Personal Narrative Film, Video Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing Audio Recording Thomas Blakey Collection

Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Army
- Unit of Service: 505th Regimental Combat Team (RCT), 82nd Airborne Division
- Location of Service: Northern Ireland; England; France; Belgium; Germany; European Theater
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/7759
Thomas Blakey was a paratrooper with the 505th Regimental Combat Team. He saw action at Normandy, jumping out of a plane on the morning of June 6, and at the Battle of the Bulge, but it was his experiences as part of Operation Market Garden that colored his opinion of our British allies and those in command.
Interview / Recording
Share
-
PlayHis flight to the drop zone over Normandy in the morning of June 6, 1944. 00:15:21.0 - 00:17:51.0
-
PlayOn the ground, 1 AM, June 6, 1944. 00:17:52.0 - 00:22:24.0
-
PlayFighting for the bridges near St. Mere Eglise 00:22:28.0 - 00:23:37.0
-
PlayHow being scattered all over Normandy did not really hurt the invasion effort; comparison with the Holland invasion. 00:25:04.0 - 00:28:53.0
-
PlayLinking up with his unit following June 6; fighting house to house in the villages of the Normandy peninsula. 00:34:44.0 - 00:38:08.0
-
PlayBlakey didn’t want to make friends, knowing that he would lose them 00:03:02.3 - 00:03:20.7
-
PlayThe objective of the drop into Holland: bridges. 00:49:14.8 - 00:49:32.1
-
PlayWhile historians may call the operation a failure, Blakely believes they did their job 00:49:44.0 - 00:50:35.4
-
PlayCrossing the river in rubber boats was the fate of the 504th 00:53:41.8 - 00:54:49.9
-
PlayThe German soldiers were worthy combatants. 00:55:11.9 - 00:55:26.5
-
PlayThe Americans weren’t happy with British behavior in Holland. 00:57:46.5 - 00:58:38.9
-
PlayThe retreat of Allied forces from Holland was a devastating blow to the Dutch. 00:58:57.2 - 01:00:13.0
About this Item
Title
- Thomas Blakey Collection
Names
- Collins, Denver
- Blakey, Thomas
- Rhay, Gary
- Timeless Media Group
State of Birth
- TX
Home State
- LA
Headings
- - Blakey, Thomas
- - World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Army.
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Male
Race
- White
Status
- Veteran
Service History
-
World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Army
- Unit of Service: 505th Regimental Combat Team (RCT), 82nd Airborne Division
- Location of Service: Northern Ireland; England; France; Belgium; Germany; European Theater
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Dates of Service: 1942-1945
- Entrance into Service: Enlisted
- Military Status: Veteran
Materials
- Audio: CD [2 items] -- Reference copy (collected 08/06/2003)
- Video: VHS [1 item] -- Reference copy (collected 08/06/2003)
- Video: VHS [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 08/06/2003)
- Video: Digital Betacam [1 item] -- Digitized Copy (collected 08/06/2003)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/7759
Cite as
- Thomas Blakey Collection (AFC/2001/001/7759), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- image
- video