Easter edition

Hello veterans and friends of the 75th Division !

I hope you will have a good easter weekend, better than our allied troops in Kosovo, especially the three US servicemen that I saw at CNN, captured by the Serbians. I hope that there is not a WW III developing in our backjard, while we are exchanging stories about WWII.

You will find a lot of new members in this newsline (even from Taiwan !!) , send them a hi !

I had some computer problems in the last days and could only work on my laptop. I had also lost some outgoing messages to veterans but I hope they are all restored now. Please excuse, if some emails are not in the chronological order.

Happy easter holidays !
 

*Keep five yards.
(*Means spread out so one round won't get us all.)

Rolf G. Wilmink
„German by birth, american by heart, P.I. by profession„.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
For your calendar:

Next 75th N.E.C. meeting: May 12-16   1999
                 Shoney´s Inn
                 2420 Music Valley Drive
                 Nashville, Tennessee 37214
                 615-885-4030
Rates: $ 72.00 Single or Double + 8,25% sales tax and 4% room tax.
Events: Boat for Dinner
             Grand Ole Opry
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Next 75th Div reunion:  Houston, Texas, September 9th, 10th and 11th 1999
City tours will be offered and include a Round About Houston,The Houston Space Center with an optional Galveston Evening , an experience of Texas history and tour of the Battleship Texas and a Waterfront tour, as well as two unique post reunion trips,a 3 day,2 night program to San Antonio and a 1 week Mexican/Caribbean Cruise on the Norwegian Lines both start Sunday Sept. 12th and a barbecue evening on the 75 exercise group property is also planned.
The coordinator is CSM Phillip Kraus.  His civilian phone number is
713-791-1400 ext 3401.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
75th Div reunion year 2000: Peoria
(more infos as soon as we have them or contact the
75th Div Vets. Assn. President Parker, see adress below).
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

                List of contents:

1.) Feedback regarding newsline No. 30   ( 24 March 1999 )
2.)  75th Inf Div history book
3.)  3 pieces I'd like to obtain (from Taiwan !)
4.) 897th FA members coming to next reunion ?
5.) New email adress of Ivan A. Larson
6.)  WWII Memoirs, MGO in the ETO
7.) 75th Div, 290th in Iserlohn, Germany
8.) Reg Perkins, 290th, in Iserlohn, Germany
9.)  290th infantry, 25 Dec 44 near Biron, Belgium
10.) New member John Currie searches documents
11.) WWII veteran Frank Jackson needs info about his unit
12.) WAR IN EUROPE
13.)   Military Trivia:
14.) *** ON THE LIGHTER SIDE ***
 

                                   \\|//
                                  (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: 152 members online worldwide !)
 

1.) Feedback regarding our newsline No. 30 ( 24 March 1999):
 

RE: My error
Date: Fri, 26 Mar 1999 15:02:38 EST
From: Velotec@aol.com
 

Dear Rolf:
        I got the latest newsline yesterday. I was pleased to see a blurb from one of my emails in the cover sheet, until I realized my error. I had written that I had applied for an associate membership of the 75th division veterans association. In fact, what I had applied for was with the VBOB. According to my Dad, there is no such thing as an associate membership with the 75th. Membership is only open to vets of the 75th. I simply misspoke. And I'm sorry
for the confusion that I caused.
<snip>
At some time during the last year, however, the practice of  sending the Bulgebuster to anyone but dues paying members was stopped. As it stands now, exceptions to this rule have to be voted on by the National Executive Committee of the 75th ID. assoc.  The next meeting of the NEC is in Nashville Ky. on May 15th.
<snip>
Dad will also address the question of your request for a flag at that time. He will need to know where, and how this flag would be displayed.
        I complement you on your excellent web site. The 75th's unofficial home page is a delight to surf. A virtual gold mine of information on the 'diaper division.'

I did notice one error in the listed table of organization. The 75th's medical battalion, (Dad's outfit), was the 375th. You have it down as the 275th. Which was the designation of the engineer battalion.

        In closing, I thank you for your efforts in keeping the history of the 75th alive for the veterans, and their sons and daughters. I look forward to the future friendships, and the trade of information with fellow history buffs.

Very Truly Yours,
Forest Ratliff
(aka velotec@aol.com)

---------------------------------------------------

++From the moderator:++

Dear Forest,

first let me thank you very much for your email above.

<snip>

So, what happend after Atlanta ?
We (the journalists that helps me and I) thought about how to contact
veterans of the 75th, that might have some infos for us. (We also started to work on a city history book). The internet came up and so we started to build up a homepage with the history of the 75th. What happend was interesting: Veterans, sons, daughters, grandsons, granddaughters, historians, eyewittnesses contacted us and wanted to have informations, asked for their unit, looked for documents etc. They found us over the homepage and sent an email. We tried to help as much as we could. Then there came the time, when somebody contacted us for members of his unit. We were contacted by another member of
the unit a few days before. That was when we started to forward emails back and forth, to bring the veterans together. Interesting enough, most of the veterans that were contacting us did not know that there was a 75th Div veterans association and heard it now from Germany. I then started to collect the emails to send them out to everyone in my list.
That was in 1997 with 16 recipients. Each month at the moment, there are 2-3 new members added to the list. It became a possibility to quickly reach all other persons, that are interested in the 75th Division, especially for people who are not members of the vets assn. I tell all people that contact me, that I can publish their message in my newsline, but they also should contact the veterans association, because they can reach more veterans over the Bulgebusters. To make the fast contact possible, I list the presidents adress at the end of each newsline. I am not in competition with the veterans association, I just want to help the veterans to get the infos and contacts to their old buddies that they are looking for. I even gave the permission for the secretary, to publish everything out of our newsline in the Bulgebusters.
<snip>

About the flag of the 75th that I am looking for:
The last time, shortly before a veterans day, I asked around if somebody knows a source to buy a flag for our flagpole. I thought that also the 75th Div veterans would be interested to put a 75th Div flag out on veterans day, not only the stars and stripes.
Maybe the veterans association, that also sells caps and t-shirts, can get some flags printed to sell to the veterans.  I have a flagpole in front of my house. The neighbors put the german flag up, I would like to put up the 75th Div flag. At the moment, I only have an old stars and stripes and a flag of the US Coast Guard. I recieved that from members of a USCG base on the island of Sylt, Germany, when I left the island after two years of living there.

About our website:
Thank you very much for your words on our homepage, but the info displayed there is just a little piece of informations that we have. At the moment, we dont have the time to post more pages in the internet. We could use some help from other interested people. We have the possibility to store more pages, but not the time to type them. Maybe it is also interesting for the NEC to publish documents in the internet, a lot of people would be interested in that . Mr. Roxbourgh has collected a fantastic amount of documents, a lot of them should be displayed in the net.

Greetings and many thanks from Germany
Rolf G. Wilmink

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Velotec@aol.com
Date:  Thu, 25 Mar 1999 00:49:01 EST
To:    glenn.booker@net.ntl.com, mkw-detective@t-online.de
 

Gentlemen:
        Right after I sent the mail pasted in below, I realized I forgot to add your address' to the 'send copy to' box. Sorry about that ...

Forest
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Subj:   Re: Reply to velotec.aol.com
Date:   3/25/99
To:     jlamontia@earthlink.net

Dear Mr. lamontia:
        My name is Forest Ratliff. I am in the process of researching my father, Don's WW II experiences. I got you email today, and if you don't mind, I have some questions to ask, and some info to pass along.
        Firstly, I assume you got my web address through Mr. Glen Booker, of Wales, who has sent me much valuable information regarding my Dad's short stay in Wales with the 75 ID (375th medical bn.), as well as providing the web site address of World War two troop ship crossings for 1944. Is that correct?
(here is a hyperlink to that site ...
<A HREF="http://members.aol.com/troopship/shipli44.htm">1944 World War II Troop Ship Crossings</A> )
        Secondly, your email didn't mention, were you with the 75th? And do you remember which, if any, regiments, and/or battalions sailed on the Aquatania with you?
        For your information, sir ... According to my Dad's "Enlisted Record Report of Separation" ... (Honorable Discharge) ... his date of departure for the ETO was; 15 Nov. 44, and date of arrival was 22 Nov. 44. No mention of Ship name, or ports of departure/entry are mentioned in that document. He remembers however, as you do, the name of the ship being the Aquatania. The port of departure being New York.
         Further he recalled the name of the Scottish port as being the Clyde of Firth, near Glasgow. Which must have been, according to Mr. Booker, the "Firth of Clyde. Perhaps at Greenock."
        I noticed, that no mention of the Aquatania sailing on the above date appears in the troop ship listings, nor any mention of the 75th that I can find. Shall we endeavor to set that record straight?

        I hope this information has been of use to you. and I look forward to your reply.  Note: I am sending a carbon copy of this email to Glen Booker, in Wales, and to Mr. Rolf G. Wilmink.

I am sir;

Very Truly Yours

Forest Ratliff
(aka velotec@aol.com)
------------------------------------------------

Date: Wed, 24 Mar 1999 13:12:57 -0800
From: john lamontia jlamontia@earthlink.net
To:  velotec@aol.com, MK-Wirtschaftsdienst GmbH <mkw-detective@t-online.de>
RE: Reply to velotec.aol.com

If my memory serves me right,,,

We sailed on the Aquatania around November.
We debarked at Gorrock(not sure of spelling) Scotland.
Truck Convoy down to southern tip of England.(Blackpool????)
LCT to Yvetto(again spelling?) France.
Then south thru France , Belgium,  (Battle of the Bulge) and on into Germany
Yes , As I remember, it was the Aquatania to  Scotland.

JACK
---------------------------------------------------
 

RE: On going info trade
Date: Fri, 26 Mar 1999 00:23:46 EST
From: Velotec@aol.com
To:     jlamontia@earthlink.net
CC:   glenn.booker@net.ntl.com, mkw-detective@t-online.de
 

Dear Mr. La Montia:
        I thank you sir, for your interest, and your prompt reply. I had assumed that you were like my father, in that you only served in WW II. To separate dates, times, and places from three different wars would be a challenge for anyone's memory.
        The document, to which I referred, was a certified photo copy of his honorable discharge, and listed medals, and decorations, sailing dates, time overseas, etc. ... as well as recording his mustering out pay. I confess I have no idea what DD214 might be, but I gather it was somewhat the same, for one who stayed in the Army after the end of WW II.
        You and my Dad are alike in one way though, in that you served in the ETO with the 75th, and came home with another division. In My Dad's case, the 28th, (The Bloody Bucket). Probably, you two are alike in that members of the 'Diaper Division' had not earned enough points to be kept in the ETO, as occupation forces, but were  sent Stateside, on the way to being sent to the Pacific theater. Dad has often said he supported President Truman's decision to drop the bomb, and end the war there. Otherwise, he might not have made it through the war.
        Glenn Booker, is a 44 year old Welsh native, and an avid history buff. It was he who sent me the address of the troop ship crossing list to which I referred. As well as other historical info. I had forgotten that I had sent a carbon copy of my email to Glen, (about the Aquataina) to Rolf Wilmink, So I assumed it was Glen who gave you my address. Glen also sent me an image of the Aquatainia, which I will attach to this email. He had gotten my address when, on behalf of my Dad, I subscribed to the news letter published by the 75th ID's web page, which was set up, and is being maintained by Rolf. You are correct when you say he has, and is still gathering a great deal of information. The 75th's unofficial home page is gold mine of info on the 75th.
        Rolf describes himself as "German by birth, American by heart, P.I. by profession“. The address you mention (MKW-Detective@t-online.de) is, if I understand correctly, his private investigation agency. (MK-Wirtschaftsdienst GmbH)
        My Dad's Welsh connection, and Glen's main point of interest, was the three or four week period of last minute training the 75th received in Southern Wales, before being sent over to fight in the Ardennes. From what Glen has told me, his homeland was a major weigh station for American Army divisions being sent to the ETO both before, and after the 75th's short stay there.
        Your memory of the crossing aboard the Aquataina is very much like my Dad's.
The only exception being the number of men. He recalls 10,000. He doesn't recall porridge, but only that the food was lousy, and the plates had a tendency to slide around the table. Pretty rough water crossing according to him. Also aboard, were too future good friends of his. George Tachuk, (signal corps) and someone you might remember. Angelo Borracchini ( bore-a-chee-nee), with division HQ.
        Mr. Borracchini is a past president of the 75th Infantry Division Veterans Association. A national organization to which Mr. Tachuk also belongs, and of which, Dad is the current treasurer. Dad and Mr. Tachuk are also both active members in the local chapter of another national organization, the VBOB.
(Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge) Dad was a founding member, and the first president of that chapter. If you would care to join either organization, or get in touch with Mr. Borracchini, Dad and I would be glad to help.
        Dad was with the 75th from the time it was activated at Fort Leonard Wood Mo. (a 19 year old Northern Missouri boy, fresh off the farm). The division then went to Louisiana for maneuvers, then to camp Breckenridge Kentucky, then to camp Shanks in New York, (for a week) before being shipped out.
        In closing, I am 43, living with my Dad, here in Euclid, Ohio. ( a suburb of Cleveland) I hope this has not been too much of a chat for you. I do tend to be verbose, especially in matters close to my heart.

I remain Sir:

Very Truly Yours,

Forest Ratliff
Ps. In my last email, I neglected to send cc's to Glen and Rolf as I remembered to do here. I sent belated copies to both.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 

Re:  75th division artillery (fwd)
Date: Sun, 28 Mar 1999 11:23:56 -0500 (EST)
From: Carol Bradley cbradley@gcfn.org
 

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 28 Mar 1999 10:42:14 -0500 (EST)
From: Carol Bradley cbradley@freenet.columbus.oh.us
To: "ken brown"@freenet.columbus.oh.us
Subject: 75th division artillery

Dear Mr. Brown,
        I was assistant chief of section, first liaison section, first platoon, HQ.Btry., 897th field artillery battalion, 75th infantry division.  >From the activation of the division to the end of the war, I was an artilleryman.
        Not knowing whether you want to know the capabilities of our weapons or simply the makeup of the division artillery, this message may be overbroad.  In any event, I am available for further inquiries should you desire them.
        The division artillery consisted of four battalions.  Each battalion included three firing batteries consisting of four guns per battery and a headquarters battery.  Each firing battery had a small ammunition train and the usual complement of support troops.  Headquarters battery included communications(radio and wire), operations(S-3) personnel, the battalion motors platoon, personnel section, intelligence, the ammunition train, etc.
        Operations included three liaison sections of one captain and four enlisted men; the survey section and the fire direction center personnel.
In our case, since we were largely 18 and 19 year olds, most of us had been in college for a short time prior to induction.  Each firing battery included three forward observer sections consisting of a Lieutenant and two enlisted men.  Each firing battery provided one forward observer team to each of the three rifle companies which were part of each of the three battalions of the regiment which the artillery battalion supported directly.  The battalion headquarters liaison sections provided command and control of the forward observer sections to each infantry battalion commander.
        The 897th and the cannon company of the 289th infantry regiment had what I believe to have been a unique relationship.  Each regiment of infantry included a cannon company equipped with six small 105mm. howitzers.  That gun is to be distinguished from the 105mm. gun/howitzer which was the weapon of the artillery batteries in direct support of the regiments and the 155mm. howitzer battalion which was in support of all three regiments.  The company commander of cannon company 289th somehow acquired the equipment with which to establish his own fire direction center.  That FDC was tied in with 897th's FDC so that we could fire the six howitzers of cannon company in addition to our own twelve gun howitzers should the mission justify it.
        We could, of course, fire through the division  artillery headquarters which could control all of the artillery pieces within the division (excepting the cannon companies of 290 and 291st?).
        Because the commander of 1st Bn. 289th, Lt. Col. Henry Fluke, operated from and with one or another of the rifle company platoons, our role as liaison to him involved our firing missions that were both strategic and tactical for the battalion and in direct support of all of the rifle companies.  For example, from time to time, I moved ahead of the infantry line in order to obtain observation from which to direct fire as needed by one or another of the infantry units.
        897th had made the highest score ever achieved in the Army ground forces testing.  Many of our gun crews were capable of putting "six in the air".  With our shooting in the neighborhood of 5,000 yards and with a time of flight of 15 seconds, you can well appreciate the speed with which our crews managed their weapons.  >From the time the lanyard was pulled and the gun had reached the extent of its recoil with the shell case extracted, the gun was reloaded before it returned to battery to be fired the instant that it had done so.
        Frequently, although rarely if at all during the operations in Belgium, we had corps artillery attached to division artillery.  Whether attached or not, if the target merited it, each forward observer could fire the entire corps artillery, assuming the target's location to be within range of the guns.
        On two occasions, I learned that I had fired both corps and Army artillery.  Needless to say, I had no choice in the matter.  Such decisions were made by the G-3's.
        The 105 gun howitzer had the capacity to fire any one or more of seven powder charges.  We fired semi-fixed ammunition with each case containing seven bags of powder.   Thus, by utilizing varying elevations and varying powder charges, we could operate our weapons from direct fire guns to mortar-like weapons.  We could shift from target to target in much less than a minute.  Within our battalion, division artillery could shift in less than two minutes.  Theoretically, each forward observer had fifty-four artillery pieces at his disposal.  Practically, we were fortunate to have one battery fire multiple rounds at a target.
        I hope that the above is of some value to you.  I am curious to know why you have an interest in what is now ancient military history.
        Very truly,
        Philip Bradley
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 

2.)  75th Inf Div history book

Date:  Sat, 27 Mar 1999 09:37:53 +0100
From: "Jan Bos" <82circle@telebyte.nl>
To:   "Rolf G. Wilmink - 75th Inf Div Assn" mkw-detective@t-online.de

    CC:
        "Gerrie Franken" <gerriefranken.ww11@worldonline.nl>,
        "George Tachuk - 75th Inf Div" <Deckert123@aol.com>
 

Dear Rolf,
grusse aus Nimwegen in Holland, ich hoffe alles is gut in Deutschland.The Turner Publication Inc has received the Roll of Honor of the 75th Infantry Division, which will be published in the 75th history book that will come out, hopefully, in the second half of 1999. I hope that George Tachuk, historian of the 75th Inf Div (George can you give the information ??) can advise when the book will come out. The Roll of Honor was made by me, Gerrie Franken, Father Gerard Thuring, we worked very hard completing it, we were assisted by Frank van den Bergh, Marco Cillissen and Jan Hey. We are all members of the Historical Section of the Liberation Museum 1944 at Groesbeek.
 
The museum was opened about 11 years ago by Royal Highnes Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands and the museum is dedicated to the liberators of the first hour of operation Market Garden in this region (17 September 1944): the US 82nd Airborne Division, they fought two days by themselves. On 19th September 1944 they were "liberated"from their loniness by the British groundforces.
 
The three of us (Gerrie Franken, Father Gerard Thuring and I) are now asked to as-sist in making a Roll of Honor for the historybook of the 26th Infantry Division, we said "yes", but we need time, do not know the deadline yet, hope to hear that from Turner Publication as soon as possible.
 
Rolf, can you advise me what your connection with your E-mail address is. My E-mail address is 82circle@telebyte.nl. 82 of course stands for the 82nd Airborne Division, our liberators.circle  was the codename for the 376th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion, my favorite unit in the 82nd. I have been several times at their reunions and receive their newsletter. I have gathered stories, reports and pictures and wrote the manuscript for their historybook Circle and the Fields of Little America, which is sold out. Here you see in the title of the book the second part of my E-mail address, the Fields of Little America I mean the area where the 376th Parachute Field Artillery was dropped on 17 September 1944. Thousands of American paratroopers and glidermen landed there. It also happens to be named in Dutch "Klein Amerika", which means "Little America".

best wishes from Holland,
 
Jan Bos

++ moderator´s note:++

Regarding my email-adress:
MK-W is the short form of  MK-Wirtschaftsdienst GmbH, the name of my company, detective points to my profession, I founded a private investigation and security company here 10 years ago. I am member of some business associations, f.e. >National Association of Investigatives Specialists, USA<  and >World Association of Detectives<.
***************************************************************************

3.)  3 pieces I'd like to obtain
Date: Sun, 28 Mar 1999 02:07:00 +0800
From: Lee Shackelford melee@ms16.hinet.net
 

Hello,

I live and teach English in Taiwan, and collecting information other than from internet is quite difficult.  How can I obtain copies of #4 "75th in Combat", #7 "Bulge Buster" and #8 "Bulge Bugle"?  Thanks in advance for any response, negative or positive

Lee Errin Shackelford
 

++ From the moderator:++

Dear Sir,

the best way is if you contact the 75th Div veterans association, which printed these documents. You find the adress of their president at the end of each of our email newsline. Please go to our website and click the newsline past issues.
>
I will also include you in the subscription list for our free newsline, so you are informed about any developments. Your message will also be posted there in the next issue.
>
> Greetings from Germany
> Rolf G. Wilmink
***************************************************************************

4.) 897th FA members coming to next reunion ?

Date:  Wed, 24 Mar 1999 14:17:58 -0800 (PST)
From:  Pamela one_smart_girl@yahoo.com
Re: 75th Inf Div newsline no. 30 (24 march 1999)
 

Hi Rolf,

How can I find out if there will be any members of the 897th artillary attending the reunion in Houston?  My dad was a member of the 897th and he would more likely to attend if there were others from his unit.

Thank you,
Pamela Lane

++ From the moderator:++
Dear Pamela,

I think the best way would be if your father contacts the president of the 75th Div veterans association, I am sure he can help. If your father becomes a member of the association, he has the possibility to buy the members roster. Most of the members are listed with their adress and former unit, so he can check for others of his unit and contact them. The president or the secretary Warmouth (I am not sure which) should know who already has sent in his registration. You find the adress and phone number of the president at the end of each newsline.
++ ++
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5.) New email adress of Ivan A. Larson

Datum: Thu, 25 Mar 1999 20:07:13 -0800
From: "Ivan L." ial1707@home.com
RE:    New email address
 

Audri & Charles Allred forwarded your message regarding my new email address.
Note my new address is:  ial1707@home.com

Sorry I didn't inform you but I somehow lost your address.  Will be glad to once again receive you letters.  Thank you.
Ivan A. Larson
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 

6.)  WWII Memoirs, MGO in the ETO

Date: Thu, 25 Mar 1999 14:45:34 -0600

MK-Wirtschaftsdienst GmbH wrote:

> Dear Mr. Green,
>
> I read in your message:
>
> "I was transferred to Division Headquarters as Assistant G-5 (Military Government), and when the war in Europe ended I was transferred to a Military Government Detachment in Fulda, Germany,"

In my hometown Plettenberg, Westphalia, Germany, was from April 22 until June 6 the Div HQ of the 75th Division. We are researching our city history in that time and looking especially for the soldiers who have been here to tell us their memories. On old documents we found the names of Major Robert M. Miller, HQ commandant, MGO, and Major Bach. Until now, we could find no more infos on them but would like to contact them.
Do you maybe know them and could help us further ? Every little information could be useful. We are also looking for G-5 or After Action Reports that could tell us a little what was happening at that time (I am 40 years old and was no eye-witness.)

Thanking you in advance, I remain
very sincerely yours

Rolf G. Wilmink
Moderator 75th Inf Div newsline
---------------------------------------------------
 

Dear Mr. Wilmink,

I'm sorry but I do not remember either a Major Robert. M. Miller or a Major Bach. I do not believe either of them was connected with the Division's G-5 section while I was there.  The head of the G-5 section was Lt. Col. Hugh O. Davis, and I was transferred there as his assistant. One Military Government Officer, under the command of the G-5 Section, served with each of the Division's three regiments. One of them was Maj. Charles Rousse, another was a Maj. Bell, and the third was a Captain whose first name was Tom but whose last name I don't recall. The five of us were the only Military Government Officers in the 75th Division throughout the time I was in the G-5 Section.

Although each of those three Military Government Officers with the infantry regiments were required to send in periodic written reports to G-5 at Division Headquarters, I have no idea what disposition was made regarding those reports.  I might mention, however, that during the time I was in the Division's G-5 section (which was of course during the early stages of Military Government functions) much of our work consisted of rounding up and providing for "DPs" (i.e., "displaced persons" who were foreigners, such as Poles, "White Russians", and other nationalities who had been brought into Germany), and sending them, together with certain Russian prisoners of war being held in Germany, back to Russia or their homeland in exchange for the Russians sending back to us German prisoners of war and certain other persons being held by the Russians.  These exchanges involved enormous numbers of people, and the means for transporting them was by boxcars on the railroads. Many months were required to complete that task, and throughout that time we had to find or provide rations for not only the DPs but also for many of the German people as well,  and to maintain peace between those groups insofar as possible. That particular task, together with many others, was still ongoing at the time I was transferred from the Division's G-5 Section to the Military Government Detachment being established at Fulda. There, as at the other Military Government Detachments, the role of military government encompassed virtually all aspects of government and was of a much more permanent nature.
While in Fulda, I came to know a number of German people there with whom I became friendly and of whom I have fond memories. Needless to say, I'm glad for all of us that those days have long since passed.

Best wishes,

John Green
***************************************************************************

7.) 75th Div, 290th in Iserlohn, Germany

RE:   75th Div
Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 22:26:19 -0600
From: "Jay Puckett" jpuckbird@email.msn.com

Rolf,

Thanks again for your assistance, the "Newsline" is a great service!
Would you have any information on the units of the 75th that were in Iserlohn Germany toward the end of the war?  The way I understand it, the 75th forces were spread out, some were in Plettenberg and some were in Iserlohn Germany.  Any information you might have available would be greatly appreciated.  By the way, my dad was in Iserlohn (290th, 3rd Bn, Co L).

Thanks!
Jay
***************************************************************************
 

8.) Reg Perkins, 290th, in Iserlohn, Germany

RE: News line No 28, 29 and 30
Date: Sun, 28 Mar 1999 13:04:57 -0800
From: "Louise F. Perkins" bodacious1@foothill.net

Rolf,
I just received your notice in the last month that Newsline 28 and 29 were sent to the Web Master. On March 24th I received notice that Newsline No. 30 was delivered. Today march 27 it came up on  my computer and I am now printing it.
I have not seen No's 28 and 29, was it forgotten  or is there a problem I am not aware of. I have been checking about every week to see if they have been posted.

On the front page of No 30 I noticed you are still asking for help in locating the Division flag. I would have thought that by now that someone would come  forward and admit that they have it.
I certainly don,t have it but I was reminded that I do have a rather large German flag  I picked up  about 3 weeks before the war ended. It is a large red flag White circle in the center with a black swastika in the center.
Perhaps you might want it for your  historical collection.

Regards

Reg Perkins
----------------------------------------------

++ From the moderator:++

I have lost my original answer, but it is illegal to posses a Nazi flag in Germany. The flag that I am serching for is from 1834 and had nothing to do with the nazis.
++
-----------------------------------------------

RE: Newsline etc.
Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 20:13:24 -0800
From: "Louise F. Perkins" <bodacious1@foothill.net>
 

Lieber Rolf,
Mein Deutsch ist sehr falsch, moglicherweise sollte ich nicht mehr versuchen. Danke für die Newsline Nr. 28 und 29.

I must study harder on learning my German over again.
I feel that I should apologize to you. I was not aware of the problem associated with the old style German flag.

I'm in the process of printing some old negatives  I have located that may be of interest  for your collection. Some are of my Platoon, part of the 290 Regiment while we were in Iserlohn and at the small PW Cage on the edge of town. Also I have a few pictures of your fellow country men , some taken during the Bulge in the Ardennes. There will also be some photos taken in 1968 when we spent a month in Europe , in parts of Belgium and Germany along the Rhine on a cruise.
By the way I did have some help with my opening sentence in German—help from an electronic translator and an old dictionary.

Regards from the Sierra Chateau
Reg Perkins
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9.)  290th infantry, 25 Dec 44 near Biron, Belgium

Date: Sun, 14 Mar 1999 22:28:28 -0600
From: "R. J. Anderson" rjandson@crookston.means.net

Hi
My name is Robert J Anderson and I am looking for documentation of the events of the 290th infantry on or about 24  DEC44 near Biron, Belgium.  As on this day my father was assigned to the 290th infantry and was wounded in action.  I would also like to know the names of the men assigned to the 290th unit along with their address.

My father passed away in 1977 and I would like to research his efforts during WWII and perhaps vist the area sometime.  My fathers name was PFC Lawrence A Anderson service number 37 578 720.  If you can be of assistance please let me know, my address is

Robert J Anderson
701 South Ash St.
Crookston, MN 56716
USA
thank you
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10.) New member John Currie searches documents

Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 02:44:12 +0200
From: John Currie johnc@cwc.org
 

John Currie wrote:

My father served in the 75th Infantry and is interested in some of the documents listed on your web page.  He does not have email and I'm trying to go about obtaining the following documents you listed:

 4)     The 75th Infantry Division in Combat
 10)   Entscheidungsschlacht an Rhein und Ruhr by Helmut Euler
 12)     From Breckinridge to Braunlauf by Tom Leamon (covering Ardennes Campaign)
 25)     Photos by Cpl. Joseph D. Karr
 26)     Pictoral History of the 75th Infantry Division, 1946

You can email me at johnc@cwc.org or if you want to contact my father directly with information about the 75th that would be great.  His address is:

William M. Currie
10 Prospect Street
Norwich, New York  13815

Thanks for you help and assistance, John Currie
---------------------------------

Dear John,

first please tell your father greetings from me. In exactly what unit has he been ?

Re. the documents:
A reprint of the 75th Div in Combat can be obtained from the 75th Div veterans association. Please see on our homepage the back issues of our newsline, there you find the adress of the president of the association.

Entscheidungsschlacht an Rhein und Ruhr by Helmut Euler: I dont know if it can be ordered through the Internet. If not, if will have to try to get a copy for you.
When I tried it the last time, it was sold out. Maybe they printed it again.
Some of the photos in there were taken by Joseph D. Karr, who is also a member of our newsline.

>From Beckinridge.....

Tom Leamon
One Chestnut Plain RD
Whately, MA 01093
(A 289th)
 

Photos of Joseph D. Karr:
I will forward your email to him, when I fixed my PC. You also find his adress and infos on him in the back issues or our newsline.

Pictorial History of the 75th
This book is very difficult to get, because it was only printed in 45/46. Some members of our newsline have an issue and can make copies for you. Sometimes it can be found in antique book stores.

I will post your message in the next issue of our newsline, so all members can read it. (Please tell me until then more about your father and his unit).
I will include you to our subscription list, so you and your father can read all about it.

Greetings from Germany
Rolf G. Wilmink
--------------------------------------

RE: documents
Date: Thu, 1 Apr 1999 15:14:58 -0800
From: johnc@cwc.org (John Currie)

Thanks so much for all the great information.  My father was very appreciative.  He was in the 289th regiment and I noticed in your email to me that Tom Leamon form Whatley, MA has (A 289th) after his address.  Does this mean the same regiment?  Also,  I saw the two maps that you have on your site regarding the path that the 75th took.  Do you know where there are any other such maps that display the route of the troop.  Also, is there a list of those who were in the 289th regiment?  Thank you again for all your help.

John Currie
***************************************************************************

11.) WWII veteran Frank Jackson needs info about his unit
Date: Sat, 3 Apr 1999 18:32:41 -0800
From: "Shirley Jackson" pywacket2@jps.net

Dear Detective,

I am a  WWII veteran and served in the ETO 1944-1946.  I was not with a division.  I was with the 71st Tank Battalion.  And later I was in the 3280 Ordinance Co. in England and France. Can you help me find any living menfrom either of these outfits?  Thank you for any help you can give me.

Frank Jackson
----------------------------------------

++From the moderator: ++
Dear Mr. Jackson,

try to get the following book:

"How to locate anyone who is or has been in the military"
Armed Forces locator directory
by:  Lt. Col. Richard S. Johnson
MIE Publishing
P.O.Box 340081
San Antonio, Texas 78234
ISBN 1-877639-11-7

It should be avaible in most of the bookstores or can be ordered there with the ISBN number. This book is considered the "bible" of the researchers and contains all adresses of veterans administrations, associations etc. This book would be the best start for your search and contains a lot of helpful tips.

You can also send me the details that you have and I will publish it in our email newsline in the next issue.

Greetings from Germany
Rolf G. Wilmink
***************************************************************************

12.) WAR IN EUROPE
Dat: Sun, 28 Mar 1999 18:51:07 +0200
From: "Jan Bos" 82circle@telebyte.nl
To:
        "Byrd C. Curtis - 45 Inf Div" bcurtis@lamar.colostate.edu
        "John Masters - 79th Inf Div" coljohn@staug.com
        "George Tachuk - 75th Inf Div" Deckert123@aol.com
        "Ken Hohmann - 75 Inf Div" chooch@cybergate.com
        "Stephen M. Graber - 75/291" stephen.m.graber@bender.com
        "Paul B. Ellis - 75/290" jfinn@cetlink.net
        "Rolf G. Wilmink - 75th Inf Div Assn" mkw-detective@t-online.de
 

Dear Friends,
War is going on in Europe and again Americans and their allies are fighting for something that saw history before. President Milosovich of Yugoslavia wants one empire, he already started this several years ago, occupying his neighbor countries and chasing the minor population from their homes, many refugees left their homes due to the Serbs. Many men were slaughtered. The Dutch had been in Bosnia two years ago and it became a fiasco, we were not allowed to fire on the approaching Serbs, who murdered the men and wraped the women. Dutch equip-ment were stolen by the Serbs and we were nog allowed to do a thing. We got out without casualties. The Free world let Milosovich occpy Bosnia, he added this to his own country. Now again, but now Nato was ready and attacked. I can understand the Russians, they saw their world fall apart, many countries leaving their forces. Boris Jeltsin warned the united States and ordered a stop to the bombardment, afterall he is a friend of Milosovich "Slavic brothers", just like in WW-II. I think he should keep his mouth shut and must order "his friend"to stop the killing.
Many Nato countries supports President Clinton, who is hoping not to send in groundforces, but when you look what is going on, I am afraid that groundforces have to move in to stop the Yugo's on the ground. yesterday evening a F-117 crashed, it is not know what the cause was: anti-aircraft fire or a mechanical failure. Hope it will stay with this one plane. Lucky for the pilot he could eject and was rescued within 25 minutes.
I hope that what the allies did 55 years ago was not in vain. To many men and women were killed. You fought for the freedom of the world and stopped Adolf. I do not understand the protestors (also in Holland - mostly Serbs but also Dutchmen) who must be very blind, don't they see and believe the massacres in the Balkon. Macedonia wants to join Nato as soon as possible, afraid to be occupied by Miolsovich.
 
War is going on in Europe, but I hope it will be over soon. Hope Boris is staying out of this, okee with him barking on TV, wait what will happen to him when the western world do not support him anymore with money. His days are counted.
 
Jan Bos
***************************************************************************

13.)   Military Trivia:

Prior to World War II, GIs had to serve 40 years to earn a retirement check.

The F-117 stealth fighter is actually a bomber, but it was misnamed by the Air Force to justify the B-2 Bomber program.

In 1983, almost 300 American GIs were killed during a disastrous "peacekeeping"
mission in Lebanon.  Former Navy secretary James Webb summed up the lesson learned as: "Never get involved in a five-sided argument that's been going on for two thousand years."

Over 100,000 GIs work in the Washington DC area, and none belong to combat units.

Air Force basic training lasts only six weeks.

The Pentagon does not count the salaries of civilian personnel as "Personnel costs" they are lumped into "Operations and Maintenance."

After the Cold War ended in 1990, General Colin Powell revealed his desire to maintain an Imperial military during peacetime when he told reporters in Panama "....as we see the world changing, don't bust this apart.  Don't think that this is the time to demobilize the armed force of the United States, because it isn't."

There are 78,526 single parents in the US military, 5.6% of the force.

The US military operates six major military air bases in Japan, even though Japan has the most powerful Air Force in Asia.

The US Navy plans to decommission all eleven of its mine warfare ships by 05, even though mines accounted for 12 of 14 US Navy ships damaged by hostile action since World War II.

India will soon surpass China as the world's most populated country.

The "No-Fly Zones" over Iraq were never agreed to by Iraq or the United Nations.

South Korea spends less of its GDP on defense than the United States.

Recent polls indicate that only 1% of Americans favor increased military spending.

For the second year in a row, the "conservative" Republican controlled Congress will authorize a bigger federal budget than the "liberal" Democratic President had proposed.

Carlton Meyer
cmeyergo@yahoo.com
 ***************************************************************************
 

14.) *** ON THE LIGHTER SIDE ***
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT IN TODAY’S ARMY
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SUMMARY: Since Vietnam it has been popular for administrations to "micromanage" combat Ops. Though an exaggeration, this article illustrates what I referred to last week as the procedures to place a young soldier's ass in a knot and not the dolts who sent him over there in the first place.
**********************************************************
Scenario: A PFC is walking down the road to a porta potty and is confronted with a 10 year old boy in enemy territory pointing a gun at him.

1. The soldier will request permission to fire from his platoon sergeant.

2. The platoon sergeant will ask the plt leader.

3. The plt leader will ask the company commander. The CO will call the battalion commander and ask for permission to fire.

4. The Bn Cdr will call the Bde Cdr to get permission to fire.

5. The Bde Cdr will call division and speak to a person in the G3 shop.

6. The G3 personnel will immediately start working on a slide presentation in Powerpoint to present to the CG on his options.

7. The slides will first be briefed to the Chief of Staff and will be sent back for revisions.

8. After 90 different versions have been completed, the Chief of Staff will finally approve the slides.

9. The CG will be presented slide presentation and will call Corps to ask the corps commander for permission to fire.

10. The G3 staff will fax a copy of the presentation to the corps G3 who will in turn ask for a copy to be sent by courier because the first copy got sent to the wrong fax number.

11. The poor captain who sent the fax to corps will be given a bad OER because he should have known that the fax number given to him by a colonel at corps was the wrong number.

12. Corps G3 finally receives the slide presentation and has his staff work on a corps presentation to give to the corps commander.

13. The corps commander is briefed, accepts his staffs proposal that the soldier should fire back, but has to call the Army commander to get permission.

14. The Army commander asks the corps commander to fax him all the information he has on the incident and he will get back to him.

15. The Army commander never receives the information.20

16. Division is notified that the information did not reach Army so that poor captain with the bad OER is ordered to fax a copy of the slides to Army, the Pentagon, and the White House.

17. The Army commander finally receives the slides and says he will have to call the Army group commander for permission to fire.

18. The Army Group commander listens to the Army commander then tells him that he will have to call the Pentagon to get permission to fire.

19. The Army Group Commander calls the Pentagon and speaks with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. The Chairman wants to know why some know-nothing captain from a division in theater is faxing a 200 page slide presentation to him and the president.

20. The Army Group commander tells the Chairman he will find out.

21. The Army Group commander calls the Army commander and asks why Captain Know-Nothing is faxing slides to the Pentagon and the White House.

22. The Army commander calls the corps commander and asks the same question.

23. The corps commander gets personally involved and calls directly to the division's G3 shop and asks to speak to CPT Know-Nothing.

24. CPT Know-Nothing is given another bad OER and is reassigned to sewage control in a prisoner of war camp.

25. The Army group commander informs the Chairman that the problem is taken care of.

26. The Chairman tells the Army Group commander that he will get back to him after he holds a meeting with all of the service chiefs.

27. During the meeting, the Air Force and Navy Chiefs decide they want a part in this decision now code-named "Operation Return Fire"

28. The Chairman agrees to allow the Air Force to send two tactical fighter wings and 10 B-52s from Diego Garcia. The Chairman allows the Navy to send in 5 carrier battle groups and 3 Marine divisions. On top of all of this, the Chairman tells the service chiefs that the Army will send in two more corps, five brigades of Artillery and an armored cavalry regiment. Furthermore he will ask the Secretary of Defense if 500,000 Reservist and National Guardsmen can be called up.

29. The Chairman takes all of these proposals to the Secretary of Defense who agrees and tells the Chairman to prepare a briefing for the President.

30. A colonel stays up for a week straight preparing briefing slides and charts for the President's briefing.

31. The day of the briefing, the light bulb burns out in the White House's projector and the colonel who worked his butt off to setup this briefing loses the command he was going to take over this summer and is forced to retire because he should have known that the light bulb would burn out.

32. Eventually a lieutenant colonel locates a light bulb and he is promoted to colonel and is offered a command this summer that suddenly becomes open.

33. The president approves Operation Return Fire, but first he wants to get "eyes on the target"

34. Navy Seal Team 6 is dispatched to the area. Upon reaching the location where the soldier reported the contact, they find the decomposed body of a dead American PFC, still clutching a hand mike to his ear, looking as if he is waiting for a response to whatever question he asked.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 

An Air Force computer technician finally decided to take a vacation. He booked himself on a Caribbean cruise and proceeded to have the time of his life, until the boat sank.  The Airman found himself swept up on the shore of an island with no other people, no supplies Nothing; only bananas and coconuts.

Six months past and he found himself lying on the beach when the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen rows up to him.
In disbelief, he asked her "Where did you come from? How did you get here?"

"I rowed from the other side of the island, silly" she said. "I landed here when my cruise ship sank six months ago."
"Amazing," he said. "You were really lucky to have a lifeboat wash up with you."

"Oh, this?" replied the woman. "I made the rowboat out of raw material I found on the island; the oars were whittled from gum tree branches; I wove the bottom from palm branches; and the sides and stern came from a Eucalyptus tree."
"But - but, that's impossible," stuttered the man. "You had no tools or hardware. How did you manage?"
"Oh, that was no problem," replied the woman. "On the south side of the island, there is a very unusual strata of alluvial rock exposed. I found if I fired it to a certain temperature in my kiln, it melted into forgeable ductile iron. I used that for tools and used the tools to make the hardware." The guy was stunned.

"Let's row over to my place," she says.
After about a half hour of rowing, she docks the boat at a small wharf.
As the man looked onto shore, he nearly fell out of the boat. Before him was a stone walk leading to an exquisite bungalow painted blue and white. While the woman tied up the rowboat with an expertly woven hemp rope, the man could only stare ahead, dumbstruck.

As they walked into the house, she says casually, "It's not much, but I call it home. Sit down please. Would you like to have a drink?"
"No, no thank you," he said, still dazed. "Can't take anymore coconut juice."
"It's not coconut juice," the woman replied. "I have a still. How about a Piña Colada?"
Trying to hide his continued amazement, the man accepted, and they sit down  on her couch to talk.

After they had exchanged their stories, the woman announced, "I'm going to slip into something more comfortable. Would you like to take a shower and shave?
There is a razor upstairs in the cabinet in the bathroom."
No longer questioning anything, the man goes into the bathroom. There, in the cabinet, is a razor made from a bone handle. Two shells honed to a hollow ground edge are fastened on to its end inside of a swivel mechanism.

"This woman is amazing," he mused. "What next?"

When he returned, she greeted him wearing nothing but vines strategically positioned and smelling faintly of gardenias. She beckoned for him to sit down next to her.
"Tell me," she began, suggestively, slithering closer to him, "we've been out here for a really long time. You've been lonely. There's something I'm sure you really feel like doing right now, something  you've been longing for all  these months? You know... "

She stares into his eyes. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

"You mean," he swallowed excitedly, "I can check my e-mail from here?"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Worst Polish air disaster

Poland's Worst Air Disaster occurred today when a small two-seater Cessna 152 plane crashed into a cemetery early this afternoon in central Poland.   Polish search and rescue workers have recovered 326 bodies so far and expect that number to climb as digging continues into the evening.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A woman and a man are involved in a car accident. It's a bad one.
Both of their cars are totally demolished but amazingly neither of them are hurt. After they crawl out of their cars, the woman says, "So, you're a man; that's interesting.  I'm a woman.  Wow, just look at our cars! There's nothing left, but fortunately we are unhurt.  This must be a sign that we should meet and be friends and live together in peace for the rest of our days."
The man replied, "I agree with you completely!" The woman continued, "And look at this, here's another miracle...  My car is completely demolished, but this bottle of wine didn't break.  Surely deity wants us to drink this wine and celebrate our good fortune." Then she hands the bottle to the man. The man nods his head in agreement, opens it, drinks half the bottle and then hands it back to the woman.  The woman takes the bottle, immediately puts the cap back on, and hands it back to the man.
The man asks, "Aren't you having any?"
She replies, "No.  I think I'll just wait for the police..."

***************************************************************************
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 ;-)

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give something back... Don't just take... Your input/knowledge is valued...
**************************************************************************
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If you want to become a member of the 75th Div Veterans Association, please contact the president of the Association:
    Geoffrey Parker (75th Recon)
    1104 Tanner Rd.
    Plant City, FL 33756
    USA
    Phone: 1-813-752-6988

..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...
***************************************************************************
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