Well folks, I'm a little excited about an observation I have just made about the picture of the unknown soldier I posted previously. The photo on the right has my grandfather in the front row, second from the right. The soldier next to him ( front row, third from the right) I'm betting a dollar to donuts is the same soldier posing with the Thompson on the left. Tell me what you think, is this the same guy? They both have the same Tec 5 rank on their sleeves, looks like the same guy to me. I'm guessing the small group photo was taken somewhere stateside but don't know for certain. There is writing on the back.
In case you have trouble reading it, it says; "Only 4 of these are old men, the rest new to the outfit"
Don't know whose writing this is, another question.
Who knows, maybe one of our 292nd'ers here has a relative in this picture.
Well folks, I'm a little excited about an observation I have just made about the picture of the unknown soldier I posted previously. The photo on the right has my grandfather in the front row, second from the right. The soldier next to him ( front row, third from the right) I'm betting a dollar to donuts is the same soldier posing with the Thompson on the left. Tell me what you think, is this the same guy? They both have the same Tec 5 rank on their sleeves, looks like the same guy to me. I'm guessing the small group photo was taken somewhere stateside but don't know for certain. There is writing on the back.
In case you have trouble reading it, it says; "Only 4 of these are old men, the rest new to the outfit"
Don't know whose writing this is, another question.
Who knows, maybe one of our 292nd'ers here has a relative in this picture.
Randy
Randy It looks like the same guy to me. But I don't think the group photo is stateside. I'm thinking [ the rest new to the outfit ] men are replacements
Well folks, I'm a little excited about an observation I have just made about the picture of the unknown soldier I posted previously. The photo on the right has my grandfather in the front row, second from the right. The soldier next to him ( front row, third from the right) I'm betting a dollar to donuts is the same soldier posing with the Thompson on the left. Tell me what you think, is this the same guy? They both have the same Tec 5 rank on their sleeves, looks like the same guy to me. I'm guessing the small group photo was taken somewhere stateside but don't know for certain. There is writing on the back.
In case you have trouble reading it, it says; "Only 4 of these are old men, the rest new to the outfit"
Don't know whose writing this is, another question.
Who knows, maybe one of our 292nd'ers here has a relative in this picture.
Randy
Randy,
I agree with Ralph. It definitely looks like the same guy and also about most being replacements. Question... which four guys are not replacements and are the "old men"?
Gary
Gary L. Gates
Proud Grandson of Randall Gates
Mechanic, A and H&S Companies, 292nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 1149th Engineer Combat Group
Those Longacre photos are the ones I was thinking of. The 1149th Ops Reports tell us what each company was assigned to each day during the Roer Crossings, which bridge or road or whatever. Interesting reading.
Pete
Pete,
I received your package and you are so correct, my friend! Very interesting reading. All of the old reunion stuff was very intriguing with all of the names and companies listed. I will look to scan all that you sent ASAP so that any and all can enjoy the information. Thanks so much for taking the time to send what you did. You are a man of men!
Gary
Gary L. Gates
Proud Grandson of Randall Gates
Mechanic, A and H&S Companies, 292nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 1149th Engineer Combat Group
I just realized I have a photo of one more guy in the panoramic photo. The attached photo is a close up I've cut from a photo labeled on the back as "Sterling Sykes and Demello at Gosselies Belgium 3Aug1945." I can't find Demello on the list you posted some time back, but I believe Demello is the 16th man from the left on the back row of the Company A panoramic photo. What do you think?
As for the photo date, I'm wondering about it. That would be after the end of the war in Europe. Would they have been in Belgium at that point? I'm afraid I don't know the unit history like I should.
I just realized I have a photo of one more guy in the panoramic photo. The attached photo is a close up I've cut from a photo labeled on the back as "Sterling Sykes and Demello at Gosselies Belgium 3Aug1945." I can't find Demello on the list you posted some time back, but I believe Demello is the 16th man from the left on the back row of the Company A panoramic photo. What do you think?
As for the photo date, I'm wondering about it. That would be after the end of the war in Europe. Would they have been in Belgium at that point? I'm afraid I don't know the unit history like I should.
Lisa
Lisa,
I think you are spot on about the ID. If that isn't Demello then it's a twin brother! I don't see him on the original list of enlisted men transferred to the unit from other units when it was formed in November of 1943, but that is not unusual since at least 400 men were transferred early in Feb of 1944. Let me do a little digging to see what I can find. Randy, since you are so good at these types of things please feel free to chime in here.
As for where they were after Germany's surrender... they built POW camps, etc at this time and some one else posted something about this place stating that it was written on the back of their photo, also.
Time to scour some documents!
Gary
Gary L. Gates
Proud Grandson of Randall Gates
Mechanic, A and H&S Companies, 292nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 1149th Engineer Combat Group
I just realized I have a photo of one more guy in the panoramic photo. The attached photo is a close up I've cut from a photo labeled on the back as "Sterling Sykes and Demello at Gosselies Belgium 3Aug1945." I can't find Demello on the list you posted some time back, but I believe Demello is the 16th man from the left on the back row of the Company A panoramic photo. What do you think?
As for the photo date, I'm wondering about it. That would be after the end of the war in Europe. Would they have been in Belgium at that point? I'm afraid I don't know the unit history like I should.
Lisa
Lisa,
Here's a document from March of 1945 that lists a Leopold DeMello as receiving a Good Conduct Medal. Good probability that this is our guy!
Gary
Gary L. Gates
Proud Grandson of Randall Gates
Mechanic, A and H&S Companies, 292nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 1149th Engineer Combat Group
I just realized I have a photo of one more guy in the panoramic photo. The attached photo is a close up I've cut from a photo labeled on the back as "Sterling Sykes and Demello at Gosselies Belgium 3Aug1945." I can't find Demello on the list you posted some time back, but I believe Demello is the 16th man from the left on the back row of the Company A panoramic photo. What do you think?
As for the photo date, I'm wondering about it. That would be after the end of the war in Europe. Would they have been in Belgium at that point? I'm afraid I don't know the unit history like I should.
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for sharing the photo with us. I agree that you have correctly identified this fellow from the Company A panoramic.I had a Leopold Demello on my list of Company A men from this Morning Report document (sorry for the poor image, the original is poor).
This report from 7 December 1944 changes his status from being on sick call at the hospital in Chester, England to active duty. Lisa here is a general outline for the 292nd during the war. They performed various occupational duties after the war in Europe ended on 8 May 1945, such as building P.O.W. and staging camps. My grandfather's letters even make reference that they actually guarded prisoners at times. As you can see from this list they spent a good deal of time in Belgium.
One of my grandfather's letters is from the same locale and time frame as the photo you have posted, neat!
Have a good day and thanks again Lisa for sharing!
I just realized I have a photo of one more guy in the panoramic photo. The attached photo is a close up I've cut from a photo labeled on the back as "Sterling Sykes and Demello at Gosselies Belgium 3Aug1945." I can't find Demello on the list you posted some time back, but I believe Demello is the 16th man from the left on the back row of the Company A panoramic photo. What do you think?
As for the photo date, I'm wondering about it. That would be after the end of the war in Europe. Would they have been in Belgium at that point? I'm afraid I don't know the unit history like I should.
Lisa
All right, folks!
Here's an updated A Company photo with DeMello added. If anyone has photos that have names on them even if you are not sure which guy is which then please post the image and information. Research on Ancestry and elsewhere may allow us to ID them. Keep in mind, this goes for guys that are in other companies, also. We are trying to ID as many men from the battalion as possible not just A Company.
Later, my friends!
Gary
Gary L. Gates
Proud Grandson of Randall Gates
Mechanic, A and H&S Companies, 292nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 1149th Engineer Combat Group
