Message Board response page,

Welcome WW II enthusiasts....

If you would like to post a message on the message board or respond to an existing message,
please click on the posting link at the bottom of this page or some line below.

Your e-mail response or new message will come to me and I will post it on the page so that all of WW II friends can read the exchange.

Hello - I am an 8th grader at Johnson Middle School located in Bradenton, FL. I am writing in BIG hopes of qetting a response to a couple of questions from WWII veterans. My friend and I won our local County History Fair Contest and are going to States in May. The topic of our Exhibit Board is Penicillin the Miracle Drug of WWII. We would like to incorporate a quote from someone who served and can answer one of these categories of questions.

Please pick a category that best fits you:

Categories:
1. A veteran that was a physician in WWII.
2. A soldier that served during WWII.
3. A soldier that was injured and had medical attention in WWII.

Questions for category #1:

Please indicate your full name, what branch of service you served and dates of service - elaborate as much as possible.

1. What do you specifically remember about healthcare during the wasr?

2. Do you think that penicillin administered during the war brought more soldiers home in WWII compared to WWI?

3. Were you as a doctor worried about the long term impact of penicillin since the drug was very new?

4. Was there a situation that you remember that penicillin was not available? What impact did that have?

Questions for categories #2 and #3:

1. What do you remember about health care during the war?

2. Were you worried about getting sick and the lack of drugs available at the time of the war?

3. Do you remember when penicillin was introduced? Were you ever treated with it in or out of the war?

4. How do you think health care changed after the introduction of penicillin?

5. That you recall - were other soldiers treated with penicillin and as a result came home from the war?

Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. We look forward to reading a response and including it on our project board. Please respond by April 5th. You can email responses to jbrown@jsls.com

October 19, 2009
History Net. com
Dear Weider History Group

This e-letter comes to you on behalf of a newly published book that contains the 177 letters that my father, Paul Matthias Claudius, a German soldier stationed in France, wrote to my mother during the World War II years of 1943 and 1944. The Last Furlough, was printed in April of this year and is currently available in book stores and on line through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

I am not a writer. The translator of the material, Jack Meister, has written one other published book that is currently available in print. The real author of the letters, is my father who is a direct descendent of Matthias Claudius, the well loved and still remembered German folk poet, journalist, writer, and publisher of the Wandsbecker Bote, (Wandsbecker Messenger) during the 1770?s. My father?s letters clearly reflect his literary heritage, his education as an engineer with the Siemens Company and the maturity of a 31 year old soldier having enlisted in the German army during the latter stages of the conflict. All of the letters are beautifully written, articulate in their description of his experiences as a 31 year old Pioneer soldier physically competing with 18 year olds in his military assignments and thoughtfully reflective of his personal interactions and dealings with the French people. He colorfully reflects upon the wonders of big city Paris, Orleons, and Rennes and the beautiful country sides of Mont Saint Michelle and the Loire River Valley. The writings are also deeply romantic in their expression of his heartfelt longing and love for his wife, my mother, and includes extended thoughts of fatherly care to his three children back in the city of Erfurt. All but two of the letters were delivered to my mother within a nine month period of time. The last two were written from the Russian front where, two months later, he was killed in a large battle near the city of Lemberg in the Ukraine.

World War II has become a historical event that began seventy years ago and the generations around me know little more than generalities about a war that took the lives of some 74 million people. The Paulus letters are not told in blood and guts but in the personal deprivation, mental challenges, emotional longing, and physical exhaustion of an educated family man caught up in the sacrifice that was World War II. He most certainly speaks for every soldier, serving for any country, in any military conflict, anywhere on earth.

If this book is material that would in any way be of interest to your website or any of your readers, please contact me. The book, For a closer look at the book, The Last Furlough, is available on the amazon.com website for $12.

Erika Wolfe
3595 270th Ave
Keokuk, IA 52632
319 524-7708
mewolfe@mchsi.com

My father, Pfc. William W. Taylor Jr. served in the 100th. Infantry Division, 399th. Regiment, Co. A. His Division saw combat in France and Germany spending 175 consecutive days on the battle line. He wrote over 300 letters home chronicling his service to our country. Like so many combat veterans of the War he spoke little of his experiences, but these letters tell the story. I am publishing these letters on my blog at: www.taylorletters.blogspot.com I invite you to take a look at the letters. I am particularly interested in the Occupation of Germany in 1945-6. The letters discuss this in detail and it is a part of WWII history that is often overlooked.

Thank you,
Greg Taylor
Los Angeles

I am looking for my father. His name, as written on my birth certificate was Lt. William Haynes. Het met my mother, Lt Dorthy L Deatherage an Army nurse in England, probably in 1993-1994. I was born early 1945. I appreciate any information about either of them; where (and if) they were married, any information about his death etc. I do not know if he was American or UK. I have found two Lt Haynes. One was listed in a sortie on 27 Jan 1943 with the 91st Bomb group, 401st squadron. The second finding showed he was British, was the son of Alice Haynes and was buried in England.

My dad Robert (Bob) J. Ledwig was in the 544 th Ordnance Heavy Main in WWII. He died in 1984 without telling us about his war experience. According to his discharge papers, He served from April of 1943 to December 1945 where he was in campaigns in Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe. He received 5 bronze stars, but since he never talked about it, we have no idea what they were for. Is there any way to find out what they were issued for or is there somewhere you can go to search for those kind of records? If there is we would like to do some research. I hope you can help. Thanks, Anthony Ledwig.

P Tremaine - Newberg, USA.

I want to create a shadow box for my Dad (age 92) which holds all his military awards, medals, patches, etc. We are missing two patches and other than a couple of ratty used items, I have not been able to find these anywhere:
First Army in OD
Second Army
I want the original patches with the original colors. Can anyone direct me to a reputable site that might be able to provide these? They are the only two I'm missing. Thank you!

gary Higgins - Corunna, Michigan.

My Uncle served with the 544th. The company commander Capt Lipcon is alive and in california. I went to Sprimont Belgium and found a girl and boy who in the Battle of the Bulge had pictures take with Uncle Homer. She came to USA and spent 11 days with us. She is now 68
Gary Higgins VBOB associate member

I am keen to get in touch with Diane McNally about her grandfather Victor McNally as he was my fathers cousin, that makes me his second cousin I have little bits of information, but could possibly get more as he still has first cousins in Wolverhampton.

I applaud your efforts at putting together a wonderful on-line resource.
I was wondering if you could give me any information on my father. He served in the Army and fought in the Battle of Moscow. His name is Kilian Killgore ,92 years old. He just passed away on 9/9/04 and hung himself. Thank you.

I am looking for Charles Henry Edwardsen or his relatives and/or friends.

He was stationed in York, England in 1945.

He was a Lieutenant in the US Army in the engineering corps.

Richard Shaw

Does anyone have any knowledge of a Durma Road in North Afrcia? Or of an ambush on American troops on Durma Road on March 12th 1943? If you do please email me at nomahahn@yahoo.com My uncle was killed in that ambush. His name was Pvt. JC Howard, he was with the Btry F 36th Field Artillery. Any thing you may know about it would be helpful. Thank you, Margie Hahn

I am trying to identify a pin I believe was from WWI or WWII. The pin has a victory wreath, a shield is red white & blue, The bottom part of the shield is formed by 2 hands that are shaking. On top of the shiled is lady liberty (us flag in left hand, scales in right. It also has a banner with the initials of "S&DOFL".

If anyone can help me with this, it would be creatly appreciated. If my description is not clear, I can provide a photo of it. Thanks in advance!

Would like to find any info on my dad's 1944-1945 time in the army.Howard Earl Tompkins was sent to France in Sept 1944 and was assigned to 3514 Ordinance Company attached to 3rd Army about Nov 1944. I have a picture of him and his buddies taken Xmas day 1944 in Nancy, France. He went through Bastogne, Belgium and into Germany and was realeased around Aug 1945 and made it back home Sept 1945.

Has anyone served under Captain Beswick Wray, General Service Engineer Unit Cammander 1328, 92nd Engineer GS Regiment,Commanded By Col George W Bennett, US 5th Army.

Hello, I'm looking for information on my Grandfather's service in WWII. His discharge papers say he was in BTRY A 781ST AAA AW BN. If anyone can recommend a book that would track his unit through the war I'd greatly appreciate it. Thank you.

im looking for info on my farthers side about a guy called clement jenkins who won a medal in w w 2 we dont know what for .He lived in a town called ebbw vale which was bombed in the war for the steel works that was there.ebbw vale is situated in the south wales valleys.i dont know if you could help or even point me in the right direction of where to look .many thanks dave.

Looking for soldier stationed in Geisenhausen 1945.
Please contact me if you knew my Grandmother, Cilly Fischer, in World War II. You met her in Geisenhausen, outside of Landshut, lower Bavaria, Germany. I also have this and more posted on www.military.com under "Cilly Fischer".
Thank you so much for your reply!

I am looking for information regarding U.S. Army tugboats used in Europe during World War Two. In particular the 126 foot wooden tugs of which 12 made it to the European Theater some of which stayed there after the war. The one I am interested most in is LT 389 which sunk several months after arriving in England espically needed is a picture of her, as I have info and pictures of the other 60 made nothing on LT 389. Can anyone help me out?
John Benthien
Mikimiki Class Tugboat Historian

I am a former POW captured in Crete... I would like to know the name of the English newspaper in circulation in Lamsdorf Upper Silesia...can any one help JAck

My husband , Frank Arnall served in Europe 1944-45 in the 269th Engr.Bn. He trained at Rose Poly and Camp Shelby before going overseas. I'm looking for Pfc.W.C.Werneck or anyone else who might have served with him. Thank you.

I search for a WW I Veteran, Dr Edward M.THIES who served as M.D.in the Medical batallion of the Red Diamond Division. He had his quarters at my grandmother's house from 1918 to 1919 when the Red Diamond was stationed in Luxembourg after the Armistice in 1918.Dr. Thies became a close friend to my father Albert Franck but they lost contact years after.Any information about Dr Thies is welcome under my e-mail adress: franckr@pt.lu.

My Father Joseph M Petras born April 4,1923 in Old Forge Pa was inducted into the Army in 1941 at Indiantown Gap Pa-sent to Ft Riley Kansas and then to Alaska as a MP at a Japanese POW camp.I would like to know how I can retrace his journey through Alaska? Are there any forums or registers that could help me find out where my father served in Alaska. I am an Air Force Veteran myself-51 years old born in 1956 and someday would like to visit Alaska and my Fathers duty station.Any help you can give me would be helpful. I do have my Fathers Alaska leather photo album with lots of pictures of him and several other GI's who look like his buddies.Again I thank you in advance for any help you can give me!

Respectfully,

Mike Petras
Waldorf,Md

I am trying to help my father-in-law locate, or find any information about, two buddies that he served with in World War II, Navy, Pearl Harbor 1945-1946. His name is JOE FORD, and the two buddies he is trying to find are TOM WYATT and JIM McAMIS. Joe is from Missouri, and he recalls the two buddies were both from Tennessee. Any suggestions for me to help him learn about his buddies. He has not spoken with them since WWII and doesn't know if they are alive.

My father served in the 5th army Headquarters during the last part of the war. He carried messages on a motocycle to the front and later drove a

truck that transported soldiers to the front lines. I would be interested in corresponding with anyone who might have knowledge of this part of the war.

I doubt if there are people who served with my father that are still alive. His name was Floyd W. Wimpsett.

I am trying to locate someone who might have served with my uncle, Private Shelbourne Grantham, of Dillon South Carolina, who was killed in the area of St Lo France in July of 1944. I know he served in the infantry, but do not know what unit.

We are trying to help George Black who served with the DLI, and was a POW from 1940 to 45, he wants to find out the name of the Man of Confidence for the workcamp he was held in so we can get some sort of recognition for the help he gave the young lads. The camp was e565 attached to Stalag 8b.

There were two British lads who died, and we know this Sgt filled in a death report with British Officers, we are trying to locate these reports in the hope they might have his name on them.

The two lads are:
Pte Harry Williams, 4547839 5th Btn Hamphire Rgt
Pte James Buchanan 3052796 1st Btn Royal Scots

I wondered if your any members of your association might recall Pte Buchanan who died in April 1945 on the Death March from Poland to Regensberg. The men were put into a barn on the outskirts of Regensberg, some food was discovers, potatoes or turnips and a scuffle broke out. A German guard fired a single round into the rafters which ricocheted and struck Pte Buchanan in the head killing him. The Sergeant in charge of the British lads went by the nick name of Sgt "Krappitz", he was in his 40's, a stocky man with a round face, a nothern accent and had trouble pronoucing his r's (like Jonathan Ross)

If anyone can remember this incident, or the death of Harry Williams who had a fall in the coal mine and struck his head on the rail line, or was held in work camp, e565 at Sierza-Wodna, attached to Stalag 8b. we would love to hear from them.

Best Wishes,

Angela

The Wartime Memories Project
http://www.wartimememories.co.uk The Wartime Memories Project
Middleton House
PO Box 325
Stockton on Tees
TS20 1XL
UK

Hi
I am searching, on behalf of my mother, for a Mr John F Keating. I have limited information. He was in the Battery B 635 Field Army Battalion, we think that his number was 37516845. He was posted at Blackshaw Moor Staffordshire 1944/1945. He was employed before the war at Standard Oil Co, Indianna and his brother Ed Keating lived in San Francisco. Any information would be much appreciated. Many thanks.

I am trying to find anyone who was in Stalag 8B in Germanyu World War 2 He was captured in Crete did the death March through Poland Germany etc. He wasa driver ,a New Zealander 2nd eishilon.William Andrew Riches from Christchurch NZ.(Billy Riches).He was a prisoner for 4years in Stalag 8B neae Lamsdorf in Germany.He is (was my father0he died 35years ago at the young age of 55 years.I would love to hear from anyone who new Dad.\
Regards His daughter Wanda Haines

My father, Herb Haun, served in the United States Army from 1942 to 1945 as a medic. He enlisted from Weiser, Idaho, trained as a Medic (Blue Mtns. in Oregon), and served in North Africa, and Italy. I would love to hear from anybody... sincerely, Terry Haun, son and Airborne Paratrooper.

My uncle, who served in the european theater, was awarded the Bronze Star Medal. He didn't like to speak of his wartime experiences therefore I know nothing of the circumstances surrounding the events leading to his receiving the award. Is there a resource I can contact that will provide me with that information?

So far i've drawn a blanck in attempting to find the above information. I just happened upon this site and am pleased and surprised to see such interest in WW11. Thank you to those who have taken the time to post such a tribute to our veterans in that war. I was six years of age at the time, old enough to remember waving goodbye to my dad who served in the medical corps and my uncle who served in the infantry.

Thank you, respectfully, Ron Henn