97th Infantry Division Field Artillery

Hitlers desk sold at auction

2011-12-09T17:52:00.000-05:00

The desk set that once belonged to the leader of Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler, sold for $423,000 to a California historical collector at a Stamford auction Thursday, according to Bill Panagopulos, owner of Alexander Historical Auctions.

This fits a growing trend of high demand for world war II items. Especially those of the Third Rich.

70 years ago today..

2011-12-07T09:27:00.000-05:00

A day that will live in infamy. It was 70 years ago today. There are all sorts of articles and headlines about that day. Be sure to check some out.

Rare and Unseen pictures:
http://www.foxnews.com/slideshow/us/2011/12/06/rare-and-unseen-pics-after-pearl-harbor/#slide=1

Above Pearl Harbor:
http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/07/9263923-pearl-harbor-from-above-1941-2011

Aging Pearl Harbor attack survivors passing on the baton

2011-12-04T21:50:00.000-05:00

As the 70th anniversary approaches remaining members are passing on the legacy of that day in 1941. There will be much more in the news as the day approaches.

Read the full story here:

http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/04/us/pearl-harbor-legacy/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

Faces of World War II

2011-11-11T11:26:00.000-05:00

Since 2006, Tom Sanders has been photographing World War II veterans for his book, “The Last Good War: The Faces and Voices of WW2.” Some of the subjects are shown with artifacts from their service. “I wanted to make people more aware of our veterans’ sacrifices and help put people’s lives into perspective,” he says.

View here: http://cnnphotos.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/11/faces-of-world-war-ii/

Einstein letter sells at auction

2011-10-12T09:51:00.000-04:00

A typewritten letter signed by Albert Einstein three months before the outbreak of World War II sold for nearly $14,000.

The physicist writes of the importance of "rescuing our persecuted fellow-Jews from their calamitous peril and leading them toward a better future" in the June 10, 1939, letter.

Link to news story here.

Bones of Hitler Deputy Rudolf Hess Exhumed, Burned

2011-07-22T23:41:00.001-04:00

Very bazaar story.

The bones of Adolf Hitler's deputy, Rudolf Hess, have been removed from their grave in a small Bavarian town that had become a pilgrimage site for neo-Nazis.

Before dawn Wednesday (7/20/11), workers exhumed Hess's bones from the grave in the Wunsiedel cemetery, then cremated the remains and scattered them secretly in a lake, whose name and location are not being divulged, cemetery administrator Andreas Fabel told The Associated Press.

Hess was captured in 1941 when he parachuted into Scotland on a mission to negotiate peace between Britain and Germany.

The attempt was denounced by Hitler, and Hess later told British authorities that the Nazi leader knew nothing of it.

In recent years, Hess has come to be seen as a martyr by the far-right and thousands of neo-Nazis have used the anniversary of his death as an occasion to hold large rallies, with Wunsiedel -- near the Czech border -- often a focal point.

Continue reading the story on fox news here.

Happy 90th birthday John Glenn

2011-07-18T10:17:00.002-04:00

Today is John Glenn’s 90th birthday. Glenn's many accomplishments include being the first American to orbit the earth, a decorated Marine Corps veteran and a United States senator. He also saw service during World War II. He flew 59 combat missions in the South Pacific. He saw action over the Marshall Islands, where he attacked anti-aircraft batteries and dropped bombs on Maloelap. In 1945, he was assigned to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, where he was promoted to captain shortly before the war ended.

June 6th 1944

2011-06-06T16:57:00.002-04:00

Fox news has some pictures of the 67th anniversary of the D-Day landings:

http://www.foxnews.com/slideshow/world/2011/06/06/67th-anniversary-d-day-marked-in-france/?test=faces#slide=1

Dwight D. Eisenhower
"Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped, and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely.
But this is the year 1944. Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41.
The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeat in open battle man to man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground.
Our home fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men.
The tide has turned.
The free men of the world are marching together to victory. I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty, and skill in battle.
We will accept nothing less than full victory.
Good luck, and let us all beseech the blessings of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking."

Nazis Tried to Teach Dogs How to Read, Speak During WWII, Report Says

2011-05-24T16:00:00.002-04:00

A new report reveals that Nazis tried to train dogs to talk, read and spell during World War II in an attempt to build an army of 'fearsome' speaking dogs, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Full story is here.

Nazi death camp guard deported

2011-05-13T23:34:00.001-04:00

CLEVELAND, OH — Federal agents carrying John Demjanjuk in a wheelchair put him on a small jet Monday to be deported to Germany, where the retired autoworker is accused of being a Nazi death camp guard in World War II.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,519863,00.html

Last known WW1 Veteran has died

2011-05-05T10:32:00.000-04:00

The last known survivor of the 70 million combatants from World War I, a British sailor who witnessed the surrender of the German fleet in 1918, has died at the age of 110.

Full Story here

The Man Who Defeated Adolf Hitler

2011-04-21T09:05:00.001-04:00

Very interesting article about a young pastor who stood up to Hitler and was killed in the last days of World War 2.

You can read the full article here at Fox News.

You can learn more about Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer here.

Last US WW1 Veteran Dies

2011-02-28T11:51:00.000-05:00

We've mentioned Mr. Buckles several times on this blog. News agencies are reporting that he has died at age 110. He was the last US WW1 veteran.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/02/28/veteran-wwi-dies-w-va-age-110/?test=faces#

Combat Pictures

2011-02-15T22:57:00.000-05:00

New combat pictures have been uploaded. More to come soon. Check out the page under Chronology of Events or you can click here.

February 1945 for the 97th

2011-02-02T18:34:00.000-05:00

This month in 1945 the 97th 365th FA battalion packed up and left Camp Cook and headed out to Camp Kilmer. This was their last stop before shipping out overseas.

Last American World War I Doughboy turns 110

2011-02-01T15:28:00.004-05:00

We've mentioned Frank Woodruff Buckles on our blog before. Today he turned 110. He is the last surviving World War I vet that saw combat in Europe.

Buckles enlisted in the military when he was 16 after lying about his age to an Army recruiter. He served in England and France, working as an ambulance driver before being assigned to a prisoner-of-war escort company returning prisoners to Germany.

He was too old to serve in the military in World War II, but In 1941, he was working in Manila for the American President Line, a shipping company. When the Japanese invaded the Philippines, Buckles was captured and spent 3 1/2 years in a prisoner-of-war camp before he was rescued by American forces when they retook the Island nation.

Attached is a link to his website: http://pershingslastpatriot.com/

New Website Layout

2011-01-25T20:28:00.000-05:00

We hope you enjoy the new website layout. We've integrated our blog with our website content so everything is at one location and easier to see. You can continue to navigate to our url www.97thfieldartillery.com , but it will now take you to the blog directly. From there you can navigate the website content from the black links at the top of the page.

World War II tank to be restored in Leicestershire

2011-01-25T20:22:00.000-05:00

BBC is reporting that a Sherman Tank that survived the D-Day landing is getting restored. You can read the full atical here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/leicester/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_9366000/9366680.stm

Colonel William “Bill” Bower last of the Doolittle Raider pilots has died

2011-01-20T08:37:00.005-05:00

Colonel William “Bill” Bower was the last surviving pilot of the famed “Doolittle Raiders” in World War II, whose air attack on Japan in April 1942, just four months after Pearl Harbor, lifted American morale in the early days of the war.

He volunteered for the first U.S. attack on Japan, which was led by Lt. Col. James “Jimmy” Doolittle on April 18, 1942. Bower piloted one of the 16 B-25B Mitchell medium bombers launched from the U.S.S. Hornet to attack Tokyo, the Japanese capital, and other Japanese cities.

Bower flew his B-25, with a crew of five, to Yokohama, where they bombed the docks of Japan’s second largest city. They eventually parachuted over China; the nighttime jump was his first from an airplane.

In a wartime diary, Bower wrote on the morning of the raid that he wasn’t nervous. “This was it, adventure, my chance to be a first-timer, but most important perhaps our success would do much to bring this mess to a quicker end.”

Colonel Bower died Monday January 11, 2011 at his home in Boulder, Colo. He was 93 years old.

You can read more on the Doolittle Raid here.

Richard Winters Dies at 92; Led ‘Band of Brothers’

2011-01-11T11:27:00.002-05:00

New York times is reporting that Major Richard Winters has passed away. He was 92. Major Winters lead the Easy Company 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division unit through the beaches of Normandy to the Hitler's Mountain retreat. The story of him and his unit made it to the Mini-series that Tom Hanks directed called "Band of Brothers". Read the full story below

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/11/us/11winters.html?src=ISMR_AP_LO_MST_FB

69 years since Pearl Harbor attack

2010-12-07T10:35:00.003-05:00

Its been 69 years since the day that will live in infamy. The Pearl Harbor Survivors Association is struggling to continue. Once a group that had over 18,000 members is now down below 3,000. You can read about the orginization below.

http://www.thirdage.com/news/pearl-harbor-survivors-association-continue_12-7-2010

Walter Moore 365th Battery A

2010-11-22T21:33:00.005-05:00

Walter Moore passed on September 24. He was with the 97th Infantry Division Field Artillery 365th Battery A. You can read the full obituary here. Our condolences go out to the family.

http://www.palmerfuneralhomes.com/obituaries/obituary.php?id=44702

Veterans Day 2010

2010-11-11T15:49:00.002-05:00

Make sure to thank a veteran for their service today. I always think of a quote my Grandpa had a shirt a while back. Not sure where it came from:

"If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in English, thank a veteran."

Thank you to all the Veterans for their service to this great country. God Bless you.

Newly released files

2010-10-29T10:48:00.002-04:00

New Released files of the daily routine of Hitler and the possiablity of a secret nazi hideout. Files come from newly released documents from Britain's National Archives .

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39906733/ns/world_news-europe/

Ilyff Schalliol

2010-10-27T16:50:00.000-04:00

Information has come to us that WWII Veteran member Will Schalliol's wife, Ilyff Schalliol passed away earlier this month. The funeral was 10-9-2010. Our thoughts and prayers are with Will and the entire Schalliol family at this time."

You can read the full story here.

Vandalism of USS Emmons Sparks Outrage

2010-10-01T11:00:00.003-04:00

The USS Emmons served the United States proudly through World War II, right up until April 6, 1945, when it was attacked by five kamikaze pilots off the coast of Okinawa. One day later, the U.S. Navy sank the destroyer to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Japanese. Read the full story at Fox News.

WWI finally done for Germany

2010-09-29T09:56:00.000-04:00

Germany will finally pay off the last of its debts from World War One this Sunday, on the 20th anniversary of German reunification. Check out the full story here:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39415550/ns/world_news-europe/

105 in Cadillac Michigan

2010-07-17T22:59:00.003-04:00

Some pictures of a 105 that the Cadillac VFW has on display in the park in Cadillac, Michigan. Very nice display. See pictures below:

Nurse in V-J Day kiss photo dies

2010-06-23T07:12:00.001-04:00

A nurse famously photographed being kissed by an American sailor in New York's Times Square in 1945 to celebrate the end of World War Two has died at the age of 91, her family said on Tuesday. Read the full story here.

WW2 Bomb kills 3 in Germay

2010-06-13T16:13:00.000-04:00

3 killed disarming a bomb in Germany during a construction project. Full Story

US Troops march in Red Square

2010-05-07T09:14:00.004-04:00

To commemorate the 65th aniversary of the end of World War 2 in Europe, Russia has invited U.S. Troops to march in the Red Square. Read the full story here.

May 5, 1945: Japanese Balloon Bomb Kills 6 in Oregon

2010-05-05T16:27:00.000-04:00

Very interesting news I had never heard of. Seems that this day in 1945 the Japanese scored 6 kills in Oregon from their Balloon Bomb program. Very interesting read. See it here.

'Daniel Boone' star Fess Parker dies

2010-03-19T08:32:00.002-04:00

Fess Parker, best known for playing Daniel Boone in a 1960s television series, died Thursday at his home near Santa Barbara, California, his publicist said. He was 85. A native of Texas, Parker served in the U.S. Navy during World War II before graduating from the University of Texas-Austin in 1950.

Read the full news article here.

Female WWII aviators honored with gold medal

2010-03-10T16:47:00.002-05:00

These aviators — all women — got long-overdue recognition on Wednesday. They received the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor given by Congress, in a ceremony on Capitol Hill. They flew non-combat missions, but 38 were killed in service. You can read the full story from MSNBC here.

Renegade German war hero who saved French port dies

2010-02-25T13:19:00.000-05:00

A renegade former member of Germany's World War Two navy, who thwarted plans to wreck the French port of Bordeaux by retreating Nazi forces, has died at the age of 91, officials said.

"My family were Huguenots (protestant Christians) and I acted according to my Christian conscience," Stahlschmidt told Reuters in a rare interview in 1997."

Read the full story. Msnbc

Miep Gies, Anne Frank protector, dies at 100

2010-01-11T22:35:00.000-05:00

CNN is reporting "Miep Gies, who ensured the diary of Anne Frank did not fall into the hands of Nazis after the teen's arrest, has died. She was 100."

Read the full story here.

USS Missouri back in Pearl Harbor

2010-01-08T09:58:00.002-05:00

Battleship Missouri comes out of drydock at Pearl Harbor after months of maintenance. Read the full story here:

http://www.starbulletin.com/news/20100108_Battleship_Missouri_back_home.html

Alleged Nazi Guard on Trial

2009-12-01T10:18:00.001-05:00

A German court put John Demjanjuk on trial Monday to face charges of being an accessory to the murder of 27,900 Jews at a Nazi death camp, and his lawyer immediately accused the court of bias.

Read the full story here.

Bracelet lost in World War II returns home

2009-09-19T16:56:00.000-04:00

(msnbc.com) Jack Harold Glenn was a World War II fighter pilot who was killed during a firefight as he flew a mission over Germany in 1944, his body coming to rest in a field in a rural village.

The silver bracelet Glenn was wearing was given to a 16-year-old boy who helped retrieve his body. He held onto the bracelet ever since, a remembrance of the fallen American airman.

Sixty-five years later, the bracelet is returning to Glenn's sister in Alaska thanks to an enterprising World War II veteran who uncovered the relic on a recent trip to the German village.

Full Article here.

70 years ago today USSR invades Poland

2009-09-17T22:02:00.001-04:00

The 1939 Soviet invasion of Poland was a military operation that started without a formal declaration of war on 17 September 1939, during the early stages of World War II, sixteen days after the beginning of the Nazi German attack on Poland. It ended in a decisive victory for the Soviet Union's Red Army.

Read the full story here.

Vera Lynn tops charts again

2009-09-15T17:56:00.000-04:00

Vera Lynn, who made her name entertaining troops in World War II after recording her first song 70 years ago, has become the oldest living artist to have a number one album.

Read the full story here.

65 Years ago. D-Day Invasion

2009-06-06T10:19:00.003-04:00

Lets remember the thousands of troops that lost their lives 65 years ago today to protect freedom in the world and to ensure our freedom here in the U.S.A

I always like to quote General Eisenhower's D-Day invasion speech:

"You will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.

Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped, and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely.

But this is the year 1944. Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41.

The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeat in open battle man to man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground.

Our home fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men.

The tide has turned.

The free men of the world are marching together to victory. I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty, and skill in battle.

We will accept nothing less than full victory.

Good luck, and let us all beseech the blessings of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking."

Never released color photos of Hitler

2009-06-04T22:18:00.002-04:00

New pictures of Adolf Hitler in color and never released. Check them out at life.com

"Between 1936 and 1945, German photographer Hugo Jaeger was granted unprecedented access to Adolf Hitler, traveling and chronicling, in color, the Fuhrer and his confidants at small gatherings, public events, and, quite often, in private moments. Here, and in several other galleries on LIFE, we now present never-before-published photographs from Jaeger's astonishing -- and chilling -- collection."

Alleged Nazi guard gets stay of deportation

2009-04-14T19:51:00.001-04:00

Nazi guard is getting deported to Germany to face a trail on war crimes for 29,000 deaths. You can read the full story here:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30210535/

Information Added

2009-03-16T22:30:00.002-04:00

We've added more documents to our website. Check out the Events/Documents section and on the right hand side see the "Documents" section.

Also added a Post War Activities section on the same page. We've posted information on the Last Shot Memorial that singles out the 97th Division.

Former Nazi camp guard charged 29,000 times

2009-03-11T10:27:00.000-04:00

German prosecutors said Wednesday they have charged retired Ohio auto worker John Demjanjuk with more than 29,000 counts of accessory to murder for his time as a guard at the Nazis' Sobibor death camp, and will seek his extradition from the U.S.
Demjanjuk is accused of participating in the murders while he was a guard at the Nazi camp in occupied Poland between March and September 1943.

You can read the full story here.

Most-wanted Nazi died in 1992

2009-02-04T20:52:00.002-05:00

Documents in Egypt are reporting that Dr. Aribert Heim died in 1992.

Born June 28, 1914 in Radkersburg, Austria, Heim joined the local Nazi party in 1935, three years before Austria was bloodlessly annexed by Germany.

He later joined the Waffen SS and was assigned to Mauthausen, a concentration camp near Linz, Austria, as a camp doctor in October and November 1941.

While there, witnesses told investigators, he worked closely with SS pharmacist Erich Wasicky on such gruesome experiments as injecting various solutions into Jewish prisoners' hearts to see which killed them the fastest.

In 1961, German authorities were alerted that Heim was living in Baden-Baden and began an investigation, but when they finally went to arrest him in September 1962, they just missed him — he apparently had been tipped off.

Heim would be 94 today if still alive.

You can read the full report from MSNBC.

Silver Star Finally

2008-12-22T10:41:00.001-05:00

Robert Bailey was awarded the Silver Star medal for saving DeBoard’s life in World War II. It took 63 years for him to get the Silver Star.

You can read the full article here:

http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20081220/TOPSTORIES/812190210

Veteran's Day 2008

2008-11-11T21:24:00.001-05:00

Thank a Veteran for their service today. We owe them our gratitude for the freedoms we enjoy everyday.

Airman missing from World War II identified

2008-11-04T17:36:00.001-05:00

The AP is reporting the remains of a service man have been identified.

"NORWALK, Conn. - The remains of a U.S. serviceman from Norwalk missing in action from World war II have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced Monday that the remains of Staff Sgt. Martin F. Troy, U.S. Army Air Forces, of Norwalk will be buried on Nov. 20 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.

On June 30, 1944, Troy was on a B-24H Liberator participating in a mission to bomb an oil refinery in Blechammer, Germany. The plane was shot down by German aircraft and crashed into a swampy area near Nemesvita, Hungary, beside Lake Balaton."

US experts in Germany to search for missing WW2 GIs

2008-09-30T21:51:00.001-04:00

Over 78,000 GIs are still unaccounted for in Germany from World War 2. A team of experts are now going to comb through Germany to search for these troops and bring them home. You can read the full story here:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/2965560/US-experts-in-Germany-to-search-for-missing-WW2-GIs.html

Chef Julia Child, others part of WWII spy network

2008-08-14T09:34:00.002-04:00

Appears Julia Child was doing more than cooking during World War 2. You can read the full story here:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/08/14/spies.revealed.ap/index.html

Alleged Seattle-area Nazi could lose citizenship

2008-07-15T22:58:00.000-04:00

The Justice Department asked a federal court Tuesday to revoke the citizenship of an 86-year-old man, saying he served in a Nazi unit that slaughtered 17,000 Serbian civilians during World War II.

Read the full story here at nbc.

Holocaust siblings meet after 66 years

2008-07-11T23:12:00.001-04:00

Still having families reunite after they were torn apart from the Holocaust. You can read the full story from CNN here.

Brother and sister were separated in 1942.

Operation Last Chance for Nazi's 'Dr. Death'

2008-07-09T09:01:00.002-04:00

Sorry for the lack of posts. Been enjoying the summer weather.

I find this hard to believe, but in the year 2008 we're still going after war criminals from WW2. Dr. Aribert Heim who documented the murdering and tourturing of many victoms is believed to be alive and in hiding in Chile. He was an SS Doctor at a concentration camp in Austria. They just don't get any worse then this:

You can read the full story here.

Also read more about Dr. Aribert Heim here.

June 6, 1944 - 64 years ago

2008-06-06T23:04:00.004-04:00

It was 64 years ago today that our brave soldiers hit those beaches in France to start the end of the Nazi's reign on Europe. I often think of the speech that Dwight Eisenhower gave the night before the invasion:

"You will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.

Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped, and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely.

But this is the year 1944. Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41.

The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeat in open battle man to man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground.

Our home fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men.

The tide has turned.

The free men of the world are marching together to victory. I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty, and skill in battle.

We will accept nothing less than full victory.

Good luck, and let us all beseech the blessings of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking."

Remember all of our soldiers that gave their lives for our freedom then, today, and tomorrow.

Memorial Day 1945

2008-05-25T22:36:00.004-04:00

My grandfather told me this weekend where he was on Memorial Day in 1945. 63 years ago him and his fellow members of the 97th infantry division where on their way back home from the Europe through Le havre France after the end of Word War II. They were coming home for fur low for a couple of weeks on the USS Brazil where they would wait to be shipped to Japan as part as the large invasion force. Probably lucky for my grandfather this invasion force turned into an occupational force, but they were ready and willing to be part of it even though it didn't come to fruition.

Don't forget this Memorial Day to thank a veteran for their service to our country. We have so many freedoms because of their sacrifices. It shouldn't take a special day to remember and be thankful for them.

As WWII vets pass, memories preserved

2008-05-24T11:25:00.000-04:00

As their ranks shrink, the National World War II Museum is one of several organizations rushing to preserve the personal accounts of veterans. Other such efforts are sponsored by the Library of Congress and the U.S. Latino and Latina WWII Oral History Project.

Read the full story here

Bomb defused in Tokyo

2008-05-18T08:35:00.002-04:00

A 1 ton bomb dropped in Tokyo from a U.S. B-29 bomber during World War II was discovered in March. 16,000 people had to be evacuated in the area so the bomb could be defused.

The rusty bomb was defused by a team from Japan’s Self-Defense Force in Chofu, on the outskirts of Tokyo, said Tokyo Fire Department official Shigeru Ishikawa.

Women who saved children from Holocaust dies

2008-05-12T12:18:00.003-04:00

Great story about a Polish woman who devised a plan to save Jewish children from Warsaw Ghetto passed away. She smuggled them out and gave them false identies to hide them from the Nazis. Great story and worth reading.

Jews march in Poland in memory of Holocaust

2008-05-01T16:09:00.001-04:00

OSWIECIM, Poland - Some 10,000 young Jews, Poles and World War II survivors took part in the March of the Living on Thursday, an annual event at the former Nazi death camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau that honors the memory of some 6 million Jews who perished in the Holocaust.

Check out full story here

Warsaw ghetto's 220 young fighters honored

2008-04-20T12:55:00.000-04:00

The last surviving leader of the 1943 Warsaw ghetto uprising paid silent tribute Saturday to the heroes of the doomed revolt by young Jews against Nazi troops that started 65 years ago.

Great story about how the a small group of Jews fought the Nazi's in Poloand in the 1943. You can read the full story here and read about the last survivor.

Updated: Pictures released of German WW2 raider Kormoran

2008-04-19T08:52:00.004-04:00

I've found some pictures of the HMAS Sydney and the German ship that sunk her the HSK Kormoran. The group responsible has started a website with some images and information. Take a look. This is great stuff.

http://www.findingsydney.com/

Alleged Nazi hit man charged over executions

2008-04-19T08:47:00.002-04:00

Msnbc.com is reporting that an 86-year-old man who acted as a Nazi hit man for a Waffen SS death squad that executed Dutch civilians during World War II has been charged with three counts of murder, a prosecutor said Wednesday.

I find it completely weird that 63 years after the end of World War II that we're still bringing these guys to justice. Check out the full story here.

Pictures released of German WW2 raider Kormoran

2008-04-12T09:30:00.002-04:00

"The first images of a German merchant raider sunk in a fierce battle with an Australian warship more than 66 years ago were released on Tuesday by international deep-ocean wreck hunters.

The HSK Kormoran was badly damaged in a battle with the Australian light cruiser HMAS Sydney on November 19, 1941, and was scuttled by her crew, while the Australian warship sank with the loss of all 645 crew off the West Australian coast."

As I've been unable to locate and pictures yet we'll keep you posted. This is a great find as i've posted about it earlier.

Charlton Heston 1923 - 2008

2008-04-08T20:37:00.006-04:00

Charlton Heston passed away on April 6, 2008. Heston was born on October 24^th, 1923 in Illinois. He served for two years as a radio operator/gunner in WW2. After the war, he and his wife Lydia worked as models in New York’s rough Hell’s Kitchen area. It was around this time Charlton began to find work in Theatre, and later on TV and films. By 1959, Heston had won his first Oscar, the coveted ‘best actor’ award for his stunning performance in Ben Hur.

This great man will be missed by all for his many contributions to Hollywood, society, and our country.

How Hitler would have rebuilt Berlin

2008-03-24T21:29:00.002-04:00

Interesting program coming that explains Hitler's plans for Berlin. His obsession with art and designing would have led to great changes in Berlin's landscape. You can read the full wright up here and check out the tv special.

Sunken German war ship found off Australia

2008-03-16T16:21:00.002-04:00

A search for a Australian ship lost during WWII has found the German vessel that sunk it. The German ship was the DKM Kormoran. The Aussie ship was the HMAS Sydney. The HMAS Sydney, with her sinking with all hands represents the greatest ever loss of life in an Australian warship; Sydney was also the largest vessel of any country to be lost with no survivors during the war. The crew had 645 members. You can read the full story here of the finding of the DKM Kormoran. Search for the HMAS Sydney continues.

Tigercat F7F

2008-03-08T16:31:00.001-05:00

Another post from my trip back in January to the Kalamazoo Air Zoo Museum. On June 30 1941 the Navy ordered the F7F Tiger Cat. The Tigercat was one of the boldest designs in the history of the combat aircraft. It was the first twin-engined fighter to enter production for service on board aircraft carriers and the first Navy fighter to have a nose wheel undercarriage. The single seat twin-engine configuration was chosen to achieve the highest performance and the heaviest armament attempted in a Navy fighter. The Tigercat entered service to late to take an active combat role in WW2. They did however, service as photo reconnaissance aircraft during the later months of the war. The terrific fire power available in the Tigercat made it valuable attack aircraft and they did see some action in Korea in the attack role.

Tigercats were proving themselves during a time that jet aircraft were becoming popular and their production was limited to 362 total units. You can read more about this great aircraft here.

Sgt. Woodrow Keeble

2008-03-06T21:07:00.002-05:00

Its men like this I find extraordinary. They go above and beyond service to a country that never fully accepts them. Sgt. Woodrow Keeble became the first full blooded Siox to be awarded the nation’s highest military award this last week. He saw service in WWII, but the medal was for action he saw in the Korean War. You can read the full story here.

There are similar stories with Japanese American troops that fought in Germany against the Nazis. Amazing stories of men who gave all and are now only becoming recognized for their sacrifices.

Treasure hunters dig for Hitler's gold

2008-03-01T12:33:00.002-05:00

Great Story. Treasure hunters in DEUTSCHNEUDORF Germany have begun digging at the spot where the legendary "Amber Room" treasure may be hidden. In 1944, Hitler realizing the defeat of Nazi Germany, had all valuables taken and hidden in a secret location. These treasure hunters may have found that location. Read the full story here and see pictures of the digging.

Rep. Tom Lantos dies

2008-02-11T10:46:00.000-05:00

Just noticed that NBC is reporting that Rep. Tom Lantos of California, the only Holocaust survivor to serve in Congress, has died.

Rep. Tom Lantos, R-Calif., was serving his 14th term in congress at the time of his death. He was born to Jewish parents in Budapest, Hungary, and was 16 when Adolf Hitler occupied Hungary in 1944. He survived by escaping twice from a forced labor camp. You can read the full article here.

Frank Buckles

2008-02-08T11:37:00.000-05:00

Found some more information I thought I would share with you about the last surviving World War I veteran. Seems he didn't serve in WW2, but was captured by the Japanese and spent 3 years in a prison camp. You can read much more info here.

1 of 2 last WW1 veterans in U.S. Dies

2008-02-06T19:34:00.001-05:00

1 of the last 2 known U.S. World War 1 veterans has died. Harry Landis died on Monday at the age of 108. He tried to enter the service during World War 2, but was considered too old at the age of 42. You can read the full story here.

The last known World War 1 veteran in the U.S. is Frank Buckles who is 107. You can read about him here.

Photo of war reporter Ernie Pyle found

2008-02-03T23:01:00.000-05:00

NBC is reporting that a photo provided by Richard Strasser, perhaps never before published, shows famed World War II war correspondent Ernie Pyle shortly after he was killed by a Japanese machine gun bullet on the island of Ie Shima on April 18, 1945.

You can read the full story here.

Nazi guard loses bid to stay in U.S.

2008-02-01T16:37:00.000-05:00

It always seem that every year or so we find out about another SS guard hiding out somewhere avoiding capture. NBC is reporting that one is about to be deported from the U.S.

Seems that its been hard to prove that he was actually a guard and not just a regular army soldier. He's been passed around several times and the case has been in and out of court for years. You can read the full story here.

Gerald Astor Writer on Americans in Combat dies

2008-01-28T18:42:00.000-05:00

The New York Times is reporting that Gerald Astor has passed away. He was 81. Gerald was a writer on Americans in Combat.

Besides his accounts of the Battle of the Bulge and the air war in Europe, Mr. Astor wrote of World War II in books including “The Greatest War: Americans in Combat, 1941-1945,” “June 6, 1944: The Voices of D-Day,” “Operation Iceberg: The Invasion and Conquest of Okinawa in World War II” and biographies of Maj. Gen. Terry Allen, a leading combat commander in both North Africa and Europe, and the Nazi medical experimenter Dr. Josef Mengele.

He also wrote “The Right to Fight: A History of African Americans in the Military” and “Presidents at War,” an account of presidents’ evolving assertion of authority to take military action in the absence of a Congressional declaration of war.

Through interviews and correspondence with veterans and accounts from their journals, Mr. Astor, who served with the 97th Infantry Division in the Second World War, told of combat as experienced by foot soldiers, sailors and pilots.

Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless

2008-01-26T17:49:00.000-05:00

Interesting story about this Dauntless: "This particular SBD , BuNo 06624, flew from the USS Ranger during the invasion of Africa, "Operation Torch," during which time it scored a near miss on the bow of Vichy French Battleship Jean Bart in Casablanca Harbor and dropped another bomb, which put the light cruiser Primauguet out of commission. It also was part of a mission that attached submarine pens in the harbor during which at least one French sub was destoryed. Lt. John "Jocko" DeVane Jr. , who was awarded the Navy Cross for his heroism, flew most of its missions.

After its tour on the Ranger, 06624 flew anti-submarine and anti-blockade runner patrols from the USS Santee in the Caribbean and South Antlantic. It was then transfered to Glenview NAS near Chicago, IL for Carrier Qualification training. Cadet pilots would fly out over Lake Michigan to practice landings and take-offs from the decks of either of two luxury paddle wheelers converted to flattops. These were the USS Wolverine and USS Sable.

While being flown by Ensign E.F. Anderson USNR, on 19 September 1943, the aircraft was on approach to the USS Wolverine. Ensign Anderson surmised he was low on fuel and thought he had switched to the Left Main fuel take when the engine cut out. Though the Landing Signal Officer gave him a wave off, he forced a landing, missed the wire and went over the side. He survived, but the aircraft spent over 50 years at the bottom of Lake Michigan. What exactly happened is not known as the Left Main tank had 40 gal. of fuel in it when the aircraft was recovered.

Through the efforts of the Guadalcanal Campaign Veterans Association and leaders of the AirZoo, the aircraft was acquired from the National Museum of Naval Aviation on long-term loan. The U.S. Navy still owns the aircraft.

Over nine years and countless hours of work, volunteers and staff at the Kalamazoo Air Zoo have returned the plane to a museum quality display craft and a tribute to all the mean and women who have sacrificed so much for our freedom during times of war."

P-80 Shooting Star

2008-01-23T22:26:00.000-05:00

Unaware to me was that the U.S had a jet fighter during WWII. I always thought we got our jet technology from Germany after the war. Well, we got all the good jet technology from Germany anyways. The P-80 Shooting Star never saw any combat during the war, and for good reasons. The Shooting Star began to enter service in late 1944. There were 12 prototypes made. One of the first was lost in an accident that killed chief engineering test pilot Milo Burcham. Several went to Europe and England for operational tests. On the 28th of January 1945 Major Frederic Borsodi was killed in a crash caused by an engine fire that temporarily grounded the P-80. Because of the delay the Shooting Star saw no combat in World War II. After further improvements and testing (I'm guessing German technology after the war) the P-80 saw extensive combat in Korea.

Grasshopper

2008-01-21T17:55:00.000-05:00

Today I want to bring your attention to a neat little plane that played a big part for the 97th Infantry Division Field Artillery.

During WWII, "Grasshoppers" performed a wide variety of functions throughout the world such as for artillery fire direction, pilot training, glider pilot instruction, courier service, and front line liaison. Members of the Civil Air Patrol flew thousands of hours in light planes such as the L-4 searching for enemy submarines in U.S. coastal waters.

Pictured above is a fine restored example from my recent trip to the Kalamazoo Air Museum. You can also learn more about this plane at our website under the Equipment Section and click on the Piper L-4.

Spanish Messerschmitt

2008-01-19T17:57:00.000-05:00

This will be the first of many posts with information from my recent trip to the Kalamazoo Air Museum in Kalamazoo Michigan. Something pretty neat that I figured out on the tour. The plane pictured on the right is a Messerschmitt ME-109, but not just any Messerschmitt. A Spanish one. Germany was allied with Spain during the war and gave technology and tooling for Spain to make their own Messerschmitt planes named the Hispano. This plane along with many others saw action in the Spanish Air Force during World War 2. Really neat stuff.

Historic Photos of World War II: Pearl Harbor to Japan

2008-01-18T15:49:00.000-05:00

Just caught wind on the news of a new book coming out next month:

With fact-filled photo captions and chapter introductions by author Bob Duncan, Historic Photos of World War II Pearl Harbor to Japan reveals the humanity and the sacrifice of the soldiers who fought in the Second World War, in striking images selected from the Library of Congress, the National Archives, the Naval Historical Center, and private collections.

“It has been said that the past is a country into which we may not travel, but photos and images left to us are a key-hole view into that past,” explains Duncan “With the passing of the generations who fought in that war, these photographs are becoming the last, sustaining glimpses of our fathers and grandfathers as young soldiers.”

This 10 x 10 gift book showcases these beautifully reproduced historic photographs in a large, high-quality format and includes well-researched text. Historic Photos of World War II Pearl Harbor to Japan masterfully retells the story of American soldiers, sailors, pilots, and Marines who fought in the Pacific Theater during the Second World War.The publication is the second in a series of books highlighting the key figures and events of World War II. Turner Publishing’s Historic Photos series has been acclaimed as a staple in the collection of anyone who loves history.

Stop by and check in out on amazon.com. Good Stuff.

http://www.amazon.com/Historic-Photos-World-War-II/dp/1596524227/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200689178&sr=8-1

Welcome!

2008-01-16T18:27:00.001-05:00

Welcome to the Blog spot for the 97th Infantry Division Field Artillery. We'll post weekly information here about news and information regarding World War II and the 97th. Check here often.