52 Photos Week 21: Military

Question

This week's 52 Photos theme:

MILITARY

To participate, simply:

1. reply below, and
2. add a photo that fits the theme to this week's free-space gallery.

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Comments

My dad served in the First Army Medical Corp during WWII and was stationed mostly in Belgium and surrounding areas of Northern Europe. On D-Day, his platoon was stationed at Omaha beach and swept in after fighting had ceased to rescue the wounded.

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This is my grandfather, William C. Smith. He was a soldier in World War II. He was from Long Island, New York and went to Georgia for basic training before being deployed. While he was in basic training, my grandmother hopped on a train from New York, by herself, to go down to Georgia so she could marry him before he left. Very romantic. They were married 44 years before he passed.

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My father served during WWII in the Army Air Corps and later in the USAF for a total of 21 years. This photo was taken in Puerto  Rico in 1945.

My grandfather was a bugler in the Army during WWI. He served at Douglas, AZ do defend against Pancho Villa.

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I am new to this forum, so I cannot tell if you are the one who posted the picture of your father in Puerto Rico during WW II or if you commented.  If you are the one who posted, I would love to ask you a question because my father was in the Army and in Puerto Rico in 1945 also.  Thank you.

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I am not sure how much help I can be as he never talked about that time.  But ask your question.

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My grandfather James Isaac Enox 

Co “L” 142 Infantry 36th Division AEF Captain C.H. Fowler commanding 

Camp Merritt New Jersey

June 3 1919 

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My father never talked much about Puerto Rico either, and thus I am curious as to what the mission(s) were going on there at that time.  When he was stationed in Atlanta before going to Puerto Rico in 1945, he worked for the War Department as an attorney, investigating dependent claims and prosecuting/defending various soldier crimes, such as AWOL.  But, I don't know if that's what he did in Puerto Rico.  He did not say.  I contacted the head person of JAG at one time, and he did not have information.  Letters from my father to mother at that time were censored for content, so they do not provide much information.  I saw your post, and thought that I would ask.  I believe there is a story there of some sort, but I don't know what.  I do remember my father saying he got to fly in the Colonel's airplane--and he found that much superior to typical military airplanes.  Thank you.

Answer 1

My cousin's father-in-law, Franz Winterhager with his daughter Barbara and wife Annaliese in Berlin 1941. Franz was killed in Tula during the battle of Moscow on November 27, 1941. From the insignia on the cuff of his uniform " Großdeutschland " and a letter from Franz to his wife from Feldpost # 05203 in 1941, I was able to determine that Franz was assigned to the 6th company of Rifle Regiment 394 of the 2nd Panzer Army under General Guderian, which took part in the encirclement of Tula starting on October 30, 1941. This is the only picture that Barbara had of her father.

Comments

That's a great pic! love it!

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Thank's Keith.

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My great-uncle (my grandmother's brother) was in the same regiment. Alfred had just turned 20 when he fell on November 7, 1941 near Tula. I have two group photos of the regiment and I think I recognize Franz Winterhager on them - not sure of course. I could send it to you.

Answer 2

This is a photo taken in 1918 of my grandfather Scott Marvin. He was a medic in WWI. Even though I was only 6 1/2 when he died in 1952, I have a very good memory of him. He took me for orange ice cream and always got me a pop and candy bar when he got gasoline. I sometimes lived with him and my grandmother, and I even lived with them one summer in a hotel in Kansas. Thinking back now, this was probably due to my widowed mother working in Oklahoma City at the hospital where all the children with polio were. She was probably trying to protect me, and she knew I would be in good care with this wonderful man.

Comments

Your grandfather look very stylish Alexis thank you for sharing

Answer 3

Maybe a little different take on the subject ... I was very fortunate to be a part in an annual event that involved many active and retired military personnel.

For over 30 years I was a small part of a "Pit Crew" at the Reno National air Races.  Most of the planes in the best races were the military "WarBirds".

There were two planes in our pits.  A P51, which played a major role in WWII.  And a T6 that was used aircraft carriers and as a training plane.

Now that I am to darn old to participate, I still am in touch with many of the pilots and pit crew members that became good friends.  Those who actually were in WWII are now gone, but not forgotten.  But other generations continue on!

Below is a copy of the P51 - "Merlin"x Magic".  I am the one on the far right.

Below is the T6 - "Archemedes"

Answer 4

I have this photo in 'lost families' because I can't positively identify it.  All it says on the back is Sgt. Porter.  I think the man in the centre of the back row may be my 2xGreat Grandfather John Porter as he bears a family resemblance, but I am not certain.  I think the photo was taken about 1860.  If anyone recognises someone on the photo I would be glad to hear from them. The family came from Herefordshire, England.

Comments

This is a nice little informal group of late 19th century British Army infantrymen in drill order with their platoon Sergeant.  Your ancestor, Sgt Porter must be the man in the centre of the rear row.  He wears the scarlet sash of a sergeant over his left shoulder - it shows up pale on the B/W image but it would be scarlet.  The men's tunics would be scarlet too, the trousers dark blue with a red stripe.  The dark cuffs and collars of the tunic probably indicate dark blue.  That would mean the Regiment was a royal regiment.  Non-royal regiments had pale (white) facings, as these parts of the uniform were called. There were many royal regiments but men recruited from Herefordshire would very likely have gone to the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry (KSLI).  It wore dark blue facings.  That regiment was formed in 1881.  The style looks to me to be a little later than the 1860s.  I'd say it was mid-1880s.  Their weapon is the Martini-Henry rifle.  It was introduced gradually from 1871 and went out of service about the turn of the century.  that seems to make the suggested date in your caption a little early.  Thanks for posting the image.  It is a good one.

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Thank you very much Tom for that interesting information.  That being so it definitely isn't my 2x Gt. Grandfather as he died in 1877.  I will have to do more research on other family members to see where Sgt. Porter fits in.  Having a better idea of the date should help, I think he may have been a cousin of my Gt. Grandfather as  both his brothers and all the previous generation had died before 1880.

Answer 5

My mom's dad, H. F. Barr.  I'm not sure where the photo was taken, but probably before his deployment.

Answer 6

My great uncle Carl A Johnson served in the Army in WWII along with his father, Axel E Johnson. Carl's brother, Paul B Johnson, died while serving in the Navy during WWII.

Missy 

Answer 7

1Lt. Kenneth Walter Lindsay was my 1st cousin, 2x removed. He served in World War II as a fighter pilot, died in action and his body was never found. Here's his story, as told by his co-pilot, Lt. Duval: Lt. Kenneth W. Lindsay and Lt. Leonard T. Duval 

Answer 8

My grandfather, Paul Francis Summers, served in the US Navy during WWI.

Answer 9

My father, George Anthony Korey, served in the US Navy 1948-52, based out of Norfolk & Philadelphia.  His ship was the USS William T. Powell, Destroyer escort.  He became a SeaBee, and used those skills learned the rest of his life, in helping others - a "Jack of all trades."

Answer 10

My father, George Anthony Korey, served in the US Navy 1948-52, based out of Norfolk & Philadelphia.  His ship was the USS William T. Powell, Destroyer escort.  He became a SeaBee, and used those skills learned the rest of his life, in helping others - a "Jack of all trades."

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/98204051_10157221879437967_7583623363705176064_n.jpg?_nc_cat=104&_nc_sid=dbeb18&_nc_ohc=v5rTCxy54akAX9Xikq1&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-1.xx&oh=3338ea06cc543ce765ab6da27320cebd&oe=5EEB8586

Answer 11

My father, George Anthony Korey, served in the US Navy 1948-52, based out of Norfolk & Philadelphia.  His ship was the USS William T. Powell, Destroyer escort.  He became a SeaBee, and used those skills learned the rest of his life, in helping others - a "Jack of all trades."  (Sorry for the duplicate)

Answer 12

This is my 2nd great uncle Harry Zollicoffer Wellmore.  He was raised in Baltimore and fought for the South.  He was for a time in a prisoner of war camp and developed TB.  He died in Frankfurt, Kentucky after the war.

Answer 13

My Grandfather Howard Allen Sumner was in the ambulance core in France in WWI.  He went to the University of Pennsylvania and studied chemistry.  He headed the team at Norwich Pharmaceutical that developed Furacin and was later President of Norwich Pharmaceutical and visce President of Eaton Laboratories.

Answer 14

This is my grandfather's (Howard Alllen Sumner) ambulance core that he served with in WWI in France.

Answer 15

Dad (Connie Lee Slaton 1926-2019) went to Japan in 1945. After the war, the U.S. occupied Japan, they were called the occupation forces. Dad worked on machinery.

Answer 16

Yes, I have several; father, aunt, uncles, grandfather

Answer 17

My great grandfather, Rasmus Jorgen Andersen.

Warrant officer in Danish Army and chief farrier in charge of the King's cavalry horses.

Comments

Lauri, have you identified the medal Andersen is wearing in this photo yet?

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I haven’t investigated it yet. Thanks for the idea.

I did a quick search and found this image. It’s a medal for long service and good conduct.

Answer 18

My father was in the Navy in the Pacific in World War II

Answer 19

My Great grandmother's brother, William Soule was a member of the 1st then the 4th Massachusetts Volunteer Calvary, became a brevetted captain.

Answer 20

My father was in the Navy in WWII on an Landing Ship Medium (LSM).  This photo with my mother, oldest sister, and grandmothers was taken shortly before he left for the South Pacific.