WWII Photo & Scrapbook Grouping - 2nd Div. Chmelar

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I discovered this grouping a year ago and have spent much time researching and investing as to the identity of the solider depicted.

 

The grouping included 19 photographs, one newspaper clipping, and one LIFE magazine page. All of them were pasted to torn pages from a scrapbook that once existed. The paper was deteriorating and most of the images suffered severe water damage, but they still held a great story of this soldier's tour from enlistment to the last push into Germany.

 

The name "Chmelar" is written on several of the photographs along with the nicknames "Kike Chmelar" and "Stinky Chmelar".

 

Helmet markings point out he was with the 2nd Infantry Division and his early photographs (printed in 1942 San Antonio, Texas) seem to be in from Fort Sam Houston where the 2nd Division was posted at the time.

 

His "in-country" (U.S.A.) photographs are taken from 1942-1943 which match the fact that the 2nd Division went overseas in 1944.

 

The photographs taken in Europe are unmarked except for one marked: "Sinzig Germany May 1945". Sinzig is one of the towns along the Rhine River, and at that time the 2nd Division was crossing the river.

 

There are images of him with liberated civilians and his fellow soldiers as they continue their push into Germany. It seems he traveled in a Willys jeep with trailer during the later period of the war.

 

Among the other articles are a photo of him as a youth, a LIFE magazine page that depicts some 2nd Division soldiers and a Polish boy they smuggled back the states, and a clipping from the Chicago Sunday Tribune with an arrow drawn to him in the image that was taken during the Battle of the Bulge.

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Europe Photographs

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Fort Sam Houston

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May 1943

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On the road having some crackers.

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Badly damaged but great photograph of liberating the locals.

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Youth portrait.

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Troops from C Battery 38th Field Artillery 2nd Div. at Le Havre with 12 year old Polish boy Joseph Paremba whom they smuggled back in a barracks bag. Once a slave labourer in Germany, he acted as their mascot and ammunition bearer for some time before returning with them to New York.

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Americans during the Battle of the Bulge capture a German Panzershrek crew. Note: Chmelar is in the half track with an arrow drawn towards him.

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Group photo in a liberated town.