Greve, Walter 423- HQ

[connie]

Greve, Walter Carl Jr, PFC 423/HQ 1BN; Communications Platoon; POW XIIA, IVB, IV D, KDP Coal Mine
(note: Cub said 423A, but his own report, the History project, & the roster,and his obituary all say his assignment was HQ Company )

HIS HISTORY ON INDIANA MILITARY SITE: www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20IV-B%20Mulberg/WalterGreve/WalterGreve.htm
Excellent detailed narrative. Here's a sample from his experience of the bombing near Limburg on his way to POW camp:
The evening of December 23rd was the worst part of our trip to Stalag IVB and possibly one of the most horrifying experiences of my service life. The train was stopped in a railyard yard outside of Limburg. That night an eerie green light created by RAF flares lit up the sky followed by bombs. understand now that the lead plane dropped the flare which signaled the spot at which the following planes were to drop their bombs. Someone was able to unlock our boxcar door, and we poured out. dashed across a field and got as close as I could to an embankment. This was one time I thought I might not survive as bomb after bomb fell causing the ground to heave. Dirt flew all over and men were screaming. How long did it last? I don't know. It seemed like an hour.

COMBAT INFANTRY BADGE: name found under MIA 423 HQ Co: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Rosters/REFERENCES/1945-051-CBI/251.htm


423rd POW MANIFEST: showing him in IV-B: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Rosters/REFERENCES/62%20-%20423rdPOWs/62.htm

VETERAN'S HISTORY PROJECT OUTLINE: lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/bib/loc.natlib.afc2001001.85396

MEMORIAM IN CUB MAGAZINE: d. February 28, 2015 brief note of his passing on p. 45 of the April 2015 reported by his son Mark: 106thinfdivassn.org/CUB/CUB-Vol71%20no2-July2015-web2.pdf

OBITUARY: www.horancares.com/obituary/Walter-C.-Greve/Aurora-CO/1488164 Here's an excerpt:
Walter C. "Bud" Greve, 91 of Aurora Colorado, passed away on February 28, 2015 at his home... He was born on March 6, 1923 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He attended Concordia College in Milwaukee prior to enlisting in the Army in January 1944. At the age of 21 Walter was able to sail to Europe on the Queen Elizabeth, unfortunately he was in the Army and headed to serve his country in World War II. He was assigned to the communications platoon of Headquarters Co. 1st Battalion, 423rd Regiment. In December of 1944 Walter took part in the Battle of the Bulge and was captured by German soldiers. As a prisoner of war he was transported by train to Stalag IV-B. Later he was moved to a work camp where he worked in an open pit brown coal mine and at a chemical plant. Walter was finally freed in April 1945, and ended up being hospitalized in France. He sailed back to the United States in June of 1945, this time on a hospital ship, the Clara Barton. For his service Walter was awarded the following decorations: The Combat Infantry Badge, The Bronze Star, The Victory Medal, American Theater Ribbon, European-African Middle Eastern Ribbon with three battle stars, One Overseas Service Bar, Good Conduct Medal, and The Prisoner of War Medal.

[connie]

One thing I enjoy about the discussion board format is that we can not just read but also ask questions and dialogue.

I've been reading Walter Greve's notes on the Indiana Military Site and find them extremely detailed, well done, and interesting.

There is a detail he mentions about his Atlantic Crossing on the Queen Elizabeth that think needs further examination, though.
He notes:
"Many years after I was out of the Army I discovered that we had almost 15,000 men on board, but there were enough lifeboats for only about 2500. We did each have a life jacket. I don't know how much good they would have done. We were told that the ship changed its course every seven minutes to thwart any sub attack. The speed of the ship also was in our favor.".

The figure could be accurate but deserves a second look before accepting it on face value. I remember reading this figure in someone else's notes. But that person was assuming that the whole division sailed on one boat. This was not the case. Not including the earlier sailing of advance parties, the division was split in 3 parts that sailed on 3 different dates on 3 different vessels.

I do know off the top of my head that the last vessel sailing (the Wakefield) was a bit smaller than the other 2. It carried nearly 7, 000 men. Most of these were from the 106th. ( A Quartermaster unit not related to the 106th was also on that sailing).

The two other vessels that carried men from the division were the Queen Elizabeth (see: 106thdivision.proboards.com/thread/141/queen-elizabeth-voyage-oct-17) and the Aquatania.
Links to some info on all 3 of these sailings can be found under the Chronological Index in Dates and Places... 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/1188/thread

I see from a cursory look at the notes on the Queen Elizabeth that most of the members another division was on board. This would lend some credibility to the 15,000 number...

Has anyone else checked out the numbers on the Queen Elizabeth?

Connie

[connie]

A recent post by JR Wentz an attached article from the Cub on Walter Greve: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4718/thread