David D Posted April 24, 2015 Share #1 Posted April 24, 2015 I am sharing with you all a few photos of the small part of a large group from Pfc. Bernard Olliff of How Company, 175th Regiment 29th division. Here is some history about him. He was inducted into service on February 19, 1943 out of Fort McPherson in Atlanta Georgia. He was transferred into the 29th sometime in mid to late 1943. He was in H company which is the Heavy Weapons company of 2nd battalion, 175th regiment. It is unknown whether he was a machine gunner or ammo bearer or mortar man. He landed with the rest of the Regiment on D+ 1 and served through Normandy. A few battles he participated in was during the famed battle of Hill 108 2nd battalion was on the Flank of the main battle. During the joint attack of the Martainville Ridge, Bernard Olliff was severely wounded in action due to shrapnel. After reading the letters, you can tell that he was very much in love with his new bride. He mentions in the letter written while he was on the front that he keeps her picture in his liner webbing. This is a photo of him, this was found by a friend of mine who also has some of this grouping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David D Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share #2 Posted April 24, 2015 A picture of the overall grouping Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USdog Posted April 24, 2015 Share #3 Posted April 24, 2015 Very nice, Dave! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David D Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share #4 Posted April 24, 2015 What he was awarded, and some insignia that he would have had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David D Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share #5 Posted April 24, 2015 Newspaper clippings about him being wounded in Normandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David D Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share #6 Posted April 24, 2015 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David D Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share #7 Posted April 24, 2015 Christmas Eve 1943 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David D Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share #8 Posted April 24, 2015 Christmas Eve 1943 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David D Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share #9 Posted April 24, 2015 Misc. V-mail letters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David D Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share #10 Posted April 24, 2015 V-mail written in Normandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David D Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share #11 Posted April 24, 2015 A letter written while in the Hospital. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David D Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share #12 Posted April 24, 2015 A card type of thing, not sure what its for though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViewfinderGyrene Posted April 24, 2015 Share #13 Posted April 24, 2015 What a fantastic grouping! Don't usually collect Army groups, but do letters from all branches, and have quite a few from him, as well as family members. He was a bit of a poet, and I have several he sent to his wife and mother. Also what looks to be a Yank or other magazine clipping depicting St. Lo which he annotated to his wife as being extremely accurate portrayal of how it was. As I understood it, Olliff and a fellow GI, George Lepovsky [whom I was able to speak with once] were both wounded and Lepovsky taken prisoner at St. Lo. He was very depressed when he was in the hospital and his eventual rear echelon position he ended up in after the hospital. From what I have of his writing, he was glad to be safe behind the lines but wished also to be back with his buddies at the same time. Thank you for posting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David D Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share #14 Posted April 24, 2015 Thank you! Yes, he was a pretty good poet. There seems to have written a lot of letters to his wife. Pm on the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katieony Posted April 24, 2015 Share #15 Posted April 24, 2015 Avery nice original group...thank you for sharing it! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David D Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share #16 Posted April 24, 2015 My pleasure Mike. Glad you like it! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raylemere Posted April 25, 2015 Share #17 Posted April 25, 2015 awesome medals! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David D Posted April 25, 2015 Author Share #18 Posted April 25, 2015 Thanks, even though they aren't his. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B229 Posted April 25, 2015 Share #19 Posted April 25, 2015 Thanks, even though they aren't his. Dave So, the medals aren't actually Olliff's? And I'm assuming the insignia isn't actually part of this "group" either, based on your wording. The "card type thing" appears to just be an address card for overseas mailing using the APO system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David D Posted April 25, 2015 Author Share #20 Posted April 25, 2015 yes, they are not. Just used for representation. And thanks for clarifying what that was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cperkins510 Posted July 9, 2015 Share #21 Posted July 9, 2015 What he was awarded, and some insignia that he would have had. resized_052.jpg What is the insignia with a 5 on it? Is that a reference to the "Dandy 5th Maryland" that some units of the 29th traced their lineage to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David D Posted July 9, 2015 Author Share #22 Posted July 9, 2015 The pin is the DUI of the 175th Infantry Regiment (which Olliff served in) It was called the 5th Maryland up until 1941, as there was already a 5th regiment it was changed to the 175th. And the 5 on the crest pays tribute to the 5th Maryland or "Dandy 5th" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atb Posted July 9, 2015 Share #23 Posted July 9, 2015 The pin is the DUI of the 175th Infantry Regiment (which Olliff served in) It was called the 5th Maryland up until 1941, as there was already a 5th regiment it was changed to the 175th. And the 5 on the crest pays tribute to the 5th Maryland or "Dandy 5th" National Guard units were all given Federal designations upon federalization and being called to active federal duty. The same was done in WW1. Before that, they retained their state designations, i.e. 5th Maryland, 7th New York, to differentiate them from Regular Army (RA) and other state units with the same numbers. RA units would have been called 5th US Infantry, 7th US Infantry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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