New member looking for some info.

Hello everyone! My name is Bill, and I love ww2 history. I became interested in the subject from the stories my father told me about My Grandfather who fought in ww2 in the U.S. Army in Libya and Italy. His wife (my grandmother) was a nurse during the battle of the bulge as well. She was taken as a POW for three days and was later recovered to ultimately be at the liberation of Dachau. My maternal Grandfather served in the Navy in the Pacific theatre as well. Hearing their stories of service inspired me and my brother to join the Army as well.

I stumbled upon this forum kind of on accident. I've recently acquired a Werchmant helmet that was found on the Eastern front. There is a name inscribed inside and I've been trying with no luck to find out who's helmet this was, and where it was exactly. If anyone could point me in a good direction to a database where I might be able to pull this off I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks!

 

First off Welcome to the Forums Bill! Secondly, awesome story about your grandparents, truly unique. As far as helping you with the helmet, I'll direct some of experts on here to this thread, and I have no doubt we can help you.

 

Thanks JJWilson, I guess i should correct myself. I have a name, and the unit even. I just haven't been able to locate the exact battle or date this soldier parished, even though he possibly may have not. But thanks again!

 

Hopefully I can be somewhat helpful for you . So what is the name and unit inscribed in the helmet?

 

Welcome to the forums!
If our resident experts can't help you can always try this place-
The German Armed Forces 1918-1945

 

FW Braklein Hermann is the name inscribed. 32nd Infantry Division/2nd pioneer Battalion.

I went to a page/database the German government has available with records but was still unlucky. It's a longshot finding out being it was the Eastern front and what not, but worth a try.

 

Bill you can try these sites. Can you give your grandparents names ?

Verein Russland Kriegsgräber

 

it is 32nd Pioneer Bn. , not 2nd.

maybe 2nd Company or platoon

it could be one of them:

German Army 32nd ID:

1- Eastern front, Northern Sector

Jun 1941 - Jan 1944 / Jan 1944 - Jan 1945

2- Eastern front, Central Sector

Jan 1944

here you can find more info:

32. Infanterie-Division

and also it is not FW, but Fw, stands for "Feldwebel" / US Army Seargent 1st class,

 

Here is a topic that i request any available info about this man:

Fw Braklein Hermann • Axis History Forum

I hope someone will answer.

 

Thank you so much for this info, this is a huge help!

 

Absolutely. My Grandfather John joined the US Army in 1939 I believe and Retired in 1959 as a Lt. Col. He never went to college, and my Father said he received a battlefield commission during world war two in which he served in Libya, and Italy. He went on to serve in the Korean war as well and was at the battle of Inchon with the 8th Army I believe?? (I'll have to confirm this with my Father). He came back from Korea with some issues, which is now known as PTSD/Shell Shock, however, he was able to live a successful life as an underwriter for a power company. He struggled with alcoholism and died in 1990 when I was only a year old, and he never really told my Father much about what happened during his time in WW2 and Korea.

My Grandmother Elizabeth Flak was a Captain in the Army Nurse Corps. I was lucky enough to hear some stories from her about her time in Europe during the war. She was at Bastogne during the Bulge and was captured by The Werchmat for 3 days. She said they were treated fine, and went to sleep one night to wake up and realize they had fled, and she had a US MP with a bayonet pointed at her face asking who she was and that he was a replacement because his uniform was clean, and had a winter jacket. After that, she went to the liberation of Dachau the concentration camp. She told me very few details, but I remember her saying that she could smell the camp from two miles away and it was the most horrific sight she had ever seen in her life.

Being grown now, I look back and wish I could have interviewed them in more detail, but I still find the little bit I know about them pretty interesting.

 

Thank you for sharing your grandparents story and carrying on their legacy Bill. It means a lot to the people on this forum, and of course, your family.

 

Hi.

You're welcome.

 

Bill was Elton D. Glasscock ,Elizabeth's brother ?

 

i also wished i could interview my grandparents, they witnessed a lot of cruealty by the germans toward innocent citzenzs.

 

And thats what I tell to the elder people in our village, write it on paper for your children and the history
of this country.

Jaap