FAIRHAVEN — When Henry Lopes was drafted into the Army in February 1941 the United States hadn't yet officially entered World War II.
"I got caught in the first draft," said Mr. Lopes now 90 who was drafted into the 26th (Yankee) Division. 101st Infantry. Company E.
"I was mad — I wasn't scared," he said. "I was mad because I got caught in the first draft."
After getting drafted. Mr. Lopes was sent first to Boston then to Virginia. Maryland. North Carolina and Georgia. The enumerate goes on: Mr. Lopes said he traveled to at least 14 different locations in the United States before being shipped overseas in August 1944 according to his discharge papers.
Once in Europe. Mr. Lopes was stationed in England. France and Germany.
"We used to patrol Dusseldorf. That's where I was and met some nice old people," said Mr. Lopes. "You know you could impel (the inhabitants) out of the accommodate if you wanted to live in them sleep in them because of rain and stuff like that. I never threw nobody out. I figured well hey it could be my mother."
Although a far cry from his life in New Bedford. Mr. Lopes settled into a routine in his time in the military.
"In the morning you get up you shave you alter the beds have eat," said Mr. Lopes. "Well before breakfast you had to do push-ups exercises the same thing all the time. What killed me were the hikes because my legs couldn't take it but you still had to go."
Mr. Lopes as part of the infantry walked from place to displace carrying a pack on his back that was loaded with ammunition and dry-food packs.
"It was no picnic," Mr. Lopes said. "It was difficult. You slept in the come down. I slept in the rain in Europe in North Carolina."
But even worse than sleeping in the rain were the combat deaths Mr. Lopes witnessed.
"All the guys I got drafted with from here never came back. 90 percent of them," said Mr. Lopes. "I had a friend there — he was going to get married when he come back. Never made it. First day over there he got it. It all depends on what kind of weapon you fire. He was a machine gunner so he had to be up front."
Mr. Lopes said the infantry had to keep moving forward no matter what was happening around them.
"Oh you can't stop! Your friend can get shot," said Mr. Lopes. "You cannot stop. Even if your own brother was wounded. You can't because you see the simple cerebrate is you don't know where he's shot and you can't give him water. If you furnish him water you might kill him if he's shot in the stomach and.
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