Carl Campanella and Jim Rice to Washington Aug. 26
On Tuesday, Aug. 26, Du Quoin World War II veteran Carl Campanella and Vietnam veteran Jim Rice --Carl's nephew-- will be on board the Land of Lincoln Honor Flight from Springfield, Illinois to Washington D.C. as part of a program that honors our nation's war heroes.
Now serving central and southern Illinois, this Flight #28 will have 80 veterans aboard - 32 from World War II, 43 from the Korean War era, and five of the Vietnam War era.
On this no-cost, day long tour to Washington, D. C., to visit and reflect at their national memorials, each veteran will be accompanied by a volunteer sponsor who pays their own way and are responsible for the comfort, logistics, mobility and safety of their veteran for the day. Aboard the chartered 737 aircraft will be veterans from the US Air Force, Army, Marines and Navy branches, as well as from the Merchant Marines and Army Air Corps from WW II.
After landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport in DC, they will be transported for the day on three tour buses (code name Red, White and Blue) with an itinerary including stops at the World War II Memorial, Korean Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, National Air & Space Museum (Chantilly, Virginia), Air Force & Marine Corps Memorials, Pentagon drive-by and concluding at Arlington National Cemetery, including the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers and Changing of the Guard. They will also have the opportunity to visit the Lincoln Memorial, as well as see the Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, DC World War I Memorial, and much more.
Land of Lincoln Honor Flight is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, receiving no federal, state or county funding. The donations, sponsorships, fund raising and efforts of many individuals and businesses have allowed LLHF to honor this flight of Veterans. For more information on speaking to organizations, how to obtain an application, make a donation or just learn more about the Honor Flight mission, please visit the official web site at LandofLincolnHonorFlight.org or contact John Dust, marketing/media director, at HonorFlightGuy@aol.com or cell 309-339-0227.
Carl Campanella's Service to Our Country
Carl Campanella, 93, said knew throughout high school what Hitler was doing overseas, and he knew one day he would be drafted into the Army. He would do anything to protect his country.
His first day in the Army was March 13, 1943, and Carl went through a tough 17 months of training at Camp Butner in North Carolina. Though it was tough, Carl still found ways to enjoy himself. During training, there were rifle competitions in which prizes, such as three day passes, would be awarded to the winner. Carl went up against men from New York and New Jersey, but none could compare to the skills Carl possessed.
After basic training, Carl was transferred to Camp Kilmer in New Jersey. On December 13, he boarded a ship to South Hampton, England. Carl says, "From the moment I stepped foot on the ship I was sea sick. I was on the ship for 13 days, and I was sick for 12 of those days." He was stationed in South Hampton, England for three weeks, then boarded another ship over the English Channel and up the Seine River to Paris.
Carl's first day in combat started in Akin, Germany. "The snow there was up to my belly button, and the sweat on my body was like snow balls. I was scared," he said. After 17 months of combat, Carl and the rest of his platoon believed the battle was over and they were going to be sent home, but Hitler decided to make one final push during the Battle of the Bulge. As Carl was using a 105 millimeter howitzer, the piercing sound of the gun caused him to lose some of his hearing. Carl and his platoon remained in Germany for the next three to four months. While in Germany, Carl decided if he were going to have to stay there that long he might as well know the language. He learned as much of the language as he could. He even attended a German language course for three months. Besides learning German, Carl could also speak Italian, and he served as an interpreter for the Italian prisoners they captured.
While in Germany, Carl and the rest of his platoon were crossing the Rhine River. Carl and his buddy from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, were next in line when they ran out of water. Someone asked for volunteers to go get some water; Carl thought this was the perfect opportunity to get away for a little while and have some free time. So, Carl and his buddy voluntarily offered to get some water for the rest of the platoon. As they made the trip to the river, Carl and his buddy came across some tanks that were lined up next to a small town. As they were driving, they began to wave at what they thought were other men waving at them when in reality they were trying to stop them. They kept driving and came upon a small town. Once the civilians in the town began to shoot at them, Carl and his buddy realized they were not supposed to be there. Carl stated later, "If you don't think a truck can be turned around from the floorboard, then you're out of your mind because I sure as heck did it!" After Carl and his buddy made it back to safety near the tanks, they asked why the people were shooting at them. The commanders of the tanks replied, "We were on our way to taking over that little town, and we tried to stop you but you paid no heed."
As they made the trip back from getting water, they came to the Remagen Bridge which crossed the Rhine River. While they were driving, Carl says, "Every five bullets I saw a tracer bullet hit the pavement in front of us." They made it through. Carl says, "The only reason I am here today is because of my tool chest in the back of my truck." After all the firing was over, Carl looked at the damage to the tool chest. It had bullet holes all over it, and Carl realized just how lucky he was. If he had not been behind that tool chest, he would have died on the spot. "This is as close as I came," Carl explained.
Carl was an extremely decorated corporal. While overseas at war, Carl was a part of many historic battles and campaigns such as Ardennes, Rhineland, Central Europe, and the Battle of the Bulge. The decorations he received consisted of service bars, European-African-Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon with three Bronze battle stars, American Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal, World War II Victory Medal, and the Expert with Carbine Rifle Medal.
After the war was over, Carl returned home to his mother and her grocery store. He remembers his mother saying, "Thank God, I thought the Army ruined my son. I didn't think you would work anymore." Carl rested for two weeks. When he returned to work it would be for 54 years, retiring in 1991.
Carl used what he learned in basic training, which was discipline and respect, in his everyday life. Before service, Carl said he was what most would call a smart-aleck. He used to get into fights as a kid, most of which he lost. "I got into a lot of fights, but I only won one of those," he said.
When asked what advice he would give to young people thinking about entering the Army, Carl replied, "If you go in, do not mess around, do everything you are told, learn everything you can, and do not try to slide by." Everyone should learn from what Carl has been through. The honors flight tells these veterans that we remember them, but somehow it isn't enough.