Oldest Military Blogger Posts some Pictures he promised....
It seems that, some promises are more difficult to keep.
Forgive the Quality, think of the effort.
Let me know what you think
This Monument on the Utah Beach is almost 30 feet in height and in
some other pictures I posted, our 6 foot seven, First Sergeant Harte,
is standing next to the Pylon at the very top.
The Pylon atop the Monument Dedicated to The First Engineer Special Brigade Memorial and the Service Units that landed on Utah Beach , on H Hour, D Day, on June 6th, 1944.
The front of the Monument on Utah Beach with the Engraved, Bronze, Dedication, Plate, to those lost from the Service Units that are listed in the previous Picture.
A Studio Picture, only not enough contrast to give you an idea how
good looking I could have been.
Standing in the back, on the left is Portnoy, Center, is Schultsy,
Sorry ....Know who the one on the right is, like I know my own name,
but can't recall right now.. It'll come to me!
In the front row, Okie on the left and West Virginia on the right.
Ginny, was from Wheeling, West Virginia, and sharp as a tack.
All Good Soldiers, to have at your side.
The Two grinning Savages in front of the destroyed Pillbox, facing the Channel on
Utah Beach are, Solomon Fein, Sgt.Finnegan on the left
and George E. Gable, Sgt. Okie on the right side of the picture.
Private First Class Anglin, from Peoria, Illinois standing in front of the 301st Company Jeep
when we got to Cherbourg, France....Finally, Housed With Bunk Beds and Mattresses, months after the Assault on Utah.
Okie on the right,and I sitting on our travel gear before we departed on
First Sergeant Harte, of the 301st Port Company...All 6 foot seven of him.
You can really appreciate the size of a "pillbox", when you see one with with a dozen men
Okie on the right,and I sitting on our travel gear before we departed on
one of our Train Duties, guarding 40 and eighters, with special cargos,
into the freight yards, outside of Paris.
First Sergeant Harte, of the 301st Port Company...All 6 foot seven of him.
He and I, Jeeped from Cherbourg, to Liege, to visit my
brother, Moishe, in the Hospital when he got Trench Foot, serving with the
80th Infantry Division, at Bastone.
The shoulder patch insignia with the machine gun carried by an Eagle,
is the Amphibious Engineer official symbol.
The Seahorse symbol was worn on our First Class Uniform under the right
pocket of our Eisenhower Jacket .
You can really appreciate the size of a "pillbox", when you see one with with a dozen men
surrounding the area around one destroyed on the Beach.
I recognize a few of the men, by their posture and their attitude standing there.
A few by the hair comb and facial shape and contours, but I would be guessing,
except for the man on the bottom right, is Bob Marcott from Oak Park Ill.
14 comments:
The pics present "living images" of the writer behind the informative blogs. Perhaps you can explain who or what
"40 and eighters" were.
Oh, where was I when you were young and handsome? Congratulations for surviving those army days! K
Thank you for your comment and your inquiry ...about 40 and eighters.
40 and 8ers were box cars attached to narrow gauge rail cars used in Europe to transport food produce and cattle.
Unfortunately they were also used to transport people...sometimes against their will....each boxcar had a transport ability to carry 48 humans in the years of 1914 to 1918 in the first world war. Thanks again.
Mr. Fine, My name is Ashley Engleford and I am a Freelance Writer and Amateur WWII Historian. I have a blog, which I hope to turn into a book, http"//wwiiwartimememories.blogpost.com . Please visit it, as it will give you an idea of my intentions. I would like to interview you and feature your war story on my blog. I aim to share the war stories of the world's WWII veterans. I believe that each individual veteran deserves to have his/her story told, shared, and preserved in time whether you fought on the beaches of Normandy or cooked chow on a Navy ship. I have only recently started this project, mainly fueled by the declining health of my paternal grandfather who is a WWII veteran himself. You can get in touch with me through my blog or at my email: aengleford@gmail.com Thank you for your time and your service.
I don't know what else to say except thank you.
So thank you, Sir.
Thank You Cheery Reaper for your comment tonight....
As you can surmise, I'm up and about at this late hour because, one never knows when one will be needed to respond to ones readership.
Thanks...
Thank you for you service Sir! My Grandfather was also involved with the invasion but on easy red Omaha beach! if you would like I can photo shop your photos and make them clearer!
Not sure how I missed this post Sol.
It is so awesome to see some photos that connect to some of the things you write. Thanks for posting these! You WERE in fact, a fine looking young lad and part of our best generation...
Thank you Pat for your kind comment and for taking the time to visit on this early Easter Sunday morning.
A Happy Easter to you and yours.
Solomon
"Normandy D Day Vet" has been included in this weeks Sites To See. I hope this helps to attract many new visitors here.
http://asthecrackerheadcrumbles.blogspot.com/2012/04/sites-to-see_20.html
Hi Sollie!
The pictures you post make it a seem so real. Love to see those historic photos from historic events...these were the men who went thru it all.
So what if they're a little grainy, they're REAL!
Cheers,
Dave Getchell
My father, 1st Lt Gerald Lewis, was a part of the 301st MPEG (Military Police Escort Group) and wore the same anchor and tommy gun patch found on that monument.
The machine gun and anchor patch
are the insignia for Combat Engineers. The Sea Horse Patch,
has been discontinued and no longer available....It's signification was
for Combat Engineers related to Beachheads. The MPs on the beach
were part of the difference between success and failure on the beach.
They were the only ones who knew where to go and how to get there.
Your Dad was probably, part of the 1st Engineer Special Brigade, if his Service Unit had anything to do with the initial assault on the Beach.
My grandfather is from Shawnee, Oklahoma and served in the 286th Signal Company at Utah Beach as a Master Sergeant during D-Day and in the following months. He was also stationed in North Africa, Sicily and England. I have been going through pictures recently and our dates seem to be the same. Funny how two individuals could be so linked in history and not even know each other.
Thank you for your service. Without gentlemen like you and my grandfather, this country would not be what it is today. And for that, I am grateful.
Crystal
Thank you for your Comment and your visit...
Left a comment on your Blog, too......
Have Faith and they will come.
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