WWII pictures

guido

Well-known Member
Hello,

This was after D-Day, when American troops reached the town. Just wanted to share what the town I lived in looked like. Destruction was @ 98.9%. The town is about 1000 years old. Here are some images from the many I have,

Guido.
a159425.jpg

a159426.jpg

a159427.jpg
 
During the 1990's I worked with a guy who had immigrated from Germany, still had a heavy accent. He remembered having to run to an underground shelter while around 10 years old. One time when they came out they found their house had taken a direct hit, nothing left. His dad was a German soldier, never came home, never found out when or where he met his demise. He was interesting and a true blue American.
 
I have an older friend whose father died fighting for Hitler. Somehow his mother got him out of Germany as a boy and got over here, found and married an old German farmer. The old mother passed away only a couple years ago. My friend, as is often the case, is so much more of an American patriot than those who never saw such hardship.
 
Time heals wounds, friend of mine was in the Army during the Korean conflict. After getting out of the Army he became a Wisconsin State Patrol officer. When he was posted in Northern Wisconsin he joined the local American Legion. He recalled how some of the Legion members were trying to get a mutual friend to join the Legion but the mutual friend kept turning them down. After about a year the mutual friend explained to the Legion members yes he did serve in World War II but in the German Army and he immigrated to the US in the 50's.
 
Hello,

I see lots of questions. Plenty to tell. I have to go now, but promise to tell more, later....

Guido.
 
It is amazing that anyone live thru that. We have a friend that was 13 years old and his family got him out of Germany. He never knew if any of his family lived thru it until a few years ago. He found all his brothers and sisters and went and saw them. Where I was stationed at in 1970 the town was almost flatted during the war. I worked along side with the germans and several of them had been POW's. They always told us GI's that if the german army knew how they would be treated back in the US the whole army would have gave up. I have a family over there that I was friends with and still am today. When I was over there the last time I found out from the mother what it was like to be on the recieving end of the bombs. She showed me pictures that she had of before and after. She also showed me one picture taken of her family and I was in it which brought tears to my eyes, It was a family picture of all of them with me in it and I was labeled on the back as a son. When I was there the trees around Depot looked like they do here after a tornado goes thru. I only wish the internet had been around then. They are still finding bombs that did not go off. One was found about 50 yards from the house I used to live in and another on main street in town
 
Thats got to be Italy and Monte Cassino? My grandpa fought in Italy in the 91st Inf Div. I would love to visit someday.
 
I agree with you ssgshelton. I think this is Italy and Monte Cassino. I had an Uncle who served with the 91st Cavalry Recon Regiment (mechanized). They were scouts and wore the 91st ID patch, but operated independently of the 91st and scouted for numerous infantry and armored division. They reported directly to Army II Corps.
They served in Africa, Sicily and Italy and basically took jeeps and half tracks and on foot and went ahead of the main body and were scouts to locate enemy position and if found, they had to fight their way back.
My uncle served in the Rome-Arno campaign, in Pisa and the North Appenine Mountain campaign.
 
Hello MarkB_MI,

I grew up on those ruins, well not all of them, but I saw a lot of the destruction, and the recovery from the war. Lost one of my friends, 14 years old. We would go junking when farmers turned the fields over. Scrapping for war metal for pocket money, He found a whole bomb while we were scrapping. Took it home and while there he set it off. I can still here is mother scream! Lots of war stories. It would open up too many memories. WAY to many to tell here. I came as a teenager with the shirt on my back, and lots of hopes. Doing the American dream. Did my stint in the Army, became a citizen, paid my dues, and all is well. Thanks for the interest...........

Guido.
 
Hello ssgshelton,

It is Italy, but Montecassino is about an hour away from my town. It sits between Anzio and Montecassino. Plenty of air bombing made the town look like the pictures,

Guido.
 
Hello Ivan

My mother dug one out of our garden! It did not go off though. It was detonated by the bomb team at the disposal site,

Guido.
 
Hello Wile E,

The town is Castelforte. U tube has videos. The town has a web site, but it is in Italian. There was a way to se it in English, but I don't see it now? Here is the link,

Guido.
My towns Link
 
Hello Deere scotty,

May be you want company? I do speak the lingo HA! HA! You only regret the things you did not do!

Guido
 
Hello hanovertom,

Pictures do not do justice to the devastation!
To-day it has recovered, and the memories are a bit mellow, NOT BY MUCH!


Guido.
 
Hello Bob Bancroft,

The town is in the Roman region, but closer to Naples. I was a teenager when I came to the U.S.
The ship I came in was the U.S.S. Constitution.
There was a twin ship called the Independence, Cunard Lines.
Took 9 days from Naples to N.Y.

Guido.
 
Hello ryanwheelock,

I don't know about the rest of Europe, but my town was pretty muck rebuilt by the 50's. Some scars were still there when I left, but the towm had pretty much recovered,

Guido.
 

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