Day to Day Life Overseas!

[Walt's Daughter]

Well my darling, I think just what you have written so far would be a fine for a page. It certainly doesn't have to be all about COMBAT. If you look at some of the other pages I've done for the vets, you will find that some of them have very little about actual combat. Some just have basic recollections or humorous anecdotes. Actually all of it IS interesting to me and to many people. Even the little facts about food and clothing, etc. are of interest because many do not know anything at all and the day to day factors are sometimes the most interesting. Those are the things that the "normal" population do not even think of.

 

What I was thinking of doing is collecting many of the things that you write about here and also including your photos, etc. Many of the vets just throw things my way and then I compile all the info and write something up, so you really wouldn't even have to do much of anything. It sure would be a nice way to preserve your memories all in one spot. See, see, I just won't leave you alone.

 

So, your dad was a member of the OSS. How interesting. We don't get to hear much about intelligence and/or the underground, so it always peaks my interest.

 

Yes, I began reading the article on the capture of Berchtersgaden in May's WW 2 History'a magazine. Yes there has always been controversy surrounding it's capture and who was REALLY there. It's just like the concentration camps. So many claim to have been the FIRST and boy does that flare a lot of tempers all round. I will let you know when I finish the article and we can discuss it here on the forum.

 

Please do lure your friend here. That is what this forum is really for; you vets. That was my hope from the beginning to hear from as many of you as possible and to have you talk about whatever you wanted. Without sounding morbid again, if we don't hear it from you now, then we won't have the chance again later. So please feel free to speak and don't EVER think that you are boring us. It pleases me immensely!

[j3rdinf]

Marion: One of my many friends stopped over this afternoon and brought over a old old

booklet (by Life Photographer Robert Capa) with about 55 pages of maps, photos, and

many personal photos of the men, mostly with names. This was about the 84th Chem.

Bn. (mainly Company C with roster and pic). Looks like a 4.2 mortar Bn. Anyone interested contact me. Looks like strictly Italian Campaign from Anzio to wars end in

Italy.. Too many pics to post as there are over 100 pics of people. I really dont quite dont know just what to do with it but will repro all pages prior to returning it just in case.

By the way, did you find the ww2 history magazine article in this May's issue interesting on Berchtesgadens capture?? It went into more detail than even I knew as

to the hows and whys and why we were "requested to leave so quickly". I feel it sorta

"busted some myths"..

[Walt's Daughter]

Hi:

 

Well I just added a 3rd Infantry Division pin to my collection today. Now I have either patches or pins for the four main infantry divs that my dad was attached to or in support of (3rd, 34th, 36th and 45th).

 

I just finished reading the article that you referred to:

 

By the way, did you find the ww2 history magazine article in this May's issue interesting on Berchtesgadens capture?? It went into more detail than even I knew as to the hows and whys and why we were "requested to leave so quickly". I feel it sorta "busted some myths"...

 

The article was excellent and I too gleaned a lot of information from it. The nice thing to find out was that the 101st don't begrudge the 3rd Inf Div their rightful place "in the sun", and that they freely admit that the 3rd was the first to the Eagle's Nest and that you guys were there a full day ahead of the 506th PIR as stated in Rendevous With Destiny.

 

I am going to copy the article right now and then place it here so everyone can read the TRUTH about Berchtesgaden. It is a shame that Stephen Ambrose did not confirm the facts before publishing his book. Don't get me wrong, he is a great writer and Band of Brothers is fantastic, but he erred on who was first to arrive at this Allied prize!

 

Here's the link to the article. It's a great read everyone.

 

Eagles Nest - Who Really Captured the Final Prize?

[Cadetat6]

Here is true story of WW2 and Korean Warrior

 

Recieves D.S.C. and Silver Star same day

I worked with this man for over 30 years ad just discovered these facts

 

Ray Gonzales D.S.C. and Silver Star the same day

 

 

 

Ray had 5 brothers all in service. Army Navy, Air Force Marines,Airborne and his father was classified 1-A

 

Ray enlisted in paratrooper in 1944 when he was 18 years old. January 1945 he was sent as replacement to Europe and served with 80th AA, and 82nd Airborne before being assigned to 155 AA Abn,17th division. The war ended and volunteers were being sought for South Pacific with a 30 day furlough.. Ray had a bad case of jaundice and after 10 weeks in the hospital at Ft.Bragg he rejoined the 80th in New York and played football on the division team.. After his dis-charge he worked in auto plant in Detroit and played semi-pro football for the Windsor (Ontario,Canada) Rockets.

 

Hostilities broke out in Korea.. In 1950 Ray re-enlisted ,got his shots and clothing at Ft. Knox,Ky., given 19-day delay en route and then reported to Ft. Campbelll,Ky. He was assigned to G-Company 187th .It has been 5 years since he jumped, he now made 1 jump and was sent to Korea. While in Korea he received the DSC and Silver Star the same day.. The citation reads “Cpl. Ray Gonzales distinguised himself by extraordinary heroism in vicinity of Naigonggum,Korea.. In January 1951his patrol approached the village when large enemy force opened fire. Ray and four comrades were cut off from their main body of the patrol.. Before the enemy banzai the enemy threw two grenades. The first one landed about two feet from the BAR man, Ray said not to worry the pin was still half way in. The second one came in cooking,Ray yelled to the men to start shooting as soon as this one went off because the enemy was going to rush his group. Ray jumped up and was between the grenade and the BAR man, his name was Sullivan.The genade went off and the enemy came down the mountain. Ray felt the concussion behind him. He had to expose himself to see where they were coming from.. They were trying to get behind us so Ray yelled to the BAR man to the right, they were getting behind us. That kid was one hell of a Bar man, those suckers didn’t stand a chance he cut them right down. Ray received a head wound and his right elbow was shattered. Disreguarding his wounds he took command and deployed the men for effective fire on the enemy. When the enemy launched a “banzai†attact Ray firing his carbine with his left hand personally killed two of them. They repulsed attacts until dark. . Ray led them in a successful withdrawal. They had to go over steep snow covered mountains in sub-zero temperatures. Ray wounded helped carry another man wounded in the leg, and could not walk.. Ray, by his insistant demands that the group keep moving ,led them through the nights intense cold to arrive at company area at 0600 hours. All of his little group safely returned to the platoon head quarters.

 

Ray had been recommended for the Medal of Honor but the recommendation was downgraded somewhere a long the line.

 

After his discharge Ray went to work for Friden Calculator Co. witch eventually changed to T.R.W.

 

 

Ray does not have a computer, if you e-mail me I will get it to him

I have a picture of Ray with General Moreland

 

Art papa@twmi.rr.com

[j3rdinf]

O.K. people. Hopefully this is anoher pic. Taken about the end of Aug. '45 of 4 of us in

Austria. All 7th Reg. 3rd Bn members who had finished the ETO war. Notice the smiles.

Not the dead pan looks. At wars end within 2 weeks we were supplied complete new uniforms. NEW ONES. The house in the background was one of the houses we were billited in prior to moving to the Bliedorn Kaserne in Fulda Germany while waiting for our

"points" to come up for shipment home. Only thing was, we had to go back to our TOE

of weapons. My "illegal" Thompson along with many other of our weapons had to be turned in. Also anthing not in line with the Inf. company's TOE equiptment was gone.

We were back to civilized soldiers again, I guess. However the benifits were great.

No more casualties, 3 hot meals a day, great to be living in a house. Plenty of free time. I guess they tried to civilize us. Ofcourse the time in Fulda Gap was a little worse

but still not wartime conditions. We just waited to be sent to Le Harve France and home

for discharge. In the pic I am second from the left, Stan Manross is 3rd from the left.

Cant recall the other 2.

[Irishmaam]

"We just waited to be sent to Le Harve France and home."..thats where my Dad landed when he went over there. Thanks so much for sharing your story and the wonderful photographs. It is very appreciated . We can learn so much from the veterans that were there. My thanks again for your service and for sharing it with us

Cindy

[Cadetat6]

13rdinf

I am half Air Corp,,what plane was your brother a gunner in

 

cadetat6

[j3rdinf]

Cadet A2: Believe it was a B-25. He also mentioned about them trying out a 75 mm cannon in the nose? of them. Ever heard of this?

[j3rdinf]

Just in case anyone wonders what happens to a jeep when hitting a anti tank mine, here

is the answer. No survivors and almost no jeep.

[Walt's Daughter]

Nasty repercussions!