Pfc. August Farias Jr.
31305749
H company, 329th Infantry Regiment, 83rd Infantry Division
July 24, 1924 - May 12, 2016
Pfc. August Farias Jr.
31305749
H company, 329th Infantry Regiment
83rd Infantry Division
Awards and decorations
Biography and Wartime Service
August Farias Jr. also known as 'Gus' or 'Augie' but even better known as 'Mousie' was born in New Bedford on July 24, 1924 as the son of Mary Paulo DeSilva and Augusto Farias, both of his parents where born in Azores, Portugal. He enlisted on March 23, 1943 in Boston, Massachusetts. He joined H Company, 329th Infantry on August 16, 1944 somewhere outside of St. Malo and remained with them until the end of the war. After the war, he was employed as a forklift operator at Chamberlain Manufacturing and later was a deliveryman for Rex Potato Chips until his retirement. Gus was a member of the 83rd Infantry Division Association and American Legion, Post 1, New Bedford.
August Farias, Jr. passed away on May 12, 2016 at home following a period of declining health. He was the companion of the late Hazel C. Kristoffersen.
The following testimony was originally submitted by Mousie to the Thunderbolt Magazine of the 83rd Infantry Division Association in 2016.
My name is Private First Class August Farias, and I was inducted March 23, 1943 at the age of 18 years, 6 months, just like other young men from all over the U.S.A. We made up a new Infantry Division the 75th. We trained at Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo under the supervision of the 83rd Cavalry unit. We had 9 weeks of basic training and it was rough. I mean rough. We left Fort Leonard and went to Camp Pope, La for three more weeks of rough maneuvers.
We left Camp Pope, La to Camp Breckenridge, Ky. We stayed there for a month and then were seperated. Some went to Japan but I was lucky and went to Europe as a replacement for the 83rd Inf. Division that trained me with the rough basic training and maneuvers.
We went to Cherbourg, France and then on to trucks to Brittany, France where the 83rd was fighting. I went to Co. H headquarters heavy weapons platoon. When Lt. Fitzgerald saw me, he said what am I going to do with you young soldier? He also said you weigh 120lbs. 5'2" tall and each part of the 81mm mortar is half your weight. My army buddy Ed Cox from Cleveland, Ohio said give the "mouse" my job which is a line man between the gunner and the front line about 500 feet (away). My platoon leader was Lt. McGee and my Sgt. was Fred Lynn from New Jersey and my gunner was Clark Johnson from Virginia. Sgt. Lynn was a very good pianist. Ed Cox gave me my nickname "Mousie" and I've had it for 62 years.
We were called the 'Rag Tag Division' from the Rhineland to the Elbe River. I still write and call Lt. Fitzgerald and report the news to him. I am now "Mousie" 5'2" Co H. Reporter. We have 5 battle stars, a distinguished unit badge (for actions) near Duren.
We waited 3 weeks for the Russians. I was eating jelly beans in a jeep and one of my buddies said, "Mousie, there is a reporter from the Boston Globe to talk to you" He asked me where I lived and I said (I was) from the whaling city of the world, and now is the number one fishing port of the world - New Bedford, Mass.
We went to the city of Zerbst where there was a large German hospital. The next day we crossed the Elbe on pontoon boats. The one I was on had 329th life preserve. Fifty years later while on tour near the Elbe, we had the pontoon boat but a different operator and he was surprised also.
Sunday Jan 22, 2006 we had a service honoring the four chaplains that died in 1943 on the SS Dorchester and I salute them and all veterans.
Your buddy,
August Farias.
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