UBB.threads Forums General Militaria United States Militaria X-MAS from the 1st Division 1945

My father, Calvin J. Wetzel entered active service on May 28, 1945 and was trained for operation's Olympic & Coronet, the invasion of Japan. The defeat of Japan changed the plans and Calvin departed USA, on Nov. 8, 1945, arrived ETO, Nov. 27, 1945, as a truck driver in the Army of Occupation, European Theater of Operations, 1945-1946 with the 1st Engineer Combat Battalion (The Big Red One) and departed from ETO on May 19, 1946 and arrived USA on May 27, 1946, date of separation, June 1, 1946. Clarence L. Brain, enlisted, March 30, 1943, released, Nov. 23, 1945. He served in the 115th AAA, 50 caliber machine gun crew. "History of the 115th AAA": "Arrived off Omaha beach Normandy, France, June 10, 1944 (D-day+4) and landed June 13, 1944 (D-day+7) and also served with Gen. Patton." Merry Christmas to all.

What a great story, and items to go with it, outstanding.
Ed

Here are some more 1st Division items from my father, Calvin James Wetzel Sr.-20610 (1918-1997).

I found this picture postcard with my father's things and thought this would be of some interest. Kenneth Peter Broers Sr., my father's 1st cousin, served with the Hundred and 1st Airborne Division and earned the Combat Infantryman's Badge near Bastogne, Belgium where he spent his Christmas of 1944. Kenneth P. Broers Sr., son of Peter S. Broers & Rebecca Nora (Wetzel)-20622 Broers, enlisted Feb. 26, 1944 and just passed away on Aug. 24, 2022 at the age of 96.

Here is my father's, Calvin J. Wetzel, "Army of the United States", "Separation Qualification Record". Note that he was a Pvt for 4 months and then was a Tec-5 for 8 months. My father also "Drove at night over all kinds of terrain averaging 300 miles per day". My father was a driver for officers, Lt. O'Neil and Lt. White who were buying land for war monuments, according to my father. My father drove from Normandy, France through Heye, Belgium and then to Furth, Germany. My father also said he was stopped at the Czech boarder by the Russians when the officers were trying to buy some colored cut glass. My father told me his side kick was called "Frenchie" from Louisiana and spoke French. One night they went into General Montgomery's camp undetected and was questioned about how they got there in the morning.

Really cool! Great photos too

BARRACKS AT BERCHTESGADEN, my father, Calvin J. Wetzel (1918-1997) was stationed during occupation, while driving through Germany, in the same barracks that were occupied by the 101st or General Patton's 3rd army.

He found 15 negatives, and a Walther p38. He left the Walther and returned with the negatives.

One was a negative of the Eagles Nest, so I put that one in a plain white envelope and lost it in the April 1984 flood of Wayne Twp. Passaic Co. N. J.

Tonight, I scanned 5 negatives that he found, maybe I will scan the other 9 and someone will identify one of the negatives.

what great stuff to have.. [I have a lot of my families items too]...

Well we thank him for his service.. The ash tray, awards, booklets, hat, dog tags are great to have for the families history... Yes please scan what photos you have. I'm pretty sure on your photo editor can turn the negatives into the photo..

Here are five more negatives, first is Hotel Westernacher, Bavaria.

The others show some building (Negative # 7) in the mountains that look very familiar to me.

The negative with the truck has some damage. Four more to go.

Here are the last four negatives.

The first negative is very dark of chairs on a balcony, maybe the hotel.

The last picture is a wool Bavarian women's "Edelweiss und Hearts" belt my father brought back for my mother. The moths got some of the belt too.

One military collector put the belt over his shoulder thinking it was for the German mountain troops.