Andy Rooney and Gen Patton
From Jim Franklin
In the Feb issue there was a letter from Tom stating that Andy Rooney made a remark that astonished me, that Gen Patton was not a good General, and did not do that much in the victory of Germany, and got a lot of credit for things he didn’t do, but gave most of the credit to Omar Bradley who I think is a great General. Andy Rooney didn’t think Patton was or did what they all said he did.
Mr. Rooney is wrong. Patton's "cavalry" tactics and his hard-charging troops saved the allies from a major defeat during the Battle of the Bulge. His break-out from Normandy kept the Germans from waging a slow, intense defensive campaign by getting into their rear areas and cutting off their troops from supplies and reinforcements.
Patton wasn't perfect. He had a bad temper and loved the spotlight. But he was probably the best tank tactics man we had.
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106th Tac. Recon Sqdn/100th Bombardment Sqdqn
From Jim Franklin
I would appreciate any information concerning this unit, which is now the 106 Refueling Squadron of the Alabama Air National Guard. My Dad was a long-time member of this unit but did not accompany some of the of the unit when they were deployed to the Pacific in 1943. They served on Guadalcanal, the Solomons, Phillipines and New Guinea. They flew B-25Gs & Hs.
I have talked with the few remaining local members of the unit but wanted to see if anyone might have served with or known them when they were in the Pacific.
I also would like information from anyone who served with personnel from this unit in Korea. Many of the flight personnel were reassigned to combat units after their activation in 1950, probably flying F-51Ds.
Also, I would like to hear from anyone who was activated for the Berlin Crisis in 1961 and stationed at either Dreux AB or Chaumont AB in France with personnel from this unit.
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Numbers on VA Tombstone
From FTW
I am currently in the process of trying to obtain my father's military records and I am trying to figure out how to get his military ID#. He is buried in a VA cemetery and I have a photo of his cemetery marker. It has some numbers in the top right hand corner. Does anyone know if those numbers would have anything to do with his military number? It has 2 numbers, a space and then 4 more numbers.
Reply from Jim Franklin
Those numbers on the tombstone are most likely the plot & space #. During what era did he serve? If it was before about 1970, he would have had a unique serial #. Do you have any of his military orders or possibly his dog tags? Try checking with the local Veterans Affairs office. NOT the Federal VA! but there might be a local/state Department of Veterans Affairs that could help you or try your Congressman.
Hope this helps.
Response from FTW
He served during WW II and was injured during the Battle of the Bulge at Ardennes. I was to young to remember him and don't have any of his military orders or dog tags. I was able to finally get his military id # and learned he went to Ft. Knox prior to D-Day, but don't know what unit he was attached to after leaving Ft. Knox.
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54th Armored Infantry Battalion
From Frank
I am trying to find out where the 54th Armored Infantry Battalion was stationed between April '43 and June '44. Also, if they were a part of the D-Day invasion, I would like to know what beach they arrived at.
Response from Kevin
In June, 1944 54th Armored Infantry Battalion was all together in Camp Gordon, Ga. When we went overseas, we were divided into CCA, CCB, and CCR. In March, 1945, we were still fighting in various places but I have no idea where Company A was at the time. Company A was not with us in Bastogne, so they must have been in one of the other combat units."
You might also want to ask the webmaster at: http://www.tigerdivision.com Or, if you would like, do a search of book titles by: Lester M. Nichols. Mr. Nichols was in Division HQ, and has written several books about the 10 AD.
Response from Bob M.
December 1944
On the evening of December 18th, 1944, Team O’Hara, left Bastogne, led by Lt. Col. James O’Hara, normally commander of the 54th Armored Infantry Battalion. His forces included Company B, 54th Armored Infantry Battalion (Lt. John Devereux), Company C, 21st tank Battalion, 3rd Platoon, Company C, 55th Armored Engineer Battalion, 2nd Platoon, Company D, 3rd Tank Battalion (M-5s), and one platoon of Troop D, 90th Recon Squadron.
With his force of some 400 men, 26 tanks and some assorted armored cars, halftracks and a couple of SP guns, O’Hara headed to the southeast to Wardin. Of the three teams, this was the least affected in the fighting. Arriving a few hours ahead of the Germans, O’Hara set up positions in and around Wardin.
They did not have long to wait. At about 9 PM, German tanks and grenadiers began probing O’Hara’s front lines. Fighting was scattered and intermittent. What was happening was the major attacking forces headed to Bastogne, were to his north. He was only getting a small breeze of the hurricane ripping through the Ardennes at that time. Sensing that his positions were leaving his flanks and rear vulnerable, O’Hara had his troops withdraw a mile or so to the west, and settle in at Marvie. There was good high ground here and he still controlled the southern road into Bastogne.
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Trying to find what unit was called "The split wall
From Teresa R
My Dad called his unit patch the "Split wall," and truly that's what it looked like. I'm trying to find what unit he was in. He passed away recently, and when I was young, never spoke of Viet Nam. By the time he was ready to talk, he was ill with TIA's (mini strokes) and suffered so much damage he made little sense. But my mother claims the second unit he was in he called "the split wall," and I wanted to know what that was. Anyway, has anyone heard this reference before?
Response from Joe
Teresa, contact the Armed Forces he served with, may be the Army, Marines, etc, and they have an automated answering phone service where you leave a message saying that you are the daughter of this person and you would like to have his medals and records, you must leave your full name, SSN and his full name and SSN or serial number and about 6 months later you will get all medals issue to him and records. You can find the phone number to call on the blue pages of your phone book.
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USS Comfort
Reply from Texas
Last month one of your readers said he was looking for others that served on the USS Comfort during WW II. Check out USS COMFORT (AH-3) Personnel Roster at www.HullNumber.com
This is a link to the USS Comfort page at HullNumber.com
They provide a place for men and women to add their names to the “roster” online.....and there are a few listed from the WWII era......
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WWII Memorial Registry of Remembrances
Erected between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument lies The National WWII Memorial. A Memorial that would tell America and the world the historical and significance of WWII. A memorial that has enjoyed an overwhelming support from hundreds of thousands of Americans, Congress, hundreds of corporations, 47 state legislatures, and more than 450 veteran organizations, representing 11 million veterans.
With the erection of the WWII Memorial emerged The Registry of Remembrances, an online registry that provides users the ability to view, add, or edit honoree listings of Veterans who served in uniform, gave their lives and, those who supported the war effort from the home front. Eligibility includes any war-related activity from September 1, 1939 through July 25, 1947.
To visit The Registry of Remembrances, one can go to their website at https://wwiiregistry.abmc.gov/. You may register online or print the form and mail to the following address:
American Battle Monuments Commission
2300 Clarendon Boulevard Suite 500
Arlington, VA 22201-3367
Dr. Zoe Simmons
Editor
Wartime Section
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Servicemen accused of not holding a job?
From David
As I read and listen to the tomes of some people in America and overseas, especially the young ones in their 20-30's, it appears they never learned or understand why military personnel do what they do for a living. This exchange between Senators John Glenn and Sen. Howard Metzenbaum is worth reading. Not only is it a pretty impressive impromptu speech, but it's also a good example of one man's explanation of why men and women in the Uniformed Services do what they do for a living. This an example of what those who have never served, think of the Military. Not all are this way, but there are enough of them to edge me to share this historical piece. Below is Senator Glenn's Great Answer to a question Sen. Metzenbaum asked in a debate during a Congressional Senate race..
Senator Metzenbaum to Senator Glenn: "How can you run for Senate when you've never held a real "job"?"
Senator Glenn: "I served 23 years in the United States Marine Corps. I served through two wars. I flew 149 missions. My plane was hit by antiaircraft fire on 12 different occasions. I was in the space program. It wasn't my checkbook; it was my Life on the line. It was not a nine to five job where I took time off to take the daily cash receipts to the bank. I ask you to go with me ... as I went the other day to a Veterans Hospital and look at those men with their mangled bodies in the eye and tell them they didn't hold a job. You go with me to the space program and go as I have gone to the widows and orphans of Ed White and Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee and you look those kids in the eye and tell them that their dad didn't hold a job. You go with me on Memorial Day coming up and you stand in Arlington National Cemetery, where I have more friends than I'd like to remember and you watch those waving flags. You stand there, and you think about this nation, and you tell me that those people didn't have a job. I'll tell you, Howard Metzenbaum, you should be on your knees every day of your life thanking God that there were some men - SOME MEN - who held a job. And they required a dedication to purpose and a love of country and a dedication to duty that was more important than life itself. And their
self-sacrifice is what made this country possible
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I HAVE HELD A JOB, HOWARD! --- "What about you.”
Published in U S Legacies Magazine May 2003
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