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99th Bn, 474th Inf. Reg Photo


carrabassett
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carrabassett

Picked this up this morning at the local flea market. Couldn't resist since it was named and from such a well known regiment made up of many Norwegian-Americans who trained at Camp Hale with the 10th Mountain Div and also many former FSSF and Ranger members as well. It's about 11 1/2" X 7 3/4". Not sure who any of the soldiers are but would suspect the named soldier is in there. If anyone has any info on this Co. I or photo, please let me know! Thanks, Jim

 

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I think this Carl W Wilhelmsen is not listed in NARA. If I am not wrong this guy was born in August 1907, he survived the war and died in Maine in February 1983.

The seller with nickname "beershopper" recently sold on eBay many items related to 99th Battalion, including photo album with many pictures and names...

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carrabassett

Thanks. Unfortunately I couldn't get any info on the picture from the picker but obviously I just bought it here in mid-coast Maine so it fits your information.

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carrabassett

Just looked him up on the NARA website by his ASN # 31151688. I had blocked it thinking it was his SS # (oops). His first name actually is spelled with a "K", not "C" so maybe the confusion. He is listed as "white, not a citizen" and his nativity was "Norway or Spitzbergen." DOB 1909 and he enlisted in Portland, ME in 1942. Certainly fits the requirements for that battalion/regiment and how his picture was found here in ME just north of Portland. Still would love to find out more about him and his Company I. Thanks for looking.

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As he is Nowegian, he most likely was an original member of the 99th Infantry Battalion (separate), in this type of separate unit there would be no I or Item Company, just Companies A though D, plus your HQ Company. This unit, the 99th Inf Bn (sep) was intergrated into the newly activated 474th Infantry Regiment in early january 1945, the 99th Inf Bn (sep) was made the 3rd Battalion of the 474th Inf, but for traditional reasons it retained it's 99th Bn title not going by 3rd Battalion 474th Infantry. As we know, I Co is in the 3rd Battalion, it is the first lettered company in Infantry Regiment's 3rd Battalion, followed by K, L, and M (no J Comapnies). As he was in I Co at wars end, and that I feel he was an original member of the 99th Inf Bn (sep) he most likey was in A Co when he was in the 99th Inf Bn (sep), the first lettered company of separate Infantry Battalions, here A Co was just redesignated I Co the first lettered company of the Infantry Regiment's 3rd Battalion.

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carrabassett

patches,

Thank you so much for that information. Very helpful and interesting! As some of the soldiers in the photo appear older, he might be one of them. Thanks again.

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Don't know where this photo was taken, it has the info on the back to the period that would incompass the unit in 1945, but yet all the men save one are wearing uniforns that one would see in the early to mid war period, ie M41 field Jackets Leggings and Ankle Boots, the one man not wearing that is wearing the 4 pocket coat, plus we see no Shoulder Patch, the 474th's well know Red Arrowhead. In 1945 when this unit was in Norway it is seen that they wore IKEs and Shoulder Patches.

 

The 474th Inf Color Guard 1945. most likey in Norway. note IKEs and bloused Buckle Tops or Paratrooper Boots.

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erikofnorway

Great pictures. First photo is taken at Camp Hale. It was then Company D. Many of the guys were older, may be 30-40% of the soldiers trained at Camp Hale did not make the cut. Company D later became Company I under the 474 Regiment. Second photo is taken in Norway. The regiment flag shown was given as gift to the King of Norway when the regiment left Norway on 15th Oct 1945. This flag is today displayed at the officers mess for the His Majesty's Royal Guard.

 

I run the official website for the 99th Infantry Battalion, and I have complete overview of all soldiers that have served with the battalion. I will check his name later.

 

As of today there are 39 known veterans from this battalion still alive.

 

Later this week, we will release a 2 hours documentary film on DVD about the 99th Infantry Battalion. Announcements will be made on our facebook page and on our website.

 

Erik

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Curious on two things erik, why would D Company be redesignated I Company, D Companies are the Heavy Weapons Companies, while I Companies are Rifle Companies, wouldn't have made more sense to simply redesignate the 99th Inf Bn's D Company the 3rd Battalion's M Company, the new 99th Battalion 474th Infantry's Heavy Weapons Company? On the 474th Infantry Colors, is this one for the 99th Inf Bn or the 474th Infantry?

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erikofnorway

The 474th Regiment had already been established with Companies A - H with personell mainly arriving from FSSF and Army Rangers at the time the 99th arrived. So the only thing I can think of is that the regiment then just added four more companies from the 99th without any consideration for what would have been customary.

 

The colors that was given to the King of Norway was the Regimental colors.

 

And also, the 99th documentary film is now available for anyone interested to buy it:

 

http://www.99battalion.org/index_files/Page1452.htm

 

Erik

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The 474th Regiment had already been established with Companies A - H with personell mainly arriving from FSSF and Army Rangers at the time the 99th arrived. So the only thing I can think of is that the regiment then just added four more companies from the 99th without any consideration for what would have been customary.

 

The colors that was given to the King of Norway was the Regimental colors.

 

And also, the 99th documentary film is now available for anyone interested to buy it:

 

http://www.99battalion.org/index_files/Page1452.htm

 

Erik

Thanks for your reply. On the new 3rd Battalion assignments, just redesignating the 99th Inf Battalion Companies willy nilly and disreguarding training would seem strange, the 99th Inf Bn Heavy weapons company was D, so here you have specifcally trained 81mm Mortar Crewmen and .50 Cal MG teams, just made Riflemen in Company I? who then became the M Co heavy weapons people? Riflemen from B Company? .50 Cal MG training can be rather Straight foward, but in my estimation highly trained Mortarmen is totally differant, why go though the problems of training men with Mortars when trained, and veteran Mortarmen wear already available? Combat is not the time to go though that stuff. Granted, we know now that the 474th Inf seen no real combat, but at the time of it's activation there was a real possiblity it could of seen alot of heavy combat, it only being January 1945 when it was activated, it stands to reason the unit, if had to immidiatly or rather immidiatly be commited to combat, that it could not afford untrained or barely trained men crewing these most important Battalion Fire Support Weapons.

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  • 3 months later...

Hello Jim,

The picture you got at the flea market has a picture of my father in it. He is Olaf Nilsen. He is the first on the left, front row. He passed away 5yrs ago. He was very proud of his service. He wore his jacket every Memorial Day.He was also buried wearing his uniform.If there is a way I could possibly get a copy of that picture I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you, John

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  • 4 weeks later...

Sorry to bother you Jim, but I want to thank you for your reply but I don't know what PM means. Thanks

If I may intercede on behalf on carrabasset.

 

norsk, look to the very top right of this page, you will see a little envelope, this is your Private Message feature, your PM, if you are sent a PM, you will see a little Red box with a number on it, 1 for One Message, 3 for Three Messages and so on. When you see this Red Box, that means you have a message, click on it, to view your message, you reply basically in the same manner as you do here in a topic.

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Thanks Patches! John, I responded that I would be honored to send you a copy of the photo or if you shoot me your email, I could scan it and send it to you so you can print it off in any size, as much as you want. You can send me your address as well if you'd like a hard copy. It's approximately 8"X11".

My pleasure,

Jim

 

PS Maybe you could shed some light on the photo

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