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Post by connie on Mar 28, 2009 11:44:53 GMT -5
SAILED:From NY to Grurock Scotland  CARRIED: 422 Infantry Regiment and 424th infantry regiment minus one battalion (click to enlarge attachment)  Click to enlarge. Note: the troopship website states that the battalion from the 424th that was not aboard was the 2nd, but in the reply below Floyd Ragsdale states that he was in the 2nd & aboard the Aquitania. So there may be an error here. information source -troopship website: ww2troopships.com/crossings/1944b.htmOutside Links: Wikipedia notes: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_AquitaniaVideo on the Aquitania's history www.youtube.com/watch?v=07Q8v_JweaI 8 minutes 43 seconds
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Post by floydragsdale on Mar 29, 2009 17:36:11 GMT -5
Hello:
The 2nd Btn. of the 424th Regiment sailed on the Aquitania. I was in the 424th Regiment, G Co., 2nd Btn.
As we sailed out of NY harbor, people, going to work on Ferry Boats that morning, waived and shouted good-by to us as the Aquitania faded away into a misty, foggy morning.
The last I saw of the USA, for the next 18 months, was the Statue of Liberty holding a torch, of freedom, for a war torn world.
That statue was the first of the US that I saw as we were re-entering the USA a year & a half later.
I couldn't hold back the tears from my eyes. What a wonderful feeling it was to be back in the United States again.
Floyd,
G Co., 2nd Btn., 424th Regt.
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Post by floydragsdale on Mar 31, 2009 11:58:19 GMT -5
Hello:
Floyd again. I've been thinking about the 424th Regiment of the 106th Division and our voyage to The British Isles.
Some of the 424th men were on the Queen Elizabeth. I recall hearing a man from the 424th making that statement. The majority of the 424th Regiment, I believe, went over-seas on the Aquitania
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Post by connie on Oct 24, 2009 10:16:18 GMT -5
FLOYD RAGSDALE 424 G TELLS OF LIFE ON THE AQUITANIA: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/930/thread(Here are his words, chopped up into shorter paragraphs) "Going overseas was an experience, from the 1st day out of NY Harbor to the day we landed in Scotland.
All troops on board had to deal with the ships’ motion. Some men became seasick when the ocean swells became noticeable. Yet, to many of us, that motion was like a giant rocking chair at bedtime; the constant “rocking rhythm” lulled one to sleep effortlessly. The bunks (beds) were stacked five high. My bunk was fourth from the top; something that needed to be remembered when getting up.
During the day, as weather permitted, soldiers strolled the deck becoming acquainted with their temporary home from the bow to the stern.
Two meals were served daily, breakfast and supper. A cup of soup was allowed at noontime. Of course, water was rationed; one canteen full was to last a person all day. When the ocean waves were very big, men had to grab hold of their plates to keep them from sliding to the ends of the table.
We soon learned to use the motion of the ship going from one deck to the other. Going up the stairs was easier while the ship was going down an ocean swell.
Our ship, Aquitainia was one of the few ships built that had a movie theater. Every afternoon, a full length feature was shown and, all seats were occupied.
Every day or so, as the ship sailed east, an announcement was made over the ships’ P.A. system advising us to set our watches up an hour.
Getting bathroom chores accomplished was another experience. Example! When occupying a stool, when the sea swells were huge, one had to brace him self with both hands; the feeling of being force through the seat was very real. I’m glad I wasn’t in the Navy.
One serious part of the voyage was when we had to decide (sign a form) declaring, “if we fell in battle, mortally wounded”, where did we want to be permanently buried, over there, or in the U.S.A? That was a very sober indication of our destination, indeed.'
Floyd
424th Regiment
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Post by connie on Jan 11, 2011 13:20:33 GMT -5
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Post by connie on Jun 26, 2020 15:44:15 GMT -5
A booklet compiled by JohnVrabel Jr., Sgt., 422 Infantry, (3rd Bn) K Company recently sold on e-bay. Photos of the pages in that booklet are posted on this discussion board & contained a note about a friendly firing incident during his crossing on the Aquitania: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4627/threadIn an audio interview for the National Archives, Cpl. William John Bennett of the heavy weapons company of the 3rd Battalion of the 424th also told of this "friendly fire" incident that happened while he was traveling aboard the Aquitania: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4827/thread |
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Post by connie on Sept 5, 2020 16:52:18 GMT -5
Notes from the Voyage These come from notes on the Indiana Military Site from Edward L Bohde of 422 L: www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20VIII-A%20Gorlitz/Edward%20Bohde/Bohde-Edward.pdf"On October 20, 1944, we shipped out of N.Y. Harbor aboard the Acquitania (a British Ship) which landed in Grenock, Scotland on October 28.
This was a very large ship being 901 feet in length and 97 feet at the widest point.
She had four funnels and was the last one of 13 others to be constructed.
She consisted of 6 decks and had four large screws each weighing 17 1/2 tons.
Her normal passenger load was 2,200 which now swelled to 13,200 G.I.’s.
We were packed into bunks stacked 6 high.
The voyage was rough, in that most of us got sea-sick.
When we went to “mess” they had long narrow tables about waist high and you stood shoulder to shoulder with others, looking across the table at others, standing shoulder to shoulder also, with this narrow table/bench separating us. Each of us had a plate of food in front of us and as the ship rolled very slowly first to the right and then to the left one had to hold their plate or it would slide away. Then as a person would get that oozy feeling in the stomach and bolt from the room, his plate would slide the whole length of the table, in front of everyone left, and often with his disgorge covering the plate, along with it’s vomitous odor. After one or two of these happenings, the room was soon emptied.
I chose to stay away from the mess room, and lived on Hershey bars all the way across."
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Post by connie on Jun 30, 2021 14:32:42 GMT -5
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