Im interested in finding out who on this forum had relatives that served in WW2, and their stories.

I had 1 Grandfather, who was a Captain of a ship. 3 Uncles who served 1)In the US Army's 80th I.D. 2)In the 101st Airborne "The Screaming Eagles" and 3)In the Navy. My father was in the USAAF.

Let me know about yours.

my Grandpa was a bombardier/Navigator in the RAF and i think i had 3 Canadien relatives who died as Fighter Pilots.

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Mussolini

"Blood alone moves the Wheels of history." Benito Mussolini.

"What the proletariat needs is a bath of blood." Benito Mussolini, speech in Milan, July 22, 1919

"Liberty is a duty, not a right"
--Benito Mussolini

Sorry for the loss, can you tell any stories?

Evens, the only other info i have of my grandfather is that he was stationed at Schoefield Barracks as an MP.

<FONT COLOR="#ff0000" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by Ron on 10 December 2000 at 04:31 AM</font>

No....i was 6 or so when he died. However, the last time my Grandma visited me here in the US (our entire family lives in the UK, except us) she brought over all his WWII maps, journal, pictures, and a German made box that contains a hat pin, Gold, with the Swaztica and Eagle on it. I think it means something about Bravery and Paratroopers/Figter pilots.

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Mussolini

"Blood alone moves the Wheels of history." Benito Mussolini.

"What the proletariat needs is a bath of blood." Benito Mussolini, speech in Milan, July 22, 1919

"Liberty is a duty, not a right"
--Benito Mussolini

Rangers on Omaha beach. My uncle had 64 Commanding officers that day. He made it all the way to Berlin. His unit found the partially disposed of wagons full of corpses from the fleeing Germans, he was blond haired, blue eyed Irish type of kid. And killing Blond haired blue eyed Germans that looked like any one he could have known back home really got to him.

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Out side is America!

Grandfather was an Army Ranger in France, circa June (post Normandy invasion) to January, 1945. Too many great stories and artifacts to count.

Thanks for all the replies. Sounds if we all had many relatives in WW2.

Great stories guys, It's cool to see how connected we all really were to WW2. My grandfather was involved with the trains in Europe and N. Africa during the war. He spent most of the war in a US prison camp.

[This message has been edited by Otto (edited 13 December 2000).]

My grandfather was a medic in the infamous Merril's Marauders. I found his army trunk and have many collectibles, including his Colt .45 and a Japanese flag. The flag is rather interesting. The names of an infantry platton surround the red 'sun'. And I am told that the red-orange tint is blood. Rather spooky.

My Grandfather was an SS Obersturmbannfuhrer in the Waffen SS. He started in France and then went Eastward in Barbarossa. He was in the East until reassigned to the 12th SS in France. Ended the war in Czechoslovakia with the 38th SS. He immigrated to the U.S. in 1951 after he was released from prison. He passed away in 1984.

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Carpe Diem

Dear PzJgr: What Waffen SS unit was he in? I ask because this is very interesting and because I know many Waffen SS Veterans and Knights Cross Recipients.

Do you have any wartime photos?

Are you looking to find someone who might have served with him? if so, I might know someone who did, it just depends on what unit he served in.

Sorry for my intrusion, take care, and Merry Christmas.

C. Evans,
No intrusion. He was a Panzer Jager. He was initially assigned to 2nd SS Panzergrenadier Division 'Das Reich' in 1940. Transferred to 12th SS Panzer Division 'Hitler Jugend' in late 1943. Finally, He fininshed the war in the 38th SS Panzergrenadier Division Nibelungen. He was attached to the 38th Panzer Jager Abteilung. From what he told me, it wasn't a full complement battalion. Name and rank = SS Obersturmbannfuher Maximillian Pertz. He was a Spanish volunteer and changed he last name to conform with German status. He found less discrimination that way. The Wehrmacht would not take any foreign volunteers. Don't know if anybody in his unit knew about this. I don't have any of his photos. He has shared alot of his experiences with me. I have no shame about who he was and would be glad to share anything. Thanks for your help and interest. Merry Christmas to all.

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Carpe Diem

I don't mean to poke to personally but you said he was in prison. Was he just jailed for being an officer?, or was he found guilty of something? No need to answer...just thought i'd throw it out though!

My father was one of FDR's "1 Year" peacetime draftees, in September, 1941. Of course, after Pearl Harbor, he was locked in "for the duration plus 6 months." He took basic at what was then Fort Warren, Wyoming and later went to Ordnance OCS at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland in 1943. He shipped out to the Pacific with the 177th Ordnance Company (Depot) in 1944, underwent amphibious training in Hawaii and landed at Dulag, on Leyte, the Philipine Islands. By this time he was the Company XO and a 1st LT. Prior to the planned invasion of Japan (called off, of course, due to some "atomic testing") he was transferred to Battalion Staff as the S-4. He returned to the US in June 1946, as a Captain, following occupaton duty. He finally retired from the Army in 1969 as an LTC. I lost him in September 1999, shortly after his 83rd birthday. He is sorely missed.

Ron,
After his surrender to the Americans, he was at a POW collection point in Austria. After the surrender, he was sent to Dachau where all SS officers werer incarcerated until absolved of any war crimes. The unit he was assigned to in the west did have a list of crimes but he was not involved. He even had some British soldiers testify on his behalf for the good treatment received after surrendering to his JagdPz unit. The Soviets wanted them to turn him over but things started to get cold between the Americans and the Soviets so they did not turn him over and was released from Dachau. It was lucky for him because as everyone knows, the war in the East found both sides conducting barbaric acts. He would definitely been found guilty of something.

Dear M60A1: Sorry for the loss.

Dear Pzjgr: Thank you for sharing that info. Would you believe that there were also five Americans who served in the Waffen SS Sturmbrigade Langemarck? I was told this personally by Herrn Remy Schrijnen, one of Langemarcks most famous soldiers, and Knights Cross Recipient. I will share your info with him in my next letter. He enjoys reading about such things.

Take care and Merry Christmas.

Mighty Quinn: Tell us about what he did. I know a little about Merrills Marauders. Did he fight at Myitkyina (spelling?) Did he have any personal experiances with Frank D. himself?

I have never heard of that. Wow! I have heard of a British FreiKorps and have seen their unit motif. Would never have figured Americans to join in.

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Tschuss

C. Evans:
I see you are from CC. Does Remy live there or do you correspond with him? Just curious. Other than my grandfather I do not know of any former Axis participants. I know plenty of Americans and love their stories as well. Must not forget.

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Tschuss

Dear Pzjgr: Its true, there were Americans serving in the Waffen SS. When I had my day-long visit with Remy and his wife Joanna, he told me many things I wasnt aware of and very amazed to hear.

I knew that it was rumored that there were at least 5-6 Americans fighting in the Waffen SS but, I didnt know what units. I had heard that the units they were in were: LSSAH and Das Reich (The 1st Waffen SS, and the 2nd Waffen SS Panzer Divisions-respectively)

I was flabbergasted to learn from Remy, that Sturmbrigade Langemarck had 5-6 Americans in it alone. I told Remy that I thought they were in other units, and he said yes but, the ones in his brigade, were not the ones that were the rumored ones. Apparently, if you total all the men serving in Waffen SS units up, its quite possible that there were more than just 10 or so Americans serving in them but, we will most likely never know-unless vets like Remy, publish their knowledge.

Remy lives in Hagen, Germany. He is one of many vets I am in contact with. I do have many US, and some British vets I am also in contact with. There is a displaced Brit, living in Louisiana. He was a squadron leader in the RAF, and had flown in the Battle of Britain.

I know many Knights Cross Recipients, a few Medal of Honor Recipients, and a few Victoria Cross Recipients. My German vets list is much longer. Its not that I do not want to remember US vets, I do, its just that I have more access to US vets than the German vets being I am from here and not there.

Case in point: About 14 or so months ago, I was emailed by a man who was an officer serving in the 101st Airborne Division, and had been captured at the Battle of the Bulge. The man retired a Colonel-I done recall when.

He wrote to me because I had the contacts with the German vets. He explained that he wanted to see if I could help him find the German soldier who had taken him prisoner. They had become friends over time, and the German treated him very well. I said I would try to help.

It took about a week for me to get an answer from the mans Divisional vet organization. It turned out, the man ws still living, and was living in Virginia. I sent his address to the retired Colonel, and it turned out, that they lived less than 50 miles from each other, and that at one time, their sons had gone to the same highschool, at the same time.

The last I heard, they had their reunion, and are making up lost time. So, I felt great knowing I helped out some vets. The only other special thing I am sort of noted for, is that in all my records, I found the name to a Fallschrimjager Knights Cross Recipient, who wasnt listed on any lists or in any books. I was lucky that I spotted it, this was purely by accident.

He gave me his name, and the unit

C Evans:
There must have been a miscommunication. I did not mean anything negative by the "must not forget." I meant that we must not forget all that these men have gone through by listening to their experiences regardless of what country they fought for. No offense intended.

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Tschuss

Dear Pzjgr: No offense taken. I was just pointing out that I do have contact with many vets from a few nations. I didnt mean my tone to look like I was angry-rest assured; I wasnt.

Another reason for my posting that, was because I was hoping to bring more attention to Americas Medal of Honor Recipients. There arent too many still living. I am embarrassed to admit that I do not know the ezact number, but I think its near 50.

Take care Pzjgr, and Merry Christmas.

Dear C.Evans: I had an uncle that served with Joe Vandeleur, of the Irish Armored forces. The were the ones that spearheaded the groun attack for the Operation Market Garden.