Making History Project – Veteran Oral History Preserving Veterans’ Stories
US Paratrooper – 82nd Airborne
Part 2 of the Veteran Oral History interview of WWII Veteran Rock Merritt is now available.
This interview was conducted in Dallas, Texas on October 16, 2014, during the annual reunion for the 508 Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne.
Rock commanded a heavy machine gun platoon for the 82nd Airborne during World War II. Rock jumped into Normandy, France during D-Day and his experience during D-Day is covered in part 1 of the interview.
Operation Market Garden
In part 2 of the interview, Rock reflects upon his experience jumping into Holland for Operation Market Garden and the resulting battles there. Later in the interview, Rock discusses his participation in the Battle of the Bulge and how he was rushed into battle without winter clothing and very little preparation to counter the last major offensive of the German Army during World War II.
Rock Merritt is a distinguished and treasured member of the 82nd Airborne after serving 35-years in the military. To this day, Rock remains the honorary Command Sergeant Major for the 508 P.I.R.
