I am looking for a history, journal or AAR for the 106th Cavalry Group. I'm specifically interested in 1945. I have done various searches on CARL and, of course, :google:. So far, all I've found are very general histories. I'm hoping for a bit more detail.
I'm trying to help, but if you've googled already, you probably found these sites. I'm giving the links anyway, just to be sure. 106th Cavalry Group Web Site 106th Cavalry Group 106th_WWII_History2 Maybe this book can help: Amazon.com: The 106th Cavalry Group in Europe 1944-1945: Thomas J. Howard, Robert J. Moore, William L. Rochester, Hermes A-G Secondari, Charles R. Bear, Lawrence L. Lamarre, Vennard Wilson: Books Much of succes in your surch. When I find more, I'll give it to you. I will dive in my books this weekend.
You are correct, RD3. I had found those links. I'm hoping to find a more day-to-day account (i.e. S-2/S-3 journals, AARs, etc.). I did find the unit history on Amazon, too. I'm not really interested in forking out $200 - $500 for it, though. Thanks anyway and I appreciate you offering to take the time out of your weekend to look. Thanks!
Tom, Believe it or not, but I have a copy of the 106th History. I bought it for $45.00 on either Ebay or Amazon a couple of years ago. Let me know what you want me to look up. Then I'll search for the book. Dave
I emailed the following to Tom, but it is so riveting that it deserves to be shared with the entire Forum: 1 - 5 April “The Group advanced northeast to Salsmunster…moved to Bad Orb to assist 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] Cavalry Group in securing Allied PW camp…cleared towns of Alberg, Seidensroth, Steinau, Sclichtern, Flinden...B Troop, 106 Squadron destroyed one Mark IV tank near Marjoss…Enemy continues to resist our advance eastward…” Page 112. The above is a verbatim copy of the text, including the quotation marks, which are in the book. F Company, 106 Squadron – The town of Bad Orb was just like any other we had passed through on our way across Germany. Word had reached the populace prior to our arrival that we were on the way. They had been expecting us for a week. Our entrance into the town was unopposed. The knowledge that American and British prisoners were within the prison fences waiting to be freed, drove us all the faster. Our tanks climbed the steep hill with a roar. On either side was a line of solemn, depressed, beaten German people. Then we were charged by ragged, starved-thin GI’s who begged for chocolate, any sort of food, cigarettes. We had reached the prison camp. The further we went, the larger grew the ragged crowd. We were hardened soldiers who had fought through France from the hedgerows to the Siegfried line. We had thought our eyes had seen all the hell they could. And yet we were close to tears. By the time we swung our tanks into Bad Orb proper, our supplies were gone, But it didn’t stop there. These men were crazed by their new-found freedom. They ran to the potato cellars, broke into them, pushed, jostled, argued and fought their way into them. They threw handfuls of potatoes out to their waiting comrades, potatoes that were scrambled for and wolfed dirty, raw and rotten. A British Sergeant had told us of the long march from Upper Silesia which the Germans had forced on them to prevent their liberation by the high-speed Russian offensive. A man had been shot for falling out of ranks to pick a mango that grew on the side of the road. Pain and suffering were not new sights. We had seen them before. But these filthy, louse-festered, ragged, starved wretches that once had been just as we were, caused us to feel the first cold rage in almost seven months of combat. Page 113. The above is a verbatim copy of the text. The camp is Stalag IX-B in Bad Orb. http://www.efour4ever.com/44thdivision/stalagix.htm Dave
Thanks for posting that, Dave. I completely agree that it is a powerful account. Just the sort of thing I was hoping to find. Here is some more on Stalag IX-b (with photos) from Lone Sentry: Stalag IX-B in Bad Orb, Germany (WWII German Prisoner of War Camp, Stalag 9B) Stalag IX-b and Berga Camps on PBS NYT - The Lost Soldiers of Stalag IX-b
I have a lot of information from a guy named Rich Einert who was the treasurer for the Black Horse Troop association. It is all "photocopied". He was very active in 106th Cav events. (he is now deceased). Here is something specifically from the timeframe mentioned, but not sure if this of interest to you. If it is, I have other documents that I could scan. Let me know. View attachment 17450
Thank you zraj07. I would be interested in seeing the other documents to which you referred, especially if they cover the period around the beginning of April 1945. However, anything regarding the 106th Cav would be of interest. And, lest I forget, welcome to the Forum! I hope you will make a more formal introduction over in the New Members section.
First hand documents are always of interest. What you have posted certainly fits the bill. If you can scan and post what you have, please do so. I'll echo Tom and welcome you to the forum. I hope you take his advice and formally introduce yourself.
I have the daily summary for 2nd Pl B Troop 121 Sq if that will help you.. Also have the radio logs Mike
I would be interested, nevguy, in particular the period around the beginning of April 1945. Do you have the ability to post it here?
Hi Td-Tommy776, Have you already tried this link: Combined Arms Research Library (CARL) Digital Library Just type '106th cavalry' in the search window. You will get a lot of action reports of different units, but in each report I've found something of the 106th.
Yes, RD. I have gone that route. I'm a big fan of CARL, though it's search engine is sometimes like rolling the dice, which is not always a bad thing.
Hi Tommy, I registered just so I could reply to you. I tried sending you a long reply and it was lost in the process. I probably will not check this site again in the near future. You can reach me at rteske@suddenlink.net. My father was in B Troop 121st Squadron 106th Cavalry Group--started Chicago Black Horse in 1940 and served with many of the original Black Horse members (106th Illinoin Nat. Guard) until discharge sept. 1945. I have radio logs, after action, morning reports, 1944 maps, and many memoirs and contacts. I am acquainted with the role of the 776th with the 106th. Let me know what you are seeking and maybe I can help you on a one to one basis. My wife and I travel each year and research the 106th in Europe--mostly Dad's squadron. We were just in Brittany again. Last year in Ludweiler and the Alsace. Spend a lot of time in the Parroy Forest area--etc. Let me know what I can do to help you. Raymond
Okay. I see nevguy replied to you. He was the platoon leader in my father's troop and executive officer later in the war. We work hand in hand along with another trooper whose father was in B Troop. Raymond
Hi Tommy: I just became a member tonight, after I found your original Feb 2012 request when 'Googling' information to compliment the journal my grandfather PFC Meyer wrote while serviing in the 106th Cavalry Group in WWII in Europe. I have photo copies of his hand written journal, but have plans to make it in to a hard copy book to better present his story for our family in the years to come. Perhaps we can help each other in finding information or images we are looking for. Note: it will be a little while before I have the journal typed up and ready to share. It is about 50 hand written pages long.
After you make contact with Tommy, consider removing your email address or the spammers will find it and load you up with spam emails.