 

 The first night we were in Germany, the Germans dropped bombs and blew up our equipment. (Trucks.) It was around Christmas time so it was really cold and we all thought we were going to freeze. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What was your reaction when you found out the war was over?

 

 

 We were all very happy and looking forward to coming home.

 

 

 

What was the most frightening event of the war for you?

 

 

 A time when we were building a bridge across Elbe river with A company the Germans started shooting at all of us.

 

 

 

 

What was the most cherished memory of the war for you?

 

 

 

 Building bridges across the rivers.

 

 

 

 

Do you have regrets about your service in World War II?

 

 No way, if I were younger again I would go back to war.

 

 

 

 

How do you feel about America today?

 

No place on Earth the like United States.

 

 

 

 

How do you feel about the war with Iraq?

 

 Sometimes I think it’s a foolish war and sometimes I don’t. I just hope they get it over with.

 

 

 

 

Is there anything else you would like to add?

 

 I’m proud to have served in a war and I am proud of my brothers… eight of them went but my older brother died by lightening on a farm. My youngest brother Ted and I are the only ones alive in my family.