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boot camp location?

Discussion in 'WWII General' started by jimmc, Jun 12, 2019.

  1. lwd

    lwd Ace

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    My impression is that soldiers were only told in general terms where they were headed. I think back then as now a lot of Americans think "England" is the same thing as "Britain" or "Great Britain" and Glasgow isn't that far from the border even if they moved by truck. Indeed just looked on Google Maps and, admittedly using modern roads, Glasgow is about 8 hours by road from Dover
     
  2. jimmc

    jimmc Member

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    interesting, to tell you the truth I never new the difference, I was just reading about it, I always thought great Britain was the same as the united kindom and England, in a way it is, but it's different.(if that makes sense) I must have been sleeping that day in school! but I could really see now how the soldiers would be confused of where they were, like mentioned here they might of been told they were in great Britain and just assumed they were in England. thanks for the geography lesson.
     
  3. lwd

    lwd Ace

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    Great Britain is the largest island in the British Isles. There are 3 or 4 areas depending on how you want to look at it: England, Scotland, Wales, and Cornwall. The latter being sometimes considered part of England. The United Kingdom also includes most of the rest of the British Isles including part of Ireland the 2nd largest British Isle. Not to much difference to us over here but be careful calling a Scot or Irish man English, especially if you are in a pub and they've had a few.
     
  4. jimmc

    jimmc Member

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    thanks for the info learn something new every day,
     
  5. TD-Tommy776

    TD-Tommy776 Man of Constant Sorrow

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    I would say that it is almost a certainty that not all ship crossings are documented online.

    That does make sense. He may have been with a group of replacements that were headed for Italy. To get to Italy, they would have sailed near North Africa. With the losses in the Ardennes, they may have been re-routed to France where the need for replacements was much greater. I believe that before they boarded the ship, and for at least part of the voyage, they would not necessarily know where they were going. However, they would likely have been told at some point where they were headed, even if it wasn't until just before they disembarked. Secrecy would have been much more important if they were part of an invasion force.
     
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  6. jimmc

    jimmc Member

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    ok thanks,
     
  7. formerjughead

    formerjughead The Cooler King

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    This link might give you some insight:
    The Twenty Third United States Infantry, 1812-1945: 2nd Infantry Division, World War II Regimental History (Lone Sentry)

    My Step Dad was inducted out of Holland Michigan in 1943 and went to basic in Ft. Hood (36th ID) and was shipped to Italy in 1944 to a Replacement Depot. Once at the replacement depot they would be assigned to a regiment and doled out to companies. It is my understanding during that period each division had their own basic training site. In the link I provided it talks about the Division returning to Camp Travis Teas after WW1 and then moving to Camp McCoy Wisconsin (1941-43) prior to going overseas in 1943.

    Here is another link with more info and refers to Camp Swift Texas:
    US 2nd Infantry Division World War Two
     
  8. jimmc

    jimmc Member

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    thanks for the info, this is one of the questions I had and my father doesn't recall, where he did his training, he thinks it was around virginia or a little south, also he doesn't remember if he was attached to the 23rd before or after he arrived in Europe., like mentioned here he was probably sent to a replacement depot, i'm thinking at first he was probably heading to Italy and got sent to Europe instead where they probably needed more troops. he remembers being off the coast of Italy and then was diverted to Europe, thanks again for the info
     

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