William McCool was born in Rockledge, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia, in 1925. His father had difficulty finding steady work during the Great Depression. McCool's father had to finally go to work as a truck driver for his father. McCool's father was able to feed his family that way. Times were absolutely tough during those times. McCool's grandmother worked for a wealthy man who was ill. She only visited her family on Sundays. McCool was drafted while he was in the 12th grade. He was given his physical and was on his way.

William McCool never thought he would be in the war although his uncles served in the military. He had been trained for Pacific combat, but when he joined the 89th Division [Annotator's Note: McCool was assigned to Company E, 2nd Battalion, 355th Infantry Regiment, 89th Infantry Division], he was given an additional two weeks of house to house combat training. The 89th Division was destined for Europe in support of General Patton [Annotator's Note: US Army Lieutenant General George S. Patton, Jr.]. When they reached Le Havre, they climbed down ropes on their ship and went ashore in rough seas. McCool had been trained as a rifleman in a squad of 12 men. He was in the 355th Infantry Regiment. He reached the combat zone in the area of the Battle of the Bulge during January 1945.

William McCool and his unit [Annotator's Note: Company E, 2nd Battalion, 355th Infantry Regiment, 89th Infantry Division] reached Mersch, Luxembourg. General Patton [Annotator's Note: US Army Lieutenant General George S. Patton, Jr.] ordered them into the combat that was wrapping up the Battle of the Bulge. The regiment continued on to the Moselle and Elbe Rivers. McCool used road maps to keep track of his European movements. After the war, Patton told the unmarried men that they would be part of the 15th Army which would assault Japan. That was a shock. The atomic bombs were dropped so McCool ended up in Germany serving occupation duty instead of fighting in Japan. The regiment focused on capturing factories that employed slave labor during the war. Workers in those facilities were from all across Europe. After hospital check-out, the labors were sent back home by train. During his first combat, it was hard to believe he was constantly shooting his M-1 rifle [Annotator's Note: .30 caliber M-1 rifle, also referred to as the M-1 Garand]. The Germans returning fire frightened him. He survived only by keeping in mind he had to do what he had to do to get home. One officer shot his own hand in order to return home. He was charged for doing so. He never attended reunions after the war because he was killed in Korea. The fighting was nerve-wracking for McCool. He will not touch a gun today. He had to have psychiatric help after the war to justify why he had to use his rifle to kill the rotten people who were running concentration camps.

William McCool saw starved and helpless people at Ohrdruf Concentration Camp. There were ovens for disposal of corpses. Women and men were killed in numerous German camps. It was sickening and disgusting to see humans in that condition. The killing was horrible. It was shocking how wealthy the SS became in the camp. They did not care about the people they put into the ovens. Patton [Annotator's Note: US Army Lieutenant General George S. Patton, Jr.] was sickened to see the results of the Nazi treatment of the inmates. McCool speaks to students about what he saw. The troops were told not to feed their k-rations to the liberated inmates. Their bodies would not accept the food. Three days and two nights stationed at the camp was enough for McCool. Ike [Annotator's Note: then US Army General Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander and later President of the United States] gave McCool's 89th Infantry Division a unit citation for its efforts. While in Ohrdruf, McCool was given the task of bringing the mayor to the camp. When he reached the mayor's home, he found that the German had hung himself. The SS was still near the camp and fighting occurred where McCool and his M-1 [Annotator's Note: .30 caliber M-1 rifle, also referred to as the M-1 Garand] had to stand ready for action. McCool and his buddies opened fire on the SS. No one can tell how many SS were killed in the action around the camp. Some German prisoners were taken. The Americans had discovered the concentration camp by following the foul odor that emanated from there. McCool initially thought it might be a factory but was discovered to be a killing camp for Jewish people. McCool remains bitter over his memories of the camp.

William McCool is frustrated that some educators deny that the Holocaust occurred. Some authors have had books published denying the camps existed. McCool's 355th Infantry Regiment [Annotator's Note: 355th Infantry Regiment, 89th Infantry Division] fought along with the 4th Armored Division to protect the tanks. The BAR [Annotator's Note: Browning Automatic Rifle] man in his squad was pleased to fire on the SS. The town was just a mile and a half from the camp. McCool and his fellow veterans discussed for years what they experienced in Ohrdruf. McCool has lost many of his buddies over the last ten years. He is committed to talking with students about those horrible memories. He feels good when he receives a warm welcome from the audiences he addresses.

William McCool left Ohrdruf, Germany and its concentration camp bound for Dresden, Leipzig, and then Zwickau on the Czechoslovakian border. At that point, V-E Day [Annotator's Note: Victory in Europe Day, 8 May 1945] happened. The men who were slated to go to Japan were relieved when the atomic bombs were dropped and V-J Day [Annotator's Note: Victory Over Japan Day, 15 August 1945] resulted. McCool remained in Germany. McCool has strong feelings about serving in the Army. He feels that some countries that are being defended will never successfully accept democracy. McCool resents seeing volunteer warriors who have been severely wounded in the recent wars. Their sacrifices may not have produced much of a gain in the overseas conflict.

William McCool engaged in his first combat near Mersch, Luxembourg. His regiment [Annotator's Note: McCool was a member of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 355th Infantry Regiment, 89th Infantry Division] fought SS troops. He has no idea of how many people he killed during his time at the front. The area in Luxembourg was the same place where his father had fought in World War 1. McCool could share geographic information with his father back home because of his dad's familiarity with the region. The fighting in Mersch started with scouts preceding the outfit. McCool lost his hearing due to artillery fire. He never subsequently claimed the loss. He was just happy to get home and marry his girlfriend. Fighting was not McCool's cup of tea, but he learned fast. It was either him or the enemy. The Germans had the nerve to take uniforms from dead Americans to try and infiltrate the Allied lines. Patton [Annotator's Note: US Army Lieutenant General George S. Patton, Jr.] reacted strongly. The General had the 8th Air Force vigorously attack the Germans. McCool fought house to house and even encountered females shooting American soldiers. He kept account of his locations across Europe on a map to share with his father upon his return home. He had a pistol but no other weapons as a souvenir. Someone took the pistol from his bag before he returned home. Before McCool advanced into Germany, the Rhine River was tough to cross. The SS resistance was very strong. The Germans were ready and still felt they could win. The 355th Infantry Regiment helped curtail the German advance for the Battle of the Bulge. The battles through the Rhineland and the Black Forests of Germany were against aggressive SS troops. American armor was used successfully against them. McCool would later return to that area to see his son who was in service there. They surveyed the territory that McCool had fought through. They could not enter the Russian zones at that time. McCool crossed the Rhine in flat bottom Navy boats with German artillery constantly firing on them. It was a tough crossing. A friend aided a wounded man upon reaching the German side of the river. He was decorated for his action. McCool received the Bronze Star for his actions. After reaching the opposite side, the Americans called for artillery support against the enemy. There was always a risk that Germans had captured an American radio and were giving bad coordinates that would result in friendly fire incidents. The 89th Infantry Division crossed the Rhine composed of McCool's 355th Infantry Regiment along with the 353rd Infantry Regiment and the 354th Infantry Regiment.

William McCool crossed the Rhine River. He and another soldier were sent forward as scouts. Hidden by grape vineyards, the terrain was excellent cover until they reached the high ground. McCool and his outfit [Annotator's Note: Company E, 2nd Battalion, 355th Infantry Regiment, 89th Infantry Division] dug in after the Rhine crossing. He shared his combat experiences with his father [Annotator's Note: McCool's father had served in the same region during World War 1]. Actions were fought against the Germans defending their towns. Snipers were dangerous. The Hitler Youth surrounded McCool and the other scout and captured them. The troops took the weapons from the two Americans. Later, the Americans escaped and found a rifle but no ammunition. The farmer nearby did not know what became of the ammunition. The Germans had fed and provided water twice a day to the Americans while they were captives. McCool was held for three days and two nights prior to escaping. The local farmer told the Americans that the Hitler Youth simply left and went home. The Americans worked their way back toward their lines and found a truck for the 89th Division. The two men returned to their unit. Their commanding officer told the two former POWs [Annotator's Note: prisoner of war] that they were lucky. McCool's family received word from the War Department that their son was missing in action. The family was very relieved to have mail arrive from McCool after his escape. They knew roughly where McCool was because of his father sharing common combat locations. McCool's commanders, including his regimental commander Colonel Harris [Annotator's Note: US Army Colonel Jessie Harris], commended him for what he had done. He was awarded the Bronze Star for his actions. Army life was not easy for McCool. He did not think he would make the physical requirements before he was enlisted. Boot camp training was rugged. After returning to his squad, McCool discovered that replacements had been received for him and his fellow escapee. The unit moved on to Gotha, Germany. Progress was then southerly to Ohrdruf where a concentration camp was discovered.

William McCool was adversely affected by his experiences in the Ohrdruf concentration camp. It took eight years after the war for him to recover. He had prewar contacts with Jews and never understood how or why they could be so harshly treated. It infuriates him when people deny that the Holocaust actually existed. His experience at the concentration camp made him want to shoot any SS trooper he encountered. McCool and his friend speak to students to educate them on what actually happened. McCool remembers getting along with his fellow squad members. McCool thought the Second World War would end all wars. The conflicts since then seem useless in comparison. World War 2 did bring the country out of the Depression. McCool was surprised to be drafted while still in high school.