Some clips from the Stars and Stripes? my father-in-law collected while he was on the Italian Front: Message - WWII Forums Gallery Message - WWII Forums Gallery
Steve, my father also served in Italy. Among the items I have is a Stars and Stripes booklet entitled "Puptent Poets". Here is the cover. View attachment 11372
I'm not sure if it's the whole collection, but it has 112 pages of poems, far too many to scan and show here. Here is a listing to purchase a copy. Amazon.com: Puptent Poets Of the Stars and Stripes Mediterranean (9781931641982): GPO: Books
"Puptent Poets" The Stars and Stripes, Mediterranean (selections) Throughout the Mediterranean Theater in World War II, it was respectable to be a poet. Men in uniform who might have once regarded poetry as a matter for "long hairs" and "softies" were writing poems themselves and, what's more, signing them. I found many Poems, go to this link Stars and Stripes • "Puptent Poets" For anybody thats interested $4.00 Used on EvilBay. http://cgi.ebay.com/Puptent-Poets-o...temQQimsxZ20100322?IMSfp=TL100322166008r16797
I was just going to ask you what unit your father-in-law was in. Here's my father's itinerary Enlisted 1942, assigned to 505th Coast Artillery Sent to England, then North Africa. 1944, the 505th was disbanded and he became part of the 900th AA/AWB and landed at Salerno. January 1945 he was retrained as infantry in the new 473rd Infantry Regt. attached to the 92nd Division. That is the unit he always associated himself with. I have uploaded the Battle History of the 473rd in my profile.
My father-in-law was with Company M, 3rd Battalion, 339th Infantry Regiment, 85th Infantry Division. He was a n M-1 Mortar crewman. He enlisted in April 42, went to Camp Shelby, Mississippi in May. Spent time doing field problems in DeSoto National Forest, then the Desert Training Area, Camp Coxcomb, CA. The Division was moved to Dix in October 43, then to Camp Patrick Henry in November for shipment overseas. Shipped out to Casablanca, then moved to St. Denis du Sig, Algeria for mountain training in Jan 44. Did some amphibous training at Arzew, then the 339th was shipped to Italy in March 44. Disembarked in Naples and marched to near the Minturno and went on line with the 88th Division. The rest of his division moved up and joined them and participated in Operation Diadem. Entered Rome on June 6, then north and particpated in the Po campaign.
