I recently received some items that once belonged to Michael J. Gobbi. He was a member of the 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Division during WW2. The lot included 2 pairs of GI issue eye glasses in original cases along with the requisitions as well as post cards sent from N. Africa, Algeria and all of his V-Mail letters home describing life as a combat soldier with the 3rd ID. In the near future I will try to transcribe the letters on the blog, They are pretty easy to read so it should not be too complicated.
Michael was in from the beginning with the 3rd and served through the occupation in Germany. so as you can imagine there is a good amount of content with lots of details!
5th Army Mobile Radio Station
The Baltimore Sun
http://www.baltimoresun.com/bal-ww2-correspondents-page,0,5002757.htmlpage
This is a pretty interesting article. I bought the book and will give a review when I am finished reading it.
G.I. Ingenuity
I thought this picture was neat enough to post on the blog! Here we have a group of G.I.’s Probably in France during the summer of 44. They are more than likely with a support unit due to them still having the rank patches attached to their jackets and the fact that they are carrying .45’s. What really caught my eye was the guy on the far right. He is wearing an improvised German cartridge pouch (he cut the standard 3 pocket cartridge pouch down to one pouch).
“Baltimore’s Own”
I used this regimental history on my trek through Verdun:
http://openlibrary.org/books/OL6623188M/History_of_313th_U._S._Infantry_Baltimore%27s_own
Over the top!
Arthur Guy Empey (11 December 1883, Ogden, Utah –22 February 1963, Wadsworth, Kansas) was a soldier in both the British and American armies of World War I who later reinvented himself as an author, screenwriter, actor and prolific author of pulp fiction.
http://www.pagebypagebooks.com/Arthur_Guy_Empey/Over_The_Top/index.html
Pretty neat video
This is a pretty neat video… neat glimpse into the past:
Close Shave Circa 1918
I have a passion for items that were actually handled by soldiers, personal items. Shaving kits fall into that category. They are aesthetically appealing to me for some strange reason. Seems like Gillette and Ever- ready had the market cornered on these baby’s! They came in several different styles, some were more elaborate than others. Soldiers relied on a close shave so that they could easily fit their gas mask in the event of a gas attack.
Some more history….
1917 GILLETTE works out a mega deal with the U.S. Armed Forces, which provides his safety razor and blades to every enlisted man or officer on their way to Europe as a regular part of their standard issue gear. This creates tremendous worldwide promotion and publicity opportunities for Gillette’s company and products.
1921 U.S. Army LT. COL. JACOB SCHICK is so inspired by the military’s repeating rifle, he invents a new type of razor called the MAGAZINE REPEATING RAZOR, which has replacement razor blades stored inside its handle. Users can change out an old blade without ever touching the new blade’s surface, thanks to Schick’s clever design. Blades for this razor were purchased in clips, which were inserted with ease into the razor. Schick also begins to develop his INJECTOR RAZOR, which would become an extremely popular shaver in the years to come.
The American Field Service in France…
VERDUNBelrupt – Poste at Haudromont
November 3, 1917 — December 8, 1917Repose at Andernay
December 8, 1917 to December 27, 1917
“Here we are at Verdun the most famous place in the history of the World. We came here to-day in two camions (trucks) It was the most wonderful ride down here that I’ve ever had. At 9 a.m. we pulled out of Bar-le-Duc; after about twenty kilometers we began to see what real modern warfare behind the lines is. As far as I could see was a long line of huge camions, troops on the march, huge 280 cannons, ammunition trains, revitaillement wagons, kitchen carts, and racy staff cars. Way back for miles and miles this seemingly endless column stretched till it dwindled completely out of sight on the horizon. To the right of our road five railroad lines packed with cars of every type from the ordinary freight car to the gigantic naval guns. Beyond these tracks was a large canal tightly jammed with enormous clumsy looking canal boats. Beyond this, the Meuse river. Aviation hangers, vast motor parks, artillery barracks, dug-outs, every conceivable shelter. Everything was camouflaged — from tiny staff cars to the huge caterpillar-wheeled motor tractors dragging immense cannon. There is more traffic here than in the busy sections of downtown New York. Everybody rushing to and fro. Mud-bespattered dispatch riders, tearing staff cars, rattling artillery trains rush along these roads. This is War all right. I’ve never been so impressed in all my life. The tremendous scale on which things are carried out is beyond all conception. The scenery is marvelous. Winding columns of men clad in their blue coats, weighted down with their heavy knapsacks, rifles slung over their shoulders were crowding every passage towards Verdun. Camions heavily loaded crept through the mud. We passed several dead horses lying in grotesque poses in the fields. Cultivation goes on to right up behind the trenches. Most of the houses are standing, as the Boches never got past Verdun. …………We are stationed in a huge wooden barrack about three miles out of Verdun itself. ………. …We live 20 kilometers back of the lines as they say the shelling is terrific. Eight cars — Fords — go out at a time. The abri at the post is electric lighted and steam heated. It was left by the Germans when they recently retreated in last September’s attack. Enormous 280 cannon fire right over our heads along the road. ………. There isn’t a square yard that isn’t pockmarked with shell craters. …. ……… The mud here is thick to say the least. We splatter through it in these dinky little Flivvers at a great rate. Horses, many vehicles, all are coated inches deep in the slimy stuff. ………)
Some pretty good reading:
http://www.ourstory.info/library/2-ww1/Keplinger/kepTC.html#TC
An interesting M-1 Helmet….
I have had this helmet in my collection for many years and have no idea what it is! It appears to be a U.S. WW2 vintage M-1 steel helmet. It has a front seam and swivel bales, it also has it’s original OD paint as well as some unusual markings on both side’s. These markings were painted in white paint, like were painted on many airborne helmets. Are these tac markings? Divisional, regimental?? Who knows? Anyone? If you think that you might know or if you have any information, please let me know!
Military History & 