US AIRBORNE

Many Thank you to James for agreeing to answer my questions and his wife Dorie for his help!

James F Starks was born in January 15, 1925 in Rochester, New York. It was during the Great Depression, his father, Milton Starks, although he suffers from tuberculosis and had to make many treatment, worked as a carpenter at Kodak Co. His mother, Minnie Starks stayed home to raise children. James have two brothers, the first born in July 1922 and the second much later in January 1940.

 “My older brother served in Pacific during WWII and my younger brother served in National Guard. Having our younger brother helped to get our mother through the war years while my brother and I were away.”

Meanwhile, James had a happy childhood, particularly within the Scouting movement. James attendedclasses at Monroe High School in Rochester-Ran. He graduated in January 1943.
On April 5, 1943, James Starks is expected to serve his country, he was 18 year old. After completing basic training at Fort McCall, North Carolina, James Starks was assigned to the 155th Airborne Anti-Aircraft Battalion, 17th Airborne Division. He joined Battery F.
This unit, originally, was transported on the battlefield by glider, and then, some were trained to become a paratrooper.

 “During training asked to be assigned to paratroops because they earned more money but were refused. Just before leaving for Europe we were offered a chance to change but at that point we refused. We thought it not a good time to be learning something new.”

Photo taken at Lookout Mountain, Tennessee in July 1943. James Starks stand near guns dating from the Civil War.

The James’ battery was supposed to be a Anti-aircraft battery.

 “The primary weapon was 50 cal. machine gun used to shoot at airplanes. By the time we got to England this had become almost obsolete and we were made an anti-tank Unit using the new bazookas.”
 In autumn 1943, James accompanied the 17th Airborne overseas. This will be a good trip for James, he was not one of those who suffered from seasickness and then the reception in England was very warm.

“The people were glad to have us come to help against the Germans. “On my time off I went many times to the home of the Brain family in Swindon, England--mother, father, with a son and two daughters who were younger than I was. With them I went to visit local places of history and I had many good meals in their home.  With other guys in my outfit I went to London several times and we also had meals there.”

During this period in England, James went to Liverpool to receive the assignment of a jeep.

“I went up to Liverpool and picked up a jeep and drove it back to Swindon (on the WRONG side of the road for me).  On the way back, after not getting much sleep, I dozed off and drifted off the middle of the road.  The wing nut that held up the roof of the jeep hit a vehicle coming the other way and it knocked me right off the road.  Obviously it woke me right up!”

In December, the Germans launched their major offensive in the Ardennes. The 17th Airborne Division, first place in alert, left England for the front. On 23 December 1944, C-47 takes off carrying James. Arriving in France, the convoy drove first to the Belgian border before entering Belgium directly.
The weather was cold and snowy. A terrible weather!
During this journey James remembers:

 “On my way from France to the bulge we stopped at a Belgium home.  I remember playing pinochle with the family.  Although we didn't speak the same language we were able to play cards because the rules of the game didn't change.”

James, as a jeep driver had the mission to transport ammunition to the HQ positions of its battery.

 “I had a 50 caliber machine gun mounted between the driver seat and the passenger seat.  There was an incendiary grenade mounted on the steering column.  If I had to abandon the jeep I was supposed to set the grenade off and it would cut the steering column off which would disable the jeep so it couldn't be used by the enemy. The shell, one armor-piercing shell-the others were regular bullets.  According to the rules of war we were not to use the shells accept to hit aircraft but no one read the rules so we used them for ground fighting.  Upon orders, I would discharge the shells into the woods and the armor-piercing shell would slice through a tree that was 8 inches in diameter.  Any enemies seeing that would come out of the woods with their hands up to surrender and they would be captured. The ammunition for the machine gun was loaded back when we were supposed be an anti-craft unit. For every five shells there was one incendiary shell, one tracer”

James had several moment of fear that he remembered all his life:

 “We were stationed on the sides of the road where the Germans were advancing.  We had to keep out of the line of fire.

I was lucky-an 88 mm. shell was coming right at me and I had just bent down in a slit trench so it missed me.  Another time a fragment of a shell hit my foot but I was wearing combat boots so it didn't penetrate.  I carried that fragment with me for a long time.”

But, his worst memory of this time was in the village of Malmedy.

 “There was one narrow road going through the village so going one way in the morning I had to drive over a dead soldier's legs. By the time I returned later in the day, I had to drive over him again but by now he was just a bump in the road after many vehicles and driven over him. I assume this should not have bothered me since he was already dead but it does when I think of it.”

Throughout this period, James was lucky he was never wounded.
He just had frostbite to his feet but nothing serious.
After the Ardennes campaign, James took part in Operation Varsity and advance in Germany.
This period is very blurred for James. He did not recall having any part in Operation Varsity as such.
I can only assume that because James does not remember what happened to be on the ground in a glider, which would normally have the mark, he came up with the convoys of supplies and ammunition. Guess not as silly driving a jeep which was carrying ammunition.
By cons, James remembers very well the making of Muenster. That day, he saved the life of a lieutenant.

 “The Lieutenant was a member of a ground troop that was advancing against the Germans on the outskirts of Muenster. He was wounded and I volunteered to go after him.  To get out on the field where he was lying there was a gate he had to go through which was too narrow for the jeep to fit. We have to chop down one post to make the opening wide enough for the jeep to go through.  I drove out into the battlefield with another soldier, picked up the Lieutenant and bring him back behind the lines to a first aid station where he could be treated.  On the way back to their unit we came upon two German soldiers who had been left behind by their troops and rather than taking them prisoner or shooting them, I decided to have them remove their belts so they would have to hold up their pants preventing them from shooting any Allies until they were captured by others.   I brought home two german Army belt buckles.  When I told to our kids this story they weren't sure whether or not to believe me but I swears that it is true!  I never heard about what happened to the Lieutenant after he got him to the first aid station.”

This act of bravery earned him the Bronze Star. Then the rest of this period in his fuzzy memory of James. At the end of the war, he remembers that his unit served as army of occupation:

 “We lived in German houses and the residents would come in the mornings to clean house and weed gardens, etc.”

At the end of the war, James Starks had permission; he took the opportunity to visit Switzerland. At the end of the war, when his unit was disbanded, James Starks was transferred to the 101st Airborne Division.

Photo taken at the end of War.

On December 15, 1945, James embarked on a ship that left France. He arrived in New York Dec. 27, 1945.

 “I went to Fort Dix, NJ.  We were not supposed to go further than NY City but I sneaked a ride home to Rochester, NY.”On January 6, 1946, James Starks is discharged. With the "GI Bill”, James resumed his studies. He graduated from Syracuse University in January 1950, he obtained his BA in Marketing. “I Worked at Bausch and Lomb Optical Co. for 31 years in 4 different capacities-Marketing, Materials Management, Manufacturing and Personnel Relations.  I retired early and started a Natural Foods business called Lori's Natural Foods, Inc. in 1981.  Lori is my daughter's name and we went into business together.  The store continues to do well.”In 1951, he met his future wife, Dorie, with whom he married in 1952. Together they had 2 sons and a daughter. Today, they also have two granddaughters. Since the end of the war, James returned to Europe twice:

“I took the family to Europe in 1972-we went to Luxemburg, France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Germany.  In 1979 Dorie and I went to England and Scotland.  In England she met the Brain family that had befriended me when I was in service.”

James still has his uniform and his medals: the Bronze Star, Good Conduct Medal, Victory Medal, American Service Medal and the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal. He brought back memories as the two belts taken on the soldiers he captured near Muenster. And a pistol P38.
With age, James gradually loses vision. But, still, he remains very active.

 “I have a strong sense of family. I still get into Lori's once a week where one of the employees helps me to put together an order of spices, essentials oils and related products. I write an article for Lori's Monthly Newsletter (I dictate and Dorie writes). When I had sight I loved to fish and hunt. I am active in my Church where we belong to a Social Outreach Committee where we advocate for helping to improve people's lives, here and in the world and to work for justice and peace in our world.”Today, James and Dorie live in Fairport, NY. “Dorie and I were both born in Rochester but we have lived in Fairport for over 53 years..  I built our own home where we lived for 52 years and now we are in a smaller place.”

Veteran's day, 11 November 2010. Jim wore his jacket and shirt to church on Sunday and the whole congregation stood up and clapped. What a wonderful tribute to him for his service.