carbinephalen Posted December 20, 2013 Share #1 Posted December 20, 2013 Lt. W i t t was the picture perfect example of what an Army Officer should be. He was a star college athlete competing in multiple varsity sports at the State College of Washington. He chose to serve his country through ROTC while attending the University and enlisted in the United States Army in May of '42 as an Infantry Sergeant. He finished officer school and his first assignment was the 100th Infantry Division, 399th Regiment as a platoon commander in M-Company. I was fortunate enough to find a copy of a personal war narrative a member of his Company wrote after the war and I will share several entries in it that mention W i t t. Stateside Training, Summer 1944“…My sore feet feel bigger than life. Our new platoon commander, Lt. S. W i t t , joins Sgt. Hogan and a medic as they check the bare feet of every man in the platoon. I admire their stamina; we are lying on our bunks, barefooted; they are still in their wet boots…” - Frank Hancock, “An Improbable Machine Gunner” M-Co, 399th Regt, 100th Div France, November 1944“…While I hobble about on crutches, Company M continues the drive to the Rhine and Strasbourg. About November 20, Company M is hit hard. Unknown to me, Don Galles, whose helmet was split open on November 15, is not so lucky this time. Shrapnel breaks his left femur, and he is carried to safety by Lt. S, W i t t. Our friend Bob Howell is killed.- Frank Hancock, “An Improbable Machine Gunner” M-Co, 399th Regt, 100th Div France, January 1945“…I borrow the squad leader's binoculars and stand hidden by a tree a little higher on the slope, behind the gun. Scanning the hills, I see a column of Germans hurrying through the woods; but when I get down behind the gun, they are out of sight.Lt. W i t t checks our position and I show him where the Germans are still moving through the woods. They must be a half mile away; little figures in the woods; we can barely see them without the binoculars. Lt. W i t t picks up the water-cooled gun with its tripod and ammo (easily 115 pounds), moves to where he can see the Germans, and fires a half a belt while holding the gun at his hip. He sets the gun down in front of my hole, checks the field of fire, and then leisurely walks away. We retreat into the dugout as mortar rounds burst in the trees around us…”- Frank Hancock, “An Improbable Machine Gunner” M-Co, 399th Regt, 100th Div Germany, April 18th 1945"…April 18, 1945 was a day which will live in our memories for the rest of our lives. I was a jeep driver, and early that morning was on the crest of the hill of death, Beilstein. Everything was quiet then as off to my left; stretcher bearers approached carrying a wounded soldier. I heard a call: "Hey, Len!" and went over to find that it was Lt. S. W itt who had been wounded in the leg." (W itt had both knees broken; one kneecap lost, a broken wrist and shrapnel in his neck,) We spoke for a minute and he was taken away…” - Leonard Demback, “An Improbable Machine Gunner” M-Co, 399th Regt, 100th Div Lt. W i t t recouperated from his significant leg wounds and was discharged as a 1st Lieutenant in April of 1946. He later went on to become an executive in the Timber Industry. This uniform came to me through an estate sale company that I have had many positive transactions with located in Washington State. It also came with a few newspaper articles about him, a really interesting 100th Division booklet, and copies of his General Orders (Including one for his CIB!) Thank you all for looking and I am glad to add a "Sons of Bitche" member to the war room! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbinephalen Posted December 20, 2013 Author Share #2 Posted December 20, 2013 Does anybody have any information on the DUC for this unit? Thanks in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garandomatic Posted December 20, 2013 Share #3 Posted December 20, 2013 Outstanding. I shudder at the thought of losing a kneecap. I wonder what the procedure was back then to treat it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbinephalen Posted December 21, 2013 Author Share #4 Posted December 21, 2013 Ughh! You and me both! Sadly it also ended his collegiate athletic career. He ran track AND played basketball! Lettering in both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timberwolf Posted December 21, 2013 Share #5 Posted December 21, 2013 Very cool! I always like to see the differences in how the divisions wrote up the citations. Looks like the 100th Div was one of the vague ones! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screamingeagles101 Posted December 21, 2013 Share #6 Posted December 21, 2013 Wow. That is outstanding ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricardo Posted December 21, 2013 Share #7 Posted December 21, 2013 Very nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbinephalen Posted December 21, 2013 Author Share #8 Posted December 21, 2013 Thanks guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Championhilz Posted December 21, 2013 Share #9 Posted December 21, 2013 Beautiful Grouping! I thought you might find these articles of interest: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbinephalen Posted December 21, 2013 Author Share #10 Posted December 21, 2013 WOW!!! I can't say thanks enough for those. Those are just fantastic and a huge amount of info! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S1991 Posted December 21, 2013 Share #11 Posted December 21, 2013 All I can say is WOW! A usual great research on the uniform. Thanks for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssggates Posted December 21, 2013 Share #12 Posted December 21, 2013 This is one outstanding find Tom! Impeccable research as usual! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vernon Posted December 22, 2013 Share #13 Posted December 22, 2013 This is one outstanding find Tom! Impeccable research as usual! Many thanks for the very informative posts. Indeed, a great addition to your War Room. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbinephalen Posted December 22, 2013 Author Share #14 Posted December 22, 2013 I think sometimes these uniforms are found JUST to research! Tips for those who buy from estate liquidation companies, off eBay, or at a local flea market... Always (ALWAYS) attempt to get a full name of the veteran or the last name definitely! Many times we (myself included) get caught up in the moment of the sale and forget to ask important details. Unfortunately not ALL uniforms come with the full ASN, first-middle-and last names of the vet, and most often it is coming to you stripped of insignia. A little networking and leg work on our end can keep names with these uniforms for many years to come. Otherwise...it's just a nice garbardine jacket with a patch on the sleeve! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin Posted December 23, 2013 Share #15 Posted December 23, 2013 HI Thomas, Another awesome grouping to your collection ! It's so cool you found a war narrative he is mentionned in (he seemed to be a good officer, it's sad for his wounds...). Thanks for sharing ! Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67Rally Posted April 7, 2017 Share #16 Posted April 7, 2017 Awesome grouping for a local (to me) veteran of the "Powderhorns." I have a different uniform from this unit - jersey and trousers from the 399th baseball team (http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?app=core&module=attach§ion=attach&attach_rel_module=post&attach_id=1108085). I would love to find photos of the ball players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonlight Gecko Posted April 7, 2017 Share #17 Posted April 7, 2017 Very nice jacket with great history! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VenitHora Posted April 7, 2017 Share #18 Posted April 7, 2017 Very nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbinephalen Posted April 16, 2017 Author Share #19 Posted April 16, 2017 Thanks for the bump and kind comments gentleman! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67Rally Posted April 16, 2017 Share #20 Posted April 16, 2017 Thanks for the bump and kind comments gentleman! Yeah...well, there is not much out there in terms of photographs and militaria of the 399th when I was researching my baseball uniform from this unit (I wrote about that here). So to find yours and that the veteran was local (to me) made me a little excited. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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