Interview with Joseph A. Hatala, WWII veteran. CCSU Veterans History Project

Interview conducted by Eileen Hurst. Joseph Hatala was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1942. He went to basic training at Camp Edwards, Mass., where they learned mostly about marching and firing weapons. Shortly after, his unit, the 406th Anti-aircraft battalion was sent overseas to North Africa. Hatala worked as a heavy machine gunner in the unit, and his main job was to protect the heavy artillery. After North Africa, the battalion was sent to Sicily by LST, where they stayed until the campaign was over. The anti-aircraft unit was then switched to the infantry where they worked as combat engineers in the 5th Army. Their job was to oversee the construction and repair of bridges and roads. Hatala remained with this unit until the end of World War II, traveling across Europe and Northern Africa. He was discharged in 1945, and returned to Connecticut where he worked at Pratt and Whitney for 43 years.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• CCSU
• VHP
• WWII
• WW2
• veteran
• interview
• oral history
• Interactive transcript

[river19100]

I want to write a book about this man so bad

[kphzorz]

man, what a cool guy

[ckyfan8291]

and by a little i mean a lot.

[jbd1989]

great interview!

[MONEYBOY512]

Thanks for sharing this. I appreciated it.