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Post by jrwentz on Aug 29, 2020 10:22:11 GMT -5
This is the front and back of a photo showing my father William J Wentz, 423rd, CO M. Does anyone recognize the location? My Dad looks thin, so thinking this may have been a military photo taken soon after his release as a POW. And perhaps someone will recognize the soldier on the right. Dad went to Camp Lucky Strike after his release.   |
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Post by connie on Aug 29, 2020 11:35:14 GMT -5
What a treasure! Hoping with you that someone can identify the location and the other soldier... Site Soldier Index now contains a note about and link to this photo under your Dad's name...
The back of the photo is interesting. Do you know your dad's POW ID #? The number here is not his serial number so I wondered.
Off to the right appears to be a shorthand notation. Did your dad (or someone in the family who received this photo) use shorthand frequently? There are several types of shorthand. I am familiar with a modified version of Paragon, but I think the most used system in Gregg. I ventured a guess as to a possible reading of this, but I did find some difficulty with the configuration. I wasn't certain where it started as it didn't fit exactly with what I know. Then I checked out the Gregg system on line and the strokes, though similar in appearance to what I know did not coincide at all with the letters I know. So I think we're back to the question about anyone in your family knowing shorthand... It definitely looks like a word written in shorthand-- but not sure what word!
Your dad looks tall...
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Post by jrwentz on Aug 29, 2020 15:29:48 GMT -5
Thanks Connie. It is not his POW number. Just speculating - If it was a military photo they may have filled out a form and assigned it a number. Then photographers may have recorded that number so the Army could send a letter and photos home to family. There were two photos printed together side by side, but one was upside down. There was space between them to cut it in two. One for wife and one for parents maybe. It appears that Dad's mother and my mother were receiving the same letters/telegrams about Dad's status. I've been sorting photos, letters, etc, today and just stopped to read the first letter he wrote to Mom after release. It is on American Red Cross paper and dated Apr 27, 1945, Germany
"Dearest Darling,
Am very happy to be writing to you as a free American rather than a German slave. I was recaptured by the 1st Army on the 24th of this month & you can bet your boots I was sure glad to see those grinning G.I.s and the American Flag again. Am in pretty good health except for being weak and underweight from not getting enough to eat, but a couple months of Army chow should remedy that. Another thing that makes me very happy is the fact that I am on my way back to the states. In fact it is quite possible that I could beat this letter there, which will suit me just fine. (Note: They actually kept him in France for a month plus and it was June before he reached the states).
The letter continues and Dad talks about wishing he could be there for their first anniversary, but he knows it won't be that fast. He asks Mom to tell a bunch of people hello and says he will call her and his mother as soon as he can.
Edit: PS Connie, Dad was 6'1" I think Mom used shorthand some when she worked for the military during the war, but I don't think that is her writing on the back of the photo.
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Post by connie on Aug 29, 2020 23:52:37 GMT -5
Your speculations on the numbers make sense, as does your "after POW release" scenario. It certainly looks like these soldiers have just been issued new dress uniforms...
Love the beautiful note to your mother... Thank you for sharing this.
Connie
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Post by bigjohn on May 15, 2021 7:42:27 GMT -5
I am wondering if this was still somewhere in Europe shortly after your dad was liberated. My dad lost a good deal of weight while a POW as well and soldiers were typically issued new uniforms shortly after being returned to US Army control.
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Post by jrwentz on May 17, 2021 20:53:09 GMT -5
Thanks Big John. I have done a little more research on Camp Lucky Strike and I think this is most likely the location where the photo was take - Camp Lucky Strike (Janville, France)
(location also given as 5 miles NE of Cany-Barville). The camp was on the site of an airfield built and used by the Germans. I had no idea it was so big, capable of holding up to 100,000 people. IIRC 56,000 or so US soldiers went there after being POWs. I have looked at a lot of photos from Lucky Strike and so far have not found anything similar to the photo I posted. Quite interesting though. At the peak, some soldiers said they would get in line for a meal and get right back in line after they ate because it would take so long to get served that it would be time to eat again.
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