FJ Veteran answers questions

[amydron]

Herr Groenke,
Thank you for your reply to my questions.
You certainly experienced some very tough times.
Personally, I can't imagine how I would deal with similar situations. I suppose you just have to do the best you can, and hope that you survive.
I am sorry to hear that your brother Kurt did not survive the War.
I hope you enjoy the remainder of your time in Europe, before returning to Australia.
With kind regards,
RAY.

[GHP]

250-Foot Tower

Herr Groenke,


Thank you for answering my questions. The 70m towers (there are 3 towers) at Ft. Benning have large horizontal cross-members at their apexes. The parachute is pulled to the top of one arm then released when the top of the shroud-connect hits the arm. Then, the trainee gently floats to the ground while the instructors bellow commands through a bull-horn: "Keep your feet and knees together!" .... "Slip to the left/right!!" .... etc. Then they do a beautiful PLF (parachute landing fall), get up, then help to rig the next student.

Best regards,
Guy Power

Here's another (hopefully better) link:
http://www.shaw-benning.com/photos/activeGallary/gallary/images/Trainingtower4.jpg

[berliner]

Hallo, we have scanned several fotos that we'd like to attach. I don't have attachment rights. Perhaps if some could help me here, we'd like to attach the photos on this thread as opposed to putting it on Flickr or another site.

Maybe the moderators could help here?

The fotos include:
A FJ patch from Heinz, albeit without the Swastika as Heinz had to remove it in the first week of his imprisonment in America.
Two fotos of Heinz in FJ uniform.
Two fotos of an Afrika Korps comrade who was a Gerbirgsjaeger. He was a direct descendant of the famous Tyrolean patriot, Andreas Hofer.
A foto of a FJ Kamerad who was a Panzerjaeger.
Also a foto of Kurt, his brother with comrades in Yugoslavia.

Best,
MK

[CRAIGGOODWIN]

if no-one else has offered

Please email the pics to craiggoodwin@autospeed.com & it will be my pleasure to post them for you.

You need to be a association or lifetime member in order to post pics on this forum.

Regards
Craig

[berliner]

Hi Craig,
Thanks much. we've just sent them.

Heinz was quite intrigued by the photos of the tower at Fort Benning.
"I wish we would have had them."

Best
MK

Please email the pics to craiggoodwin@autospeed.com & it will be my pleasure to post them for you.

You need to be a association or lifetime member in order to post pics on this forum.

Regards
Craig

[CRAIGGOODWIN]

here we go

Lucky i was just about to go to bed

"Heinz: The photo taken of him in Boston"

[CRAIGGOODWIN]

second pic

The photo taken of him in Anguleme, before
serving in Monte Casino.

[CRAIGGOODWIN]

third

Andreas Hofer-the descendant of a famouse Tyrolean
patriot. He was in the Afrika Korps and a
Gebirgsjaeger

[CRAIGGOODWIN]

fourth

The Panzerjaeger is Helmut Gruenthal. Heinz met him at
the POW Camp Livingstone. Heinz last met him in 1969
in Germany

[CRAIGGOODWIN]

next

Kurt was Heinz's brother, KIA, who had served in
Marienburg, Poland, Russia and on the island of
Bratsch, Jugoslavia, Buried in Split

[CRAIGGOODWIN]

next

Another pic of Kurt

[CRAIGGOODWIN]

next

FJ patch. Heinz had to remove the Swastika in the
first week of imprisonment in America.

As we wrote earlier, his medals and patches, with the
exception of the Eagle, were removed from him during
his capture and imprisonment

Well I hope that I have put the right captions with the photos - apologies if I have not.

Please feel free to ask if you need anything else
Regards
Craig

[amydron]

Herr Groenke doesn't look too happy in the photograph taken in Boston!
But it's nice to see who has been answering all our questions.
Regards,
RAY.

[CorpBode]

Dear Mr Groenke

there is only a little chance but i must ask. Maybe you know my Grandfather. He was an FJ too. Fought at eastern front and in Italy. Hermann Bode was his name.

Mit freundlichem Gruss

Carsten Bode

[mightymouse]

Herr Groenke,
I was wondering what your experiences were with the steel lacquered small arms (9mm/7.92mm) catridge cases (green in colour) as opposed to the brass ones. I have heard somewhere that frontline troops prefered brass cases for close quarter combat as they were more reliable. What is your opinion? Also, i was wondering whether you found your equipment satisfactory, and what you thought of it compared to the allied equipment that you encountered.
One final question, i know this one is a long shot, but do you remember the year of manufacture of the weapons that you were issued? I only ask as i would be interested to know whether you were issued weapons that were made a few years earlier in the war than at the time you were fighting etc. Thanks very much in advance, anything you can tell me is appreciated. Cheers Chris