Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Capps asks Gurdon residents to remember freedom has a cost

Austin Capps, 92, served as a colonel in World War II and was known in Maraca, France for how fast he could unload or load the tools of war off of a ship.

"We got two cups," Capps said on May 18. "We were the U.S. Armys 379 Port Battalion. Our first award cup was for our speed in getting a ship unloaded or loaded of equipment needed in the war action. I was on the port. We unloaded off shore and brought the equipment up to use through ducts.

"The second cup was for having the best baseball team in Casa Blanca, North Africa."

His years of active duty were 1942, 1943, 1944 and 1945. Austin came off of active duty as a lieutenant colonel.

However, he was in the reserves until around 1959, with promotions continuing. Austin retired from the United States Army as a full colonel.

During World War II, Col. Capps not only served in North Africa and France, but was in Naples, Italy.

He know the famous World War II General George Patton.

"General Patton was known as old blood and guts," Austin said.

"And he was. I was in a little shop buying a pair of boots and Patton was ordering himself a pair.

"It was a great day for me, to have a chance to visit with him."

Col. Capps also met Winston Churchill. He said Churchill came to his troops and sang, "You are my Sunshine" with the men.

When asked about the upcoming holiday and its significance, Austin thought a minute about Armistice Day, now Memorial Day.

He said God protected him on his tour of duty. Col. Capps told of an incident where he nearly lost his life.

"The Lord took care of me," he said. "My men and I were in a warehouse bunking in North Africa. I heard the shell coming and realized I might die. It was a 50 mm and it landed about a foot from where I had been sleeping."

As to what stood out in his mind about serving the United States in World War II, for Col. Capps it was the equipment he got so used to handling.

"The United States Army had better equipment than Germany, Japan or any of them in World War II. That helped us tremendously," Austin said.

"Still, many of us didnt know if we could keep enough gasoline in General Pattons tank, for all the running he did in it during the war. But despite the tanks bad gas mileage, we kept it full and we won that war!"

Memorial Day

Austin said what he would like his hometown of Gurdon to remember, as Memorial Day comes and goes this year, is "it is very important to celebrate this day because we won the war and we have a free country.

"That freedom is just as important today as when peace was declared and we won World War II."

Austins son, James Austin Capps, just returned from the current war in Iraq and retired from the service two months ago.

Jim, or James Austin Jr., said he is a retired Air Force colonel and served in the first conflict in Iraq, as well as the current Iraq war.

"I flew a combat mission over Iraq with a B-52 and bombed them from 30,000 feet," he said.

"As to Memorial Day, it started out as Armistice Day and to honor our soldiers for the peace that came after World War II. Now, as Memorial Day, it is to honor all of our war dead, both then and since."

Jim said in World War II it was common for the United States to lose 6,000 men in a battle. He said those soldiers should be remembered with honor because they gave their lives so the United States could be free.

Austin said he is glad the American public seems to have a good attitude toward their current soldiers. But of the conflict in Iraq, he took a stand to bring it to a close as soon as possible.

"I think what is going on in Iraq is terrible," he said. "I think we ought to bring it to an end. We need to send enough troops over there to take care of the problem and then come on home. That would cost less American lives than dragging it out," Austin said.

Capps, who retired as the owner of Austins Rental on Main Street this past year, has been a businessman in Gurdon ever since leaving the service.

Although his grandson, Jon Capps, is now the official manager of Austins Rentals, Austin comes down to the shop nearly every day and rarely misses a Rotary meeting on Thursday.

Col. Capps has inspired at least one other Gurdon resident to a military career.

Col. Charles Bullard said Austin was who he looked up to as a child and played a big part in his joining the service and staying in for an Army career.

Bullard served in the Vietnam War and was in Vietnam. His career spanned more than three decades.

Bullard said of Iraq and todays military, "Our troops are there because they want to be. There is no draft like in Col. Capps day, or in Vietnam when I was in. This Army is made up of trained men and women who believe they are fighting for the rights of those in Iraq to be free. We need to stand beside our soldiers and honor them on Memorial Day."