losing weight in the ETO

[arve]

I'm sure you Vets will relate to this.

Pictures of my Dad show him getting thinner and thinner -

through N Africa, Italy, and France. He'd say: "I look like a DP" (I know

you guys know what that means).

 

Didn't the army feed you? or were you burning it off too fast to keep

up?

 

Here's two photos of Dad. One with army helmet and pistol holder -

France? Italy? don't know. Looks like there was something on his helmet that was falling off, worn off? The other was taken in Italy (Anzio?)

and made into a postcard to send home (Yikes! his mother must've

fainted when she saw it!). Note the 6 Corps badge on the wall to the right.

This picture always scares me, besides looking like a skeleton, my father's

eyes look "wrong" (not like him, not sad exactly, but - I don't know

what.)

[roque_riojas]

I have only one picture. Looks like a piece of paper on his pot,directions maybe. the only

thing different is he is wearing a regular belt instead of a cartridge belt. BUT HE LOOKS

LIKE A LEAN MEAN MACHINE. ROQUE

[Sgtleo]

 

I also noticed that the pistol belt,holster and shoulder strap were leather

not the regular web belt type with extra "mag" pouch(s).

 

Trying to figure time and location of photo was hard as he is wearing the

old canvas leggings and I don't know when you guys in Italy got issued

the combat boots - if that is Italy.

 

We didn't get combat boots until everybody in Paris had them and Gen.

Patton sent word back that we were to get them ASAP or he would send

some of his men back to "requisition" them - Verstanden!! SOBs in the REC

units had the Bed Rolls(F**T Sacks) before we had them because it must

have been cold in those hotels and other billets back there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Sgtleo

[roque_riojas]

We got our combat boots in No. Africa. Damn airabs would try to steal them and also the

mattress covers. They would cut two holes on each side and WEAR THEM LIKE PANTS!!!!! Roque

[SonofaMP]

I believe that type of holster belt/ shoulder strap was standard issue to MP noncoms & officers as they didnt need the combat type cartrige belts. Hazzarding a guess here... that belt was probly worn on garrison or town guard duty, the pic might have been taken in Rome or near Naples during the rest/training phase just before the southern france invasion.

Larry

[206thmpco]

Roque, Sgt Leo, and Larry, thanks for the info!

 

I'm a nincompoop, but you've probably figured that out by now!

and screwed up putting the other photo on.

 

Here it is. Anzio??? somwhere it Italy?

 

Roque - I'll have to find one of my Dad's letters from N. Africa

where he writes home: "this place is overrun with Arabs stealing everything!!".

 

Sgt Leo - I don't know when Dad got his combat boots. The Salerno

pictures show him still in leggings from N. Africa. In

France, he still had the lightweight uniform everybody was issued

for N Africa/ Italy. I guess the Army couldn't keep up with it's

Campaigns. Maybe nobody understood that it gets COLD in Italy

in the mountains in winter and COLD COLD COLD in France!

I have a photo of my father on christmas day 1944 and looks like

he's got a couple of homemade scarfs wrapped around his neck.

I think he was in Alsace.

[j3rdinf]

206th: Army tried to feed us well but most of the time it was K, C rations and D bars. Hot chow kitchens were

rare treats. Food scroungers we were when possible. Eggs and chickens and a occasional pig was fair game.

We burned up a lot of calories most days also. When you see a fat G.I. you know damn right well he wasnt

a combat soldier.

[roque_riojas]

Roque, Sgt Leo, and Larry, thanks for the info!

 

I'm a nincompoop, but you've probably figured that out by now!

and screwed up putting the other photo on.

 

Here it is. Anzio??? somwhere it Italy?

 

Roque - I'll have to find one of my Dad's letters from N. Africa

where he writes home: "this place is overrun with Arabs stealing everything!!".

 

Sgt Leo - I don't know when Dad got his combat boots. The Salerno

pictures show him still in leggings from N. Africa. In

France, he still had the lightweight uniform everybody was issued

for N Africa/ Italy. I guess the Army couldn't keep up with it's

Campaigns. Maybe nobody understood that it gets COLD in Italy

in the mountains in winter and COLD COLD COLD in France!

I have a photo of my father on christmas day 1944 and looks like

he's got a couple of homemade scarfs wrapped around his neck.

I think he was in Alsace.

 

 

Clean shirt at Anzio !!! He was right about the Arabs. Anzio was between

Rome and Cassino. Saw the town of Cassino but never got to the top where

the Monastary is. Roque

[206thmpco]

3rdinf, what could you get from home? anything? My Dad got cookies once

(or at least he TOLD his mother that he got em).

His mother was Irish and used to make the traditional fruitcake

at Christmas (I think it took about a month to make). Dad LOVED it (yuck!)!

In one of his letters, he writes that he had some SS Pierce Fruitcake

that someone sent to his buddy. He was so enthused, you'd think it

was a steak.

 

I hate that "postcard photo" he sent to his mother (what was he thinking?!!)

He looks like he belongs in a hospital or like somebody who'se been in a POW camp.

 

BTW - the general that I heard my Dad speak highly

of, was the 3rd's Lucien Truscott.

 

206thmp

[roque_riojas]

General Lucien Truscott was the commanding General of the CRACK 3rd Inf. Divn.

If you have the book ""DOGFACES WHO SMILED THROUGH TEARS"" page 445.

went ashore at Anzio with an attached Artillery Bn. from the 45th Inf. Divn.

Most of all the 1st,, 3rd,, and4th Ranger Bns. called Darby's Rangers of the

\34th Divn. READ PAGE 445 OF THE BOOK. Roque