Single Image Veteran Gallery

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Bill Almond, 261 Medic

Charlie Co., 365th Medical Battalion, Camp Shelby, Mississippi, April 1944. My grandfather Joseph Rodino is middle row, first from left, from Troy, N

Ebay Pictures

Do you recognize anyone or any place in these photos?

John F Amm

260C

SSGT Louis S Amonson

259th Canon Co

SSGT Louis S Amonson

259th Canon Co

"St Vaillery, France"

Cedric S Baldwin

259E

"My father, Germany WWII - Sergeant Cedric S Baldwin, 65th Infatry Division"

Emil F Beck

259HQ

"My first year of service"

May 28, 1943

William J. Blanchfield was born and raised in NYC, the son of Irish Immigrants. He was raised as Billy. Our Sgt Bill Blanchfield was 20 yrs old when called up to serve in 1943. He had an opportunity to attend schools in Pittsburgh and Gainesville, Florida before joining the 65thDivision, 259th Infantry Reg’t (Company “K”) of General Patton’s 3rdArmy. On 31 Dec 1944 he staged for deployment at Camp Shanks in New York, and on 10 January 1945, he sailed aboard USS Monticello (AP-61), arriving in LeHavre, as we know, 21 Jan 1945.

Virtually all of these photos were in a box that our Dad had stashed away in our compact NYC apartment. Significant enough not to discard, he apparently didn’t feel they would interest his five kids. I understand that. 

A vivid memory of my Dad’s experience in World War II, on a personal level, was the fact that we would watch two programs on television that were popular in the 1962 timeframe - “Combat” on Tuesday night and “The Gallant Men” on Saturdays. We never missed an episode. Funny memory. Another memory I have was if our Mom was away for supper and Dad had to cook dinner for five kids, it was quite frequently fried chicken, and he’d share that he learned how to make fried chicken in Europe using his helmet. A good sea story or the truth, who knows? We enjoyed the story.

After our Dad passed away in 1991 as a relatively young man (68 yrs old), my Mom did not disturb the box of photos for many years. I eventually was given the photos as I had an interest in preserving them. They have only recently been scanned to preserve a time in Bill Blanchfield’s life. We’ll still retain the photos, I’m certain, and protect the scanned photos. These my brother and sisters and I will hopefully share with our own children and grandchildren.

While scanning, I was intrigued by the photos taken of individuals. These men were buddies in war, on an adventure they didn’t choose, but an adventure nonetheless. I believe they wanted a pictorial memory. As the war came to a close in Spring of ’45, there are many posed photos which I’m certain were mementoes. I’m sure these men knew that once they returned to the states, they’d disperse and the memory of comradeship, along with a photo perhaps, would be all they’d have to remember the experience. One scan enclosed is simply three signatures on a card, which our Dad retained. Following V-E Day, many men were reassigned to other units as part of the Occupation Force. Sgt Blanchfield spent some time with 6th Division and then helped run the Division Exchange (PX) in 9th Division.

Herman Bowers

261L3BN