ex PFC Wintergreen Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 My father (who is still alive at 80) joined the army in 1940 just as they were phasing out the calvary - I believe he was at Ft Riley when one cav unit had all of its horses shot before converting to armor. He cadred with several units, such as the 1st Armored and the 4th Armored and narrowly missed being shipped to Tunisia and Sidi Bou Zid when the unit he was with was virtually wiped out. The 9th Armored was shipped to France in Sept 1944 and took up positions in the quiet Ardennes sector. He was in the 9th CCR on December 16 and talks about his unit losing 26 tanks in 20 minutes when the Germans attacked. He spent the rest of the "Bulge" surrounded in Bastogne until Patton "liberated" them. In March 1945 his unit crossed the bridge at Remagen several hours after its capture and has a fascinating story about being bombarded by V-2 rockets. He also participated in the liberation of at least one concentration camp. He was also in Korea (1950-51) with the 2nd Infantry division and found it to be a far worse combat experience than facing the Germans in WWII. He was interviewed a couple of times last year by David Halberstam for an upcoming book on the 2nd Infantry divsion in Korea. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ex PFC Wintergreen Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 My father (who is still alive at 80) joined the army in 1940 just as they were phasing out the calvary - I believe he was at Ft Riley when one cav unit had all of its horses shot before converting to armor. He cadred with several units, such as the 1st Armored and the 4th Armored and narrowly missed being shipped to Tunisia and Sidi Bou Zid when the unit he was with was virtually wiped out. The 9th Armored was shipped to France in Sept 1944 and took up positions in the quiet Ardennes sector. He was in the 9th CCR on December 16 and talks about his unit losing 26 tanks in 20 minutes when the Germans attacked. He spent the rest of the "Bulge" surrounded in Bastogne until Patton "liberated" them. In March 1945 his unit crossed the bridge at Remagen several hours after its capture and has a fascinating story about being bombarded by V-2 rockets. He also participated in the liberation of at least one concentration camp. He was also in Korea (1950-51) with the 2nd Infantry division and found it to be a far worse combat experience than facing the Germans in WWII. He was interviewed a couple of times last year by David Halberstam for an upcoming book on the 2nd Infantry divsion in Korea. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ex PFC Wintergreen Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 My father (who is still alive at 80) joined the army in 1940 just as they were phasing out the calvary - I believe he was at Ft Riley when one cav unit had all of its horses shot before converting to armor. He cadred with several units, such as the 1st Armored and the 4th Armored and narrowly missed being shipped to Tunisia and Sidi Bou Zid when the unit he was with was virtually wiped out. The 9th Armored was shipped to France in Sept 1944 and took up positions in the quiet Ardennes sector. He was in the 9th CCR on December 16 and talks about his unit losing 26 tanks in 20 minutes when the Germans attacked. He spent the rest of the "Bulge" surrounded in Bastogne until Patton "liberated" them. In March 1945 his unit crossed the bridge at Remagen several hours after its capture and has a fascinating story about being bombarded by V-2 rockets. He also participated in the liberation of at least one concentration camp. He was also in Korea (1950-51) with the 2nd Infantry division and found it to be a far worse combat experience than facing the Germans in WWII. He was interviewed a couple of times last year by David Halberstam for an upcoming book on the 2nd Infantry divsion in Korea. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Some_God Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 The Soviet Side... A couple of my uncles died on the Eastern Front, trying to stop the German Wermacht from advancing. My grandfather survived that war. My grandmother and one of her brothers were bombed by Stukas trying to escape Odessa on a ship. My uncle said that the Stuka got so close that he even saw the pilots face. Thank god they survived. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Some_God Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 The Soviet Side... A couple of my uncles died on the Eastern Front, trying to stop the German Wermacht from advancing. My grandfather survived that war. My grandmother and one of her brothers were bombed by Stukas trying to escape Odessa on a ship. My uncle said that the Stuka got so close that he even saw the pilots face. Thank god they survived. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Some_God Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 The Soviet Side... A couple of my uncles died on the Eastern Front, trying to stop the German Wermacht from advancing. My grandfather survived that war. My grandmother and one of her brothers were bombed by Stukas trying to escape Odessa on a ship. My uncle said that the Stuka got so close that he even saw the pilots face. Thank god they survived. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SgtMuhammed Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 Originally posted by ex PFC Wintergreen: He cadred with several units, such as the 1st Armored and the 4th Armored and narrowly missed being shipped to Tunisia and Sidi Bou Zid when the unit he was with was virtually wiped out. Maybe your father knew my grandfather. Small world. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SgtMuhammed Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 Originally posted by ex PFC Wintergreen: He cadred with several units, such as the 1st Armored and the 4th Armored and narrowly missed being shipped to Tunisia and Sidi Bou Zid when the unit he was with was virtually wiped out. Maybe your father knew my grandfather. Small world. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SgtMuhammed Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 Originally posted by ex PFC Wintergreen: He cadred with several units, such as the 1st Armored and the 4th Armored and narrowly missed being shipped to Tunisia and Sidi Bou Zid when the unit he was with was virtually wiped out. Maybe your father knew my grandfather. Small world. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucho Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 My grandfather was NCO (Schirrmeister) in JG27 in the Balkans, Mediterian and Germany. My family has somewhere his Wehrpass... My grandfather maternal was NCO in the ecuadorean Cavalry guards, and during the Ecuadorean-Peruean war in 1942 member of a motorised/armored unit (they got czech tanks). He remembered the capture of about 40 Japanese fighting in the Peruan army... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucho Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 My grandfather was NCO (Schirrmeister) in JG27 in the Balkans, Mediterian and Germany. My family has somewhere his Wehrpass... My grandfather maternal was NCO in the ecuadorean Cavalry guards, and during the Ecuadorean-Peruean war in 1942 member of a motorised/armored unit (they got czech tanks). He remembered the capture of about 40 Japanese fighting in the Peruan army... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucho Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 My grandfather was NCO (Schirrmeister) in JG27 in the Balkans, Mediterian and Germany. My family has somewhere his Wehrpass... My grandfather maternal was NCO in the ecuadorean Cavalry guards, and during the Ecuadorean-Peruean war in 1942 member of a motorised/armored unit (they got czech tanks). He remembered the capture of about 40 Japanese fighting in the Peruan army... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agua Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 My dad was a member of "Merrill's Marauders" in the CBI theatre. No chit. Can get no info out of him, at all, and only learned of the crap they went through by reading. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agua Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 My dad was a member of "Merrill's Marauders" in the CBI theatre. No chit. Can get no info out of him, at all, and only learned of the crap they went through by reading. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agua Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 My dad was a member of "Merrill's Marauders" in the CBI theatre. No chit. Can get no info out of him, at all, and only learned of the crap they went through by reading. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawyer Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 My father and his brother were National Guard before the war with the 29th Division, and thus were called into active duty with the 29th. By luck of the draw, his company was not part of the disastrous D-Day experience of the 29th at Omaha Beach, but my my mother's uncle Maj. John Sauers (my father's good friend) was killed coming onto the beach. He is mentioned on p. 259 of Ambrose's D-Day book. (Ambrose says he was killed in the landing craft, but the official letter says he was killed crossing the beach.) My father arrived in the ETO after the combat. He stayed in the army and was killed in a military plane crash in Japan going to Korea from the Phillipines when that war broke out. I never knew him. But our family was honored when a National Guard post started by my father in Portsmouth, VA was named for him in 1959. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawyer Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 My father and his brother were National Guard before the war with the 29th Division, and thus were called into active duty with the 29th. By luck of the draw, his company was not part of the disastrous D-Day experience of the 29th at Omaha Beach, but my my mother's uncle Maj. John Sauers (my father's good friend) was killed coming onto the beach. He is mentioned on p. 259 of Ambrose's D-Day book. (Ambrose says he was killed in the landing craft, but the official letter says he was killed crossing the beach.) My father arrived in the ETO after the combat. He stayed in the army and was killed in a military plane crash in Japan going to Korea from the Phillipines when that war broke out. I never knew him. But our family was honored when a National Guard post started by my father in Portsmouth, VA was named for him in 1959. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawyer Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 My father and his brother were National Guard before the war with the 29th Division, and thus were called into active duty with the 29th. By luck of the draw, his company was not part of the disastrous D-Day experience of the 29th at Omaha Beach, but my my mother's uncle Maj. John Sauers (my father's good friend) was killed coming onto the beach. He is mentioned on p. 259 of Ambrose's D-Day book. (Ambrose says he was killed in the landing craft, but the official letter says he was killed crossing the beach.) My father arrived in the ETO after the combat. He stayed in the army and was killed in a military plane crash in Japan going to Korea from the Phillipines when that war broke out. I never knew him. But our family was honored when a National Guard post started by my father in Portsmouth, VA was named for him in 1959. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BulletRat Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 My Grandfather served with the Royal Australian Artillery in Libya, he injured his back when the breech block on their gun didn't close properly and the shell slid back out - he caught the shell but stuffed his back in doing so. Was sent home for the remainder of the war. Slightly OT (non-WWII), my uncle served on HMAS Voyager but was transferred off it 3 weeks before it collided with HMAS Melbourne in 1964 - the Voyager sank with the loss of 82 men, had my uncle still been aboard theres a distinct chance he would have been killed as he worked in the engine room. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BulletRat Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 My Grandfather served with the Royal Australian Artillery in Libya, he injured his back when the breech block on their gun didn't close properly and the shell slid back out - he caught the shell but stuffed his back in doing so. Was sent home for the remainder of the war. Slightly OT (non-WWII), my uncle served on HMAS Voyager but was transferred off it 3 weeks before it collided with HMAS Melbourne in 1964 - the Voyager sank with the loss of 82 men, had my uncle still been aboard theres a distinct chance he would have been killed as he worked in the engine room. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BulletRat Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 My Grandfather served with the Royal Australian Artillery in Libya, he injured his back when the breech block on their gun didn't close properly and the shell slid back out - he caught the shell but stuffed his back in doing so. Was sent home for the remainder of the war. Slightly OT (non-WWII), my uncle served on HMAS Voyager but was transferred off it 3 weeks before it collided with HMAS Melbourne in 1964 - the Voyager sank with the loss of 82 men, had my uncle still been aboard theres a distinct chance he would have been killed as he worked in the engine room. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawrenson Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 One uncle served on a Royal Canadian Navy corvette in the North Atlantic. A great uncle, on the paternal side as well, was a Swedish orphan who came to Canada. Joined the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (part of the Canadian 1st Infantry Division) and served as an anti-tank gunner. Served during the entire Italian campaign. He and my uncle used to get drunk at family reunions and argue which service won the war (funny, no discussion about which country won the war...for them it was a given). Outside of family reunions, neither man made a habit of discussing the war. My great uncle told one story about a dark night in Italy. Battalion HQ told them to expect a German night attack backed by panzers. During the wee hours they heard clanking noises and lit up the field in front of the Canadian lines. At the same time they opened fire on several shapes in the Italian pasture...all cows with clanking bells. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawrenson Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 One uncle served on a Royal Canadian Navy corvette in the North Atlantic. A great uncle, on the paternal side as well, was a Swedish orphan who came to Canada. Joined the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (part of the Canadian 1st Infantry Division) and served as an anti-tank gunner. Served during the entire Italian campaign. He and my uncle used to get drunk at family reunions and argue which service won the war (funny, no discussion about which country won the war...for them it was a given). Outside of family reunions, neither man made a habit of discussing the war. My great uncle told one story about a dark night in Italy. Battalion HQ told them to expect a German night attack backed by panzers. During the wee hours they heard clanking noises and lit up the field in front of the Canadian lines. At the same time they opened fire on several shapes in the Italian pasture...all cows with clanking bells. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawrenson Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 One uncle served on a Royal Canadian Navy corvette in the North Atlantic. A great uncle, on the paternal side as well, was a Swedish orphan who came to Canada. Joined the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (part of the Canadian 1st Infantry Division) and served as an anti-tank gunner. Served during the entire Italian campaign. He and my uncle used to get drunk at family reunions and argue which service won the war (funny, no discussion about which country won the war...for them it was a given). Outside of family reunions, neither man made a habit of discussing the war. My great uncle told one story about a dark night in Italy. Battalion HQ told them to expect a German night attack backed by panzers. During the wee hours they heard clanking noises and lit up the field in front of the Canadian lines. At the same time they opened fire on several shapes in the Italian pasture...all cows with clanking bells. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinetree Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 My paternal Grandfather lied about his age and was a cook(later engineer) in 26 btn 2NZdiv.He served in Greece,Crete,North Africa,Italy(where he had his 18th Birthday)and went to Japan with the occupation forces. Also had a couple of Great-Uncles that were in 2NZ Div,One got blown up in his tank and spent the rest of his life in a mental Instiution. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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