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Malaria in the ETO - Printable Version +- Forums (http://www.6thcorpscombatengineers.com/forumnew) +-- Forum: World War II (http://www.6thcorpscombatengineers.com/forumnew/forumdisplay.php?fid=43) +--- Forum: ANYTHING WWII (http://www.6thcorpscombatengineers.com/forumnew/forumdisplay.php?fid=12) +--- Thread: Malaria in the ETO (/showthread.php?tid=1912) |
Malaria in the ETO - pjo - 08-07-2007
Mr.GSD - sorry if I'm not replying correctly - I'm new to the forum world tk Malaria in the ETO - Walt's Daughter - 08-07-2007
Mary Ann: My dad brought home his Red Bull patch too. He didn't have the 3rd or the 45th's, but maybe at one time he had those too. I don't know. But as your dad was, my dad's unit was also attached to all the above units while part of VI Corps and the 5th and 7th Armies. Malaria in the ETO - roque_riojas - 08-07-2007
206thmpco:: The notes your dad wrote above, brings back memories. Battipagla, Avelino, We wuz there. Volturno ditto. Taking a shower, ditto,ditto. My page,log on to,, 6thcorpscombatengineers.com,, clickon, memoirs, click "other WW11 vets", scroll down to my name, Roque Riojas. click. I hope that's right. Maid Marion, Help!! Malaria in the ETO - 206thmpco - 08-07-2007 Hi Marion! I bet your Dad had the other patches as well. I'm sure that my Dad probably also had a T patch for the 36Id cuz he was with those guys as well.
I think it was because these were the outfits whose suffering they witnessed and shared - that they kept those mementos.
When you think about it, their experiences consisted of constant separation, loneliness, and fear. Not only were you separated from your own family & it was years before you could hear their voices or see their faces - but you were also getting constantly removed from your "buddies". Dad made notes in 1942 like: "the last of the boys from the 180th moved out of camp today". In N Africa he notes that several of the Lieutenants they'd known came to visit them in one of their bivouacs & that meant alot. Most of his diary notes concern the sending or receiving of mail from home. Then so many of your pals were KIA. My father's closest buddy was MP Cpl Bob Cunningham because they were together from Salerno to the Rhine. I have a wonderful letter Bob sent to my Dad in May '45, I'll have to get it & share it with you. My father's other constant companion who attached herself to Dad at Anzio was a mutt named "Sally". That's a great story for another time! But - as awful as their experiences were & as great as it was to be home - it must've been very surreal not to be able to see or share anything with most of the guys you were with. All you had were medals, patches, and mementos in a box.
My Dad would be amazed by the net and all the info available. I think it would've been so wonderful if he could've "talked" with other vets.
mary ann Malaria in the ETO - Walt's Daughter - 08-07-2007 Mary Ann: Quick note before I go off and make dinner... Were you able to see Rocky's page? There are numerous pages on the MAIN site under Memoirs, just as Rocky described. Malaria in the ETO - 206thmpco - 08-08-2007 Found it! Rocky, what an honor & privilege to speak with you! My Dad would've been so pleased. As soon as I saw your picture with the President, I thought "Hey! I know I've seen this picture of Rocky before!" Well, of course I did - I made a donation to get the WWII memorial built ,so I get the newsletter and that's where I saw your photo. I'd planned to attend the memorial dedication, but my Mom was not well then so I wasn't able to go. I would dearly liked to have been there.
My father could've related to so much on your page. Those photos at Anzio & the K rations! When he was drafed in '41, he was 6'2" 164lbs and the Army definately didn't help him put on weight. By the time he got to Rome, and had his picture taken to send home, he looked like a skeleton. What did my poor grandmother think when she got THAT photo of her "boy". My father had a terrible sweet tooth, so that was what was so funny & sad about his Thanksgiving notation about the donuts. That's probably ALL they had for Thanksgiving. The officers might've had turkey dinners, but I don't imagine the rest of the fellows got any. Do you remember Thanksgiving '43, Rocky? Did you get any turkey?
On the "home front", his mother, sister, and ladies in his Wellesley Ma neighborhood were busy sending him whatever they could and hoping it got there. I have a letter my grandmother sent him while he was in Anzio that always gives me a chuckle. She writes:"Francis, don't forget to send Mrs Hutt (a neighbor) a thank you note for the cookies she sent ". He probably wanted to write "Hey Ma! We got A WAR goin' on over here!", but I'd bet a million dollars that he wrote that note to Mrs Hutt.
He also could relate to what you said about Italy & being cold. Everybody was still wearing the lightweight stuff they were issued for North Africa. In fact, I think most of them were still wearing the same uniforms into much of the Rhineland campaign. Eventually, some "genius" issued overcoats to the guys, but I don't believe they liked those. You couldn't move around in them. I have a photo of Dad in Dec '45 and it looks like he's wearing 3 pairs of socks, two pairs of gloves , scarves around his neck, and whatever he could stuff into his regular army jacket. He looks COLD!
I loved your photos, Rocky. You are a handsome fellow! Clearly, your wife Elizabeth had the kind of beauty that shines out from within as well as from without. That's rare beauty that you can't get from a beauty spa. Your faith is strong, so you KNOW that you'll see her again one day.
My Dad was smart like you & married Helen Cole. Here's a photo on their wedding day.
Dad's highest compliment ( and rarely given) was to say "He is a good man!" I know he'd say that to YOU, Rocky!
It's a privilege!
Mary Ann Malaria in the ETO - roque_riojas - 08-08-2007 Mary Ann: It's 1:10pm Wed. and I just read the above. I'm glad you found the page. I was 23 just after I got discharged in Nov. '45. I read your e-mail three times and I don't mind telling you, I had a nice cry for what you said about Elizabeth. Yes I will see her and be with her some day. Yes your father was wearing 3 pairs of socks and two pairs of pants (olive Drab) etc,,etc. I know, ME ALSO. Thanksgiving, we had just been relieved and went back just far enough from motar range. It so happened there was a road going up the hill so our captain ordered a sixby and the mess sgt and kitchen crew brought up a kinda gas stove, anyway we had coffee, and pancakes, no syrup, orange marmalade!! AND TO THIS DAY I WILL NOT TOUCH ORANGE MARMALADE !! That' what we had for thanksgiving. That's OK, did you read the story about the chicken? I will cherish your above e-mail always. Now I have two top ladies to think about, both of them start with an M. Thank you and God Bless. Rocky Malaria in the ETO - moose - 08-08-2007
Mary Ann and Rocky....... Malaria in the ETO - Mr.GSD - 08-08-2007
Thanks, PJO. That's "myocardial infarction" ... my family is chock-full of nurses, so I've been in more clinic backrooms and through more hospital back doors than a lot of ambulance drivers. I know that almost everybody in Korean War had to take chloroquine once a week... better than daily atabrine which you guys took in WW2 and turned yellow as a result. I want to get these details straight for the novel I'm working on, and I had not heard of regular use of atabrine in the mid-section of Europe (Benelux-Germany-NorthernFrance)... nor any malaria cases there. I'd like to know for sure. If anybody wants to e-mail me direct, I gave my e-address in an earlier post. Fred Malaria in the ETO - 206thmpco - 08-08-2007 Rocky,
I love the story about the chickens! I think I remember reading somewhere about the guys at Anzio spending alot of time trying to catch some cows that were on the loose. Good grief! i wonder how they were planning on cooking THEM! Probably have to find a squad with someone who'd been a butcher in civilian life. Pancakes & orange marmalade for Thanksgiving. Oh Boy! But I betcha it tasted pretty darn good at the time. It wasn't bad enough that you guys were shot at, shelled, cold and wet - but you had to be hungry all the time too. My dad was thin all his life, but he ate 4 meals a day and ate every kind of candy, cookie, and ice cream to boot. No wonder he was so skinny during the war, eating those horrible K rations!
I'm gonna post some poems about Anzio that my Dad saved. You might get a chuckle out of them.
I'm so glad you liked my email! Now don't you forget that the Good Lord had a strong hold on you throughout Italy and He brought that good & beautiful Elizabeth into your life, so he's certainly not gonna to let go of you now!
thank YOU & God bless YOU, Rocky!!!
Mary Ann |