Captain Beswick Wray--92nd Engineer GS Regiment

[Walt's Daughter]

I realized this morning, there were TWO separate posts regarding this unit, so I merged them into one. This should make it a lot easier to keep track of any ongoing information.

 

M1

[CPT. Schellberg's Grandson]

My grandfather, Donald Schellberg, served as an officer in a segregated general service engineers unit for most of world war 2. Out of curiosity one day, I was poking around on the internet looking for information on his unit and came across this forum discussion. I immediately e-mailed my grandparents the link. Amazing to think that they are actually using e-mail – not many people their age doing that I am sure.

 

Here is a brief excerpt from my grandmother’s response:

 

“This is amazing!! Papa just sat and looked at the picture for a long time, naming each one except at the end of the bottom row--a guy he thought was probably a Dr.. Most of the others served with him both in Africa and Italy. I wonder how many are still alive? Is there anyway to contact the one who has this picture? Wonder what memories went through his mind tonight? Thank you--that you could come up with that!!”

 

I don't know how many others from his unit are still alive, but I know it would mean a lot to my grandfather if we were somehow able to connect him with someone he served with.

 

I also hope to share some of the stories (and pictures) that he has shared with his family from that time in his life.

 

Some news clippings:

Telegram:

 

Here is a picture I have of him later in the war as a Captain in Italy:

 

Thank you,

Zeke

[Walt's Daughter]

Welcome. Glad I got to speak with you via email earlier this week. What a pleasant surprise to also see the newspaper clippings, telegram and the photo.

 

This is a fantastic post. Please tell you grandparents I am so pleased. So happy to be part of their discovery of the old photo from the war. I love this kind of stuff. Gives me goosebumps.

 

B)

[Walt's Daughter]

As I stated in my letter, I also sent a note off to Barb. I included your letter to me and your email address, so I hope she contacts you directly too. She was the one who stated they were still in contact with a member from the unit.

 

This was her response to David, a while back:

 

Hi David!

 

Here is the photo. Names are as follows:

 

Information on the back of this photo

Front Row:

Lt Schellberg (Neb), Lt. Welker (Ala), Lt. Swanson (Mich), Capt. Douglas (Mo),

Back Row:

Capt. Green (Minn), Major Small (Ill), Capt. Wrey (Texas), Lt. Daniel McDonald (Mass), Lt Geary (Penn), Lt Lahaye (Texas), Lt. Cordone (Mich)

 

I don't know much about these men. Dan McDonald is still alive. My mother is still in touch with him occasionally.

 

I hope you get this ok.

 

 

Barbara Hill Osgood

[angatti]

My full name is David Beswick Angell, I live in the UK in the county of Oxfordshire, not very far from where 343 Engineer GS Regiment were stationed during WW2. I only found out some 20 years ago

that I am half Texan,half English. It's taken me until last year to make contact with my half sister and

half brother. My sister sent me last Christmas our late father's Military Records, and I would like to make contact with veterans and families whose fathers served with Captain Beswick Wray, General Sevice Engineer Unit Commander 1328, 92nd Engineer General Service Regiment, from San Antonio Texas  commanded by Col George W Bennett, was under the command of the 1168 Engineer Combat Group as a part of 5th Army support units during WW2.  After the war he worked for the Texas Highway Dept. Captain Beswick Wray I would very grateful for any help.

Hi David,
the "General Service Engineer Unit Commander 1328" is referred to the MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES (MOS) code. This position was specifically linked to the command of engineering units involved in logistical and construction tasks not directly on the front line (unlike the "Combat Engineer Unit Commander", code 1331).

Andrea