I know it's not a good time to travel right now but wondering how many in here have done those WWII group battlefield tours??? I know Normandy and Pearl Harbor have been the most popular over the years but I am thinking of going elsewhere by next year...perhaps Bastogne?, Tarawa?, Volgograd?, Remagen? El Alamein?..just something different for our travel itinerary.
The US National WW2 Museum education programme is very good, and the profits go to running the museum. I am one of their local guides for the Easy Company Tours covering the UK and occasionally Normandy. The tours are often accompanied by really well know historians and for the Easy Company tours one of the cast members of Band of Brothers. If you want to do Stalingrad, I prepared a virtual battlefield study tour for the British military looking at urban warfare. The itinerary: Stalingrad, Ortona, Aachen, Berlin, Mandalay, Hue, Grosny. Not run yet. The clients are otherwise engaged on Covid 19 test stations.
This one looked pretty nice...but sold out. Victory in the Pacific: Battle of Guadalcanal | The National WWII Museum | New Orleans
Register your interest. If enough people do they will run a second group, or safe your pennies till next year..
Thanks I may look into this. I'd really like to follow the New Guinea campaign from Port Moresby to Biak Island and/or parts in between. With a side trip to IeShima possibly sometime. Just have to find a travel companion (s). Wife says go-have fun. Oh and save a Lot of pennies
Perhaps some of us can meet in the future and do this tour together..drink some beers in-between..sounds great.
Noted author and researcher Martin Pegler does battlefield tours in France. BTW, I visited Luxembourg and Belgium and saw some things over there. Went via a private group.
If you are interested in the Italian Campaign I can help. I am a battlefield guide for Salerno, Cassino, Anzio and the Gothic Line - all of whom had a strong US presence. A fascinating part of the Second World War and hugely controversial. Regards Frank
My Dad was in the Italian Campaign until the end....always wanted to retrace his footsteps from his scrap book...I'll keep you in mind Frank when the time comes.
He was with the 3485th Ordnance Medium Automotive Maintenance Company...which I believe was under the 73rd Armored Ordnance Maintenance Battalion. I think he once mentioned they got as far north as the Po Valley. So much for the '"soft underbelly of the Axis" that Churchill was famous for quoting. Picture of my Dad quietly filling out paperwork around late '44..look closer behind him and I wondered how he got anything done with that distraction..
I have had a look at the units that came under command US Fifth Army in Italy. 3485 is sown as an Ordnance Medium Maintenance Company (Q) Regards Frank
Visiting places with veterans where thousands were killed is something you never forget. Back in 2004 I was visiting Tali-Ihantala where Finland´s future was decided in July 1944. Germany had sent At-weapons and we managed to counter the attack and Stalin gave up. There were some 2,000 veterans you could hear the medals hitting each other. The local Soviet police youngsters were laughing at the sight of old people. If I had said that in Russian ( if I could speak Russian ) that this is where all your granfathers died from Finnish fire I probably would have ended in prison. This is where our military leader Mannerheim said "this is where we stop the enemy.. If you don´t there is nowhere left to hide or go." A month later a Russian division tried to cut Finland half in mid-Finland. As I said the knowledge and living in the forest is a thing that gives you the benefit. The division was surrounded and crushed. Poor soldiers, Stalin did not understand that all the men, artillery, planes did not win it. the will of the soldier did it.
Oh yes, and the one message writer who did not use code but sent the Red Army attack time in clear language. Helps a lot to start the big guns fire in a very detailed area.
Hi Frank! My name is Christian Durante. I am the grandson of my own Hero Grandpa, Private Angelo J. Durante. I am assembling a World War II Scrapbook of my Grandfather's Experiences during World War II. NARA recently sent me two pages of information that didn't contain much information. I was wondering if someone can help find some information of my grandfather experiences in the 180th Infantry. They sent me a AG 210.5 Form from the Headquarters of the 180th Infantry. It says the following: Headquarters of the 180th Infantry Office of the Regimental Commander APO 45 Postmaster New York, New York July 25th, 1943, Subject: Award of the Purple Heart To: Individuals Concerned They list 11 people concerned: My Grandfather is listed as follows: Pvt. Angelo J. Durante, 32197612, Company "B", 180th Infantry, for wounds received in action near Biscari, Sicily, 17th of July 1943. (Medal No. 214200). Purple Heart with Oak Leave Cluster Can someone search the After-Action Reports or 180th Archives and see if my Grandfather is mentioned. I am looking to collect any WWII Paperwork on him for the family scrapbook. I followed his footsteps and joined public service. I am serving my country as Federal Employee in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and volunteer as U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. Grandpa Angelo Durante Enlisted in the U.S. Army on February 4th, 1942 in Camp Upton Yaphank, New York. He was honorably discharged on September 27th, 1945. His separation center was Fort Dix, New Jersey. His last rank and grade and unit was Technician, Fifth Grade. 3485 Ordinance Company. His Battles and Campaigns on his Honorable Discharge was the following: North Apennines, Naples-Foggia, Sicily, Rome-Arne. My questions: 1. Can anyone find some photos or information on him in any books or websites that you come across? 2. What is a Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster? He received 2 Purple Hearts. Both have 3 stars on them. 3. What did the 3485 Ordinance Company do during WWII? 4.He also got wounded in October 1943 in Italy. I have no paperwork on that. 5. I have a award certificate saying he completed training as a Infantryman of a Heavy Weapons Company during the period of February 13th, 1942, to May 16th, 1942, at the Infantry Replacement Center Training Center at Camp Croft, South Carolina. It says his training unit was Co. D, 30th Infantry Training Battalion. What is this training and company about? What was Camp Croft? 6. Grandpa Angelo Durante also Earned the Bronze Star Medal during the Naples Foggia Campaign. I really want to know what he specifically or generally did to earn the medal. Would the After-Action Report List That? Can someone find the Medal Justification. Any help is appreciated. Sincerely, Christian Durante I can provide my private email if anyone finds anything during their research. Please see attachments for more information.
I've been to Pearl Harbor, Peleliu, Singapore, and Hiroshima, among others. (Won't list the European or North African sites, tooo long.) Weirdest was a place up in the Atlas Mountains. Drug lord had collected US armored vehicles after the war and built his own private army. Needed it to protect his kief production. I was told I had a good time there.
Normandy Mortain and sites south North shoulder of the Bulge Aachen- Crucifix Hill & 30th ID positions north of Aachen