My Grandpa Edward J Brousseau 703rd Tank Destroyer Battalion

Thanks that is a great idea!

 

Thanks that is a great idea!

 

Hello again Melanie! If you have any questions, I'd be happy to ask my Dad for you.

 

Hi,

I know it has been so long already. I wonder if your family has any pictures for the time your father spent in the army, that might have areas my grandfather went to, or even maybe that he was in?
Please feel free to email me at *deleted*

 

Hello Melanie,
Somehow I missed this thread during the last few years but I can offer you some help. Don't know what you've reviewed online but we have a photo of the 703rd/B Company in which Edward Arsenault is identified. Perhaps you can zoom in and find your grandfather? Here's the photo: http://tankdestroyer.net/images/stories/ArticlePDFs2/703rd_Company_B_at_Indiantown_Gap.pdf

We also have a bio on Edward Arsenault here: http://tankdestroyer.net/honorees/a/774-arsenault-edward-j-703rd

We would like to add a bio on your grandfather to our website, we currently have just over 470 men posted. I sent you a 'Private Message' and I'll help you with your research in any way I can.

Steve

 

Wow! Imagine my surprise to stumble in here and actually see people talking about my grandfathers old unit! My grandpa was Pvt Eugene Burkhammer from WV, and was part if the 70d TDB. He was at Camp Knox, Camp Pickett, Desert Rice, CA, and Indiantown Gap. He hung around with Lester Huggins and Adrian Lebeau (sp) a good bit. He always talked about a Captain Goodrich (sp) as well. He passed several years ago, and I have just been looking to see if anyone out there has heard any stories about him or anything. My sister and I found Mr Lebeau a couple years before he died and was able to connect the 2 of them for a brief phone call, but I don't know what ever happened after that. I'm also interested in any pictures that may have him in them for my grandmother who is still with us.

 

Welcome to the Forum, scorbitt. If you haven't done so already, be sure to check out the 703d TD Bn page on the tankdestroyer.net website. There are some photos there as well as a number of documents which include casualty and awards lists. You never know what you may find.

 

Hello all. I know I’m a little late to the party but I’m trying to figure out which Tank Destroyer Battalion my grandfather, Duane Sydenstricker served with. Is there a roster out there anywhere that has a list of the soldiers that served with the 703rd? His separation paperwork didn’t list a specific battalion and his records were destroyed in the archive fire of 73. I saw the photo on tankdestroyer.net of B company and there is a guy who looks an awful lot like him, but there is no name listed. Trying to find his unit has been kind of a maddening affair. Most of his pics from that period are gone and the ones I have are too blurry to make out any unit crests or patches. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

It looks like the TD website does not have any rosters of the 703rd. Is there a reason you think he was in the 703rd? If you would post a pic/scan of his separation paperwork, there may be some clues that will help narrow down the possibilities. Also, any other info you have about his service, even if it is just a family story, may be helpful.

I believe this is his memorial page on the Find-a-Grave website: Duane William Sydenstricker. And this would be his Electronic Enlistment Record. They don't help us identify his unit, but the former indicates he received a Purple Heart, and the latter provides his Army Serial Number.

 

I have a few photos but they are too blurry to make out his unit crest. I also have his separation paperwork but it only says he served with a tank destroyer battalion in France, Belgium, and Central Europe.(which matches the 703rd’s route) Also, the 703rd B Co photo on the Tank Destroyer website has a guy who looks a lot like him, but I can’t be sure. Also his paperwork said he drove M18’s and M36’s, and according to the website, the 703rd didn’t have M18’s.

 

I can’t upload a screenshot because it’s too big. But here is the link to the photo. I’m trying to identify the guy in the top row, second from the right. He looks a lot like my grandpa, but of course the list of names stops at the guy before him. http://www.tankdestroyer.net/images/stories/ArticlePDFs2/703rd_TD_Bn_Co_Grp_Photo_w-names.pdf

 

There does appear to be some resemblance. However, if you scroll down on the Company B photo, there is a list of names of the men in the photo. The soldier 2nd from the right in the 5th row is Hank Wolski.

 

That’s what I thought. The names stop right at the guy who looks like my grandpa. .

 

I should have looked closer. In checking again, the list does not have every person named, AND had #35 twice! So, I stand corrected. It could still be him, though the photos are not clear enough to know for certain.

 

That does not exclude the 703rd. He may have been in more than one TD Battalion. Or, it could be a typo and should be M10.

 

You know. I never thought of that. His records say “M18 Medium Tank”, and I think the M18’s were considered a “light tank” and the M10’s were “medium tanks”.

 

Is there a picture of the 703rds unit crest anywhere? Google isn’t finding one.