30th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop (Mech) Timeline

I was there that day, Ruud. We were on the top floor of the Glaspaleis. He had a large time talking with two two men and especially the lady TV reporter. He always was a sport with the women.

That was an impressive building. I wished I had had the time to look at it more closely. Our host's store was across the plaza.

 

These men of the 30th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop (Mech) of the 30th Infantry Division gave their last full measure of devotion to our country.

May God rest their souls.





McClure, Sheldon A. Pvt 15-Jul-1944 Normandy, France


Billings, James R. T5 27-Jul-1944 Normandy, France


Vincenzo, Dominic Cpl 31-Jul-1944 Near St. Lo, France


Blackwood, Alec B. Pvt 7-Aug-1944 Mortain, France


Dombkowski, Edward P. T4 7-Aug-1944 Mortain,France


Kull, John J. T4 7-Aug-1944 Mortain,France


Obenour, Charles E. T5 7-Aug-1944 Mortain,France


Smith, Harland Pvt 7-Aug-1944 Mortain,France


Walker, Miles W. 2LT 7-Aug-1944 Mortain,France


Seal, Robert K. Pvt 11-Aug-1944 near Mortain, France


Babin, Richard E. Cpl 23-Aug-1944 near Evreux, France


Blankenship, Carlos S. Pvt 23-Aug-1944 near Evreux,France


Lyczynski, Richard L. Pvt 23-Aug-1944 Fains, France


Castner, Merlyn C. T5 28-Aug-1944 Pointoise, France


Dennis, Walter E.T5 2-Sep-1944 Gaurain-Ramecroix, Belgium


Haldiman, Frederick L 1LT 2-Sep-1944 Gaurain-Ramecroix, Belgium


Scott Francis E. SSgt 2-Sep-1944 Gaurain-Ramecroix,Belgium


Dale, Perry, E. Cpl 25-Dec-1944 south of Malmedy Belgium


Nila, Willebaldo PFC 12-Apr-1945 Siestadt, Germany


Works, Harold G. T5 12-Apr-1945 Siestadt, Germany

Vincenzo, Dominic S. Sgt 12-Apr-1945 Siestadt, Germany




I was able to visit some of the locations where these men died when Mr. Marion, Ms Peggy, and I were there in 2014. We were also able visit the graves of five of the six men who are buried in the hallowed grounds at Margraten, Henri-Chapelle and Normandy.





It was only after Mr. Marion died that I learned why he was so disturbed when we drove to where his friend, Edward Domkowski, died in the fighting around Mortain, France. It was a horrendous way to die and I am certain it affected Mr. Marion and the other men who witnessed it greatly. Also killed at the same location were Alec Blackwood, John Kull, Charles Obenour, Harland Smith and Miles Walker.





We laid a wreath at the intersection of Rue d'Antoing and Le Grand Route in Gaurain-Ramecroix, near Torunai Belgium, where Walter Dennis, Frederick Haldiman and the "Finest soldier I ever knew" Francis Scott died that terrible night of September 2, 1944.





I did not know that exact location where Dale Perry died on Christmas Day, 1944, but we were in the area and I wondered if we passed where he died as we were driving.





I have a copy of a photo of Richard Lyczynski made mere moments before he was shot and killed by a sniper while talking to French villagers. He was a fresh-faced boy, really.





One day I want to go to the German village of Siestadt where the last four men on the list died. The defenders of the village had raised white flags and as the men advanced to accept the surrender, the defenders fired on the vehicle column, killing the three and wounding several others. Included in those killed was Harold Works, a dear friend of Mr. Marion, who had predicted his own death 10 months before by saying he would die at the end of the war. Six days after his death, the 30th Infantry Division concluded offensive operations after taking Magdeburg, deep inside Germany.

 

Saw it on Facebook. Thanks for mentioning them.

 

Thanks.

Are you James Powers?

 

Good

Please do let me know if you find any 30th CRT info. I'm always looking.

 

The Morning Reports for 30th Cavalry Recon Troop are in St Louis. I looked through them a couple of weeks ago.

If he was wounded as a member of the 30th RCT, you would be able to find an entry listing his detachment from the unit. If he returned, that would be recorded also.

They have MRs for all of 1944 and 1945, and I think the 1943 reports are also there.

I want to go back and comb through them more thoroughly.

 

Thank you for buying the book.

I have your grandfather listed in my 30th Recon roster and he is on both the Thanksgiving and Christmas lunch lists.

Mr. Sanford mentioned that in late May or early June, 1944, the kitchen staff packed away the stoves and other kitchen equipment. They did not carry it with them when they crossed the English Channel the second week of June. The kitchen staff was rolled into the headquarters platoon and used for various duties as needed, mainly providing security for the troop HQ. I have the After Action Reports for the troop and donated them to here, if you want to download them and look at them. 30th Infantry Division I have converted most of the grid coordinates to latitude/longitude if you want to locate the HQ's location on a map.

If you would like to talk on the phone, let me know. I can also send you some other things that might interest you.

 

Please post the photo of the note, I would like very much to see it. That would help very much to identify who was in what platoon.


The avatar for my account is the Distinctive Unit Insignia of the 30th Recon.