Sitman, Joseph M. Jr., St. Helena Parish, Louisiana
File prepared by D.N. Pardue and submitted by Inez Bridges Tate.
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Submitted to the LAGenWeb Archives
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From "St. Helena Vets Remember World War II: Personal Interviews
With World War II Vets", published by St. Helena Historical
Association, 1995.  Compiled and edited by Inez Bridges Tate and
reprinted with permission.

     Joseph M. Sitman, Jr. (Joe) grew up in Greensburg and
graduated from high school from Gulf Coast Military Academy,
Gulfport, Mississippi in 1936.  For a brief time, he attended
Southeastern but returned to his home to work in his father's 
General Merchandise Store.

     Joe continued his work in the store until he was inducted
into the U.S. Army through the Selective Service System (pre-
dates the draft).  This was very early 1941 as he recalls he had
almost completed his year of duty when Pearl Harbor ended his
hope of "early-out."  Others leaving Greensburg at the same time
(2-19-41) included Lake Harvell, Sam McNabb and at least seven
or eight other guys with one black guy.  Basic training was at
Camp Blandon, Florida and Camp Bowie, Texas.  Joe was in the
156th Infantry (part of the old 31st Division).  In early 1942,
he left Camp Bowie for New York where he was deployed to England
on an English ship.

     Once they reached England, the 156th Infantry Regiment was
split.  My company, Company I, was sent to London to relieve a 
company of Marines who were doing guard duty at the American
Embassy.  Joe remained in London serving as a guard and endured
the bombing by the Germans.  He referred to them as "buzz bombs",
throwing shrapnel about.  He spent a lot of time with Barney
Bridges from nearby Tangipahoa.  Joe attained the rank of 
Sergeant and was a Squad Leader in the 4th Platoon.

     Joe continued to be stationed in London until two or three
months prior to the planned invasion of Europe.  At that time,
they were moved to do guard duty for the troops who were sched-
uled to make the fateful invasion.  To insure that the planned
invasion remained secret, the troops were not allowed to leave
the camp or speak with anyone outside the camp.  This was the reason
Company I and others were moved in to do guard duty.

     Joe went to France about 4-5 weeks after D Day (June 6,
1944).  There they served until after the war ended.  He was
able to go into Paris.  He remained in France until he was
rotated home, returning to the United States aboard an American
ship.  He proceeded to Camp Shelby, Mississippi where he received
his discharge on October 20, 1945.

     Upon returning to Greensburg, he entered into business with
his father, Mr. Joseph M. Sitman, Sr., in January 1946.  Joe is
now retired, but still works part time for his nephew Richard
Sitman who now owns the business.  The business is one of the
oldest in the parish.

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Newspaper clipping:

GREENSBURG SOLDIER
LECTURES TO BRITISH
HOME GUARD COMPANY

  Corporal Joseph M. Sitman, Jr.,
23 years old, son of Mr. and Mrs.
J.M. Sitman, Sr., recently gave a
lecture-demonstration to a British
Home Guard unit in London.
  The Home Guard unit to which
Corporal Sitman spoke includes
some of the most famous names in
British journalism, for it was the
Reuter's and Press Association
company of the Home Guard's 
Press Battalion.
  Included in its roster are distin-
guished British reporters and edi-
tors as well as printers, linotype
operators, copy boys and others in
newspaper work in London's Fleet
Street.
  Corporal Sitman was one of
seven enlisted men who explained
the nomenclature, use and repair, 
and assembling and disassembling
of United States Army small arms.
While the Greensburg soldier was
discussing the 30-caliber air-cooled
machine gun, other soldiers dealth
with the M-1 (Garand) rifle, the
Browning automatic rifle, the
Thompson 45-caliber submachine
gun, the 60-caliber mortar and the
45-caliber pistol.
  Corporal Sitman was graduated
from Gulf Coast Military Academy,
Gulfport, Mississippi, in 1936.  He
attended Southeastern College for
a year, and worked as a clerk in his
father's general store in Greens-
burg.
  He entered the Army two years
ago and trained at Camp Living-
ston, Louisiana; Camp Blanding,
Florida; Savanah, Georgia, and 
Camp Bowie, Texas.  He has been
in England nine months.

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