Memorial

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Tec 5 William P. Calhoun was a Prisoner Of War and killed by friendly fire while being liberated by American troops.

Statement of Sgt. Carl Roof:
"I met Bill on the first of July in France. We were both in the same company and on the 6th of September we were captured together. At Limburg, Germany, this is where we were registered prisoners of war. We became real buddies here and shared everything from here on. We arrived at III-C on 30 September, and both went to the same company. Here we bunked together, ate together and were never separated. I won't tell you it was all rosy because I know you want exactly how things happened. The Lord was with us as far as being hungry was concerned. When things looked the worst I found a $10.00 money order that the "Jerries" overlooked when we were captured and with that I got thirty items in bread, oatmeal, sugar and butter. This lasted us until our Red Cross parcels started coming regular. Of course you know Bill didn't smoke and I don't either so we always traded our cigarettes for bread. I can speak a little German and so was able to make quite a few trades. I was also on the regular detail to go to town for the parcels and always managed to bring bread back by trading with the French. Bill usually stayed around the barracks and took advantage of the bargains that the boys had. He also kept our place in the room straightened plus the cooking. You see I'm helpless when it comes to things like that so that made us a good team. This lasted to 1 February 1945 when Bill was killed. I know you want to know how it happened so I will give the details. I was at the Russian hospital at the time but when I went back to the barracks the boys said that Brewer had been hit and Bill was with him but they didn't know about him, so Hook, a friend of Brewers, and I ran back to the hospital. I found Bill on a stretcher and there were over a hundred other wounded and only a couple doctors. Most of the men were French and Italians. I went right in the operating room and saw how busy they were so went back to Bill and carried him in the operating room to the table. The doctor told me he would take him next. I stooped down and asked him how bad he was hurt and he said he didn't know. He died just before we put him on the table. I can assure you that he didn't suffer much. He lived one hour after he was hit. It was five P.M. Feb. 1. when he left us. I then carried him to a little building for the night. Of all the things I went through and saw I can say nothing hit me so hard. I hadn't cried in years to that day. The following day I made preparations for his burial. Carl made the box for him and I got the fellow who led the services and the choir sang. It was all I could do. I put a picture of his beloved parents in his hand. That is all I took from his billfold. I trust Carl gave you the billfold, logbook and Bible. I carried them all the way to the States and I know Bill would have done the same for me."