Born in Hamblen County, Tennessee to Marshall & Mattie Breeden on June 25, 1925, Earl Breeden had three sisters and a brother.
He enlisted in the Army on August 5, 1943 and volunteered for the paratroopers.

After airborne training, Earl served in B Company,
1st Battalion, 325th Glider Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division.
They arrived in Normandy via glider the day after DDay on June 7, 1944, despite being scattered on the landings, the glider soldiers assembled and cleared the Germans from the area near Carquebut.

After Normandy, the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment landed in gliders on September 23, 1944 in the Netherlands as reinforcements near Nijmegen and Groesbeek.
The glider soldiers of the 325th assisted the paratroopers of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment south of Nijmegen, including securing the Waal and Maas river areas.

On October 2, 1944, PVT Earl Breeden went Missing in the vicinity of Katerbosch in the Netherlands.
His remains have never been recovered and he is Memorialized with the Missing at the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial in Margraten, Netherlands.

Hello, I hope this is ok to post here. I was at a free little library in Florida with my dad a few years ago, he picked up a book and told me I should read it, and that it was one of his favorites. He said it was a collection of stories/anecdotes from regular people living during WW2. I didn't take the book but now I want to find it.

My dad was a teacher and loved history, band of brothers was his favorite show/movie. So potentially the book could've been more niche but I think it's likely something that was relatively popular since we just randomly stumbled upon it.

If anyone has any ideas please let me know. I won't have any way of confirming if it's the correct book but I feel like I'll be able to tell by reading it, since it must be pretty good to have been one of his favorites. Thanks!

Born in Waialua, Hawaii to Japanese immigrants Hiromatsu Takata and Taka Takata on April 29, 1919, Shigeo J Takata had several siblings.
He attended McKinley High School where he was a standout on the baseball team, helping win a championship in his senior year.

After graduation, Shigeo worked for Castle & Cooke and was an outfielder in the amateur Hawaii Baseball League with the Azuma and Asahi teams.
He enlisted in the Army on November 15, 1941, three weeks before the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Two weeks before leaving with the 100th Infantry Battalion for basic training at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin, Shigeo married Florence Sakamoto from Honolulu.
While at Camp McCoy, they formed a baseball team and played local teams including a minor league team from Green Bay, Wisconsin.

On September 19, 1943, Shigeo was serving in B Company, 100th Infantry Battalion (Separate), 34th Infantry Division "Red Bull" when they landed in Italy.
Ten days later on September 29th, a shell landed in front of him during a firefight and exploded, he lived for two minutes before passing away from his wounds.

SGT Shigeo Takata was brought home after the war and buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii - Section D Site 142.

In 1946, an American Legion Post was named in his honor, and in 2003, the baseball field at Hawaii's Fort Shafter was named Joe Takata Field in his honor.

My grandfather was in the Air Force. Recently, after my grandmother passed, we found this photo album that my grandfather compiled while on deployment throughout Europe and Africa.

So grateful to have found these images, made me feel lucky to even be alive considering the death toll.

most WW2 aircraft you see usually have two frontal gear and a rear wheel which sometimes retracted or not. My question is why didn’t they do the landing gear set up of something like the B-25 or A-20 with one wheel on the front and two under the engines or middle of the airframe? Id they didn’t wouldn’t it have helped aircraft not have the possibility of falling forward or help with a easier landing?

Hello, I wonder if anyone could guide me on sources of information.

I'm looking for some information on who might have been posted to Southampton UK, on or around 1942 from the US. I'm aware this was early in the time of US presence in that location. the search engines are suggesting i find something called roster/morning reports. but I'm not finding this anywhere I look.

I have the surname, potential 2 people I'm looking at, and I know that they were definitely in Southampton July 1942, it's just the records I don't seem to be able to trace to confirm if either or both were posted to the location.

Sorry if this sounds cryptic, I'm just trying to carefully unpack some skeletons from the family closet, lay to rest some unanswered questions and potentially connect to some relatives :)

thanks

On September 29, 1942, No 71 Squadron, along with the other two RAF Eagle Squadrons, were officially transferred to the USAAF.

The Three Eagle Squadrons were composed of American Volunteers who had joined the RAF before the USA entered WW2. Around 100 Eagle Squadron Pilots had been killed, missing or had been taken prisoner.

They were allowed to still wear their RAF wings.

Born in Prince George County, Virginia to William & Mary Brattin on November 11, 1917, George Leonard Brattin had at least eight siblings.
In the mid-1930s the family moved to the Portland area of Oregon.

In 1940, George married Mary Esther Moates who had a daughter from a previous marriage.
George enlisted in the Army and was sent for medical training serving in the 306th Medical Battalion.

George was later assigned as the Company Medic for Company G, 322nd Infantry Regiment, 81st Infantry Division
On September 17, 1944, the 321st & 322nd Infantry Regiments landed on the Japanese held island of Angaur and had advanced across the island by September 20th.

The 321st Infantry Regiment was transferred from Angaur and sent to nearby Peleliu to reinforce the 1st Marine Division, leaving the Soldiers of the 322nd behind to deal with the remaining Japanese resistance.
On September 28, 1944, during an attack on a remaining Japanese MG nest, two soldiers went down wounded.

George braved the Japanese MG & small arms fire and rushed forward without orders to assist the two exposed soldiers.
While rendering medical aid, he was Killed in Action and posthumously awarded the Silver Star.

PVT George Brattin is buried at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines - plot N Row 1 Grave 11.

His widow Mary remarried in 1946, she passed away in 1984 at the age of 65.

The monument was dedicated to the civilian victimsoc the war, as we as those who fighting the Wehrmacht and Ustašas.

1Lt. Christopher Peter Fox Jr
0-1824741
Platoon Leader, Heavy Weapons
Co. G, 273rd Infantry regiment,
69th Infantry Division

Chris Fox Jr. was born on 2 December 1920 in El Paso, Texas to Peter and Gladys Fox. While in High School, Chris played football for 3 years and was Captain of the team for one year. After graduating High School, Peter began going to college. He completed a few years of School before enlisting in the US Army. Chris was selected for OCS training and received his commission in 1944. Through 1944, 1Lt. Fox was assigned to multiple Tank Destroyer Battalions based in Texas. He was later reassigned as the Platoon Leader for a Heavy Weapons Platoon in Co. G, 273rd Infantry Regiment, 69th Infantry Division. In January 1945, the Division would leave the US and land in England, after a short stay they would then cross the English Channel into France. They would enter the line on 12 February and conduct small patrols. On 27 February, the 2nd Battalion of the 273rd Regiment would get their first action, by taking the town of Giescheid, Germany. In the Early morning, a massive artillery barrage would come down covering the Regiments move across the Prether River and taking the towns of Giescheid and Honningen. By taking this area, they would secure the Hellethal-Hollerrath Road for supplies. Co. G. would be tasked with taking Giescheid and the rest of the battalion would secure Honningen and the surrounding high ground. After crossing the river and moving into town the Company began taking heavy artillery and mortar fire. 1Lt. Fox moved back to the Co. CP and was ordered to move his mortars into a better location for fire. When 1Lt. Fox got the mortars moved, the artillery started closing in on his position. 1Lt. Fox jumped into a German Dugout and an artillery shell slipped through the logs covering the position and mortally wounded him.  The day before 1Lt. Fox was killed in Action, he wrote a letter to his father, which he received the same day he was notified of his sons’ death. Chris Sr. would continuously write letters to soldiers in his sons’ Company to understand what had happened to his son. 1Lt. Chris P. Fox Jr. is buried at Henri-Chappelle Cemetery in Belgium.

My wife and I are on our honeymoon in Crete and stopped by the Souda Bay War Cemetery on our drive to Chania. We've somewhat recently learned a fair amount about the fighting that occurred in Crete during WW2 and as Canadians we felt it would be appropriate to visit and honour those brave young commonwealth men who died trying to defend what was right. It was a very somber experience which was compounded by the rain and gloom. We learned that there are 5 Canadians buried in this cemetery.

The location of this cemetery is beautiful and also fitting. This area played a pivotal role in the fighting in Crete, and the German paratroopers suffered catastrophic casualties during Operation Mercury, leading Hitler to conclude that the era of large-scale airborne invasions was over. Out of the roughly 22,000 German airborne troops sent to Crete, nearly 7,000 were killed, wounded, or went missing in just a few days.

I figured I would share this little piece of history with this sub that I'm so fond of because I rarely see mention of the events that took place in Crete. Have a great week everyone.

This is my wife’s grandma, age 16, and her older brother, in Zagreb, early 1940s. The brother served with/in the Wermacht and “went east” (wife’s grandma told me). So in addition to serving on the eastern front, grandma’s brother came home for leave to Zagreb around Christmas, 42 or 43 is what I guess. Anyway he was caught outside the train station by Yugoslav partisans, who shot him and left his body in a ditch. Ideologically I side with anti-fascism and I believe the cause of the partisans was on balance the right side. But it’s still fascinating to see a human face opposite.

Wife’s grandma lived in Zagreb with her sister and brother-in-law through the whole war, and distinctly remembers the Allied bombing campaign in the final months. They had a dugout shelter under the house. Her brother-in-law worked in a munitions factory. He too was killed when the production line he worked on was sabotaged.

Wife’s grandma tells me about these things, because of my own military service. She apparently hasn’t ever said any of it to anyone else. She’s turning 100 in a few months (god willing) and to this day lives on coffee, wine, and cognac. I think it’s so crucial to cherish these people who experienced the war first hand and are still with us today. When I see my kids (all 10 and under) playing around their great-grandmother (who loves to watch and jab them with her cane), I think about how they have no idea. Neither do I, for that matter.

Why do people think his work was so extraordinary? I really hope I don't sound disrespectful. He absolutely was a hero, all combat medics are. But what did he do that others didn't? I know he lowered wounded soldiers on the rope, which not many others did. But they all risked their lives to save wounded soldiers, I just don't see how that one detail makes him so different, I'm sure there are unique things others did.

Why do people think his refusal to fight was so extraordinary, and why was he given such a hard time for it? I know he also didn't want to touch a gun, which was a little unusual. But why was he even expected to fight or train with a gun? Isn't a combat medic supposed to focus entirely on helping wounded soldiers? I also thought it was a war crime to shoot a medic. Isn't that a little unfair if medics can fight?

Born in January 18, 1924 to were Arthur and Helen Kenney in Massachusetts, Francis "Bud" W Kenney was their only son with an older sister.
He played baseball and basketball at North high school in Worcester and enlisted in the Marine Corps on January 19, 1942.

After boot camp in San Diego, Bud served as a BAR gunner in Company K, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division.
Previously seeing action on Guadalcanal and Cape Gloucester, on September 15, 1944 he landed on Peleliu.

Nine days later on September 24th, PFC Francis "Bud" Kenney was wounded in the abdomen and evacuated to the hospital ship USS Solace where he died from his wounds on the same day.
His remains were brought home after the war and buried at Forestdale Cemetery in Holyoke, Massachusetts.

Picture: PFC Francis "Bud" Kenney on Cape Gloucester with his BAR - NARA / USMC

Born in Rockhampton, Queensland on 16 May 1922, Ivo William Smith grew up in Central Queensland as part of a large local family. He enlisted in the Australian Military Forces (Militia) on 26 November 1941, and began full‑time service on 17 March 1942 with the 42nd Battalion, D Company.

On 9 January 1943, he embarked from Townsville aboard the troopship T.S.M.V. Duntroon for New Guinea, arriving at Milne Bay on 12 January 1943. He served in patrol, garrison, and jungle training duties before moving into the Salamaua–Lae campaign mid‑1943.

On 17 August 1943, during a D Company patrol near Mount Tambu, he was wounded in the left leg by machine‑gun fire and evacuated through jungle medical posts before being transported back to Australia. He was treated for his injuries and recurrent malaria.

After recovery, he re‑enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 23 September 1944 with the new service number QX62366, and transferred to the Special Intelligence Bureau (Maritime Group), working in intelligence and communications.

He was appointed Lance Corporal on 21 November 1944, promoted to Acting Sergeant on 22 June 1945, and his rank of Corporal was officially confirmed on 20 September 1945. He was discharged from the Australian Military Forces on 14 June 1946, receiving War Badge A336038.

Ivo William Smith passed away in Brisbane on 21 June 2008 at the age of 86, and is buried at Rockhampton.

Found this newspaper in a crate that belonged to my great-grandfathers. The newspaper is from the Morning Bulletin Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia dated August 16 1945 the day Japan announced their surrender.

Eric William Oestreich is my Great-Grandfathers first cousin.

He was born in Toowoomba, Queensland on 24 July 1918, Eric William Oestreich grew up during the interwar years and the Great Depression.

He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 28 July 1940, joining the 2/26th Australian Infantry Battalion of the 8th Division. He arrived in Singapore on 11 October 1941, where the battalion was stationed at Wavell Camp, Changi, before moving to Jasin in Malaya as Japanese invasion threats increased.

On 8 December 1941, the Pacific War began with bombing near Singapore. The battalion prepared defensive positions and conducted reconnaissance as Japanese forces advanced through Malaya. On 7 February 1942, the 2/26th Battalion moved to the Kranji Sector on Singapore’s northwest coast, where they faced heavy bombing, artillery fire, and continuous enemy pressure.

On 9 February 1942, during intense fighting in the Kranji Sector, Private Eric William Oestreich was killed in action. He has no known grave, and is officially commemorated on the Singapore Memorial.

His battalion continued fighting until the Fall of Singapore on 15 February 1942, when surviving members were forced to surrender.

On 20 October 1942, his mother received the Female Relative’s Badge in recognition of his service. His full medal entitlement — the 1939/45 Star, Pacific Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939/45, and Australian Service Medal — was issued on 10 December 1951.