I was inspired by a new member to post these pictures of my father. None have writing on the back identifying who was in each picture. Most, I guess, where taken either in North Africa or Italy. Any information would be appreciated. OK, for some reason the board will not allow me to enter the pictures with that file extension (jpeg). I'll have to keep looking. I used Photobucket. It's late now. I'll do the rest tomorrow.
Okay I'll take the first one: they are in front of a tent drinking a Root Beer. Seriously - those are great pictures. Too bad there isn't more we could see of the background but there are a couple that someone might be able to decipher something.
Here's the rest. My father is in the front middle. Some kind of ceremony. My father was getting some kind of award. My father and his gun crew. Training, I guess.
Fantastic pictures!!! I can't offer any insight except for the second picture in your first post, there is something written on the building on the top right. Something like "OUIE" or "QUIE". It's too blurry for me to read even when I zoomed in on it. Maybe it's clearer on the original photo? Knowing what language that is might give you some clue to the location. Anyway, so glad you posted these, I really enjoyed looking at them.
Lovely pictures. Thanks for posting. The second picture looks like some sort of market in North Africa. Do you have your father's service records with a timeline where his unit was on certain dates? The reason I am asking is that my father was in North Africa and Italy too, and I found out a lot of guys went for a rest and refit back to Egypt (Quassasin Camp), around Port Said and Ismalia, and it could be that the third photo by the sea could have been taken around there. Lesley
First photo of the second set appears to be Florence. I think that tower is part of a famous cathedral. I could only find a photo that appears to be from the front. Your photo appears to be from the back. (attached comparison, oh I can't attach, here's a link to the online image, ww2f.com is becoming less fun). Only one part of the tower matches, but it seems to match exactly. So either the back of the tower does not match the front or they changed the surface of the lower tower. http://www.mitchellstevens.com/page/3/
Fantastic photos, Lou. Thanks for posting them. I think Earthican has got it right on the Florence cathedral guess. The architecture appears to be the same. The second to the last in your second set of photos looks to be Italy. The tree and the mountains in the background look very much like ones I've seen in photos of Italy. I can't make out enough detail on the others to know for sure.
Yes, that is the Florence Cathedral. Here's one of my pictures from 2011 taken at almost the same spot. It looks like your photo was taken where I placed the tan/green box.
Where else can you go and have this happen? And this quickly? Not only identified but an "Oh, I was there". This place will never cease to amaze me
Amazing. Thanks for the input, especially about the cathedral in Florence. I can't believe someone took a photo of the exact place. Lesley, here is my father's service record, with a bow to Stanton. See if they match your father's record. 505th CA: Activated 1 Jun 42, Arrived in England 13 Dec 42. Arrived North Africa 4 Mar 43. Assaulted Salerno 9 Sep 43. 2nd Battalion re-designated 900th AAA. 900th AAA: 14 Mar 44 at Santa Maria, Italy. 14 Jan 45 Montecatini. 473rd Infantry: Formed at Montecatini from HHC of 2nd Armored, 532nd AAA/AWB, 900th AAA/AWB. attached to 92nd Infantry. Attacked Ligurian coastal section 8 Apr 45. Crossed the Parmignola Canal 17 Apr 45. Reached Turin 30 Apr 45 where it linked with troops from Franco-Italian border. Inactivated in Italy 9 Sep 45.
Hi Lou Thanks for posting your father's record. Your father's footsteps go up the West side of Italy, my father went up the East side. My father landed in North Africa early November 1942 as part of Operation Torch, a couple of weeks later he had his 20th birthday. He then went over to Sicily for a month in July 1943 and then all up through Italy. I have his service records from the Army MOD Centre which basically outline the above. I have obtained all the War Diaries from the National Archives of my father's unit (56 Recce), so basically I can follow his steps virtually day-by-day throughout his war. A fantastic resource to have. Do you have any similar War Diaries as such for your father's time in the army? What information is available in the USA for researching individual units? Lesley
Lou, thank you for taking the time to post these photos of your father and his crew. Lovely, every one of them. Mark
