Hello veterans and friends of the 75th Division !

I don´t have so much new informations than in the last newsletters, but two new members, veterans of the 75th, found through the internet their way to us. Please contact them and send our newsline a copy, so that other members also can throw in their 2 cents of worth. ( I tried it, is this the correct expression ?)

Please keep on sending in informations, even small ones. They will be interesting to the other members and maybe you meet old buddies over this newsline !

If you have informations about the actual 75th Div (Exercise) Houston, Texas, please tell us ! The veterans are interested, what´s new in their old unit !

The more you send in, the more interesting this newsletter gets !

Greetings from Germany
Rolf G. Wilmink
 

List of contents:

1.) Feedback regarding newsline No. 13   ( 19 April 1998 )
2.) Telling the stories of POW´s
3.) 290th at Dorsten, Germany
4.) Military Locators &  Missing Persons Links
5.) 75th Veteran Stephan Pazan now online !
6.) Military links

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Important: 1998 Reunion of the 75th Division !!!
Time:       15 - 19 July 1998
Place:      Spokane, WA, USA
(please see our homepage at www.mknet.de/75th for more informations !
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 

                                   \\|//
                                  (o o)
----------------oOOo-(_)-oOOo------------------------------75th DIVISION online
**********************************************************************************
DON'T BE A LURKER.... GET INVOLVED... YOU ARE A MEMBER... MAKE THE MOST OF IT
**********************************************************************************
(actual count: 94 members online worldwide !)
 

1.) Feedback regarding our newsline No. 13 ( 19 April 1998):
Nothing special
************************************************************
2.) Telling the stories of POW´s

Excerpts from the website: www.msnbc.com/news/157293.asp
Please take a look there, to use the below described links to special websites.

               Telling the stories of POWs
               Nearly one-third of the 30,000 Union POWs who died during the Civil War,
               died here, at Andersonville.
NBC's Bob Dotson reports on the new POW museum.
NBC NEWS
Andersonville, Ga.  Prisoners of war have been part of the price of every American war. Yet, their story has rarely been told. But now the country’s first museum dedicated to prisoners of war is complete — 12 years and $5.8 million in the making. Along with the wide array of resources on the World Wide Web, the facility will help to educate the public about the untold horrors that 800,000 American soldiers have endured in wars dating back to the American Revolution.
                     Museum salutes forgotten heroes
                     Andersonville Prison -- Encarta Encyclopedia Article
                     "Where were you in World War II?" series front page

A video produced by the National Park Service features American POWs talking about their experiences.

THE NEW NATIONAL Prisoner of War Museum is built not on the Mall in Washington but at Andersonville, Georgia, the site of the worst POW camp in American history. Nearly 13,000 Union soldiers died here during the Civil War, many from brutal, forced starvation and disease. Their bodies are now buried on the museum’s grounds — a grim testament to the experience of POWs of all American wars. “In the minds of many POWs this memorial ranks in stature to the Iwo Jima Memorial in Washington and the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, so the grand opening is being treated as a pilgrimage,” says Fred Boyles, superintendent of the Andersonville Historic Site.
The dark, maroon-brick building is austere, stark. The three granite towers that puncture its roof look like guard houses. You get the feeling of entering a prison — exactly the way the National Park Service wants you to feel — in this new museum that houses the memories of POWs from all American wars.

                          A century of American POW's and MIA's
                      POW's  MIA's       TOTAL TROOPS
WWI               3,973               3,350          4,734,991
WWII          116,129*           78,750        16,112,566
KOREA          7,140               4,418           5,720,000
VIETNAM        690**            2,093          8,744,000
GULF WAR        23                       0             540,000

Source: Defense Quarterly, 1996
** 99 were early releases or escapees. 591 were released during Operation Homecoming in 1973
* Likely includes some civilians, such as partisans. Does not include death camps.

At the beginning of the museum tour, lights dim and running feet seem to be coming at you. Suddenly, the harsh command, “Halt!” rings out. The lights come up and bayoneted Russian AK-47’s and flintlock rifles and other weapons are aimed at you. You are captured. One room features the horrors of the Bataan Death March and forced journeys to Korean POW camps. Still another room houses original artifacts — carvings, drawings, jury-rigged radios that American POWs created to keep them sane during months of terror and boredom.

There is also the “Sack of Cement Cross” built by World War II POWs in the Philippines; a full-scale replica of POWs digging an escape tunnel under a German prison camp; and a four-foot-long scale model of a clipper ship, built by an American prisoner of war during the War of 1812 — entirely out of soup bones.
All along the journey are the voices of those who were held captive. Hundreds of POWs have left messages on interactive screens — to tell of conditions. But the reality is that most POWs have never spoken of their experiences.
Bill Fornes, a POW in Korea, never spoke of his imprisonment until he came to Andersonville. “I didn’t know how I would be accepted, whether I would be a hero or a coward or a criminal,” he said. “But something just came over me when I saw the prison site —- saw the graves.”
 
WEB RESOURCES
If you can’t get to Andersonville to see the museum you might try the World Wide Web, which contains a wide variety of information and resources relating to POWs and MIAs — from sites that help people share their personal experiences to databases that help locate POWs and MIAs. Below, a list of links:

Its name aside, the Korean War Project Web site is a general purpose resource and includes comprehensive information about POWs and MIAs for veterans of every war since World War II. One of the site’s highlights is its database search capability — perhaps the most highly automated available to Internet users who wish to track down information on those who were taken prisoner, killed, left missing or wounded. The information in the site’s databases is free but is not complete for all wars. Still, in many cases users can search by name, address, division of service and even by unit number, among others.
Another area of the site offers to assist in obtaining military records and yet another offers to send a CD-ROM database filled with information on Korean War casualties. The site is run by Ted and Hal Barker, self-taught Internet consultants and sons of a Korean War POW. The Barkers’ vast site has links to a variety of other sites that are more closely targeted to the Korean War. These include a guest book, a “looking for” section, areas for personal histories, veteran’s groups, travel logs, and a lengthy historical treatment of the battle at Heartbreak Ridge.

To quote its Web site, the membership of the National Alliance of Families includes “Vietnam and Korean War POW/MIA family members frustrated by the US government’s lack of progress on the POW/MIA issue.” The organization tracks legislation regarding POW/MIA issues and holds an annual meeting in Washington, D.C., to update ist membership.

The Defense Prisoner of War—Missing Personnel office sends U.S. military and civilian personnel to locations across the globe to seek out information about POWs and MIAs. The information the DPMO provides is the result of years of analysis and intelligence reporting.
Additional case-specific information, both classified and unclassified, is available to the primary next-of-kin of missing Americans. The DPMO Web site provides weekly updates and yearly reports on its progress.

The Vietnam Veterans Home Page is best known for its “Search the Wall” interactive database, which allows users to locate the names of all those listed on the Vietnam memorial wall. But the page also provides a vast array of sometimes confusing “galleries.” Among these galleries are areas devoted to POW and MIA issues. One called “They Will Not Be Forgotten” details efforts to repatriate remains and lists a government project known as “Joint Task Force—Full Accounting” (JTF-FA). To quote the site: “The JTF-FA has an extensive and growing body of information related to U.S. personnel missing or killed in action, bodies not recovered. Much of this information is in the public domain.” Other galleries have extensive links to smaller organizations whose focus is to increase community relations among Vietnam veterans. And still others are devoted to sharing war stories.
 
The Library of Congress’ Vietnam-era Prisoner-of-War/Missing-in-Action database is keyword-driven and produces a list of documents which can be ordered via regular mail. The database search mechanism interface is not nearly as specific as the Korean War Project’s databases, which can sort on the basis of unit name, last name, or last known address, among others. Nevertheless, the database has over 121,000 records and could be a valuable resource.
 
NBC News correspondent Bob Dotson contributed to this report.

*************************************************************************

3.) 290th at Dorsten, Germany

From: "Cindy Greer" <sniffycheese@worldnet.att.net>
subject: 290th Infantry at Dorsten, Germany
Date: Sun, 26 Apr 1998 20:21:05 -0400

Dear Mr. Wilmink:

I recently came across the 75th Division Homepage and decided to contact
you.  While still serving in the U.S. Air Force in 1987, I began extensive
research into the 290th Infantry Regiment in combat.  During the course of
that research, I was fortunate enough to correspond with many veterans of
the 290th and to visit with its former commander, Col. Carl F. Duffner,
prior to his death in 1988.

My father's older brother, Pvt. Jesse W. Greer, Jr., 3rd Platoon, Company
F, 290th Infantry, served with the unit in combat from 25 December 1945
until being killed-in-action at Dorsten, Germany on 29 March 1945.
Although I have several very good written accounts of that action, I still
have no clear idea of what the western approaches to the town look like
(then or now).  Are you in possession of any material of that sort?  If so,
I certainly would appreciate your help!

If you have any German accounts of the fighting at Dorsten, I would also be
quite interested in them.

Ich spreche etwas Deutsch, aber ich mache furchtbare Fehler.  Mein
Wortschatz ist immer gar nicht ausreichend, muss ich hinzufugen.  Ich bin
Ihnen dankbar.

Sincerely,

Russell L. Greer
4815 Burt Mar Drive, #10
Columbus, GA  31907
USA
Home phone/fax:  706-563-6475
e-mail:  sniffycheese@worldnet.att.net

************************************************************

4.) Subject: Military Locators &  Missing Persons Links
From: "ShadowChasers" <shadowchaser@shadow-chasers.com>

Hi All,

Since numerous threads appeared on the list about needing to know where to
find "Military Locators"  I have compiled a list of numerous links for your
review at http://shadow-chasers.com/mostwanted.html
which also includes several links to very useful Missing Persons databases.
If you have a link, not included on the page, email with and I'll post it.

Regards,
Kelly Fromm
-----------------------------------------
Information Palace
http://www.infopalace.com

"Never believe anything; until it's been officially denied!"
**************************************************************************

5.) 75th Veteran Stephan Pazan now online !

Date: Fri, 08 May 1998 10:03:44 -0400
From:  "Stephen P. Pazan" <spaz@bellatlantic.net>
Company: Pazan & Shimberg, P.C.
Subject: 75th Infantry Division

My father, Stephen Pazan, is a veteran of the 75th ID.  He was a
corporal.  As far as I know, he is not in contact with any other
veterans.  I gave him a copy of Stephen Ambrose's "Citizen Soldiers."
He told me some fellow was trying to get him to tell stories for a
similar book, but that the guy was a paratrooper, so he did not want to
talk to him.  Indeed, he tells few stories, and until only recently,
would say nothing.  He tells of St. Vith, and a few other places.  There
was a little booklet that he says the Swiss sold which tells the story
of the 75th in overly glowing terms, he says.  He gave me a copy.  It
has a picture of him in a window, with a water cooled machine gun.

If anyone knew him and would like me to forward E-Mails, I would be
happy to do so.

***********************************************************

6.) Military links

From: "Bill Burke" <bburke@ipa.net>
Subject: Military Links (http://www.flash.net/~azgecko/military.htm)
Date: Thu, 7 May 1998 18:03:30 -0500

I thought this might interest you !

http://www.flash.net/~azgecko/military.htm

***************************************************************
7.) 75th Div WWII photos from a wartime photographer

From:  "Joseph Karr" <167thsig@email.msn.com>
Date:   Fri, 8 May 1998 13:46:31 -0400

Greetings to my friends - The Wilminks

           I was looking at your most recent version of the unofficial web
page for the 75th division and saw that  you included Ray Daum's movie
Library List that I sent you. For your information, on 22 of those dates I
was at the same location and I have photos that I or Armond Guinn took at 16
of those locations on those dates. Although the photos are not necessaraly
the same subject matter that Ray Daum has listed.

Library No.
1082
1242
1247     10 photos
1360      1 photo
1461
1575      1 photo
2235      5 photos
3767
2590      2 photos by Guinn
2594      6 photos
3134      4 photos
3352      4 photos
3430      3 photos
3480
3538      4 photos
3638      8 photos
3608      1 photo
3688      1 photo
3701
3823      2 photos
4610      4 photos
6146      1 photo - street scene in Plettenberg that you have
1208

         If any of these photos are of a particular interest, I can furnish
you with more description or possibly a copy of the particular photos.

My very best wishes to all the Wilminks

Joe

++Moderator´s note:++
Joseph D. Karr was a photographer of the 167th Signal Photo Company and made very interesting photos of the soldiers of the 75th Div in and around Plettenberg and Hemer, Germany. Maybe you are on these photos ? Contact him for more informations !
++ ++
*******************************************************************
And in the next newsline...............

........your feedback to this newsline !!!!

Greetings from Germany
Rolf G. Wilmink
75th Inf Div WWII Veterans Association Unofficial homepage
www.mknet.de/75th
**************************************************************************
**************************************************************************
Who are you? What's your specialty and/or interest? Let us know about your unit... What would you like to see on the list? Post it. Let us know...  Do you have something to contribute? We'd like to hear it...
We want to know EVERYTHING and ANYTHING about the 75th Division and Plettenberg, Germany, the last command post of the HQ in 1945. ... Remember: who, what, where, when, how & why... we want ALL the details...
(If there are developments in the today´s 75th Division (Exercise), that are public and could be interesting for the veterans of the Division, please e-mail the info also to us. )
Do you have a question? Post it... A little free time? Help a member...
With the INCREDIBLE brain power on this list, someone should have the answer ;-)

P.S. Don't be a LURKER... Members take the time to post info for us all...
give something back... Don't just take... Your input/knowledge is valued...
**************************************************************************
Send Postings to: mkw-detective@t-online.de  with "Post" in subject field with subject
**************************************************************************
Subscribe to: mkw-detective@t-online.de
In the subject field type: subscribe-75th list e-mail address
**************************************************************************
Unsubscribe to: mkw-detective@t-online.de
In the subject field type: unsubscribe-75th list e-mail address
**************************************************************************
. If you want to become a member of the 75th Div Veterans Association, please contact the president of the Association:
    Paul C. Stephan (I-289)
    5281 Byview Rd.
    Hamburg, NY 14075
    USA
    Phone: 1-716-649-4807

..The Simple Rules of the 75th Div List...
The 75th Div List Owners may remove a list member for violation of the following rules. The list owner may also reject any posts that are/contain:
1) Info Unrelated to 75th Division in WWII and today, or WWII in the ETO.
2) Flames or Negative posts (if you must flame do it in private)...
3) E-Signatures that are considered excessive...
4) Advertisements not DIRECTLY related to the list topics...
5) Attached Files... (sent them, but we have to see how to include them)
6) Oversized Posts... (May be edited to save room - <snip>)
7) Spamming list members will result in removal from list.
8) Thou shalt not lurk ;-)
***************************************************************************
The information transmitted on this list may not be reproduced, reposted or forwarded to any non-list member without expressed written permission of the List Owner. (Everyone can be a member, and if we have informations about each recipient, we can bring members with special interests together).
(The 75th Div newsletter „Bulgebusters“, secretary Jim Warmouth, hereby has the permission to print everything out of our newsletter, as long as we as the source are mentioned with e-mail and internet-adress)
Violation of U.S. copyright law is a criminal and civil offense...
***************************************************************************
The 75th Division list is moderated by Rolf G. Wilmink, Plettenberg, Germany.
The List Owner will make EVERY effort to protect subscribers from spam...
The membership list is NOT available for loan, sale or rent. It is private. All Rights Reserved...
***************************************************************************
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
end of transmission