You have no idea how much I miss those two. (Both Kaput)

 

We may look young there but we were really very old men!!

age 19 actually = felt like 200+.

 

 

Found this other photo taken at our palatial quarters in Germany. You can see the

Army went to NO EXPENSE to provide the best. Some units actually had houses.

 

That is my Orderly Room(Co. HQ) behind me, it was where I lived,worked ,ate, slept

and the Co. Clerk was also in there. It was also the office for the Co. CO.

 

Took a carton of cigarettes to have the Krauts put a wooden floor in along with the

heating system. Look up at the pipe through the top of the tent. You could fry your

face while freezing your *** off with that stove

 

Notice my personal change with the war having ended and I was back to being

good looking again. Oh!! The good old days when I was 22 years old(LOL)

 

Sgtleo

Nice pic. Sgtleo only thing I didn't see was mud on your boots and half way up your legs. Rocky

Rocky:-

First Picture was after we had a Portable Shower Unit service us in

a rest area and we were then issued new (cleaned up) uniforms.

Have no idea where original uniform was by then.

Second picture is after the war and Patton had us wear clean uniforms

every day or else!

Believe me, I went through my share of mud,slush and snow. I was NOT

a REMF. Hope that wasn't your point??

Sgtleo

I'm sorry about your friends, Sarge.

Thanks again for sharing those photos.

Hugs,

Brooke

Having shown you my Military photos I thought you should see

what I loooked like in the earlier days of my youth!!!!!!!!

Sgtleo

Hello Sarge!

You seem to have had much experience dealing with the Wehrmacht after they surrendered so I will pose this question to you. Were they (the krauts) ordered to remove all nazi insignias from their uniforms or was that something they decided to do themselves?

Thanks in advance!

Jim

 

Rocky:-

 

First Picture was after we had a Portable Shower Unit service us in

a rest area and we were then issued new (cleaned up) uniforms.

 

Have no idea where original uniform was by then.

 

Second picture is after the war and Patton had us wear clean uniforms

every day or else!

 

Believe me, I went through my share of mud,slush and snow. I was NOT

a REMF. Hope that wasn't your point??

 

Sgtleo

Sgtleo; Man I WAS JUST JOKING!!!!! I know what we,(you and I and others), went through over there. It was just as cold and muddy. Did your pants stand up after you took them off? mud huh. Hell you, Joe and me went through the same sh---t. Rocky

Rocky:- Mi Amigo

I been waiting to say this

GOTCHA DIDN"T I!!!

I knew you were only joking but I couldn't resist yanking your chain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sgtleo

Dogdaddy:-

I don't think I am qualified to make a blanket statement about what happened all over Germany after the war. I do know that in my area NO NAZI INSIGNIA WAS ALLLOWED to be displayed. Das war verboten fur jedermann!!!

Most of the POWs or DEFs(Disarmed Enemy Fighters as Ike called them) were interested in going home or at least to what was left of their home.

The SS wanted to stay under the Radar because there were so many that would have loved to pay them back for their prior actions.

Below are three Nazi Insignia I collected and the one on the right I recall almost gave the Kraut a heart attack when I pulled out my Boot Knife to cut it off his tunic. He thought I had other ideas

Sgtleo

Below are three Nazi Insignia I collected and the one on the right I recall almost gave the Kraut a heart attack when I pulled out my Boot Knife to cut it off his tunic. He thought I had other ideas]

This story I loved. I can just picture the STUNNED look on his face. Oh mon Dieu!

Sgt. Leo,

Thank you for the info and also showing us your "collectables". There is something really neat about seeing 3 insignias that you know are authentic and (if you'll pardon my pun) "hand picked"off a tunic! This is one area of the war I wish there was more films available about...the sorting out process. I have seen only brief footage of a line of Krauts going through an inspection with their shirts off and left arm raised, looking for the blood type tatoos that identified them as SS. What I would really like to see is what qualified as "de-nazification." My original question about the insignias is because many of the tunics on the militaria market have had insignias removed...and/or replaced post war before they are sold.

Jim

 

Rocky:- Mi Amigo

 

I been waiting to say this

GOTCHA DIDN"T I!!!

 

I knew you were only joking but I couldn't resist yanking your chain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Sgtleo

********YOU DIRTY DOG !!!!!!!!!**************

Mexican hot tamale, It does bring back memories how we bullsh-ted each other way back WHEN, 'member? Rocky

I hope you will all bear with me on this post since I feel compelled to do it.

Last August 27,Parnell asked me a question about the 3rd Army's taking

of Trier,Germany. Actually one of the oldest cities in the world. Historians

claim it existed back at the time of Jesus was in Jeruselum.

Unfortunately,I was so occupied with the fact that I am my wife's primary

care taker that it slipped my mind in that confusion.(Easy to do). I have

recently emailed him to apologize but felt I should also do it publically for

two reasons (1) I owe him that much and (2) you might also enjoy the

story of the 3rd Army's taking of Trier.

Having gone through Luxembourg and heading East we took Trier.

However, to see what General Patton was really like I submit the

following which I should have written to Parnell back in August 2006

(It's in my latest email to him)

The anecdote below should correct this oversight and answer your

question. The whole incident was the talk all over the ETO after it

had happened:

Here's the story:-

There's a funny story about the capture of Trier that shows the differences

between General Patton and General Bradley and their ability to judge a

military situation. After the battle was already won and the Third Army had

taken the city, General Patton received a message from General Bradley.

The message said, "Bypass Trier. It would take too many divisions to

capture it." Patton's humorous reply to Bradley was, "Have already taken

city, do you want me to give it back?"

NOTE:-The people at SHAEF had declared that at least three(3) divisions

would be required to take Trier but we(3rd Army) did it with two(2)!!

That wasn't easy BUT.............

If interested Google Trier and read about the city it's quite a good read

Sgtleo.

Howdy Sgtleo!! sure liked your above post on Trier, Thanks to you I am learning more about what went on outside of Italy. Hi, Parnell; I haven't written you in a while, how's things in Germany? Rocky

I second that. Good post. I read the Patton part out loud to hubby and he remembered that famous quote!

Yes Roque, mud stayed with ones clothes. Here is a pic of myself (left) Johnny and Sgt. Ed Garow. Me, I couldnt stand to have my mud crusted pants tucked into my boots to chafe my legs. Even the sarge (on the right ) is mud

almost up to his knees. No clean clothes for many weeks at a time. By then our clothes should have been burried

or burned, not turned in when we got the used clean ones in exchange.