Captured flag
- Thread starter Djohns556
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luftpirate
Well-known member
Thats cool, I like to look up the old addresses. My grandpa passed down a book of all the guys who were in his unit (he was a Chief Machinist in Philippines). A lot of addresses, I'm guessing so he could write to them after the war.
I planned on researching every name I could read on both flags and if by chance someone is still alive my goal is to get in contact with them, fly out to them and just talk to them about their story and experiences.
So after doing some research on all troops that signed the flag, of the ones I was able to track they're all from different divisions, companies, regiments, etc. but the one thing all of them had in common was battle of the bulge. Then I came across this. An 8 day window of the flag being signed since mine is dated 1945. I can say with 99.9% confidence this flag is from battle of the bulge. Pretty darn cool history.
Attachments
Could it be that they were together in a (field)hospital room?
That is my running assumption. I tracked one signature down and see he served the 221st general hospital. These are the names I've been able to track thus far.
Albert A Cascio. 90th infantry division
George Bussell. 712th armored division company A
James E Taylor. 10th infantry regiment, 5th Infantry Division.
George Abdella. 71st infantry division, 66th infantry regiment.
William Welsh. 208th Engineer combat battalion.
Franklin Snodgrass. TEC5 221 General Hospital.
Something has to tie them together and that is the only logical reason I can think of.
Same here. It would also explain why some wrote their full address and why some wrote their wives names. My belief is they wanted George Bussell to contact their loved ones after the war if they didn't make it.
Blackpowderresearcher
Well-known member
Thank you for sharing that war trophy. The curator of the 45th Infantry Division (Thunderbirds) Museum told me a woman asked why the museum displayed a Nazi flag. He explained war trophy/capture the flag/our boys' kicked their boys' azzez to her and that the display was not to glorify nazism but glorification of OUR feat arms.
The 712 Tank Battalion was an integral tank component of the 90th Infantry Division, Tough Hombres. That division floundered in Normandy resulting in a change in the leadership that made them a stellar division. There are a couple of books on the Tough Hombres. Independent tank and tank destroyer battalions were assigned to WW II American infantry division and their presence gave the divsion commander his own mailed fist. The companies of either battalions could be penny parceled out among the infantry regiment or concetrated according to the division's needs. It was not unknown for these battalions to be called upon for indirect fire too. The crews sometimes had to build a ramp to increase the elevation (and for the lobbing effect required for indirect fire).
What's the meatball doing there? Did someone serve in both the ETO and PTO (and there was a handful who fought on both fronts)?
There's a book by an officer of the 712 (note, cavalry is mispelled): 712th Tank Battalion
The 712 Tank Battalion was an integral tank component of the 90th Infantry Division, Tough Hombres. That division floundered in Normandy resulting in a change in the leadership that made them a stellar division. There are a couple of books on the Tough Hombres. Independent tank and tank destroyer battalions were assigned to WW II American infantry division and their presence gave the divsion commander his own mailed fist. The companies of either battalions could be penny parceled out among the infantry regiment or concetrated according to the division's needs. It was not unknown for these battalions to be called upon for indirect fire too. The crews sometimes had to build a ramp to increase the elevation (and for the lobbing effect required for indirect fire).
What's the meatball doing there? Did someone serve in both the ETO and PTO (and there was a handful who fought on both fronts)?
There's a book by an officer of the 712 (note, cavalry is mispelled): 712th Tank Battalion
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LoadMan8x57
Member
Super cool piece man! Would you mind elaborating on how you do your research and what sources you use? I have a similar flag captured at the falkenau concentration camp signed by a whole unit from either the 9th armored or 1st infantry division and really want to uncover the whole history.
Meatball was acquired because it was in the same auction and I said what the hell why not. Thanks for that information!
Honestly a lot of it is just googling the name with WW2, finding relatives and giving them a call if I can find their number. Getting army information is really tough because 80% of army veteran records were burned in a 1973 fire.
Love this. One of the hardest fighting and sadly, most overlooked divisions in the ETO ......
Damn that’s cool! Good work finding all that and sorting it. Love it
Antiqueshooter00c
Member
That looks cool! Thanks for sharing!
