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Pfc John R Finster, 801st TD BN


1stDivVet
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A little grouping of stuff from my uncle Pfc. John Russel Finster. Russel was born March 24th, 1911 in Roanoke, West Virginia. He was a farm hand on his father's farm. He married and was expecting a daughter when he left for Ft Hood in September of 1943. Arriving in England in March of 1944, his unit would stay in Southern England near Chudleigh attatched to the 4th Infantry Division. Arriving in France on June 13th, 1944, his company would follow the 4th into it's drive inland. Russel fought through Normandy, Northern France, and Central Europe before being wounded on Nov. 19th, 1944 by shrapnel from a German booby trap wile on reconnaissance. It tore his left hand up pretty good. While in the field hospital, the Battle of the Bulge happened. His unit, which at that time still had many of the older, towed anti-tank guns, was hit hard. Piper's unit smashed through them like butter, knocking them out so hard that most had time to retreat back through the German lines to re-group during the initial confusion. Re-joining his unit after for the Rhineland campaign, he finished out the war, refused a premotion to corporal to go home 6 months early, became a school bus driver and part time farmer and lived a quiet life. He passed away while I was on active duty. I spent many summers on his farm and he was one of my heros. Most of this was found when my cousins cleaned out the estate after his daghter passed. The uniform is a recreation using his insignia and a TD badge Jeeper got for me while I was visiting Europe. I got the discharge file from the county court house there when we went down for his daughter's funeral. I have some other stuff, just havent gotten it pictured yet.

 

First of, let my introduce you to my uncle, Pfc. John R Finster. Taken by the firm H.J. Whitlock and sons, Official photographers of the Royal Family.

 

 

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Wish this was mine, but it sold before I had the funds to get it! Hand made pillow cover from the 801st in chinille

 

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Backtheattack

Great. Never noticed the muzzle brake of the M-18 Tank Destroyer so clear than in your pics. Often little details give a chance to view books and documents again with much more care.

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Anyone besides me start hearing "Burning Bridges" from Kelly's Heroes when they looked at the photo of all the GI's piled on that M10? :)

 

Great stuff. Thanks for sharing it with us.

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