Violet A. Kochendoerfer
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Army
Violet A. Kochendoerfer served with the American Red Cross in the European Theater.
She recalls,"I joined the WAAC in January, 1943, was trained as a Morse code radio operator and Link Trainer instructor but did not enlist in the Womens Army Corp (WAC).
"Instead, I accepted an assignment with the American Red Cross in the ETO. After enduring buzz bombs in London and watching our men take off from our 315th Troop Carrier Group in England on D-Day, I was sent to the continent.
"After service with 17th Airborne Infantry Div, I joined the 82nd Airborne as senior club director requisitioning buildings and providing regimental service clubs on our many moves. We made the historic crossing of the Elbe at Blekede, Germany where I lunched with our general staff, Gen. Ridgway (head of airborne) and British Field Marshal Montgomery.
"At Ludwigslust, 150,000 of the German army surrendered and we met and celebrated with the Russians in the castle of the Duke of Mecklenburg, toasting Stalin as they toasted Roosevelt. We liberated a concentration camp there and held a mass funeral for more than a hundred victims, with German military and citizens of surrounding villages commanded to attend.
"I took over Division duties of feeding thousands of starving DPs (displaced persons) of many nationalities. I was later with the advance party as 82nd Airborne moved into Berlin as occupation troops and was the first woman to drive the Helmstead Highway through the Russian zone which they later closed, requiring the Berlin Airlift. In Berlin, I was an invited dinner guest of Gen. Eisenhower along with Gen. Lucius Clay and others.
"When 82nd went home, I was in charge of 3 service clubs in the ETO Leave Center in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, where the 1936 Olympics had been held."
She was separated from the Red Cross in August of 1947.
Source: Hometown Heroes: The St. Louis County World War II Project. 149.
