John Burrows, Interview by Jack Bass, 10 December 2008

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Title:

John Burrows, Interview by Jack Bass, 10 December 2008

Interviewer:

Bass, Jack

Interviewee:

Burrows, John

Description:

John Burrows was born in Saginaw, Michigan. An excellent student and athlete he graduated high school and received a full scholarship to go The Citadel. He entered in September of 1936 as a civil engineer major, and quickly became number one in his class academically. He also excelled in football, basketball and track, making all-state for basketball three years in a row, and remains in the Citadel Athletic Hall of Fame. Upon graduation from The Citadel in 1940 he received a regular army commission and joined the 61st Coast Artillery Regiment. From there he was eventually assigned to the air defense division of the Supreme Headquarters under General Eisenhower in London, and oversaw the then top-secret plan codenamed Operation Overlord. Burrows recalls his decision to enter The Citadel and his active duty in WWII. Although never in direct combat, his time on the Supreme Headquarters staff allowed him an insider's perspective on the planning for Operation Overlord and the European Theater. He discusses the US Army's ingenuity when it came to advances in weaponry, which were occurring in front of his eyes. He also discusses in detail the German surrender at Reims and how the US Army so effectively handled the multitude of issues surrounding the details of such an event. Upon returning from his service in the army, Burrows worked for a book publishing company before returning to Charleston take a job as Assistant Commandant at The Citadel. Audio with transcript.

Collection Title:

The Citadel Oral History Program

Contributing Institution:

The Citadel Archives & Museum

Media Type:

Oral Histories

Note:

This interview is a part of the "Citadel WWII Alumni History Project." With generous support from the Humanities Council of South Carolina (http://www.schumanities.org/), the Citadel Oral History Program collected thirty interviews with Citadel alumni regarding their experiences during WWII. Journalist and historian Jack Bass conducted the interviews during the Fall of 2008.They serve as a powerful testament to the veterans' experiences and their critical contributions to the war effort. The digital recordings and transcripts are part of The Citadel Oral History Program Collection at The Citadel Archives & Museum.

Series:

The Citadel in War and in Peace

Sub-Series:

World War II

Personal or Corporate Subject:

Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina
Allied Forces. Supreme Headquarters

Topical Subject:

World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American, Operation Overlord, and V-1 bomb

S.C. County:

Charleston County (S.C.)

Language:

English

Shelving Locator:

The Citadel Oral History Program--World War II Alumni Services 2009.13.17

Date Digital:

2009-12

Digitization Specifications:

Mp3 derivative audio created with Audacity software.

Internet Media Type:

audio/mpeg

Copyright Status Statement:

Digital resource copyright 2011, The Citadel Archives

Admin ID:

220925