294th Engineer Combat Battalion - 1944.

[Joe Izzillo]

Marion and Brooke:

 

Thank you so much for your remarks. Marion, sure you can give me a site and I will make full use of it.

In the meantime, here is another photo of young me when I arrived in the U.K.

 

Joe

 

Marion:

This did not go through and I shall try another attachment. This is our platoon of Company "B" of the 294th Combat Engineers taken in front of our hut in Sherborne.

 

Joe

[Joe Izzillo]

Marion:

 

I should also have told you that I have heard that there are no lawyers in Heaven and, so, I am going to try to make it as a starving artist.

 

Joe

[Walt's Daughter]

Ah, for a lawyer you have a good sense of humor.

 

As for realism, I look at the photo and am taken back. I look on and say, what a young bunch of boys. Oh the innocence. Oh the bliss before the storm. Wish I knew ALL of you back when. Takes one breath away...

[Custermen]

Ha! get a load of that guy sticking out his tongue. A great bunch of guys.

[Joe Izzillo]

As for the photo of my platoon in the 294th Combat Engineers, look in the foreground and you will see Sergeant Greenberg with his hands on his knees. I heard a few years ago that he had become a Rabbi in the Midwest.

I thought that I was in the photo but on the back of the photo I had written that I was not in it because I took the photo.

I am going to try to attach a photo of myself as I looked when I was in England. Oh, to be young again!

 

Joe

 

For some reason, the photo is not going through. Here is one of me in front of the palace in Luxembourg.

[Walt's Daughter]

Ah, quite a handsome and dashing young man. From what I can tell is that that same young man is still going strong. Hey, the internet is a great thing, for I will still think of you that way.

[Joe Izzillo]

When I read that story about Gen Patton by Bill Douglass and his top hat, it reminded me of another incident involving Gen. Patton:

Gen. Patton and his Third Army broke out of Normandy at St. Lo, on July 25, 1944 and his tanks raced East and South headed for Germany. But, two things stopped him- he ran out of gas (actually, much to Patton's dismay, it was diverted to Gen. Montgomery up North- Patton had a fit and he was sure that his Third Army could beat the Russians to Berlin- by the way, he was the only allied commander who knew that the Russians were as bad as the Naziis and he made no secret of this- history bore him out), and he ran out of maps.

I got an assignment on August 3, 1944, to bring maps to him which covered eastern France and Germany, and they had to be delivered to him personally. I commandeered an English "Coaster", which is a relatively small ship and loaded the maps and headed for Normandy. We landed at Utah Beach and we off-loaded the maps into DUKW'S (amphibious trucks- for you civilians), and then to shore and loaded six trucks which I appropriated. (My orders were so broad, in the name of Gen. Eisenhower, that I could appropriate any means of transportation to deliver the maps).

We started through Normandy and headed for Brittany trying to find Patton. More than once, we were strafed and we dove off into ditches on the side of the road. On one of these occasions, one of the drivers deserted and we could not find him and we unloaded his truck into the other trucks and I took out my .45 automatic and threatened the other drivers. Of course, we were all scared but I had to complete my mission. A few days later, we came upon Gen. Patton in a field with his Generals. I saluted him and told him that I had his maps. He thanked me and my task was done. (When the Third Army came to the Rhine, Patton had himself photographed voiding (in lieu of a more common word) into the Rhine to show his contempt for the Germans. I had seen that photo in France and wished that I had a copy of it. I finally found it this past year at the Patton Museum in the California desert where we trained for Africa . If anyone wants to see it, I can attach it to a message).

I headed back towards Normandy taking whatever transportation I wanted to and, eventually, I got a small plane and flew into Croydon Airport in London. Before the war, Croydon was the principal airport for London. I hitched a ride into London with my duffel bag with some French Calvados (apple brandy), and other goodies and when I was dropped off, I was immediately arrested for being out of uniform. I hadn't bathed for two weeks and my clothes were filthy. I was put into a paddy wagon by the MP's and taken to their headquarters. Their commander chewed me out and said that he had never see such a disgrace for a soldier and he put before me a "Statement of Charges", for signature, which meant that I would be given a new uniform and accessories and the cost would be taken out of my pay. I refused to sign it and I pulled out my orders. When he saw them, he knew that he could not touch me and I told him off for arresting me and I told him that the MP's in France were being killed at all the cross-roads directing traffic which the Germans had zeroed on with their 88's, and that they were not wearing the fancy white holsters and white leggings. They were in foxholes at the cross-roads with only their heads and arms above ground.

 

This is another true story to be added to our archives and to remember Gen. Patton who was, in my humble estimation, was the finest General of World War II. It s ironic that he died of a broken neck in an auto accident- he would have wanted to die in battle. He is buried with many of his beloved Third Army soldiers in Luxembourg City.

 

Joe Izzillo

[Walt's Daughter]

Well you know me, (well actually you don't yet! ) but I always love to hear a good Patton story. Bill's story is just a hoot. Everywhere I go amongst WWII vets, I love to tell that one. Of course I put on my best Maurice impression when singing , "thank heaven for leetell girlz.."

 

Ya the guy must have almost messed himself when he saw your orders.

 

When the Third Army came to the Rhine, Patton had himself photographed voiding (in lieu of a more common word) into the Rhine to show his contempt for the Germans. I had seen that photo in France and wished that I had a copy of it. I finally found it this past year at the Patton Museum in the California desert where we trained for Africa . If anyone wants to see it, I can attach it to a message).

 

In fact I do have that photo on our site and forum, for he pissed off the bridge that my daddy's unit built over the Rhine. So I am rather proud of that. The photo is now included in my slide show for the VI Corps vets. That tends to get people's attention.

 

I too think it is so terribly sad how Patton died. It is just so ironic that after all the years of war that he should be injured and then die from a stupid car accident.

 

The 540th got to serve under him on several occasions and he talked to the men personally. One of my vets in currently writing down a Patton memory from Sicily regarding their push to Messina. He gave the boys a real pep talk and he didn't mince any words. They were behind him all the way.

[Joe Izzillo]

Marion:

 

I tried that telephone number for Jim Hand several times, but it is not in service. I would like to contact Bob's father in law.

I invite you to visit my web-site: www.joe-the-artist.com.

 

Joe

[Walt's Daughter]

Thanks Joe: Will give it a visit later today on my break. Happy to give ya a "plug"!

 

Sorry to hear that the number is not in service.

 

I will get you Bob's info later today when I'm in my office. Right now I am in our country store.