Jump to content

191st Tank Battalion KIA PH


captaxe
 Share

Recommended Posts

I picked this posthumous Purple Heart up several week ago, and have just begun to research it a bit. I found out a bit about the soldier using traditional sources, but if anyone can add to what I have below I would appreciate it.

 

Oscar M. Stewart of Tennessee was a member of the 191st Tank Battalion, one of the earliest-formed of the non-divisional independent tank battalions of WWII. With the 191st, Stewart landed in North Africa in 1943, but didn't see any action until the Salerno landings in September 1943. The battalion landed later at Anzio in January 1944 and was heavily engaged in Italy and the fight up to Rome, but was then detached for service with the 7th Army, landing in Southern France in August 1944. On August 26, 11 days after the Operation Dragoon landings and several months short of his 37th birthday, Stewart was killed. The battalion appears to have been attached to the 36th Division at the time he died. He is buried in the Rhone American Cemetery at Draguignan, France.

 

post-701-1303761481.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The famous War correspondent Ernie Pyle, writing from the Anzio beach head in a 1944 column (later reprinted in his compilation "Brave Men" in the chapter entitled "Beachhead Fighters), commented on a visit to an unnamed tank battalion, and noted that the five man crew was commanded by Sgt. Speros Bakalos of Boston, and that the driver was Sergeant Oscar Stewart of Bristol, Virginia (my note-- Bristol is on the TN/VA border). "They called him'Pop,' Pyle wrote, "because he was in his middle thirties. He used to work for the state highway department." He went on to note that "The men cooked in a big aluminum pot they took out of an abandoned house, and on a huge iron skillet that they got in barter for the equivalent of $20."

 

Stumbling around the internet, I came upon a facebook page for the 191st Tank Battalion, and lo and behold, on it there are two pictures of Ernie Pyle with members of a 191st tank Battalion crew near the Anzio beachhead. Just off to the side in one of the photos can be seen what MAY be the aluminum pot Ernie mentions, along with the aforementioned skillet. It is also a possibility that Oscar "Pop" Stewart is one of the individuals in these photos

 

post-701-1303761787.jpg

 

post-701-1303761812.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

Very cool pic...hopefully you can identify him !!

 

Speaking of which, there's only one GI in the pic with SGT chevrons !!

 

Vic

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That is a really great heart!! (Not that I'm biased or anything. ;) )

 

Good research too. After combat, all of these guys look 40.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very poignant posthumous heart.Interesting history.I have had this unit history for quite awhile and this is the first relate item I have seen.

 

P4250661.jpg

P4250662.jpg

P4250664.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

nice!!!! I was hoping a forum member got that one!!! I tried but you beat me to the punch!!! Thats a great heart !! Write to his hometown library the might have an old article or obit with a picture!! :thumbsup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very poignant posthumous heart.Interesting history.I have had this unit history for quite awhile and this is the first relate item I have seen.

 

MES-

 

That history must be pretty scarce-- is it 14 pp. (there is one listed in Controvich's bibliography that is 14 pp.) or is it longer?

 

Is Oscar Stewart listed in there anywhere?? (KIA section or other) Any synopsis of what they were up to on August 26? Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

nice!!!! I was hoping a forum member got that one!!! I tried but you beat me to the punch!!! Thats a great heart !! Write to his hometown library the might have an old article or obit with a picture!! :thumbsup:

 

 

That's Scott, Jim and all for the kind comments! As I know you all know, once you start digging around the stories behind these medals it can be really sobering.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is the 14 page book.It's pretty basic and doesn't have much in it.There are some company photos and very short combat description.It was printed by 667th engineering company.If you know what company he was in I'll post the photos.

P4250666.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
BigJohn#3RD

:salute:

RIP Old Soldier thank you for giving all for our freedom we enjoy every day.

John

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thats a Fantastic looking Grouping you have got there well done and also on the Research !

and its always great to be able to put a picture to the Soldiers Face just like you did :thumbsup: .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jeeper704

Same here.

A really interesting grouping.

I hope you will be able to find out more about this man and maybe get a photo to put here.

 

Erwin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

Your man at age 37 might have had children. Also he probable had a brother or sister. Use the 1930 census records to find family and also use newspapers for a death listing. Family may have a pic of him.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

The only mention of KIA's for the 26th occurs on the 27th at 0300 from an engagement that occurred during the night. I transposed the two relevant entries. If you'd like a .pdf of the S-3 Journal for Aug. 44 p/m me an email address and I'll send it over. If i come across any more info I'll pass it along.

 

RJ

 

 

From the 191st Tnk Btln S-3 Journal August 1944

 

Aug 26

 

2130: Lt. KUKLINSKI at C.P. reported Co "B" had established road block in vicinity of 0-058770 and 0-083758 with one platoon. Enemy tanks firing from town of ALLEX. Enemy tanks and vehicles moving on road NORTH of ALLEX. Co "B" C.P. located in vicinity of 0-096775.

 

Aug 27

 

0300: Capt HAYNES back at C.P. reported Co "B" lost two tanks in engagement with six enemy Mark VI tanks. Enemy tanks dispersed. Two Co "B" enlisted men killed in action.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 9 months later...

Hello,

 

My name is Chris Stewart and Oscar would have been my great uncle. I was recently doing research about Oscar and came upon this post. I am amazed by the information that this post has provided me. I will be studying abroad in France in June as was going to visit Oscar's grave (which my family thought was located at Normandy) but is actually at Rhone American Cemetery.

 

This post also gave me some great information about what he did during the war and more into the Ernie Pyle story. I actually have the article that was written in his hometown about the Ernie Pyle story and the story actually gave some more insight to his death (which was actually witnessed by his brother in-law). The article states that Oscar's tank was hit by a german shell and the crew within died due to the shell concussion.

 

When it comes to Oscar's personal life he was married before he left for the war but never had any kids. His wife lived in Bristol her entire life and never remarried.

 

Also when it comes to the picture, my father believes that he is the soldier with the tech sergeant stripes located on the tank.

 

Thanks for the great information captaxe and I will post the article and a picture of Oscar's grave site when I visit in June.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...

The famous War correspondent Ernie Pyle, writing from the Anzio beach head in a 1944 column (later reprinted in his compilation "Brave Men" in the chapter entitled "Beachhead Fighters), commented on a visit to an unnamed tank battalion, and noted that the five man crew was commanded by Sgt. Speros Bakalos of Boston, and that the driver was Sergeant Oscar Stewart of Bristol, Virginia (my note-- Bristol is on the TN/VA border). "They called him'Pop,' Pyle wrote, "because he was in his middle thirties. He used to work for the state highway department." He went on to note that "The men cooked in a big aluminum pot they took out of an abandoned house, and on a huge iron skillet that they got in barter for the equivalent of $20."

 

Stumbling around the internet, I came upon a facebook page for the 191st Tank Battalion, and lo and behold, on it there are two pictures of Ernie Pyle with members of a 191st tank Battalion crew near the Anzio beachhead. Just off to the side in one of the photos can be seen what MAY be the aluminum pot Ernie mentions, along with the aforementioned skillet. It is also a possibility that Oscar "Pop" Stewart is one of the individuals in these photos

 

attachicon.gif php0mlH6IPM.jpg

 

attachicon.gif phpDM2Rj1PM.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...