William Lundberg Jr. Oral History

Authors

St. Cloud State University

Document Type

Interview

Publication Date

11-21-1990

Abstract

Biographical Information:

William Lundberg Jr. was born May 11, 1917. A veteran of World War II and the Korean War, Lundberg enlisted in the Minnesota National Guard in 1934 at just 16 years old. In World War II, Lundberg fought in North Africa, Italy, France, and Germany, as a warrant officer in the 995^th Field Artillery Battalion. He served during the Korean War with the 34^th Infantry Division. In 1964, he was promoted to colonel and, later, to major general and commander of the 47^th Infantry Division. In 1967, he led 600 troops to quell a riot along Plymouth Avenue in Minneapolis. In 1972, Lundberg, now the division commander, oversaw the troops sent to violent antiwar protests at the University of Minnesota and received praise from Governor Wendell Anderson for the restraint shown by his troops. In 1976, he retired as major general. He and his wife Mercedes had two children: Kathleen and William. Lundberg died on March 17, 1998.

Transcript Summary:

Lundberg joined the Minnesota National Guard at just 16 years old in 1934. Before being deployed to Europe, he became the youngest regimental sergeant major in the United States Army. In World War II, Lundberg fought in North Africa, Italy, France, and Germany, as Chief Warrant Officer in the 995^th Field Artillery Battalion. Participating in the fighting in Italy at Anzio, Monte Cassino, and all the way up to Rome and Florence before taking part in the invasion of southern France. His battalion’s exploits were featured in an article in the Field Artillery Journal. Lundberg was stationed at Strasbourg, France at the beginning of the Battle of the Bulge. He mentioned that he, along with all three of his younger brothers, two in his division and one in the Navy, all arrived home in the United States on the same day.

Interviewed by David Overy

Comments

Image ID: 14271

See additional files below for full transcript.

Recommended Citation

St. Cloud State University, "William Lundberg Jr. Oral History" (1990). World War II Veterans. 8.
https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/worldwar_oh/8