Old Hickory Recon, Memories of the 30th Infantry Division 1943-1945 - Marion M. Sanford

Guys, I forgot to post a photo of the flowers that some friends from the Netherlands and i bought for the service. I thought the florist did a good job

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Today is one year since the passing of Mr. Sanford, although he was gone from us about a week earlier, having suffered several strokes during surgery.

He was a good old boy and I miss him terribly.

 

This came today. It is the DUI of the 30th Cavarly Reconnaissance Troop (Mech). I found a place that could make reproductions of insignia and ordered 25 (the minimum). It took a little bit longer than I first thought since the first set that came 10 days ago were orange and not yellow, as depicted in the proof.

The company made good on them and I am satisfied. It is not as yellow as it appears in the photo.

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I finally finished this shadow box and have hung it.

The Ike jacket is from 1945, but worn by someone else. The insignia, awards, and badges are what Mr. Sanford was eligible to wear in Aug 1945. I don't think he ever actually wore everything depicted here because he separated from the Army two months later.

 

Nice job, Jeff. It may have taken some effort, but it was worth it.

 

Thanks guys. A friend from The Netherlands sent me the jacket a couple of years ago. He used to come to the 30th ID reunions and was instrumental in getting the trip in 2014 organized.

I bought the insignia online and had the DUIs made by a company in Florida.

The display case came from Hobby Lobby.

My wife surprised me. I was going to hang in our office. My wife wanted in hung in the great room. She won.

 

Patrick, I would like to talk to you. Could we talk via private message?

 

These men of the 30th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop (Mech) of the 30th Infantry Division gave their last full measure of devotion to our country. May God rest their souls.

McClure, Sheldon A. Pvt 15-Jul-1944 Normandy, France
Billings, James R. T5 27-Jul-1944 near St. Lo, France
Blackwood, Alec B. Pvt 7-Aug-1944 Mortain, France
Dombkowski, Edward P. T4 7-Aug-1944 Mortain, France
Kull, John J. T4 7-Aug-1944 Mortain, France
Obenour, Charles E. T5 7-Aug-1944 Mortain, France
Smith, Harland Pvt 7-Aug-1944 Mortain, France
Walker, Miles W. 2LT 7-Aug-1944 Mortain, France
Seal, Robert K. Pvt 11-Aug-1944 near Mortain, France
Babin, Richard E. Cpl 23-Aug-1944 near Evreux, France
Blankenship, Carlos S. Pvt 23-Aug-1944 near Evreux, France
Lyczynski, Richard L. Pvt 23-Aug-1944 Fains, France
Castner, Merlyn C. T5 28-Aug-1944 Pointoise, France
Dennis, Walter E.T5 2-Sep-1944 Gaurain-Ramecroix, Belgium
Haldiman, Frederick L 1LT 2-Sep-1944 Gaurain-Ramecroix, Belgium
Scott, Francis E. SSgt 2-Sep-1944 Gaurain-Ramecroix, Belgium
Dale, Perry, E. Cpl 25-Dec-1944 south of Malmedy, Belgium
Nila, Willebaldo PFC 12-Apr-1945 Siestedt, Germany
Works, Harold G. T5 12-Apr-1945 Siestedt, Germany
Vincenzo, Dominic S. Sgt 12-Apr-1945 Siestedt, Germany

I was able to visit some of the locations where these men died when Mr. Marion, Ms Peggy, and I were there in 2014. We were also able visit the graves of five of the six men who are buried in the hallowed grounds at Margraten, Henri-Chapelle and Normandy cemeteries. We were unable to visit Brittany American Cemetery, where Robert Seal was laid to rest, even though we drove to within an hour of it. Time was not on our side that day.

It was only after Mr. Marion died that I learned why he was so disturbed when we drove to where his friend, Edward Domkowski, died in the fighting around Mortain, France. It was a horrendous way to die and I am certain it affected Mr. Marion and the other men who witnessed it greatly. Domkowski was the driver of an M-8 that was hit by German armor on the road to Barenton, south of Mortain. The other members of the crew, Walker, Obenour and Smith will killed immediately, but Domkowski survived the initial hit, but was unable to climb out of the vehicle. He was hung up, partly in partly out as the vehicle began to burn. He called out to the other soldiers around to shoot him as the fire consumed him. He friends were unable to and he burned to death begging to end his misery. Also killed at the same location were Alec Blackwood, and John Kull.

We laid a wreath at the intersection of Rue d'Antoing and Le Grand Route in Gaurain-Ramecroix, near Torunai Belgium, where Walter Dennis, Frederick Haldiman and the "Finest soldier I ever knew" Francis Scott died that terrible night of September 2, 1944 in a case of mistaken identity. The HQ platoon of the 30th Recon were at the intersection, waiting on 125th Recon Squadron that was expected from that direction. Around 11:30pm, the sound of wheeled and tracked vehicles was heard from the west and several of the men stepped out to meet what they thought were friendly forces. The Germans opened fire them and in confusing firefight that followed, the three men mentioned above were killed and four others wounded, including the company commander, Capt Kenneth Cornelius.

I did not know that exact location where Dale Perry died on Christmas Day, 1944, but we were in the area and I wondered if we passed where he died as we were driving. I understand that he was badly wounded and could not be carried back to US lines and he froze to death.

I have a copy of a photo of Richard Lyczynski made mere moments before he was shot and killed by a sniper while talking to French villagers. He was a fresh-faced boy, really.

I also want to go to the location downstream on the Seine from Paris where Merlyn Castner bled to death after being shot in the chest by a sniper.

Finally, I want to go to the German village of Siestedt where the last three men on the list died. The German defenders of the village had raised white flags and as the men advanced to accept the surrender. The defenders then fired on the vehicle column, killing the three and wounding several others.

Included in those killed at Siestedt was Harold Works, a dear friend of Mr. Marion, who had predicted his own death 10 months before by saying he would die at the end of the war. Six days after his death, the 30th Infantry Division concluded offensive operations after taking Magdeburg, deep inside Germany, on the Elbe River.

 

There were two groups of veterans that held reunions. One of the groups had its last reunion in 2015. I'm not sure of the current status of the other group.

I see your father's name listed on the roster, showing his rank was T/5.

I suspect that if he went to reunions in the Southeastern US, that your father talked with Mr. Sanford, as Mr. Sanford only missed one reunion, the year before his 1st wife died.

Here is a site you may want to visit:
30th Infantry Division IN the list on the left, click on units, then 30 Recon. Under that, you will find rosters, unit histories and After Action Reports.