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TI: Well, I'd like to go into Italy and talk a little bit about the fighting in Italy because that's where you were wounded and would like to understand how you lost part of your arm. So if you could talk about this.

DI: Well, I think it's true that there are moments in combat that you get temporarily insane, I think, because a rational person, a reasonable person, would not do those things. Now, in my case, I was in charge of this platoon and as we progressed during the morning, I was shot through the guts. And the messenger walking behind me said, "Hey, you're bleeding." I thought some rocket hit me or something like that and I looked around and it was nothing. So when he said I'm bleeding, I put my hand there and sure enough there's blood, but it did not hurt. One thing about internal injury, there are not too many pain nerve endings there. So I said well, it's not bleeding too badly. I keep on going. And then all hell broke loose. That's when the machine guns stopped us and so by luck, I knocked out the first one and the second one. I'm getting ready with a grenade in my hand, and when I turned around I saw this German standing just about fifteen feet away with his rifle grenade aimed at me. Thank God he was a lousy shot, he hit my elbow instead of me. And so I'm happy I had the presence of mind, I began looking for my grenade. I told them, "Hit the ground," because there's a grenade somewhere. It was in my right hand. It was frozen -- at that moment I think muscles all froze -- so I took it out and threw it at him.

TI: So you took it out of your right hand, the grenade?

DI: Yeah. And now, my limb is just hanging with shreds and it's flapping and the blood is just shooting out, and you got to be crazy for me to pick up my tommy gun and move forward and fire. Then I got hit in the leg and I rolled down the hill, and then I applied the tourniquet and told them to keep on going until everything was over. But, you see, you might say that's heroics, but if I had to think about it today, you don't think I'd be charging in there like that. The first injury I would say good-bye, I'm going. But at that time I suppose I was young and mission was very important.

TI: Well, thank very much for your time. This has been a wonderful interview.

DI: We're bunch a crazy men, weren't we?

TI: It's an incredible story and that's why we're here capturing... thank you so much for your time.

<End Segment 20> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.