Floyd Kirkland Sr.

Floyd Kirkland was a World War II veteran, who served with the United States Army in the 3196 Quartermaster company, due to his training as a marksman. At the age of 19, he served in the military from March 30, 1943 to January 6, 1945, when he was honorably discharged after the war concluded. His memories of the war gives the listener an in-depth analysis of the battles and lives lost through the eyes of someone who has lived through it. The listener also gets a view of social status at the time, and how that changed as they fought the war. Kirkland’s memories of the war, as well as his time at home with his family, gives the listener a chance to get to know one of the brave soldiers who fought for our country to end the suffering in the European Theater.

Born in August 1923 in Savannah, GA, Kirkland was part of a large family with lots of brothers and sisters. He spoke about how his older sister was like a mother to him. Born an African American in the early 20th Century, his accounts of his life also caused him to recollect on the differences he faced growing up, with some states having laws and social regulations separating people by color. When the attack on Pearl Harbor happened, he was in high school at the time, but the threat that now faced the American people made him motivated to enlist and join the military. His memories of boot camp and his training at facilities like Camp Blanding in Florida and Camp Kilmer in New Jersey give us an inside look at the life and conditions a cadet was faced with while learning how to survive and fight when they were officially cast off to war. The military would make their time there all about learning how to adapt to their environment, and how to move forward if they got into trouble while in the field; Kirkland’s time with the Army trained him to be a marksman, learning how to handle a rifle for when he and his troops got deployed overseas.

A major topic covered in this interview is Kirkland’s look at the differences of racial divide while he was in combat, that there was no color barrier when he was fighting alongside his unit. His recollections of how the white and black soldiers would look out for one another while fighting the enemy showed how one’s view while home can change when the circumstances are life and death in a war zone. Not only that, but the treatment he received while stationed in Europe was different than when he was living in America, for the history of racial division that he experienced back home was not experienced in Europe, as the white British and French treated him more humanely than white America did. Even after he was discharged, he saw changes in fighting against discrimination in the army and in life in general, seeing the events of civil rights movements in the 60s all through to modern day.

Kirkland’s memories of the war and fighting in Europe mostly are about his time stationed in outposts and camps across the countryside, as well as his main involvement in guard duty. His time with the Combat Engineers demonstrated how he was able to help with advancing through rough terrain and natural hazards, like rivers. Kirkland would help ground troops cross waterways by building bridges with other engineers so they could transport heavy artillery and weapons like tanks. However, in the time he would help in something like this, it also led to his injury, where he was shot by an unseen force in the spine, leading to medical officers helping him on the spot, and transporting him out of the field. Kirkland spent three months in hospital, and his army friends from the unit were glad to see him when he was got out and was sent back to the front. The bullet is still him today, close to his spine and too dangerous to remove. Unfortunately, after the war ended, he never received a Purple Heart. Kirkland never tried to appeal his case to the military, but the interviewer, Carol Fowler, hoped that this interview would help him receive his Purple Heart Medal, considering what he endured while fighting against the Nazis.

When they would free prisoners from the camps or liberate the villages and towns, the locals would say thanks to the Allied soldiers, showing that not all of them were ok with this war, or the people in charge of this oppressive regime. His memories of the people imprisoned due to the Holocaust, how they looked like skeletons because they probably were not fed or taken care of well, as well as the soldiers fighting on the Nazi side, some just children or elderly men. Kirkland’s description of he and his men liberating the Holocaust victims illustrates the sheer sense of emotion one might feel while dealing with such a horrific experience.

Kirkland’s time back home, adjusting to civilian life are some of the closing statements discussed, as well as his flashbacks of his combat experiences. His mother was happy to see him still standing. He recommended the Army for any younger generations if they want to go down that path. The benefits Kirkland received due to serving allowed him to do some things in life, like buy a house,
and pay to have one of his kidneys removed. He did not have enough for tuition to college, but still managed to have a family, and his daughter is the one who heard about the project and drove him to the interview. When 9/11 happened, it brought back memories of World War II for Kirkland. He said that when you are out there on the field, you must be alert, and you cannot close your eyes out there.

Floyd Kirkland served his country and gave the listener a better understanding not just of knowing a World War II soldier’s life and times, but also of the diversity and changes one might see when fighting in a place that is nowhere near the place you call home.

Floyd Kirkland died on October 17, 2012. A decade later, his daughter Sabata Closel, who had only had a VHS tape copy of the oral history, was able to contact the interviewer and receive both a DVD and a digital link.