Rappleye Bill Army
Posted on 30 July, 2021 by in Veterans By Name, R
September 2014
Typed September 27, 2019
Page 89 Notebook 3
Bill Rappleye: Born 1926: 9th INF. Division
U.S.S Wakefield with 6,000 soldiers. Basic training at Camp Hood in Texas. The southern men and women did not like the “Yankie soldiers” He went from England to Le Havre, France. Bill was sea sick all 6 days going overseas. Bill got into battle in March 1945, Bill went to France as a prison guard. There were condemned men there. Bill fought in the Harz mountains and also met the Russians at the Elbe River. Bill saw 2 Germans who had surrendered to Americans who then saw a Russians sargent shoot both Germans. Bill felt the American officers should have been courts martialed for this. Bill said about 60% of the prisoners he guarded were men who drove the Red Ball Express, they solds the goods off their trucks on the black market.