M7 Self propelled gun. This 105 mm SP used a Sherman chassis.
Last edition:
Thursday, October 31, 2024
Tuesday, October 31, 1944. Rescued.
Pvt. Fred T. Huff, 698 Pulaski St., Athens, Ga., one of the soldiers in an American infantry battalion trapped behind German lines.for six days in the Belmont sector, France, eats while waiting for transportation to the rear area for a rest. 31 October, 1944.
U.S. Infantrymen who were cut off by the Germans for six days in the Belmont sector, France, file down the road after being relieved. 31 October, 1944. 1st Battalion, 141st Infantry, 36th Infantry Division.
Bearded Lt. Martin J. Higgins, 29 Garrison Ave., Jersey City, N.J., left, receives a warm handshake from Lt. Charles O. Barry, 120 West St., Williamstown, P.A., when he rejoins his unit in the Belmont sector after being cut off by the Germans for six days. Lt. Higgins was one of the officers with a battalion cut off by the Germans. France. 31 October, 1944. Note the M1 Carbine has a grenade launching attachment. 1st Battalion, 141st Infantry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division.
The Royal Air Force raided Gestapo headquarters at the Aarhus University in Denmark The goal was to destroy Gestapo records to aid the Danish resistance. The raid was conducted, as an earlier on in France had been, with Mosquitos.
The Germans evacuated Salonika. Remaining Aegean German garrisons were trapped.
German Army Group North was trapped on the Courland Peninsula.
T/5 Miles J. Wermager, center, of Magnomen, Minn., a member of a cavalry unit near Monschau, Germany, receives his first piece of chicken since D-Day from T/4 Frank F. Leichtman, left, of Bresho, S.D. 31 October, 1944.
Complete to a flute, turban, and ersatz snake, TeC 5 Hernry Vin Roten, seated, of Brooklyn, N.Y., muses fellow GIs and pretty guests from the nearby French town of Toul at a Halloween party given by members of an air evacuation holding station. 3rd Army Air Evac. Holding Station. 31 October, 1944.
Last edition:
Monday, October 30, 1944. Pvt. Ross.
Today in World War II History—October 31, 1939 & 1944
Today in World War II History—October 31, 1939 & 1944: 85 Years Ago—Oct. 31, 1939: British children are advised not to go “guising” (trick-or-treating) due to the blackout. New York World’s Fair closes.
Saturday, October 31, 1914. Convention troubles
Being a Saturday in the Fall, college football was on.
There was brewing trouble in Mexico.
Things weren't going well at the Convention of Aguacalientes.
The Imperial Russian Army prevailed over the Germans and Austro Hungarians in the Battle of Vistula River.
The French and British took back Nieuwpoort, Belgium, brining to an end the Battle of Yser. The Belgians had lost between 20,000 and 40,000 troops in the campaign, the Germans over 76,000.
The Germans broke through Allied lines near Gheluvelt Belgium but a British counterattack restored the line.
The Japanese Navy began shelling Tsingtao.
The HMS Hermes was sunk by the U-27 in the Starit of Dover.
German troops raided the Portuguese fort at Cuangar, Angola.
The Ecuadorian army defeated rebels at Esmeraldas,Ecuador.
Duluth, Minnesota.
Last edition:
Thursday, October 29, 1914. Turkey bombards Odessa.
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
Early Jeeps: National Museum of Military Vehicles Dubois Wyoming.
There are a lot of Jeeps depicted in this series of posts, with a fair number being World War Two Willys and Ford Jeeps. This museum, however, has a collection of the very early Jeeps that preceded the Willys MB patter standariation.
The request for a 1/4 ton truck came out just before World War Two and one of the company's that responded was Bantam, a vehicle manufacturer which specialized in small cars. Their introduction was very much like what the MB would become, except it was lighter.
Bantam always felt cheated by the military for not securing the contact, which they really couldn't fulfill. The company ceased to exist in 1956.
Willys Overland specialized in in "overland" vehicles to start with, and came up with what was really the best design for the competition, although it was submitted later than Bantam's.
Ford also competed, putting in an entry that was much like Willy's.
Last edition:
World War Two U.S. Motorcycles: National Museum of Military Vehicles Dubois Wyoming.
At one time, decades ago, I know a lot about motorcycle, but that's no longer the case, so I can't really comment that much.
World War Two was the golden age of the US military motorcycle. Other armies made very extensive use of motorcycles in World War One and World War Two, with the Germans being particularly notable. The US experimented with motorcycles early on, but they never took off in U.S. use they did in other armies. The military continues to experiment with them off and on today.
Depicted above is a Harley Davidson WLA. A Harley Davidson with a side car is just to its right, but I failed to get a photo of it.
I unfortunately didn't get the data on all three of these motorcycles. The one on the far right is an Indian, and the one in the middle might be as well.
Last edition:
Labels: 1940s, 4x4, 6x6, Automobiles, Dubois Wyoming, Jeep, Military, Trucks, United States, wepaons, World War Two, Wyoming (Dubois)
Monday, October 30, 1944. Pvt. Ross.
The British 8th Army reached Forli.
The U.S. 3d Army took Maizières-lès-Metz.
Then Pvt. Wilburn K. Ross preformed the actions which resulted in his winning the Medal of Honor:
For The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Private Wilburn Kirby Ross, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Company G, 2d Battalion, 30th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division, in action near St. Jacques, France. At 11:30 a.m. on 30 October 1944, after his company had lost 55 out of 88 men in an attack on an entrenched, full-strength German company of elite mountain troops, Private Ross placed his light machinegun ten yards in advance of the foremost supporting riflemen in order to absorb the initial impact of an enemy counterattack. With machinegun and small-arms fire striking the earth near him, he fired with deadly effect on the assaulting force and repelled it. Despite the hail of automatic fire and the explosion of rifle grenades within a stone’s throw of his position, he continued to man his machine gun alone, holding off six more German attacks. When the eighth assault was launched, most of his supporting riflemen were out of ammunition. They took positions in echelon behind Private Ross and crawled up, during the attack, to extract a few rounds of ammunition from his machinegun ammunition belt. Private Ross fought on virtually without assistance and, despite the fact that enemy grenadiers crawled to within four yards of his position in an effort to kill him with hand grenades, he again directed accurate and deadly fire on the hostile force and hurled it back. After expending his last rounds, Private Ross was advised to withdraw to the company command post, together with eight surviving riflemen, but, as more ammunition was expected, he declined to do so. The Germans launched their last all-out attack, converging their fire on Private Ross in a desperate attempt to destroy the machinegun which stood between them and a decisive breakthrough. As his supporting riflemen fixed bayonets for a last-ditch stand, fresh ammunition arrived and was brought to Private Ross just as the advance assault elements were about to swarm over his position. He opened murderous fire on the oncoming enemy; killed 40 and wounded ten of the attacking force; broke the assault single-handedly, and forced the Germans to withdraw. Having killed or wounded at least 58 Germans in more than five hours of continuous combat and saved the remnants of his company from destruction, Private Ross remained at his post that night and the following day for a total of 36 hours. His actions throughout this engagement were an inspiration to his comrades and maintained the high traditions of the military service.
He rejoined the Army after the war and was wounded in Korea. He retired from the Army in 1964.
The Finnish Army took Muonio.
The Polish 1st Armored Division took Breda, Netherlands.
The Greek government banned the ELAS.
The US 24th Corps captured Abuyag in the Philippines and cleared Catmon Hill.
The U.S. Navy conducted air raids on Japanese targes in the Phillpines, with the Japanese responding with kamikaze attacks, hitting the USS Intrepid, USS Franklin and the USS Belleau Woods. They all remained afloat.
The ballet Appalachian Spring premiered.
Last edition:
Sunday, October 29, 1944. Shelling chocolate bars.
Today in World War II History—October 30, 1939 & 1944
Today in World War II History—October 30, 1939 & 1944: 80 Years Ago—Oct. 30, 1944: In the Vosges mountains in France, US 442nd Infantry Regiment (Nisei) rescues the Lost Battalion with heavy losses.
Thursday, October 30, 1924. King maker.
Gen. Feng Yxiang broke with the Zhilli clique and allied with the Fengtian clique led by Zhang Zuolin, inviting Zhang to form a new, pro-Japanese, government just a week after he overthrew the government in a coup.
He's oppose the Japanese in World War Two, but was sympathetic to the Communists, in spite of being a Christian, after the war.
Irish Free State parliamentarians Francis Cahill, Thomas Carter, Henry Finlay, Seán Gibbons, Alexander McCabe, Daniel McCarthy, Seán McGarry and Seán Milroy resigned in protest of the government's response in the Irish Army Mutiny.
Henry Ford endorsed Calvin Coolidge for President.
The Coolidge's voted by mail.
Related threads:
Thursday, October 23, 1924. Beijing Coup.
Last edition:
Sunday, October 24, 1924. A glimpse of Natrona County.
Bad faith arguments produce bad policy. We must reject them. - WyoFile
Bad faith arguments produce bad policy. We must reject them. - WyoFile: Bad faith arguments produce bad policy. We must reject them.
Liebstandarte
I don't think anybody has ever seen anything like what happened the other night at Madison Square Garden. The love in that room… It was like a love fest and it was my honor to be involved.
Donald Trump.
It's likely just me, because I have a historical mindset, but Trump's authoritarian mindset, combined with the term "love fest" keep causing me to recall the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler.
Why?
Well, the conventional translation of that SS unit would be "Body Guard Adolf Hitler", reflecting its origin in terms of recruiting. But you cold also translate late it as "Our beloved standard, Adolf Hitler".
Like I said, I'm probably the only one to whom that comes to mind.
Maybe other people think if Haight Ashbury or something.
Tuesday, October 29, 2024
World War Two U.S. Vehicle Livery: National Museum of Military Vehicles Dubois Wyoming.
The 6x6 2 1/2 ton truck was, in my view, the greatest military implement of World War Two. It's role in supply troops and logistical support was so significant that it cannot be overestimated, and proved more decisive in the Allied victory than any weapon or weapons system that a person can name.
The General Motors Corporation CCKW, depicted above, was the most common 2 1/2 truck used by the Western Allies.
The American made Studebaker was another example of a 6x6 2 1/2 ton truck, but it was rarely used by the Western Allies. It was primarily used by the Soviets, without which they frankly would have been significantly horse drawn.
The father of the Dodge Power Wagon, the 1/2 ton truck, a fair number of examples of which can be found in the Rocky Mountain West in spite of the small number produced, was in addition to being too light, too top heavy.
The 3/4 ton WC 52 replaced the WC 40 fairly rapidly in terms of production. A great 4x4 pickup, it's the direct progenitor of the post war Dodge Power Wagon and the post war M-37, the latter of which remains the best 4x4 truck the U.S. military has every fielded, outside of the HumVee.
The US military fielded an entire series of 6x6 trucks that were heavier than 2 1/2 tons, making the 6x6 picture somewhat confusing. 4 ton and 6 ton examples are depicted above. Good trucks, there were too many types and after the war the Army settled on 5 ton 6x6 trucks, which were used well into the 2000s.
The WC-63 wsa frankly not a successful truck. The engine was the same as the WC-52, that being a high compression flat head 6 cyl. While a good engine in its own right, that would be used for decades by Dodge, it was underpowered for this application.
In spite of this, after the war, Dodge made a small number of 6x6 civilian Power Wagons that utilized the same engine. The Army variant was rapidly phased out of service.
An example of a 6x6 that I didn't know even existed.
The 3/4 ton version of the command car.
This photo features a 3/4 ton Dodge Carryall, a vehicle that would also see a civilian variant after the war. Also depicted is a M3 half track, which we'll deal with separately, and a Willys MB Jeep, which we will also deal with separately.
Last edition:
The Aerodrome: The B-29 "FiFi". Cheyenne Wyoming.
The Aerodrome: The B-29 "FiFi". Cheyenne Wyoming.: The B-29 "FiFi made an appearance in Cheyenne, Wyoming, recently. These are some photos taken during its visit.
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