Hello,
I just found this site a few days ago, whilst searching for info on the 253rd, and have some to share. A member of my church was in the 253rd (A Co.), from inception through discharge in 1946.
Thomas Mowry, PFC, Truck Driver Light 345. He has told me about when they got to the UK, then over into the ETO. One thing he told me was that they were with the 7th Army, not the 9th. He was adamant on that point. I will get more details on the period leading up to VE day. Today we talked about getting out of Europe. He did not preform as a truck driver until after the war! He also said he was transferred to the 75th ID for the period involved with transporting troops from the interior of Europe, to coastal France. I am not clear if it was his unit, or himself that went to the 75th. The tone of the explanation suggests the latter. I will check.
There was a plan to use German PWs to assist in the enormous number of trucking assignments involved in shipping troops to Cherbourg, and other ports, for transit back home (I find this fascinating, for my Grandfather-in-law was an Estonian volunteer in the Luftwaffe, flying Arados in the Baltic...sinking Sov. subs...but ended the war in western Germany, and then 7 months as a PW, in France. I wish I had asked him more about things he did as a PW...). This was necessary because of so many men having points to get out, leaving fewer and fewer men to get the mundane jobs done. After a number of accidents, the Germans were moved to the right side, as observer/helper, and the GIs drove. He spoke of driving ALL OVER the ETO, picking up troops and getting them to the ports, so it was a much larger task than just moving his BN. As the operation was coming to a close, they would drive convoys of trucks to depots, where the bulk of the trucks were turned in and parked. Then the drivers would be loaded up into remaining trucks, and taken to the port for transit. His dates of departure and final ETS coincide with dates given by Richard Horrell, so he was reunited with the 253rd before shipping out.
He is going on an Honor Flight to Wash., DC, on the 21st of April, and I am fitting him out with a complete uniform for the trip. He never got involved with any Veteran's groups after the war, and now regrets that a bit. He spoke of looking for the name of a friend whose name may be on the memorial. He was atop a large shipment of explosives that detonated by accident, as he said "...left nothing, no truck, nothing." Anyhow, I have his rank, svc bars, and shoulder patch, am awaiting a set of ribbons and bolo badges, but have not found any unit crests, but he is thrilled with the fact that he can wear a complete uniform again. OK, he wears orthopedic shoes, but otherwise....
We took him to a WWII reenactment held that we (my sons and our "unit") participate in, at a train museum down here in Fl, and he had a good time there. Walked all over the place on his own...a very fit man!
Tom's two brothers were also in the Army, but one is deceased, and the other has no interest in any honor flights. This will be a high point for him, and if there is anyone else out there that has or knows of a remaining 253 man, do let me know. As I come up with more of his story, I will pass it on.
Michael Belanger
SFC (Ret), SF
St Petersburg, Fl