Number of rows in "":1
Current data for Contributor
Kazmierski, Austin (Interviewer)
Number of rows in "":1
Current data for Date
2015-05-28
Number of rows in "":1
Current data for Description
James Laidlaw was born in Detroit on December 13, 1938. After turning 18 he volunteered for the draft and was inducted into the Army. He received basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri and truck mechanic training at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas. He was stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma with an artillery battalion and served as a lieutenant's driver. In September 1957 the unit sailed to Italy and was stationed in the area around Vicenza near the Austrian and Yugoslavian borders. During his time in Italy the unit conducted war games and maintained a presence in northern Italy to keep the Soviet Union from any attempts to move into Austria or Italy. Upon the death of his father he received an emergency leave home, and after 30 days was discharged from the Army in Chicago.