Well, they're not German...

[Greg Sebring]

...but they marched through Berlin in 1945 at the review for Russian Marshall Zhukov. These are original U.S. Army issue jump boots. My Dad was picked to represent his artillery battery and drew a new pair of boots from the QM for the review. The only problem was they didn't have his size. He was given 11c's and he wore a 13a. He wore them just once and then packed them away. The lacing is actual parachute shroud lines in a pattern he calls "railroad tracks". I recently polished them up and stuffed them to maintain shape and appearance. The leather is still very pliable and in excellent condition. The small photograph shows Dad holding a collection of his awards I put together for him. The medals are pinned to a piece of parachute he brought back. (NOTE: At the suggestion of another forum member, the newspaper stuffing has been replaced with plastic bags to avoid damaging the leather.)

[MH184]

Hi Greg,

Any chance of seeing the medals please, and tell us a bit about your Dad where he served what he did, any stories.

Strange to think where the soles of those boots once walked, and thats what I find fascinating about militaria.

kind regards,

Marcus

[Greg Sebring]

Hi Greg,

Any chance of seeing the medals please, and tell us a bit about your Dad where he served what he did, any stories.

Strange to think where the soles of those boots once walked, and thats what I find fascinating about militaria.

kind regards,

Marcus

Hello Marcus,

First, I must say I'm quite proud of Dad so if I get wordy please pass it off as just an admiring son...

Dad was in the 82nd Airborne, 319th Glider Field Artillery, A Battery. He landed on the Normandy Peninsula, June 6, 1944 around dawn not far from Ste. Mere Eglise. The 82nd liberated the town from the Germans and went on disrupt communications and create general havoc for the Germans to keep them from reenforcing the beach defenses. Once the Normandy campaign gained a strong foothold, he was shipped back to England to prepare for the Holland invasion. Dad sat in the co-pilots seat of the CG4A glider going into Holland (Operation Market Garden). He was assigned there because prior to his enlistment, he worked at the B-24 Liberator plant in Willow Run, MI. He installed the de-icing boots on the front edge of the stabilizers and some interior wiring. The rational they used to put Dad in the right seat was they told him you worked on bombers so you have more airplane experience than anyone else here!! Dad has told me that on the inbound flight the tow rope between the glider and the C-47 was made out of nylon and stretched considerably. coiled around the tow rope was a communication wire that allowed the glider to talk to the tow plane. Dad had the headphones on and when the flak started coming up heavy, the tow planes increased speed to the point they were were flying faster than the loaded gliders were designed for. The vibrations were shaking the gliders severely. Dad said he told the tow pilot to slow down as their airspeed was in the red and the glider was badly shaking. The pilot responded,"You're coming with us so hang on". Dad said a flak shell burst between them and the tow plane and a piece of it struck the tow rope causing it to unwind a bit. They were able to release the tow rope and glide down toward the landing area. Dad said the pilot appeared to freeze up a bit as they were landing in a field with an approaching tree line and there wasn't enough room to safely land. When Dad saw the pilot not taking corrective action, he grabbed the wheel yoke and pulled it back all the way. Luckly, they had enough airspeed to climb up over the treeline then stall and sort of pancake into the adjacent field. Upon landing, the glider was not in trim and side skidded to a stop with the runners cutting a nice shallow trench before stopping. This was fortunate because it gave them some cover from the Germans who were spraying the field with machine gun fire. Their objectives were to secure the bridges at Nijmegen and Grave. The 319th fired 34,000 rounds of 75mm from their pack howitzers during the Holland campaign and was awarded the "Order of William" (Orange lanyard) to be worn of their uniforms.
The medals Dad was awarded were all common: ETO campaign ribbon with one invasion arrowhead and four battle stars, the Good Conduct Medal, an Army of occupation medal with "Berlin" clasp, and the WWII Victory medal. He qualified for the Purple Heart due to catching some schrapnel in his butt but never turned the paperwork after treatment to the Aid Station to get credit for it. He said he felt embarrassd at the time to get a medal for something like that. In retrospect, he wishes he did receive it as all awards were worth so many points and the guys with the highest point total got to come home first. Dad made it through the Bulge and crossed the Rhine near Cologne before meeting the Russians at Ludwigslust. He finished his tour in Berlin harassing the Russians like you wouldn't believe.

I've rambled on enough... I could tell you a dozen more but thats enough for now.

Thanks for showing interest...

Greg

[BrianMcC]

Thanks for sharing such a great story.I love hearing this kind of stuff.

The boots and medals are icing on the cake.

Must make you feel extra good when you hold and admire these fine items.Sadly,more and more of our Vets' are passing on and with them go their experiences.It seems too many don't care to be bothered with some old guys war stories.Personally, I could listen to stories like your Fathers all day.

Being a tunic and headgear type,I must ask if he still has any uniform items?

Thanks again for sharing your Dads' experiences!

Brian

[Greg Sebring]

Thanks for sharing such a great story.I love hearing this kind of stuff.

The boots and medals are icing on the cake.

Must make you feel extra good when you hold and admire these fine items.Sadly,more and more of our Vets' are passing on and with them go their experiences.It seems too many don't care to be bothered with some old guys war stories.Personally, I could listen to stories like your Fathers all day.

Being a tunic and headgear type,I must ask if he still has any uniform items?

Thanks again for sharing your Dads' experiences!

Brian

Hello Brian,

Dad still has his complete uniform. He gave me his overseas (**** cap) this past summer. I'm lobbying now for the Eisenhower Jacket & pants. I also have his heavy winter overcoat that is also in immaculate condition. 82nd patch with Sgt. stripes on the sleeves, the Allied Airborne patch on the other. I'm telling you Brian,...I've heard a bookful of stories the last 50 yrs and I never get tired of hearing them. When Dad visits, it's not uncommon for him to sit up till the very wee hours of the morning.

Thanks again,

Greg

[Adrian Stevenson]

Great stuff! I would love to hear more.
Cheers, Ade.

[Greg Sebring]

Great stuff! I would love to hear more.
Cheers, Ade.

Thanks Adrian...
I can remember Dad telling me one time the farm fields in many places in Holland are much lower than the roads. Dads Battery was having difficulty pulling a pack howitzer up onto the roadway. It seems the clutch in the jeep gave out and didn't have enough "umph" to do the job. Dad said they stopped a medic in his jeep that was passing by and basically comandiered the red cross vehicle much to the protest of the medic (Dad said they leveled their weapons at him until he saw the light ) . Dad said they hooked the field piece to their jeep and headed toward their assembly area. Another G.I. was driving and Dad was in the back of the jeep. The rest of the gun crews had already left and they were the last ones inroute. At a country crossroad, the G.I. driving turned left when he should have gone right. Dad said he told him he thought he turned the wrong way. The driver was trying to read a map and drive at the same time. They drove around a large bend in the road and passed a small woods before reaching a clearing. Once past the trees they Dad said they saw 200 to 300 German soldiers camped in the field right next to them. Dad said he slapped the drivers back and the driver then did a quick U-turn and headed back the other way. Dad laughed and said not one shot was fired by either side. He figured the Germans were just as startled as they were. They finally made it back to the "right" assembly area. Dad said there were a lot of strange happening like that.
On the lighter side, Dad at one point requested a transfer within his unit to forward observer(officially termed: "Field Wireman"). He said his Captain was a chicken sh*t basta*d that would never leave his foxhole. He would eat, sleep, crap, you name it and never get out of his hole. Always had the men running errands for him so as to not expose himself. Dad was granted the transfer and assisted a junior officer with calling in the fire missions. One of the bad parts of this job was when the radio (connected by hard wire on the ground) quit working, he would have to back track and trace the wire till he found the break, then repair it. Usually it was caused by artillery or motar fire but sometimes the Germans would send out patrols...find a communication wire and cut it...then wait for the repairman to come along, and then take him prisoner. Dad said the pucker factor was pretty high when you trace a broken wire by yourself. Anyway,... On one occasion Dad and F.O. officer were bored and nothing had happened for some time. They had been in the same location several days. Dad and the officer had noticed through their field glases that a German soldier would take his daily bowel movement in the same area. The officer did some calculations one day and told dad to call in a fire mission. Dad ask him what do I tell them? The officer told Dad to tell them "advancing armor". Well, Dad apparently was convincing enough and when the "base piece" was fired, It landed right on the poor soul. After a 15 minute barage they called in the "armor" was retreating and the firing stopped.

I appologize for such lengthy posts. I look and admire at all the artifacts, medals, and uniforms so many of you have collected over the years and my possessions will all fit in a hat box. I guess the best items in my collections are the experiences Dad has told me about. Yea,...I'm bragging about my Father,..but I'm also passing on some history that helps us all understand some of the experiences of the "Greatest Generation".

I'll try to bite my tongue for a while

Greg

[BrianMcC]

Greg,

Don't apologize for any of this! I've been enjoying the heck out of your posts.

Are you putting any of your Dads stories on paper?

Thanks again and by all means "carry on" man!

Brian

[Greg Sebring]

Greg,

Don't apologize for any of this! I've been enjoying the heck out of your posts.

Are you putting any of your Dads stories on paper?

Thanks again and by all means "carry on" man!

Brian

Thanks Brian,

I haven't but often thought I should. You should see Mom roll her eyeballs when Dad starts on his WWII experiences. It's one of those,"Here we go again" looks". She always says,"Mahlon,...you've told that story a hundred times and they don't want to hear it again." I'll wink at Mom and she will leave the room in disgust to watch TV or something. I never get tired of them. I've heard most of them over and over and I'll give the old man credit...he never adds to them..they always stay the same.

Greg

[MH184]

Hi Greg,

Please more, I'm really enjoying it, did your Dad see Band of Brothers, what were his opinions on that.

This is your thread, there are threads with arguments and sillyness on that waste good space, don't be shy in telling us more please. I often wonder if only my medals could talk, or the uniforms and hats, maybe not, they'd say they were reproductions knowing my luck.

Kind regards,

Marcus

PS Find out the info I sent in a PM, and I'll see if I can get some pic's of the places for you over here.

[Greg Sebring]

Hi Greg,

Please more, I'm really enjoying it, did your Dad see Band of Brothers, what were his opinions on that.

This is your thread, there are threads with arguments and sillyness on that waste good space, don't be shy in telling us more please. I often wonder if only my medals could talk, or the uniforms and hats, maybe not, they'd say they were reproductions knowing my luck.

Kind regards,

Marcus

PS Find out the info I sent in a PM, and I'll see if I can get some pic's of the places for you over here.

Will do Marcus,...I'll call him later today...

Dad watched Band of Brothers and was very impressed with the realism. He has the boxed DVD set. When "Saving Private Ryan" came out my mother refused to see it and it was some time before Dad viewed it. Dad said the only problem he saw with the production was the soldiers were much closer when conversing with each other than what really happened. Dad said you never walked close to anybody when moving from point A to point B. Obviously, for movie dialog purposes the film made it look like a walk in the park. After both films, Dad said they were an accurate account of what happened. I've always heard a lot of soldiers keep quiet about their war experiences and their familys never really know what they went through. Dad, on the otherhand , is just the opposite. He talks about everything. Maybe that's his way of dealing with it. When Adrian posted that excellent photo montage of his Arnhem trip, I copied them and sent them down to him. I told them they were coming and he's anxious to view them. I send him articles all the time.

I posted a picture of a painting showing Waco CG4a's landing and a gun crew unloading. They would work in pairs with one glider loaded with a jeep, ammo, and men....the second glider would have the 75mm pack howitzer, more ammo, and men. Without both gliders pairing up upon landing their effectiveness was minimized. The second photo shows most of Dad goodies I now have. The third is what the cockpit of the CG4A looked like.

Greg

[Greg Sebring]

Another first hand account...

Greetings All,.... I'll relate another one of Dad's experiences...

Dad told me once during the Bulge, his battery was changing positions. He was taken to the location where the Captain wanted them to dig in and explained just where to place each piece. There had been a substanial snowfall so the entire ground was covered pretty good. Dad was left on the roadway to wait for the howitzers and crews inroute. When they finally arrived, Dad explained the orders he was given and the mini-convoy started out into the adjacent field...each vehicle following each other in a large "arc like" course. On the lead vehicle, a large truck with supplies, the 1st Sgt. was riding on the right hand side running board directing the driver. Dad said because of the slight curve everyone was driving, you could see every vehicle in front of you.
Dad stated they were about halfway into the field when all of a sudden a large explosion occurred with the lead vehicle. The lead truck had struck a tank mine with the right front tire. Dad said the 1st Sgt. was catipulted into the air and the truck's driver was thrown up through the canvas roof of the truck. Dad said they all watched in horror when the First Sergeant came down, he had the unfortunate luck of landing on another mine. This one also detonated and the 1st Sgt. was blown apart. Dad said this all occurred because they did not wait for the field to be swept for mines...something that usually was routinely done. Dad was picked with two others to "pickup" what could be found of the 1st Sgt. Dad said they found an arm with a few ribs attached and pieces of leg....not much more. The remains were scattered among and hanging on some nearby bushes. This was all placed in a bag of some sorts for graves registration.
Dad said this detail really bothered him for some time as he was good friends with the 1st Sgt. Only a week before Dad had been with him when he received a letter from his sweetheart back home. She had made the comment that she couldn't wait for him to come home and he told Dad that it wouldn't be long before he was to be shipped back. Dad thought now, "Yeah,...your coming home allright...but not the way you think". Each time dad recounts this event, I can see his mind going back to the incident and he gets a little sullen. I think it helps Dad to deal with his past when he can relate his experiences to someone. Below is an early picture of Dad.

Greg

[Greg Sebring]

Dad's opinion of the Russians...

Dad told me that when the 82nd Airborne was stationed in Berlin to help with security of the American Sector, they had nothing but problems with the Soviet forces. Across from the barracks where Dad was assigned was a cemetery. Dad said that from the time they were first assigned there to the time they were ordered back to the States, over 300 Russian soldiers were buried in the cemetery from having met an untimely demise by the American Airborne forces. Dad said it resulted from regularly finding dead American G.I.'s in the street almost every morning somewhere in Berlin ... several with Russian stillettos in their backs. There was an intense distrust that grew to a hatred between the Americans and Soviets. Dad even said they had a term for the nightime "activities". They called it "Rooskie hunting" . I was quite surprised when Dad first told me about it because I had this picture of the allies all working in harmony for the same cause. Dad said the Russians were as ruthless, cruel, inhumane to the German people as the "SS". Little was mentioned in the press about the post-war conflicts as politics started playing into everything. The nice Walther P-38 with exceptional hard shell holster that Dad has was "liberated" from a Russian...much to the reds dismay. Dad told me on guard duty one night he was Sergeant of the Guard and was responsible for a couple of bridges over a river. This was post war and the Allies all agreed that the traffic over all bridges in every sector was to cease at 11:00 PM. If you were caught on the wrong side when the bridge was closed....too bad. You waited until the next morning. Dad told me quite often American G.I.'s would straggle back having shacked up somewhere with some Frau/Frauline. He would always let them pass on their way. Vehicular was totally banned. One night Dad said a Russian staff car with four officers tried to cross his bridge after 11PM. Dad made hand gestures to them pointing to his watch, making a circular motion with his finger, and pointing back the way they came from. Dad said they cursed at the American guards and slowly turned around driving out of sight. Dad thought there would be further trouble so he told the other guards to wait for him to fire if it came to that. Dad added shortly they heard an engine reving and tires squealing. The staff car was approaching rapidly and was going to crash the gate. Dad said when the car was near, He, and then the other G.I.'s opened fire on the staff car with their Thompsons. The staff car careened off the bridge and into the water. When the heads popped up above the water they were sent back down for good with additional bursts. Dad said he was called into the Captains office for debriefing the next morning. The Captains main and only concern was that no one got away. Dad assured him no one did. This apparently was common all over and much was done to keep things quiet. Dad added he even sold rolled toilet paper to the Russian soldiers on the blackmarket as cigarette rolling papers. They would buy anything and everything with their military script. I guess you could say the "Cold War" started in Berlin.

[McCulloh]

GREAT STUFF! I love this forum.
Tow things:
1. i urge you to talk to your Dad at length ask him what stuff looked like, smells, colors -who he was with-jog his memory, and TAPE it. Or better yet, ask hi to write it down. Every day the paper is fil;ed with 2 or 3 WW2 vets who died. There are less than 350 personal accounts of WW2 service around nowadays in book form-out of 30 million or so combattants. Every one will eventually become a treasured historical document.
2. You can apply for your dads' purple heart. get the paperwork from you Congress man or Senator and if you have him sign a letter stating how he was wounded, they'll expedite him a medal. I know, this was my speciality when I interned for my local Senator 20 years ago.
Greta stuff. I'd like to hear more stories if I could.
Thanks,
jeMc

[Greg Sebring]

GREAT STUFF! I love this forum.
Tow things:
1. i urge you to talk to your Dad at length ask him what stuff looked like, smells, colors -who he was with-jog his memory, and TAPE it. Or better yet, ask hi to write it down. Every day the paper is fil;ed with 2 or 3 WW2 vets who died. There are less than 350 personal accounts of WW2 service around nowadays in book form-out of 30 million or so combattants. Every one will eventually become a treasured historical document.
2. You can apply for your dads' purple heart. get the paperwork from you Congress man or Senator and if you have him sign a letter stating how he was wounded, they'll expedite him a medal. I know, this was my speciality when I interned for my local Senator 20 years ago.
Greta stuff. I'd like to hear more stories if I could.
Thanks,
jeMc

Thanks Jeff,

I hope people don't think I'm making this stuff up. I've heard these stories several times over the last 50 years. I even think they show a different "angle" of the war you don't see or hear a lot. Dad has said people would be surprised if they knew how many G.I.'s were injured, even killed after the war playing around with abandoned German equipment. We have to keep telling ourselves these were 19-25 yr old "kids" for the most part. Think of the wild things we did at that age then put yourself in a working junkyard with all sorts of equipment that still works.

Maybe I'll look into the medal for Dad.

Greg