My Grandfather's WW2 photos.

[Big-Will]

First of all, I have been looking at photos and videos on these forums for a couple of years now. I have never registered because there are too many stupid and endless political debates and too few meaningful discussions about the content posted here. I posted these pics here because before a few weeks ago they have only been looked at by about 20 people since they were taken. I thought that the people at this board would appreceate this little piece of my family's history. This will probably be the only thread I ever post in on these boards.

He was in 86th Infantry. 404 FA Bn. Black Hawks Division. He got to Europe right when the Battle of the Bulge was starting. He recieved a Battlefield Commision in Germany and remained a 2 Lt. the rest of his time in the army. Before his commision his job was to keep up com between the guns and the F.O. via radio or telephone. He said telephone was much better because the Germans could listen in on radio. After V.E. he spent a year in the Philippines. My Grandfather developed all of the photos from the Philippines in a darkroom he built. These pics are mixed up so I will give the little info I have on them. Soon I will ask him about them all and keep a record of it.

Division Patch
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww2/19.jpg
My Grandfather in Europe I think.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww2/9.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww2/7.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww2/10.jpg

My Grandfather on a downed Nazi Focke-Wulf FW190
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww2/6.jpg

Nazis surrendering
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww2/ww2.jpg

Europe Jan. 45
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww2/5.jpg

My Grandfather and another man recieving their Battlefield Commision. Germany, May 1945.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww2/3.jpg

Howitzer
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww2/11.jpg

Philippines I think
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww2/4.jpg

Training in Philippines I think
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww2/1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww2/2.jpg

Man in Philippines.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww2/12.jpg

Vehicle used for towing the Howitzers.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww2/13.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww2/15.jpg

Jap skull in Philippines.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww2/14.jpg

This is where my Grandfather lived for a year in the Philippines. He said he had to build it all himself, this is long before the days of the KBR insta-base. I have the foot locker in the bottom right corner of the photo.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww2/16.jpg

My Grandfather in center.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww2/17.jpg

Grandfather on yak I think.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww2/18.jpg

[Big-Will]

Ok here are some more. Since there are so many I am not going to worry about giving info on everyone of them. You should be able to figure most of them out on your own. There are pics from Europe and P.I. mixed together and a few might have been taken in the U.S. If you have any questions about them please ask.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/58.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/57.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/56.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/55.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/54.jpg

This is my favorite. Somewhere in Europe. My Grandfather on the right.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/53.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/52.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/51.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/50.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/49.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/48.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/47.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/46.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/45.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/44.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/43.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/42.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/41.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/40.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/39.jpg

Graphic Dead Jap.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/38.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/37.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/36.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/35.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/34.jpg

My Grandfather's gun crew.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/33.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/32.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/31.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/30.jpg

This is my Grandfather. He wrote on the back of the pic that he was not hurt, they were just joking around in P.I.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/29.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/28.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/27.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/26.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/25.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/24.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/23.jpg

This is in the Philippines I know but can anyone I.D. this building?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/22.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/21.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/20.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/19.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/18.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/17.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/16.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/15.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/14.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/13.jpg

This is the inside of an Officer's Lounge that my grandfather built on base in the P.I.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/12.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/11.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/10.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/9.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/8.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/7.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/6.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/5.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/1.jpg

[Big-Will]

Ok got them fixed. If anyone has any questions I will be glad to answer.

[ramy]

testing

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/48.jpg


You have to type up http:// hereis an example. [img]http://img

You can edit your post and change the links..

thanks for posting

[ammotech]

Crap can someone help? This is how I have posted photos on other forums.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/58.jpg


You need to add: http://

[Kersh]

Awesome man, some great photos there.

[titget]

Great Pic's!! Thanks for sharing..

[Igor01]

Great photos, thanks for sharing! Please give your Grandfather my respect and regards, I hope he is in good health.

I very much regret that my Grandfather passed away before I was of age when I realized what his generation has done for us and ask him about his experiences in the War.

[Ichhabe]

This is exactly what I hope mp.net could be more about. People sharing photos taken by themselves or like in your case; Your grandfather.
Even though I don't know you or him, it somehow hit me in the heart and give me a warm and good feeling.
Having the stories with the photos would of course also be fantastic.

I really do hope you post some more of these excellent photos.

[socom6]

Salute to your Grandfather. If he is still alive give him my best regards and I hope he is in good health.

Thanks very much for sharing.

[CG51]

Excellent photos, thank you for taking the time to share with us.

[cinoeye]

Thank you for shareinf those photos. You are, and shuld be proud at your 'pa:)

[TuNeRsHaRk]

wow, very nice

its nice to see stuff like this get posted on here

[Big-Will]

When I posted these photos at the AR15.com forums I was asked to tell any stories that he told me.

I will tell the stories the best I remember. He never has said much about his time in Europe but he ends all of his stories by saying, "I wish these things on no person"

The first one he told me about is pretty short. He said that he and one other man were walking trying to find the forward observer and as they topped a hill a German machine gun nest opened fire on them. He said that they turned and ran until they got back to friendly lines.

The next one is one to remember. My grandfather and 2 other soldiers were on a jeep spooling out telephone wire from the F.O. back to the howitzers. As they were going down a small path through the woods the came up on a German patrol. Since they were heavily out-gunned, they jumped off of the jeep and ran for the trees. After he jumped off and started running, he realized that the other 2 had ran to the other side of the path. So he said that he kept running until he almost blacked out. He wandered around by himself for the next 18 hours trying to find friendly forces. He said that several times he could hear voices but could not tell if they were American or German. Even if they were American he couldnt just go running out to them for fear of friendly fire. After 18 hours he found the howitzers from his division. When he reported in they told him that his M.I.A. letter had already been typed up and was about to be sent out. After all of this was over he said his body just shut itself down from exhaustion.

He also told me that to keep com. up between the F.O. and the arty they could use either telephone or radio. Since the Germans could listen in on radio, they used telephones most of the time. He said the funny thing was that the telephones would ring when someone would call them so the F.O. would hold the wires in his hands and wait for them to shock him and then he would hook them up to the phone.

Other than that he has never really told me much about Europe.

[cinoeye]

Nice story. Didn't catch, is he still alive?
He did not talk to much about Europe, because of a granma;)

[dewafrost]

your grand father is 'ROCK!' may god bless him forever.....

[Heron]

your grand father is 'ROCK!' may god bless him forever.....
x2

great pics

[Dimebag]

Kickass pictures and stories,i like the speedos ;)

[Alpha Leader]

Thanks for shearing your familiytreasures with us.

Nice to see that the pics are in good shape.
Take good care of them, for your kids.

I salute your grandfather.

[JQ24]

Thanks for sharing your grandfather's pics. They're cool! Where in the Philippines was your grandfather stationed?

[Digital Marine]

Great pics, i enjoyed them:)

[ebola.EOD]

agree with IchHabe, these photos have a soul.Thank you!

[eatmars]

wow thanks for the photos

[Nebelwerfer.]

Great pics and stories. Thanks ;)

[Alex-L]

Excellent photos, thank you very much for sharing.

As for not signing up, I lurked for a long time for the same reasons you did, no worries, just know when to walk or run away..LOL

[Hellfish]

Great pics. Thanks!

[PeaceWithMyPiece]

Outstanding pics! One of the reasons I still come back to mil photos.

Thanks for the excellent contribution!

[demotivater]

Great pics. Thanks!

x2
........

[JustYourAverageJoe]

Great pics of your Grandpa, your photos are a nice trip back in time.

[Cpt. Spaulding]

great stuff man, sure your granpa was a good man

[kayaker]

Fantastic, much appreciated!! Lovede seeing the photos and reading the comments+storries

[tribal]

awesome pics, thanks! things like these keep the memories alive.

[khukuri]

thx
great thing man

[rambone]

I wish I had more pictures of my grandpa when he was in WWII, he was a navigator on a submarine hunting plane in the RAF, recently he passed away of old age. Literally he was jogging 2 miles a day one week before he passed.

[Big-Will]

I wish I had more pictures of my grandpa when he was in WWII, he was a navigator on a submarine hunting plane in the RAF, recently he passed away of old age. Literally he was jogging 2 miles a day one week before he passed.


Sorry for your loss. But that is amazing that he could still get around like that. My grandfather is in good health. He has had both knees replaced and I still can't keep up with him. He always has some type of project that he is working on now (mostly manual labor such as wood working and such) And you can't talk him out of anything he sets his mind too. He has been a preacher since around 1950 and he has traveled to every state in the U.S. He has also traveled in South America, Europe, and Asia. Almost everywhere I go in Alabama people tell me how he has touched their life. In my opinion, he has done pretty damn good for a South Alabama farm boy. BTW he still lives on the farm that his father started in 1905 and my father continues to run the farm today.

[Mark Proulx]

Great photos!

PM sent if you could reply to me at:

Proulxm@shaw.ca

Thanks

Mark Proulx

[Nerf Herder]

Excellent! When was he stationed in the Philippines? One of my grandfathers was captured by the japanese and died in a japanese prison camp

[Deep6]

Great Post...Thanks for sharing!!
My father served in the Philippines as well (Biak Island Mostly).
I don't have even one service photo of him (really wish I did)! You are lucky to have so many great photos of your grandfather..protect them, enjoy them, and treasure them (and ofcourse share them)!!

[AnUbIs]

Excellent photos , My dads friend was in field artillery stationed in the philipines and various place

[Big-Will]

He was on the main island in P.I.

[Generation Kill]

those are some great pictures man, thanks for sharing them

[The_MadMan]

Thank you for these excellent photo's!

[Nerf Herder]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/22.jpg

This was the old Jai Alai building on Taft avenue. It was built in 1939 and torn down in 2000.

http://img.timeinc.net/asiaweek/magazine/2000/0901/a.s_building.jpg

http://www.cyberdyaryo.com/images/photos/pic_0727_01.gif

http://www.cyberdyaryo.com/images/photos/pic_0727_02.gif

http://www.cyberdyaryo.com/images/photos/pic_0727_03.gif

[Big-Will]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/bigwill88/ww22/22.jpg

This was the old Jai Alai building on Taft avenue. It was built in 1939 and torn down in 2000.




Thank you! What was this building used for?

[Nerf Herder]

for Jai Alai matches and betting on them. There's a lot of these kind of places down in Florida. I take it your grandfather was a gambling man, eh? :)

[Big-Will]

The next one is one to remember. My grandfather and 2 other soldiers were on a jeep spooling out telephone wire from the F.O. back to the howitzers. As they were going down a small path through the woods the came up on a German patrol. Since they were heavily out-gunned, they jumped off of the jeep and ran for the trees. After he jumped off and started running, he realized that the other 2 had ran to the other side of the path. So he said that he kept running until he almost blacked out. He wandered around by himself for the next 18 hours trying to find friendly forces. He said that several times he could hear voices but could not tell if they were American or German. Even if they were American he couldnt just go running out to them for fear of friendly fire. After 18 hours he found the howitzers from his division. When he reported in they told him that his M.I.A. letter had already been typed up and was about to be sent out. After all of this was over he said his body just shut itself down from exhaustion.



Corrections to this story:

I talked to my grandfather again about his time in Europe and he told me this story again. They were not on a jeep. It was my Grandfather, the two F.O.s, and two more men helping the F.O.s set up on a hillside overlooking a town with German troops in it. My grandfather was about 30 yards to the right of the others when a German patrol walked right in between them. He said that the Major that was with them was a Yale graduate but he was still to dumb to set up proper security. He said when he saw the Germans "I thought that I was about to die." Somehow the patrol did not see the others but they were getting too close to my Grandfather so he slid off of the hill to his right to get away. He said that he could hear them comming in his direction so he got as far away as he could. He came close to one more patrol while in the woods but was able to hide. When he got back he was able to give some important information on enemy troop movements and because of this he was recomended for the bronze star, but he did not recieve it. He said that he has never told anyone other than me that he was up for the award. He also said that he believes it was because of his actions that day that he was given the battlefield commission. He said that he never told anyone that because it is a shameful act to make yourself out to be more than you are.

[JJHH]

Thanks for posting them!

[Laconian]

Thanks for posting the pics and stories. Great stuff.

[unit299_09]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v622/unit299_09/Harry.jpg

thats my grandfather winter '42 or'43 i cant remember surely..

[Durandal]

Fantastic photos.

[kayaker]

You're spot on there Durandal ;)

[Durandal]

You're spot on there Durandal ;)

Yeah, I've been meaning to scan in some Navy training pics my old man collected while he was Commander down at Pensacola from the 60s and 70s...

[kayaker]

Wow, that would be something too! When you got the time please do woot