Here is some more info for you.

This is an animated map of the North African Campaign:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwt..._campaign.shtml

http://www.worldwar2history.info/North-Africa/

http://www.anzacday.org.au/education/maps/WW2/nthafrica.html

http://www.cs.ndsu.nodak.edu/~lugert/wwii.htm

It is the Once only known picture of him... which hangs at the VFW Post 5530

Just thought those of you helping me so much would enjoy it. Thanks

Chris

I can't tell you how much this helps. It seems like everyday I get closer to writing a full article.

Thank You for the Background info... That really helps..it gives me a story to set a background.

I also have an artist who will be working on a painting for me. So knowing where it was where he may have died...or where exactly he was before he died will help.

I need to try and contact so former classmates.... i will do that in the afternoon.

Thank You again everyone.

8, Nov.`42 Landed with 3rd Battallion, 60th Infantry Regiment of the 9th Infantry Division, on Red Beach or Red Beach Two north of the Sebou River. 3rd Bat. then moved inland to sieze the airport & town of Port Lyautey.

After hostilies ended, the scattered units of the 9th division regrouped in the Port Lyautey area and remained there till 31, Jan, `43. Now IF the 692nd was still with the 9th ID that`s were they would be.

During the Casablanca Conference Jan 12 - 23 there was no reported enemy aircraft in the area, Port Lyautey was 75miles away.

Another possiblity is the 692nd was moved to a II Corps (5thArmy) area in eastern Algeria or western Tunisia which would have put them in range of german aircraft.

Larry

my notes so far:

Morocco Landings:

Western task force- Gen. George Patton commanding sails direct from US.

Task Force 34 departed Hampton Roads, 23, Oct. `42. arrived off Morocco 7, Nov.`43

Maj. Gen. Lucian K. Truscott's Sub-Task Force GOALPOST consisted of the 60th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division; the 1st Battalion, 66th Armored Regiment, 2d Armored Division; elements of the 70th Tank Battalion (Separate); and seven coast artillery batteries. With support units, GOALPOST totaled 9,079 officers and men. Its main objectives were airfields at Port-Lyautey and at Sale, 25 miles south, near Rabat. To reach them the troops would first have to take the coastal village of Mehdia and the town of Port-Lyautey five miles inland on the Sebou River.

8, Nov.`42 Landed with 3rd Battallion, 60th Infantry Regiment of the 9th Infantry Division.

Col. Frederick J. de Rohan’s 60th Infantry Regiment

Lt. Col. John J. Toffey’s 3rd/60th

Landing action:

Lt. Col. John J. Toffey’s 3rd/60th is destined for Red Beach and Red Beach Two north of the Oued Sebou River, but their boats get lost in trying to form up from their control ship, the Osprey. The jumble of milling boats, in no order, starts heading ashore at 6:35 a.m., in broad daylight.

As the American landing craft go in, so do four French fighter planes (De 520s or American-built Hawk 75s, known to Americans as the P-36), which strafe the incoming landing craft and men on the beach. Their bullets and bombs swamp two landing craft, dumping Go-Devils into the Atlantic Ocean.

The 692nd Coast Artillery Regiment, part of this invading group, reacts as soon as it reaches the beach. The gunners set up their anti-aircraft guns (Coast Artillery is being converted to the anti-aircraft role) and shoot down two attackers, their first kills of the war.

French coastal batteries opened up after the first wave reached shore, and French planes strafed the beaches at dawn. Ground opposition increased as the day advanced, and darkness found only the 3d Battalion of the 60th RCT more than a mile inland, opposite the airfield but north of the river. Units landing south of the river converged toward the airfield the following day and one company of the 3d Battalion crossed the Sebou in rubber boats, but all units were stopped short of their objectives.

The airfield was taken early on 10 November when the destroyer USS Dallas rammed the boom and carried a raiding party up the river to take the defenders of the field from the unprotected flank. About 1030, planes from the USS Chenango began landing at the field. There was little fighting the rest of that day, and French resistance was formally ended at 0400 on D plus 3.

After Landings:

Following the cessation of hostilities, plans were made to regroup the division at Port Lyautey. The 39th Combat Team remained near Algiers, and during the next three months was strung out more than 500 miles, guarding communication lines. The 47th made a foot march of over 250 miles from Safi to Port Lyautey, while the remainder of the division landed at Casablanca and moved to the division area. By the first of 1943, the 9th, less the 39th Combat Team, was concentrated near Port Lyautey.

For the next month, soldiers of the 9th in turn guarded the Spanish Moroccan border, drank red wine, staged a review for President Roosevelt, saw Martha Raye, slept in cork forests, and found out that the guidebooks don't tell the whole story. On Jan. 31, 1943, the first elements began moving by train and truck from Port Lyautey.

1, Jan. `43 692 listed under 5th Army control,

9th ID listed under I Armored Corps (American)

Jan. 14 - 23 Casablanca Conference Roosevelt, Chuchill, US & British Chiefs of staff.

no enemy aircraft or attacks reported in Casablaca area during conference

Casablanca some 75 miles to the southwest.

The distances were vast: 445 miles by air from Casablanca to Oran; 230 miles from Oran to Algiers; and another 400 air miles from Algiers to the ultimate objective, the Tunisian ports of Tunis and Bizerte.

What a handsome fellow he was! Ah, that's from a lady's perspective. I can see that he was also an "older" gentleman in WWII, for he would have turned 34 in 1943. Thanks for the great photos.

As far as 5th Army, it was "born" or activated in North Africa in Jan 1943, but it did not see action until much later, specifically the Italian Campaign, in Salerno in September of 1943.

Looks like you are on the right track. I look forward to your future posts.

I have the numbers of 2 people from the class of 1927 still living. I will call them next week because I am heading out of town.

Now I am trying to find out what happened from Jan. 11-16 1943. On Jan 11th the 692nd became part of the 5th Army so I have been told. I must have overlooked that, or forgotten because the first action wasn't until i think April or May.

ok i forgot because I was looking for action.

5th Army

attached is a picture of Roman " Bud " Frankowski as a Senior at Toledo Central Catholic High School 1927

Also the house he grew up in with about 7-10 family members

and Photo I took of his resting place.

Actually the average age is more like 84. The hard part is that an artillery unit such as this had far fewer numbers than let's say a division or even a combat engineer regiment. A battery was roughly equivalent to an infantry company, so as you can see, a lot less men.

Keep us posted and thanks again for becoming a member. We hope to hear from you a lot in the near future. Don't be afraid to ask questions. We have a top-notch group who are very knowledgable.