ROCKY
KWILOSE WAS IN D COMPANY FOR A WHILE AND THEY TRANSFERRED HIM TO HQ.CO IN THE SECTION I WAS IN. IBELEIVE HE WAS THE LIASON FROM OUR CO TO D CO
I do remember you telling me about Kwilose being in D co. You and Sgt. Roig
went to Rome, did you take any pics? I didn't tell you I and two others
went to Venice. and we went to St. Marks Cathedral, and went on a
gondola ride but I don't remember where we were bivuacked. We only had
a day's time there. I remember having wine with our c-rations! Have you
heard from Jerry Gorden From Des Moines? Let me know. See ya buddy.
Rocky
Roque J.(Rocky) Riojas
Looks like I have reduced in rank.
Oh well, win some lose some.
Roque J.(Rocky) Riojas
ROCKY ME AND ROIG WENT TO MILAN ,NOT ROME I WAS WITH ANOTHERBUDDY IN ROME. I ALSO GOT A 5DAY PASS TO VENICE ,QUITE SOME TIME AFTER THE ROME PASS.
WE STAYED IT AN ISLAND JUST OFF FROM VENICE,CALLED LIDO I THINK.EVERYDAY AT CERTAIN TIMES A DUCK WOULD TAKE US TO VENICE.ONE DAY AS WE WERE WALKING ALONG A SOLDIER CAME OUT OF A BAR ,HE HAD OVER INDULGED AND WALKED RIGHT INTO THE CANAL. A GONDOLA PICKED HIM UPAND TOOK HIM SOMEWHERE.
SOUNDS LIKE I SPENT THE WAR GOING ON PASSES,I ASSURE YOU THAT WAS NOT THE CASE,
WATSON
Looks like I have reduced in rank.Oh well, win some lose some.
Rocky, what were you? The program does it automatically according to the number of posts. Maybe there is something wrong.? I should go look.
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
Rocky, just fixed it. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. The Lt and Capt ranks were backwards. Looks like I take a demotion... ![]()
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Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
ROCKY SGT ROIG AND I WENT IN TO MILAN ,HE WAS RIDING IN MY JEEP,WHY I DON'T KNOW. THE PARTISANS,I THINK THEY WERE CALLED ,HAD ERECTED A SCAFFOLD LIKE RIG AND HAD MUSSOLINI AND HIS MISTRESS HUNG UPSIDE DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF TOWN
Watson. Were you in Milan to see Mussolini strung up? Or did you go there later? I need to talk to you. My Dad said he was there. I'm looking for anyone who was there. I'm trying to understand how the GI's got to Milan as it was still ahead of the Allied advance when Mussolini was executed by Communist partisans.
Please tell me more.
Steve
More on that fateful day:
Execution of Mussolini - custermen.com
This photo shows was taken at the Piazza Loretto in Milan. I count 8 American helmets in this
photo. Maybe one of the GI's in this photo could be Watson and my Dad.

Enginears...Engeneres....Engineres----- I are one and I can't spell it.
Watson ole buddy, you got the hang of this forum, jes keep on writin'
How come you got a 5 day pass to venice and all I got was one day!!!
I got an idea but I will keep it to myself, I would have liked to have
seen more of St.Marks Cathedral. But the gondola ride was pretty good.
Fellow by the name of Demerest,and one other, Demerest was in my squad
but I can't remember the other, anyway we had a nice time. Rocky
Roque J.(Rocky) Riojas
Rocky, just fixed it. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. The Lt and Capt ranks were backwards. Looks like I take a demotion...
BATTLEFIELD PROMOTION, THAT'S WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THE
NORTH OF ME. MUCHAS GRACIAS, Y HASTA LUEGO. Rocky
Roque J.(Rocky) Riojas
Hey Roque: I asked Marion to keep me at my old rank of PFC and she wouldnt or couldnt do it. This rank is WAY out of my line as a PFC. rifleman but thats the way it
goes I guess. So just enjoy "battlefield promotions" and live with it.
Yup Joe, the forum does it automatically. Here we honor you for whatever station you held in REAL LIFE, but you are given the rank of honor for your contributions.
Trust me, all the men and women who frequent this forum and other military forums, respect ALL you guys from Privates to Generals and we do know the difference from the PLAYING we do here. ![]()
So to all the vets here regardless of true rank, I salute ya! ![]()
PS to Joe:
Make sure you check out these photos this evening:
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
CUSTERMEN,I DON'T REMEMBER GETTING OUT OF THE JEEP.IT WAS MORE OF A DRIVE BY. I REALLY DON'T REMEMBER WHY WE WERE EVEN THERE. I KNOW MY SGT ROIG HAD SMETHING TO DO WITH IT OR HE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IN MY JEEP.BEING AS I WAS A MOTORIZED MESSENGER ,WHEN WE WERE IN COMBAT IAN ARMED GUARD RODE WITH ME ALLTHE TIME.
SORRY I CAN'T BE OF MORE HELP.
WATSON