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Post by connie on Aug 31, 2011 1:10:52 GMT -5
Indiana Military Site 106th Roster www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Rosters/RosterZOHO.htmTo search for names from the 591st, click on the word UNIT along the top of the roster and scroll down to the "search" option. When this opens a series of blank boxes across the roster, fill in the unit number and hit the orange "search" button near the top left. Roster Source List Abbreviations www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Rosters/REFERENCES/Source-Abbreviations.pdfSite Soldier Index - 591st personnel 106thdivision.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=index&action=display&thread=432After Action Report found on the Battle of the Bulge Memory Site: www.battleofthebulgememories.be/en/stories/us-army/558-591st-field-artillery-battalion-aar.htmlIndiana Military Site account by Bob Ringer: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Diaries/None-POW/Robert%20Ringer/Robert%20Ringer.htmPhoto & Account Feb. 1945 Newspaper Article from the St. Petersburg Times announcing commendation of Captain Richard Raymond's battalion in the 591st: news.google.com/newspapers?nid=888&dat=19450216&id=yb0wAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wk4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=7144,557378 Photos: 591 B 4th Gun Section found on 30th Division photo site (scroll down half way and click to enlarge; last names identified: Salter, Sebo Garbulinski, Corbin, Key, De Rosa, Kurth, Rasmussen, Cymeeman, Clarke; Location: Roanne Belgium; "May '92 Cub" www.oldhickory30th.com/Misc.%2030th%20PHOTOS.htmnotation "in support of the 30th." direct link to photo: www.oldhickory30th.com/591st%20FA%20Roanne%20Belgium%20Battery%20B%20photo.jpgdirect link to photo back: www.oldhickory30th.com/591st%20FA%20Roanne%20Belgium%20Battery%20B%20back.jpgStructure of a field artillery battalion: lions44.hubpages.com/hub/ArtilleryBattalionsFiring in support of the 424th Infantry regiment 589th 590th and 591st were the division's three 105 mm howitzer field artillery battalions. The division's 4th field artillery battalion-- the 592nd-- fired the larger 155 mm howitzers in general support of the whole division. Anyone wishing to ask questions or start a discussion specific to the 591st Field Artillery Battalion, here's a spot to start!
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Post by mavel911 on Feb 2, 2012 4:22:44 GMT -5
Hello,
I'm the proud owner of a restored Willys Jeep with the marking 106-591F A1.
Me and my father are very interested in more knowledge about this vehicle and people that might know anything about the history and people around it durning the war.
I'm grateful for any information or suggestions of where to search, who to contact etc.
Thanks in advance!
Best Regards,
Patrik Dahlberg
Sweden
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Post by connie on Feb 2, 2012 11:57:32 GMT -5
This is amazing!
I am away from home using a computer that does not contain my contact lists. I'll be back Monday. But there are others on this site who may be able to get you connected before I do. (I'll be home by Monday.)
John Kline keeps the list of men by unit who belong to the Division Association. He is one resource. If you look under Helpful Links in the research section you can find his website. There may be a direct e-mail link to him on his site.
John Schaffner works on division history. He may have some contacts or suggestions. I'll send you his contact information in your personal e-mail if someone else doesn't do it before then.
Jim West of the Indiana Military Site might also have some suggestions
The Cub Magazine the division association publication might be another place to run your inquiry. Again, I can give you links to someone here when I return home, if someone else doesn't give you that connection first.
I'll also link to this post from another spot on the board-- under equipment-- just to give this post another place to be seen.
Again, welcome to this discussion board.
Connie
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Post by Jim West - Indiana Military Or on Feb 2, 2012 12:32:10 GMT -5
Could you share photos of the jeep for the website at www.IndianaMilitary.org ? How did you come by it ? Are the 106th markings original ? Jim West Webmaster |
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Post by mavel911 on Feb 3, 2012 6:44:03 GMT -5
Dear Connie and Jim, Thank you so much for your answers! It is so nice to find this site and your will to help out. I'm very interested in the history of the Willys Jeep that is in my possession, especially if I can find info about the men in A-battery of the 591st / 106th. The markings should be exact on the bumper, the engine is original and runs very well. The serial number on the hood is wrong though ( it is the birthday of the man who restored it in the -80'ies) It would be nice to investigate if it is possible to find the right serial, by use of the chassis number and engine number. It was first imported to Sweden in 1955, and I have the equivalent document to the pink slip. It was restored to a very good condition by a man in my home town, which i met by a coincidence last summer when I participated in a historic show. He says that he has photos of the restoration and I'm going to contact him soon to be able to scan those photos. I first saw it when a man hired a big garage which we have at my company, 20 years ago. At the time he said that it had been participating in D-Day, which is wrong, I later I found out it had been at the battle of the bulge, by investigating the marking on the bumper. The man who restored it also told me that it had been in an artillery unit. The place where the drivers seat had been was totally blown out by a shell or similar, he said when he restored it. The vehicle was then sold to a man who went into Swedish miltary service with my father. After 7 years he was to old to drive it, because of difficulties in getting into it. And because of this i got the possibility to purchase it in 2008. I will of course upload pictures to anyone that wants to see it. I'm not sure exactly how to uppload them on the www.IndianaMilitary.org, can you help me out there Jim? If you and Connie and Jim want pics to your mail adresses, please let me know. I will also contact mr. Kline and mr Schaffner regarding this matter. I'm Patrik Dahlberg, 47 years old and live in Vaxjo, Sweden. Have a nice weekend, keep in touch soon! Pat |
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Post by connie on Feb 3, 2012 17:53:24 GMT -5
Dear Pat,
This is fascinating. Carl, who co- facilitates this site may also be able to help. You can find his own web site on the 106th listed in the research section under Helpful Links. You can contact him directly from this discussion board simply by finding his name beside a post (lots in the research section) and clicking on the personal message icon (paper and envelope) to the left of the post.
My father was in a field artillery unit-- actually several. So I am busy absorbing that history. As you are probably aware, the division had 4 field artillery units-- the 589th, 590th, 591st, and 592nd. The 592nd with its 155 mm howitzers fired in general support of the whole division.
At the beginning of the bulge the first 3 field artillery units were set up so that each fired in support of one of the division's three Infantry Regiments (the 422nd, 423rd, and 424th.) Both the infantry units and the firing batteries of the field artillery regiments were lined up in numerical order from north to south. The 424th was toward the southern end (9 mile stretch) of the division's approximately 27 mile frontage. The 591st Field Artillery Battalion was firing in support of the 424th Infantry Regiment.
A Battery of the 591st would have been one of the unit's three firing batteries-- predictably lettered A, B, and C batteries. Each of these firing batteries had four 105 mm. howitzers.
I will be watching what I read now for anything of specific interest to you regarding the men of A- Battery of the 591st.
Under Site How-To's Carl has posted info on how to post photos on this discussion board. I suspect you'll have to e-mail photos to Jim West to get them posted on the Indiana Military site.
I'll be in touch next week to see if you need any connecting e-mail addresses for the sources I've listed.
Please stay in touch as you continue your history search. This is interesting.
Connie
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Carl W.
Active Member
Administrator
The Golden Lions
Posts: 265
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Post by Carl W. on Feb 4, 2012 6:39:58 GMT -5
Hi Patrick,
I'm very much looking forward to the pictures of your Jeep. This is the first time I've heard of an actual jeep of the 106th (that can be atributed to having served with the unit in the Ardennes). The 591st was a 105mm artillery battalion which was stationed around Burg Reuland (Auel) at the beginning of the offensive. They served at Manhay, St Vith and in support of the counteroffensive in Jan-Feb 1945 in the Losheim area.
Greetings
Carl
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Post by mavel911 on Feb 9, 2012 5:16:00 GMT -5
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Post by mavel911 on Feb 9, 2012 5:26:31 GMT -5
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Post by mavel911 on Feb 9, 2012 5:28:42 GMT -5
Hello everyone,
Above is some pictures of my Jeep.
It feels very good to post the pics on a forum dedicated to the 106th !
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about the Jeep!
I'm looking forward to be a part of this forum and to find out more abour the men who drove my Jeep in A-company of the 591st / 106th !
Best Regards,
Patrik
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Post by Diana E on Feb 9, 2012 10:30:29 GMT -5
The pictures are great! Congratulations on such an excellent restoration. It is wonderful you have connected it here with members of the 106th.
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Post by connie on Feb 9, 2012 10:31:54 GMT -5
Patrik,
Thank you! These photos are great. They flesh out the image of the jeep my dad rode in for me and probably bring back memories to many others. No. Dad did not ride in this particular jeep but probably in one very much like it-- in sister field artillery battalions (590th SV & later 592nd A)
In January of 1945 there was some regrouping going on. Men from the SV. Battery of the 590th and from the 589th were redistributed into the 591st and 592nd. I know that my father's captain Robert Ervin was assigned to the 591st while Dad (a Lt.) went to the 592nd. Neither Ervin or my father are alive today, though both led long lives. I don't know which battery in the 591st Ervin went to. I will watch for more information.
Thank you so much for sharing these photos...
Connie
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Post by connie on Mar 4, 2012 13:03:43 GMT -5
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Post by mavel911 on May 29, 2012 6:19:59 GMT -5
Thank yuo Connie for the links, I've gone through them all.
A have still no luck in finding any complete list of the men i A-Battery, that would have been very nice!
I have contact with John Schaffner who is a very nice person and he was also a Jeep driver.
Keep in touch.
Pat
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Post by connie on May 29, 2012 16:01:37 GMT -5
Hi, Pat, John IS a very helpful person. As far as lists go, I don't think many official lists are around. But Jim West has worked for years with whatever he can lay his hands on to assemble an extensive, if incomplete, roster. Thanks to your note I have now posted that link at the top of this thread along with directions for sorting it to find a list of men from the 591st. Here's a repeat of that note. See if I'm clear enough to be of help. Indiana Military Site 106th Roster www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Rosters/RosterZOHO.htmTo search for names from the 591st, click on the word UNIT along the top of the roster and scroll down to the "search" option. When this opens a series of blank boxes across the roster, fill in the unit number and hit the orange "search" button near the top left. |
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Post by mavel911 on Jun 14, 2012 2:33:19 GMT -5
Dear Connie,
I made a search in the 106th Infantry Division Roster and 297 names came up that served with the 591 FA battalion.
There is info on some of the men about serving in A-battery but not any complete list.
Jim has taken info from a roster by C. Wouters.
Maybe there is more information in that roster.
I have sent a message to Jim about that.
Anyway, thanks for the info about the search!
(there were over 16000 men in the 106th division!)
Best Regards,
Patrik
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Carl W.
Active Member
Administrator
The Golden Lions
Posts: 265
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Post by Carl W. on Jun 14, 2012 11:08:14 GMT -5
Hi Patrik,
The roster I transcribed for Jim was one for a farewell party given by the members of the 591st FA prior to going overseas. All the men were listed by rank and unfortunately no battery designations were given.
Greetings
Carl Wouters
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Post by mavel911 on Jun 26, 2012 4:31:01 GMT -5
Hi Carl,
Thank you for checking the roster.
Ok then I know that there were no battery designations.
If you have it digitized though, you are welcome to mail it to me anyway.
The names are there and for my further investigations it could be handy to have it.
Regards,
Patrik Dahlberg
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Carl W.
Active Member
Administrator
The Golden Lions
Posts: 265
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Post by Carl W. on Jun 26, 2012 11:51:27 GMT -5
Hi Patrik, It's a bit blurred, but the best I can do for the moment (cell phone photo). I'll make a scan of the roster and post it here. Greetings Carl Attachments:
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Post by mavel911 on Jul 10, 2012 14:41:32 GMT -5
Dear Carl,
Thank's for the cell phone photo, if you have the possibility to scan it, that would be great.
You can mail it to me when you the time if possible.
Best Regards,
Pat
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Post by connie on Oct 1, 2013 12:23:39 GMT -5
Hi,
Time to bring this thread to the top again...
Anyone who hasn't seen this great restoration of a jeep from the 591st will enjoy scanning this thread.
Division Numbers
Also, I noted Patrick's mention of the 1600 men in the division. There were probably even more. But that includes the men who were in the division before they were sent to the ETO and who were taken from the division to man other outfits. It also includes those added to the division as replacements during the Bulge or at the time the missing units were reconstituted in April of 1945.
The figure I have worked with for the number in the division when they took their place on line in December of 1944 is about 14000. But I'm not sure that is accurate. Anyone have solid figures?
Connie
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Post by floydragsdale on Oct 1, 2013 18:35:21 GMT -5
Division Numbers, etc.
Hello Connie:
The total number of Soldiers in the 106 Division was 15,000. This figure includes all branches of the Division. There were 3,000 men to a Regiment. The strength of an Infantry Company was 191 men. While in Basic Training, we were told that it took fifteen Soldiers to back up one one frontline Soldier.
The 106th Division, as far as I know, was full strength when we went on line in December 1944. When the war ended, of the 191 men in G Company, 424th Regiment, there were less then 20 of them still with the Company. The casualty rate during the fighting was extremely high.
WWII statistics indicate that an Infantry Soldier had a 90 to 95 percent chance of being wonded, K.I.A., being taken P.O.W., or going to the hospital with a battle related disease. - - - Being an Infantry Soldier was a risky occupation, to put it mildly. I speak from battle experience.
Floyd
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Post by connie on Oct 2, 2013 20:28:57 GMT -5
Division Numbers, etc.
Floyd,
Thanks for number clarification! I don't know where I got my 14,000 from. I know that the division lost a lot of men to other divisions while at Camp Atterbury and then had to work on replacements.
You've mentioned casualty risks and infantry soldier losses before. You saw the reality. I'm glad you made it out.
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Post by floydragsdale on Oct 3, 2013 11:14:44 GMT -5
Division Numbers
Hi Connie:
It doesn’t seem practical that an understrength Infantry Division would be sent overseas in wartime. In most cases, just days after they go on line, they become under-strength during the first engagement with the enemy.
Conversations (between officers) that I recall were that the 106th Division became full strength in early Sept. of 1944.
In fact, in September of “44” there were cash courses for all of us to qualify for firing certain weapons and completing specific field problems.
Many of the new replacements in the 106th came from the Army’s A.S.T.P. schools (Army Specialized Training Program) and had NOT had been Trained as Infantry Soldiers.
As for me, I had trained for four or five months to be a Company Runner in the 65th Division, at Camp Shelby, MS.
Upon my arrival at Camp Atterbury, IN, my assignment was to G Company of the 424th Regiment. The only vacancy open, for me, was in the 60mm Mortor Section. Consequently, there were about four weeks for me to become acquainted with that weapon before the Division was shipped overseas.
The month of September 1944 was a very hectic time for the officers and enlisted men of the 106th Division. There was just as much organized confusion then as there was during the first two weeks of the Battle of the Bulge.
Again, this Veteran is speaking from experience. I just happened to have been there to witness the entire nightmarish affair. - - - - Floyd
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Post by connie on Oct 4, 2013 18:18:47 GMT -5
Floyd,
Good to have you around to talk over things with.
Of course it doesn't seem practical to send an under-strength division to the front. Of course some illogical things did happen from time to time... It didn't make sense for them to raid a fully trained division for troops either. But, they believed the war was almost over and existing units already overseas needed replacements... It does make sense that the division hit full strength in September. I think that the 14,000 figure I had was probably from sometime in the summer of 44...
Thanks again for adding the perspective of someone who was there...
Connie
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Post by floydragsdale on Oct 4, 2013 20:32:34 GMT -5
Hello Connie and All:
Because the 106th was a “green division” on the front lines; plus the shellacking we took during the early stages of the Bulge Campaign and not understanding the magnitude of the campaign some of us acquired a guilt feeling about letting the Army down.
Much finger pointing took place for months and even years after that battle. Monday morning arm chair generals were trying to pin the tail on the wrong donkey. Slowly and often years later the actual facts were “disclosed” by bits and pieces.
When I learned that a very few high ranking Government officials were considering using the yet “untried” A Bomb if the German Army could not be stopped during the Bulge Campaign, then the seriousness of the Bulge Campaign hit me right between the eyes.
At that point I began reading many (and there have been countless) stories about that affair.
Facts indicate that front line Infantry Divisions experienced at least a turnover of 200% of their Soldiers.
I’ve mentioned this before, yet, here it is again: a high ranking officer informed me that the Army presumed they had a Division on the front lines; one division going to the hospital; one division in the hospital; one division coming back from the hospital and one division in the grave.
I remember the times when platoons of over forty men in G Company were whittled down to a dozen or so soldiers, per unit, those statistics then are very believable.
The D Day invasion, plus the race-through and across France put one heck of a hole in the ranks of the Infantry Divisions that took part in those actions,
True, high ranking brass were wagering bets that the War would be over by Christmas, however, at that time in the Summer the end of the year would be five, or six months away.
Consequently, that would involve a heap of Soldiers and equipment to achieve that goal.
The Army was desperate for infantry replacements during the summer and eary Fall months of 1944 .
When the Hitler launched the Bulge Campaign in December the U.S. Army was more than desperate for replacements, it became a frantic effort for them to find more replacements. It seemed that every able bodied man was converted into an Infantry Soldier.
Finally, after realizing the magnitude of the Battle of the Bulge, I lost my guilt feeling.
I don’t want to sound like a know it all, however as an eyewitness to some of the proceedings, this is my two-cents worth.
Floyd
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Post by connie on Oct 7, 2013 9:39:13 GMT -5
Thanks, Floyd,
You may have noticed that I put a link in "setting the record straight" to this message from you.
You not only give a lot of good information but you also speak for what many felt and what they gradually absorbed when they saw the full picture.
Your words, as always, are gift.
Connie
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Post by floydragsdale on Oct 7, 2013 10:25:13 GMT -5
Thank you Connie:
History books tell about events. A Soldier's memories yield stories of episodes he will never forget.
Floyd
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Post by engineercutoff44 on Nov 27, 2013 8:16:59 GMT -5
the reason for this orderly chaos was the battle for the hurtgen wald up north those holes had to be plugged and plugged fast if the war was to be over by Christmas(or at least a lot of troops thought and hoped at the time)
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