Folk Hero

Pete Seeger entertaining (unusually) mixed company at a Valentine's Day party, 1944. Seated between the two sailors is icy Eleanor.

Attu

Possibly one of the harshest environments in the war was the island of Attu, the last US-owned island in the Aleutians. Closer to Russia than to the mainland US, the mountainous island saw the largely forgotten Battle of Attu, a response to the invasion of Japanese forces. For the first time since the War of 1812, an invading Army had landed on American soil, albeit the fact that Alaska at the time was still just a territory, but the island provided a "back door" to America the Japanese sought in a plan to invade the mainland.


Landing on Massacre Bay.

Members of the 7th Infantry Division, many of whom had trained in the deserts of the southwest for the North African campaign, were chosen at random or by lottery to be shipped to Attu, though none knew exactly where they'd be going. The GIs were issued "cold weather" gear, although this consisted basically of a thigh-length wool coat (Arctic M41), wool-lined pants (kersey-lined), and a fur cap (earliest pile cap), none of which suited the harsh terrain of Attu, although some were lucky to beg, borrow, or steal gear from the Navy or get some kind of parka.


Engineers, perhaps officers, eating chow in the field. Note the surveyor's bag propped against the back of the jeep.

The battle lasted 19 days, but most of it consisted of vehicles getting stuck in mud, Japanese holding all the high ground, and frostbite claiming many casualties.


Human supply chain. The terrain was impassable for vehicles.

While finally able to secure the island, 549 US troops were killed; 1,148 wounded; and of the 2,900 Japanese securing the island, only 29 were captured alive. US troops also suffered 2,100 climate-related injuries.


Landing craft drops off GIs on Massacre Bay.

After the battle, the Japanese fearfully evacuated the neighboring island of Kiska, thus ending the Aleutians campaign. Fearing public reaction, the invasion was played down by the media so few every knew the Japanese Empire successfully landed on American soil.


Aleutian funeral, no idea the unit that were wearing M1917A1's in 1943)

Handlebar

Woah woah woah, better squared away there, Captain! What would the CO say...oh wait that's you. Well, back in '88 no CO of mine would've gotten away with that!

Christmas 1944

Christmas Day with 3rd ID photographers in Ribeauville, France.

Today in 1944

The start of the Battle of the Bulge, a bloody surprise German counterattack that lasted a month in one of the worst winters in European history. Incidentally it's cold and snowy and icy here now.

Today in WWII

American infantrymen seek shelter from German shells in the town of Geich, Germany. December 11, 1944.

Rhine Evacuation

You don't see something like this everyday. I was looking around on a website called etsy.com (girly site with lots of vintage and handmade stuff) and came across a grouping of photos for sale which I can only guess were taken by a Glider Pilot. They included several photos of CG4A's and AAF personnel. The most interesting photo is one of a bunch of guys loading up in a truck, which is being taken back over the Rhine, presumable after Varsity as the caption states. Judging by the caption and the gear I'm guessing these are a group of GP's being taken back to the rear after making their landings.



First aid packet on helmet, lots of carbine and .45 ammo pouches, .45 holster, a Thompson barrel, M43's...if I didn't know any better I'd say GP's for sure.

Now What?

The question on my mind as of late.

The Other Flag Raising

Hoisting the Confederate Flag on an Okinawan Beach. April 4, 1945

Verona, Italy

He needs to get rid of that farby Luger holster.

Shaved Heads

Medic With a Gun

509th Parachute Infantry Battalion medic with .45.

Posed or for real?

Dirty Jobs

For most of us, the glory of the WWII front line soldier attacking his way through the impossible German lines is what we associate with heroics. A lot of people don't understand that for every combat soldier, there were 1.7 (or 2, why not?) people who served in non-combat roles to back that soldier up. These included non-combatants, engineers, medics, CP staff, quartermasters, maintenance, drivers, etc. They are the unsung soldiers of WWII that may not have gotten the "glory" that the combat soldier did, but played just as much of an important part to win the war.


Corporal Max Shepherd, Jeep driver for an officer named "Barney." His speedometer was 24,591 miles when he turned it in at the end of the war.


Graves Registration team. They identified the bodies on the battlefield.


Sgt. Vern Kurtanbauch, from Brandt, S. Dakota, the S-1 clerk for the Service Co., 355th Inf., 89th Inf. Div, sets up shop as the Red and Blue Armies maneuver at Camp Carson, Co.


Jim Baskerville of the 191st Signal Repair Co. They repaired radios, phones, and other Signal Corps equipment in the CBI theater.


103rd Engineer Combat Battalion, 28th Infantry Division in Europe during WWII.


USAAF ground crew loading an extra gas tank on a P-51D for the 332nd Fighter Group in Italy.

Lucy and Desi

Long before "I Love Lucy," Desi Arnaz was a Sergeant in the Army during WWII. He was not fit for overseas duty due to a knee injury, but nonetheless worked in the American Theater, primarily the USO, organizing events and shows for the returning Pacific Theater soldiers. His most famous contribution was when he learned that the most-often first request of returning GI's was a glass of milk (though I don't know why, after being in the heat of the Pacific for months and years milk sounds disgusting). He organized glasses of milk to be distributed to all returning vets.


Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball, California, 1945.

He as also played scout "Felix Ramirez" in the wartime propaganda film, "Bataan."



He met Lucille Ball, a then-B-movie actress and pin-up model, before he was drafted.



They got a divorce in 1945, but reconciled shortly thereafter, only to become the most successful husband/wife comedy act in history. Arnaz died in 1986 at the age of 69.

Too Young

Not all deaths in WWII were combat-related or remotely war-related at all. First Lieutenant Herbert G. Johns was only 26 when he was diagnosed with leukemia. He was a Flight Control Officer for the 9th Air Force Troop Carrier Command, and shortly after the war in Europe's end he passed away in Newfoundland, trying to get back to the States from where he was stationed in France. He was buried with full military honors at Arlington Cemetery.



Keep 'em flyin', Herb.

Stolen From Science Class?

3rd ID, 30th IR members and friend.

Woody In The Army

Woody Guthrie, perhaps one of the most well-known American folk singers of all time, was no fan of the Axis. Prior to World War II, when he performed with the Almanac Singers, he wrote mostly peace songs. All that changed when he heard of Germany invading Russia, and afterwards he scrawled the famous phrase on his guitar, "This Machine Kills Fascists." Although he had communist/socialist political leanings, he nevertheless insisted they include him in the USO to perform for the troops. He was rejected, and instead joined the Merchant Marine to avoid the draft. He carried his guitar aboard and entertained the men on the ship and when they went in port.


Woody Guthrie in the Merchant Marine, 1943.

Without fail, each time he was aboard a ship they were torpedoed for a total of 3 times. After 2 years he was thrown out of the Merchant Marines and labeled a communist. Much to his chagrin, he was drafted into the Army only 2 months before the surrender of Germany. When the war with Japan ended, he was discharged in November of '45.


Woody in the Army, 1945.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Class A's My Ass (Reenactor Rant)

Leonard Wayne McIntosh & Walter Keegan.

It's photos of this sort that I love. Photos like this drive reenactors crazy, namely for the fact that they can't comprehend a couple of dirty ol' GI's. They tend to do everything "by the book" and study their technical manuals as if all (if any) regulations were followed 100% of the time so as not to be out of the "norm." They don't get the civilian mindset these guys were in and how most wanted as little to do with the military way of life as possible. Reenactors that served in the Armed Forces in the 80's and 90's when there was no war and it was all very spit n' polish can't live without a regulation for everything.

Condescending former BDU army PFCs that reenact WWII can stay the hell away from me. Chances are I don't want to talk to your "I spent $10,000 on my impression because I'm trying to relive my old army days when I could still get it up" ass.

Rock of the Marne

A S/Sgt. from the 10 Engineer Battalion/3rd Infantry Division on a Type III Harley-Davidson WLA. Somewhere in France, February 10th, 1945.

Winter '45

I don't think a lot of GI's knew what it was like to have a clean face.