Bob Hudson Posted October 3, 2016 Author #26 Posted October 3, 2016 Well, at least some of it has his laundry number on it, the carrying strap at left of the gas mask bag. Here is a link to the 20th FB page, there is info of the attack on the SS barracks in the files section. https://www.facebook.com/groups/20thArmoredDivisionInWorldWarII/ There is a PDF 65th AI after action report at http://cgsc.cdmhost.com/cdm/ref/collection/p4013coll8/id/3660 Your are right, one of the three musette bags is actually his, marked on the strap and inside. Perhaps the diary and those small notebooks traveled in there.
Bob Hudson Posted October 3, 2016 Author #27 Posted October 3, 2016 The helmet is a front seam, fixed bail. This morning I finally got a chance to wipe away enough of the dirt on the liner crown to see a yellow SC. The helmet has someone else's laundry mark it.
Bob Hudson Posted October 3, 2016 Author #28 Posted October 3, 2016 The liner has been repainted and the decades have not been kind to the suspension.
kai robert Posted October 3, 2016 #29 Posted October 3, 2016 Wow, an amazing grouping!!! My Dad also fought in his Battalion so it's especially a treat for me to see everything you posted. Thanks!! James : ) I do recognize your picture, must be a member of the 20th page on FB?
kai robert Posted October 3, 2016 #30 Posted October 3, 2016 Bob, looks like you have got all of the family members ww2 stuff. If you havn´t checked in on the 20th FB page yet, please do, a lot of more info there of this unit.
jmd62 Posted October 3, 2016 #31 Posted October 3, 2016 I do recognize your picture, must be a member of the 20th page on FB? I sure am Kai, I'm friends with Rich. Him and I started the 20th group on FB a while ago : )
Bob Hudson Posted October 3, 2016 Author #32 Posted October 3, 2016 One musette bag is named to a brother-in-law who spent the war stateside. Here are the things we know for sure were his (the fsmily kept his dogtags).
Bob Hudson Posted October 3, 2016 Author #33 Posted October 3, 2016 The helmet liner has a laundry mark in it: I was hoping it would match up with one of the names shown in the back of the diary, but a NARA seach yielded NADA.
RustyCanteen Posted October 3, 2016 #34 Posted October 3, 2016 Great save Bob! It's nice the family wanted to keep the tags, but recognized that someone else would want to buy and preserve the items they didn't want to keep.
kai robert Posted October 3, 2016 #35 Posted October 3, 2016 He was awarded the GCM Jan. 1944. I love that his Good Conduct Medal approval had to be signed by four different people! 8a.jpg The records say he enlisted Dec. 1943. How could he be GCM eligible in Jan. 44? I thought it took three years of service. 15.jpg He enlisted in Dec. -42 and got GCM in Jan. -44, it was for 1year during the war.
Bob Hudson Posted October 3, 2016 Author #36 Posted October 3, 2016 He enlisted in Dec. -42 and got GCM in Jan. -44, it was for 1year during the war. Okay - never knew that.
kai robert Posted October 4, 2016 #37 Posted October 4, 2016 Sadly this folded up newspaper cracked at the fold, but you can still read his unit's story (and there's a photocopy.) 6.jpg 5a.jpg Bob, I have sent you a message regarding this newspaper.
jguy1986 Posted October 4, 2016 #38 Posted October 4, 2016 He enlisted in Dec. -42 and got GCM in Jan. -44, it was for 1year during the war. Hence why you see a lot of GCM ribbons on late war vets who didn't serve the previously required three years. As long as they made it a year without getting into too much trouble, they qualified for it.
jmd62 Posted October 6, 2016 #39 Posted October 6, 2016 Hello Bob, Would it be possible to get a scan / pic of the rest of the July 9, 1945 newspaper article regarding the Biberbach fighting? There appears to be more below the bottom portion. My Dad was in that fight so it would be great to read more. Thanks! James
Bob Hudson Posted October 6, 2016 Author #40 Posted October 6, 2016 Hello Bob, Would it be possible to get a scan / pic of the rest of the July 9, 1945 newspaper article regarding the Biberbach fighting? There appears to be more below the bottom portion. My Dad was in that fight so it would be great to read more. Thanks! James It's too bad most scanners aren't as wide as a newspaper page. Between the cracks, the folds and the size, this is a tough one, but see if this helps:
Bob Hudson Posted October 6, 2016 Author #41 Posted October 6, 2016 This article ran in the final edition of the CC BEE published by Combat Command B of the 20th Armor Division. The back page has several photos of 65th AIB members:
kai robert Posted October 10, 2016 #43 Posted October 10, 2016 Hi Bob I don´t think you can imagine what big impact these newspaper articles had for the 20th groups members, they are children and grandchildren to the men mentioned in the articles . This newspaper are more or less like a "holy grail" in our group. Unfortunately, a couple of pieces are missing, is it possible to get scans of two more? First, the scan of all the men is missing the names on the third line, or are there more photos? Second, the "Victims of a Black Treachery" are missing some text? Best regards Kai Robert, Sweden
Bob Hudson Posted October 12, 2016 Author #44 Posted October 12, 2016 Hi Bob I don´t think you can imagine what big impact these newspaper articles had for the 20th groups members, they are children and grandchildren to the men mentioned in the articles . This newspaper are more or less like a "holy grail" in our group. Unfortunately, a couple of pieces are missing, is it possible to get scans of two more? First, the scan of all the men is missing the names on the third line, or are there more photos? Second, the "Victims of a Black Treachery" are missing some text? Best regards Kai Robert, Sweden Because of the very fragile condition of the newspaper, this is a hard one to scan: this morning I took some photos with my iPhone 7 Plus and converted those into one PDF file, which includes the article about the 65th in combat, and closeups of the photos of troops who received valor awards. Please feel free to copy this to the 20thad Facebook page. 20thADnewspaper.pdf
kai robert Posted October 12, 2016 #45 Posted October 12, 2016 Because of the very fragile condition of the newspaper, this is a hard one to scan: this morning I took some photos with my iPhone 7 Plus and converted those into one PDF file, which includes the article about the 65th in combat, and closeups of the photos of troops who received valor awards. Please feel free to copy this to the 20thad Facebook page. 20thADnewspaper.pdf Thanks a lot Bob, very kind of you.
Florent Posted November 10, 2016 #46 Posted November 10, 2016 Very interesting grouping. Thanks for sharing. I've recorded a veteran of the 8th AIB, 20th Armored Division yesterday. Nice guy, he is 91 and still very sharp for his age.
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