A long-forgotten time capsule from 1945

[Muncher 1953]

T2T,
have you seen his DD214/discharge papers? these may have info not seen elsewhere.
did Mr. Poeth own his home before enlisting, or perhaps purchase one upon his discharge? the town/city clerk where he first lived when he came home would likely have an image of his discharge papers, recorded there in order to gain any VA/GI Bill benefits. If not his town of residence, perhaps where his church was, or the Fire Dept he worked for?

often, the soldier’s MOS (job) at the time of discharge is listed, along w/rank, medals & ribbons, ht, wt, color of eyes & hair....

 

[tsmgguy]

Great post, thanks!

 

[Tiger 2 Tank]

mauser202- Thanks.

Dawkind- I appreciate it.

Muncher 1953- Thank you. I didn’t think to look into that. I’ll see where that leads me. His DD214 paperwork was not in the Ancestory.com files I guess.

tsmgguy- I appreciate it.

 

[Transam1998]

Great read, thank you for taking the time to share with us!

Someday I'd love to be able to research more into my papaws service. I just don't know where to start with any of it.

 

[ugafx4]

If you are interested in digging deeper, contact Geoff at Golden Arrow Research. He can probably pull his DD214 if it exists. He can also (for a fee) check the daily reports and probably find out more about his injury and return. Generally they list soldiers that leave due to injury and return from the same. It looks like the 22nd Tank Battalion after action reports exist at the Eisenhower Library. I have never tried to get documents from there, but perhaps you could reach out and they could copy them for you.

This type of research is exactly why I collect so I appreciate others taking the time to do the same.

 

[Tiger 2 Tank]

Transam1998- Thanks. I am thinking that the best start route would be Ancestry.com. That released a lot of information for me, including relatives who really helped me out beyond Ancestry. Below your thread is another idea I will try and maybe will work for you as well.

Golden Arrow Research:

https://www.goldenarrowresearch.com/

ugafx4- Thank you for the information. I will follow up on that.

 

[mike radford]

our research on this post war unit.

Not sure what happened to my original post?

They were all there to do their job, as was my dad. The mission of my dad was just shortly post war. His post was on a former German airfield. While working some at the Nuremberg trial and out to get firearms from the Germans, he had located an Me 109. and was authorized to get it home via England. He was given lessons from a German pilot. He got him to translate controls and instruments, label them in English, etc.. He got permission from his superior OIC. He had some lessons to fly but only in a L-5/Piper Cub. He had to find/steal some fuel and was ready to fly it out when unexpected orders came for him to go home to work in DC.

He could bring home a 109.!! Orders were changed and he was shafted. Imagine owning a 109. It makes me sick It was not mine today.

The plane was located in a side located road attached to the autobahn. Regardless, he lost it, and he was near owning it. I suspect someone would have thought that the capture papers were a joke but I sure wish he would have got it home for me to inherit. The plane ended up suspended from the ceiling of the base officer's club which was a former hanger. We are lucky that GIs brought home everything but the kitchen sink.

 

[Tiger 2 Tank]

I was looking again at the album that Mr. Poeth’s niece had photo’ed and the photos she sent me. The more I got to looking, I missed these. These photos and written descriptions lead me to think that Mr. Poeth was in a recovery section, maybe driving a recovery wrecker:





Couple of extra photos: (The ox cart is one with Mr. Poeth and the other was in his album but I don’t think he is in it. I liked it for the grease gun one of the guys is holding.)



And one with a quick written description of his medals:

 

[ebeeby]

Great history, thanks for sharing!

 

[Absolut]

I got to pull this thread up again, was provided a picture of US troops in Lembach on 3rd May 1945. This fits so close, both by location and by date, to this person, that I am very certain he was among these tanks.

 

[jack944]

Wow...great research!

 

[SVW1945]

Great research. Love the story

 

[slow10ker]

Thanks for all your research and then sharing with us!!

 

[biggymu]

While the pistol is a super example, the research you have done is the real prize. The 11th armored division also liberated Mauthhausen and Gusen. My great uncle served with the 11th and had scrap books no one was ever allowed to see. He sent quite a few weapons home, but because of what they represented, they were not welcome in his parents home and were disposed of. I can only imagine what they were. You can see how young Mr Poeth was when he passed. My great uncle didn’t make 40. Let’s not forget the great human cost of these items we collect. Remembering these great men and what they sacrificed is the most important thing. The name in the holster is far more valuable then the weapon. Ironically my great uncle received a bronze star the very week of Chenogne. Thank you very much for posting this!

The 11th Armored Division

11tharmoreddivision.com

Some more info

 

[DogDoc]

Great job bringing all of that together! I enjoy owning a few pieces of history from WWII but the history is what is fascinating. When you can connect the dots the way you have it brings so much more "value" to the hobby.

 

[Absolut]

I found another picture, this time an US tank in Peilstein - the town which is in particular mentioned that he was in on 1st May 1945. Follow this link: https://peilstein.topothek.at/?doc=193726 . Maybe it was even him sitting in there ...

 

[Tiger 2 Tank]

Thanks. You never know as it very well could have been him, or maybe his buddies that he knew. I’m working on a little ‘44
DUO Czech pistol rig right now that is holding some secrets that I am trying to unlock. I’ll be posting that one before too long. I’m still connecting everything together. I found one family member, a granddaughter, but she has not responded to my messaging. I was just very fortunate that my ac45’s niece was willing to talk to me about her Uncle. Without her help, I would not have gotten near the information I did.

 

[mike radford]

Thanks so much to all. Great stuff.

I am seeing only one picture with him as a Tech 4/E-4/Corporal with 2 stripes. In three pictures he has 3 stripes, Tech 5/E-5/Buck Sgt. equivalent. He could have lost a stripe or had a temporary E-5 rate/Brevet rank.?

Some tough looking dudes in a picture or two. The bike fender looks like an Indian Chief but would like to see and know more.

 

[Tiger 2 Tank]

Thanks so much to all. Great stuff.

I am seeing only one picture with him as a Tech 4/E-4/Corporal with 2 stripes. In three pictures he has 3 stripes, Tech 5/E-5/Buck Sgt. equivalent. He could have lost a stripe or had a temporary E-5 rate/Brevet rank.?

Some tough looking dudes in a picture or two. The bike fender looks like an Indian Chief but would like to see and know more.

Yeah, unless something new comes up, I don’t know. Lost a stripe, or maybe the time line is that he gained rank as time and war went on. His tomb stone reads ”T/4”, so I feel sure he left service with that rank. Every now and then I think and try looking into different sources for more information but always end up with nothing further. I’m thinking this is as far as I will probably ever get into this story.

The 11th Armored had a Veteran’s association and yearly reunions which disbanded around 2010. It disbanded because the veterans were dying off and attendance was getting really thin by then. Fortunately, their website still remains.

I thought the bike was neat too. Big bike to hold that many on it. I don’t know much about bikes, so I couldn’t be of any help on the bike story, That was the first picture I got of Mr. Poeth from his niece before the album was found.