15 replies to this topic

[USMC-RECON0321]

Hello,

Picked this 377th Unit History book up today at a local Antique shop, It has a local soldiers name circled in the back so I'm assuming it was brought in by a family member or from an local estate sale.

Anyway, inside the front of the book is a copy of orders that have been taped in it and at the bottom of the orders it says "You were there. Harold K. Bowersox.(typed in) and then Certified George Rollins Capt. INF" (signed in pencil).

Does anyone have one of these Unit history books and if so, do you know if these were issued with the books or added by this soldier?

Thanks
Troy

Attached Images

• 
• 
• 

[USMC-RECON0321]

More pics.
Thanks

Attached Images

• 
• 

[patches]

My guess is that this, is it a copy ? was separate and may have been put it the book as a logical place to show it, figuring it would be more interesting than putting it in a glass frame and hanging it on a wall somewhere, perhaps in this way more people could see it every time one asked to look at the book, you know, relatives, friends, neighbours, the kids in the neighbourhood etc.

[USMC-RECON0321]

My guess is that this, is it a copy ? was separate and may have been put it the book as a logical place to show it, figuring it would be more interesting than putting it in a glass frame and hanging it on a wall somewhere, perhaps in this way more people could see it every time one asked to look at the book, you know, relatives, friends, neighbours, the kids in the neighbourhood etc.

Yes, it looks like a copy, other than the part at the bottom where it reads "You were there." and you can see actual typwriter typing of the soldiers name and the actual signature of Capt. Rollins. So my guess is all the soldiers who served or attached with this unit in combat were given a copy of these orders given to the commanding General of the 95th Inf Div from General Patton with the bottom portion being named specific to each soldier who was given a copy.

[bootsandbooks]

I have a couple of other unit histories that have a similar cover letter enclosed. I wonder if the order copy was there to provide the mailing address to unit members who had transfered out or been discharged prior to publication and distribution. Nice touch to have the endorsement from the captain, perhaps his company commander.

I seem to recall my own 25th Div Vietnam yearbook was mailed to my home but I paid for it in country.

[patches]

Yes, it looks like a copy, other than the part at the bottom where it reads "You were there." and you can see actual typwriter typing of the soldiers name and the actual signature of Capt. Rollins. So my guess is all the soldiers who served or attached with this unit in combat were given a copy of these orders given to the commanding General of the 95th Inf Div from General Patton with the bottom portion being named specific to each soldier who was given a copy.

May I ask, is there is a Copyright in this book ?

[USMC-RECON0321]

I have a couple of other unit histories that have a similar cover letter enclosed. I wonder if the order copy was there to provide the mailing address to unit members who had transfered out or been discharged prior to publication and distribution. Nice touch to have the endorsement from the captain, perhaps his company commander.

I seem to recall my own 25th Div Vietnam yearbook was mailed to my home but I paid for it in country.

That is a good guess, it makes sense!! :think:

The Captain that signed the document is also listed in the back of the book, but all the names are listed in alphabetical order and not by unit, but all the unit members are pictured and named like a school year book, but it will take some searching to find them as there are so many.

Troy

[USMC-RECON0321]

May I ask, is there is a Copyright in this book ?

Patches,

The copyright is 1946. I don't know much about this unit, but this had just came into the antique shop and for $35 I didn't want to pass it up!!

[patches]

What is the story for these books ? were they sent to men who served in any given unit as a courtesy by the publishers when they came out in 1946 ? I thinking no, the same would apply to the unit yearbook/unit histories from both Korea and Vietnam, unlike WWII and later The Korean War, The Vietnam War is a little differant because in the main these books came out while the war was in progess, I,m not sure if a man who survived his tour would be around to get a yearbook for the year he was there, he would have been either out of the service and back home, or moved on to another tour of duty at some other post or installation, these books obviously went to print after the new year to record ALL operations and list ALL the dead and wounded for the year, and in many cases Valour awards, but if a servicemen was there when these books came out they were not given to him right ? he had to buy them in the majority of cases if he wanted one I thinking as they became available, correct ? This brings me to these WWII Divisional and Regimental, Battalion unit history books, these type of books came out in 1946, 1947, so where and how did men get them ? who notified them ? and were they sent to him for free ?

[captaxe]

Usually there was a regimental (or in most cases) a divisional association that was formed at war's end or shortly after and they would send out subscription forms for these books to men who joined the association (I have a bunch of them for various publications but am too freakin lazy to scan 'em!). The ex-soldier would reserve a copy of the book via the subscription and payment (usually in my experience anywhere from $3-$10 depending on the size of the book) and it would be sent to him upon publishing. Many of these associations sent free copies to the families of soldiers of the unit who were KIA as well.

[patches]

Thank you for the Info Captax, this would make sense, on this Doucument, I think I shall stand by my observation that this was added to the book either by the Soldier in the post war period when he aquired this book, or by a family member years later.

[natman]

I have a slightly different version of the same commendation posted here: http://tankdestroyer..._to_95th_ID.pdf My Dad was a member of the 607th TD Bn.

Starting in early Nov. 44, the 95th was involved in heavy fighting during the drive toward, and the subsequent taking of Metz, France, followed by a drive toward the Saar River in late Nov. and eventually establishing a bridgehead across the river in Saarlautern on Dec. 2. Fighting continued in Saarlautern bridgehead and neighboring towns but most of the 95th went into defensive positions late Dec. following as a result of the German penetration in the Ardennes. But, fighting in the bridgehead by the 379th IR supported by Co. C of the 607th continued until the 95th (with the 607th attached) was pulled out and ordered to assemble north of Bastogne in late Jan. 45.

I'll have to see if I can find an online version of the 377th UH, could be some good info in there. Thanks for posting this.

[USMC-RECON0321]

Thank you for the Info Captax, this would make sense, on this Doucument, I think I shall stand by my observation that this was added to the book either by the Soldier in the post war period when he aquired this book, or by a family member years later.

Yes, I would agree that this was added after the book was received. A nice bonus to the book then!! :thumbsup:

[USMC-RECON0321]

I have a slightly different version of the same commendation posted here: http://tankdestroyer..._to_95th_ID.pdf My Dad was a member of the 607th TD Bn.

Starting in early Nov. 44, the 95th was involved in heavy fighting during the drive toward, and the subsequent taking of Metz, France, followed by a drive toward the Saar River in late Nov. and eventually establishing a bridgehead across the river in Saarlautern on Dec. 2. Fighting continued in Saarlautern bridgehead and neighboring towns but most of the 95th went into defensive positions late Dec. following as a result of the German penetration in the Ardennes. But, fighting in the bridgehead by the 379th IR supported by Co. C of the 607th continued until the 95th (with the 607th attached) was pulled out and ordered to assemble north of Bastogne in late Jan. 45.

I'll have to see if I can find an online version of the 377th UH, could be some good info in there. Thanks for posting this.

Steve,
Thanks for sharing. If you want me to look for something in this book for you let me know and I'll see what I can find.
Troy

[patches]

Yes, I would agree that this was added after the book was received. A nice bonus to the book then!! :thumbsup:

Look it is possible it came along with the book, but my gut feelings are it was not, it was put there, as a handy way for people to see it, as oppossed like I said, by hanging on the wall in a frame, with the document in the book, the document's relevancy becomes apparant, it's meaning more powerfull.

[natman]

Thanks for the offer, Troy. I don't have anything specific I'm looking for, if you ever scan the book or parts of it, I would be interested in the Nov-Jan portion of it. The 607th was relieved from attachment to the 95th at the beginning of Feb 45. I rarely post here (I'm not a collector) but check the site regularly for info such as this unit history. Now that I know the book is out there, maybe I can find a used one someday or get hold of a copy thru a library loan program. I did a little searching and so far, this appears to be the only UH published by one of the 95th's IR's.

Here's a good website for the 95th if you want to read more: http://mathieu.gitzh...r/accueilgb.htm