The old saying was that the army traveled on its stomach. In modern times, the army travels by gas tank.
“General Patton said, ‘Never mind feeding people, let’s have fuel’,” said Elmer Silvia, Pittsburg.
He was one of those who had the vital job of laying pipelines to supply gas for trucks and tanks during World War II.
Silvia entered the U.S. Army in January 1942.
“On Dec. 7, 1941, I heard on the radio that the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor,” he said. “That day was my 21st birthday.”
He was fortunate to survive his trip overseas.
“We shipped out of New York Harbor,” Silvia said. “Our Liberty ship was designed to hold 1,900, and there were 5,000 men on it. The bunks were stacked seven or eight high on poles. We hit a terrible storm, and the waves were so bad that a support pipe for some bunks came out of the socket and five fellows were killed. My bunk was one of those, but I wasn’t in it.”
He said that the storm subsided after two or three days.
“Then we had burial at sea for the five who had been killed,” Silvia said. “That was an experience in itself.”
He landed in Africa.
“I was originally in ordnance, but they were forming a new company in Africa, and I was with the engineers,” he said. “We were rather unique.”
He explained that the company followed the army and laid the pipeline for the gas to supply army vehicles.
“We’d lay as much as 15 miles of pipe a day, and every 10 to 15 miles we’d build storage tanks,” Silvia said. “We’d also build booster stations where you could pump gas for the trucks and tanks.”
German planes frequently flew raids against Allied troops in Africa.
“There were air raids a couple of times a week,” Silvia said. “They’d come over, flying very low, so you almost thought you could touch them. The further north we got, the fewer air raids we had.”
He recalls that the temperature in the desert regions was very hot during the day, but bitterly cold at night.
“When I was in Tunisia, we saw thousands of prisoners, marching four or five abreast,” he said. “They were Italian soldiers, and the infantry was guarding them with machine guns. It was extremely hot, but they were all wearing their overcoats.”
After the Allies cleared German forces from northern Africa, they planned an invasion of Sicily in July 1943.
“We were in Italy for quite a while,” he said.
Silvia was struck by the poverty he saw in Italy.
“After the field mess trucks came and served us our meals, children and adults would come with buckets and we’d give them our leftovers,” he said. “Once we had half a can of pineapple left over, but the kids didn’t know what it was and wouldn’t take it. We ate a little of it in front of them, and then they took it.”
Allied troops landed at Normandy on June 6, 1944.
“They didn’t need my company for that, because the English had laid underwater pipelines before that invasion,” Silvia said. “We were loaded in the Bay of Naples, waiting for the invasion of southern France, which came on Aug. 15. We came in with the second wave and moved up the Rhone River Valley to the German border.”
He said there were times when his company was 50 to 100 miles behind enemy lines.
“There were still Germans there, but the French cleared out some of them,” he said.
Silvia received many decorations, including theater ribbons, for his service.
“The one I’m most proud of is the one with the arrowhead on it,” he said. “That’s the one for the invasion of southern France.”
Germany surrendered on May 7, 1945, and Sgt. Silvia came home on Oct. 6, 1945 and got on with his civilian life.
“I’m very grateful to the United States,” he said. “I went to Pittsburg State University and I got two college degrees on the G.I. Bill of Rights.”
After teaching for a few years, Silvia became a superintendent of schools. He ended his career as superintendent at Osceola, Mo., retiring in 1980.
An avid gardener, fisherman and golfer, he is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Amvets, and has been a continuous member of the American Legion for 65 years.
The retired educator said he had learned a great deal from his military service.
“Seeing all those other countries, and the poverty they have there, makes you appreciate this country more,” Silvia said. “I am forever grateful that I’m a citizen of the United States. There is no other country like it.”
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The old saying was that the army traveled on its stomach. In modern times, the army travels by gas tank.
“General Patton said, ‘Never mind feeding people, let’s have fuel’,” said Elmer Silvia, Pittsburg.
He was one of those who had the vital job of laying pipelines to supply gas for trucks and tanks during World War II.
Silvia entered the U.S. Army in January 1942.
“On Dec. 7, 1941, I heard on the radio that the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor,” he said. “That day was my 21st birthday.”
He was fortunate to survive his trip overseas.
“We shipped out of New York Harbor,” Silvia said. “Our Liberty ship was designed to hold 1,900, and there were 5,000 men on it. The bunks were stacked seven or eight high on poles. We hit a terrible storm, and the waves were so bad that a support pipe for some bunks came out of the socket and five fellows were killed. My bunk was one of those, but I wasn’t in it.”
He said that the storm subsided after two or three days.
“Then we had burial at sea for the five who had been killed,” Silvia said. “That was an experience in itself.”
He landed in Africa.
“I was originally in ordnance, but they were forming a new company in Africa, and I was with the engineers,” he said. “We were rather unique.”
He explained that the company followed the army and laid the pipeline for the gas to supply army vehicles.
“We’d lay as much as 15 miles of pipe a day, and every 10 to 15 miles we’d build storage tanks,” Silvia said. “We’d also build booster stations where you could pump gas for the trucks and tanks.”
German planes frequently flew raids against Allied troops in Africa.
“There were air raids a couple of times a week,” Silvia said. “They’d come over, flying very low, so you almost thought you could touch them. The further north we got, the fewer air raids we had.”
He recalls that the temperature in the desert regions was very hot during the day, but bitterly cold at night.
“When I was in Tunisia, we saw thousands of prisoners, marching four or five abreast,” he said. “They were Italian soldiers, and the infantry was guarding them with machine guns. It was extremely hot, but they were all wearing their overcoats.”
After the Allies cleared German forces from northern Africa, they planned an invasion of Sicily in July 1943.
“We were in Italy for quite a while,” he said.
Silvia was struck by the poverty he saw in Italy.
“After the field mess trucks came and served us our meals, children and adults would come with buckets and we’d give them our leftovers,” he said. “Once we had half a can of pineapple left over, but the kids didn’t know what it was and wouldn’t take it. We ate a little of it in front of them, and then they took it.”
Allied troops landed at Normandy on June 6, 1944.
“They didn’t need my company for that, because the English had laid underwater pipelines before that invasion,” Silvia said. “We were loaded in the Bay of Naples, waiting for the invasion of southern France, which came on Aug. 15. We came in with the second wave and moved up the Rhone River Valley to the German border.”
He said there were times when his company was 50 to 100 miles behind enemy lines.
“There were still Germans there, but the French cleared out some of them,” he said.
Silvia received many decorations, including theater ribbons, for his service.
“The one I’m most proud of is the one with the arrowhead on it,” he said. “That’s the one for the invasion of southern France.”
Germany surrendered on May 7, 1945, and Sgt. Silvia came home on Oct. 6, 1945 and got on with his civilian life.
“I’m very grateful to the United States,” he said. “I went to Pittsburg State University and I got two college degrees on the G.I. Bill of Rights.”
After teaching for a few years, Silvia became a superintendent of schools. He ended his career as superintendent at Osceola, Mo., retiring in 1980.
An avid gardener, fisherman and golfer, he is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Amvets, and has been a continuous member of the American Legion for 65 years.
The retired educator said he had learned a great deal from his military service.
“Seeing all those other countries, and the poverty they have there, makes you appreciate this country more,” Silvia said. “I am forever grateful that I’m a citizen of the United States. There is no other country like it.”
