608 Engineer Light Equipment Co./Cpt. James L. Anderson

And I recorded it! For the parts I don't remember!

 

Glad to hear everything went so well. No doubt, Frank has a great daughter.

Now to the photos. It looks like only the third photo was taken in Germany. The guy third from the right seems to have something on his left shoulder, looks triangular, could be Seventh Army patch -- or my imagination.

The rest of the photos look stateside, wearing cotton HBT fatigues or wool OD's with Service coat -- probably taken after a Saturday uniform and weapon inspection.

Good stuff.

 

Earthican,

I asked Mr. Ament about the shoulder patch, I asked if the wore Third Army patch and he mentioned a different patch, it may have been the Seventh Army, he said it was a triangle. I have to go back to the audio recording, which I haven't had time to do to hear what he said again. I asked him if they later would have worn the Third Army patch (the son of another 608 member, a member on this forum, said his father wore a Third Army patch, and I know they were attached to the Third Army at some point).

Dad trained in the Signal Corps and was in the staging area at Camp Myles Standish when he was transferred to the 608 Engineers right before they left for England, the first time. The ship left and then had to be towed back for repairs and I think they were back at Camp Myles Standish for two weeks before they shipped out for the duration. They returned to the US on Nov. 26, 1945 and Dad mustered out at Fort Knox on Dec. 2, 1945. So that brief two week period was about all of the time Dad was with the 608 on US soil. The photo with the wool ODs could have been taken during that two week period.

 

What an incredible gift for both you and your father, Clementine. I am also glad to hear that you were able to record the meeting. Your father is very fortunate to have such a loving and loyal daughter.

 

The third photo with the "patch" looks like spring of 1945 or shortly after combat operations ended. I recall discussing the possibility of an attachment to the Seventh Army late in the war.

Previously, we discussed all the evidence that they were attached to Third Army during the breakout from Normandy. That was a busy time, not much opportunity to sew on patches.

The wool OD's and Service coat could be England prior to the invasion. The leggings are strong evidence that it is not post war.

The HBT fatigues could be Germany in the summer of 1945. I can't recall seeing HBT's post war in Europe. Mostly one sees wool OD's and Ike Jackets, but that's usually off-duty and on-the-town. Certainly does not look like fall in Massachusetts.

(As usual my idle speculations need significant revision when they meet the facts. Hopefully I caused no harm.)

 

No harm at all! I appreciate your speculations, thoughts and knowledge! I am trying to figure it all out myself, and I am trying to find reports and pictures, so I have proof positive!

 

Earthican, my dad isn't in this photo, but it is some of the men in the 608. I think they are wearing a Third Army patch.

View attachment 17796

 

Earthican, my dad isn't in this photo, but it is some of the men in the 608. I think they are wearing a Third Army patch.

View attachment 27778

 

The guy third from the right (not counting the guy with no head ) does seem to be sporting a 3rd Army patch on his left shoulder.

 

I guess they did have time to sew on patches.

The 1941 pattern field jackets and HBTs indicate summer or early fall of 1944.

It looks like the same third guy from the right is wearing paratroop boots. They don't look like the late war combat boot or the early war shoe and legging.

 

Thank you to Otto for the salute on one of my posts in this thread today. And as it brought this thread to my attention, I thought I would provide the end of this story.

My father, my hero, passed away in September. He was a great man, and he was a great father. I was so very blessed.

(The photo on the left is the picture we included with the obituary. The one on the right is an "usie" I took while we were singing in the truck not too long before he left us. Knowing our time together was coming to an end, I took a lot of "usies" so that I could treasure him forever.)

 

I am very sorry to hear of your father's passing, Clementine. Thank you for sharing his story with us over the years. He reminds me a bit of my own father, who spoke more with his actions than words. He also had a hat like the one your dad is wearing in the "usie" pic.