29th Division oral history collection
Abstract
This oral history collection consists of interviews with nine members of the 29th Division, an infantry division of the United States Army that saw action in the Normandy Invasion, or D-Day, during World War II. Interviewed between 1987-1989, the veterans discuss their battalions, their ranks, objectives, tactics they implemented, and the obstacles they faced.
Dates
- 1987 September 22- 1989 June 10
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research use.
Conditions Governing Use
The reproduction of materials in this collection may be subject to copyright restrictions. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine and satisfy copyright clearances or other case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections. For more information visit the MCHC’s Rights and Permissions page.
Biographical / Historical
The Normandy Invasion, D-Day, or as it was covertly known, Operation Overlord, was a major Allied offensive into western Europe during World War II. The invasion into France began on June 6th, 1944, and by the end of August, France was entirely free of German control. This led to the liberation of all of Europe, and the end of the war. Although the overarching leadership played incredibly important roles in the war effort, these massive victories were accomplished because of the dedication of the men on the ground fighting for freedom, and their lives.
The 29th Division was a National Guard unit composed of men from Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. The division played a major role in the invasion, landing at Omaha Beach. The division then followed their objective to take the region of Saint-Lô in northwest France, as well as other significant areas in the country. Through the 29th's success, the U.S. First Army was able to launch Operation Cobra, another key element for the Allied success.
Extent
9 Items (There are nine oral history interviews in this collection.)
Language of Materials
English
Bibliography
Keegan, John. "Normandy Invasion. Britannica. July 20, 1998. https://www.britannica.com/event/Normandy-Invasion.
"29th Infantry Division." The Virginia National Guard. https://va.ng.mil/Army-Guard/29th-ID/#:~:text=Known%20as%20the%20Blue%20and,Beach%20in%20World%20War%20II.
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of nine oral history interviews. Randall Bierne predominantly conducted the interviews, except for one interview which was conducted by students at the Gilman School in Baltimore, Maryland.
The individuals interviewed were all members of the 29th Division who fought in the Normandy Invasion during World War II, also known as Operation Overlord or D-Day. The soldiers each describe what battalions they were a part of, their ranks, their objectives, the tactics they implemented, and the obstacles they faced.
- Title
- Guide to the 29th Division oral history collection
- Status
- Under Revision
- Author
- Cathryn Kinde
- Date
- 2022-03
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the H. Furlong Baldwin Library Repository
H. Furlong Baldwin Library
Maryland Center for History and Culture
610 Park Avenue
Baltimore MD 21201 United States
4106853750
specialcollections@mdhistory.org