Monday, January 11, 2016

Army song, Minnesota, 18th Regiment, The Fighting First, 1st Battalion, July 4, 1945, Company A

*update on 11/15/16- more photos added to bottom of page*

I wasn't sure where I should post this- on our blogs or just in our personal family history. Given it has other names of those who served in the military and the song is something others might have sang in the military/heard from their loved ones who served, I decided it should be shared with others. There are two parts to this post:

1) The song- This was something my grandfather reminded me of when he was in the hospital dying- we reminisced on stories of the past. He actually brought this up asking if I recalled him singing this to me when I was a child. Per my father, grandpa always use to sing his war songs at the cabin in the morning while smoking cigarettes. His name was Ellsworth Gunderson of Minnesota. He was in the Army. Here is the song...


We’re captain snyder raider,

Raider of the night,

Dirty little bastards

Who’d rather pluck than fight,

Heidi, deity, Christ almighty, who are we,

Whiz wham god damn,

We’re the infantry.




2) The pamphlet with transcription at bottom.















Here is the transcribed pamphlet:

THE FIGHTING FIRST

18th Regiment, 1st Battalion, A Company

Schloss Schwarzenberg (under photo)

July 4th 1945



DUTY FIRST

To the members of Company 'A' who have lived, fought and marched together; I heartily commend the fine spirit of cooperation and loyalty which you have shown toward one another. I think you are the finest group of fighting men in the U. S. forces.

Be thankful that we can celebrate this 169th anniversary of Independence Day without the sound of battle in our ears; and remember to pay tribute to those who gave their all so that we might enjoy, just this.

CLEMENT C. VAN WAGONER,
Capt. 18th Inf.
Commanding.


JULY FOURTH NINETEEN FORTY FIVE
MENU

Breakfast
French Toast with Honey
Fried Eggs
Whole Wheat Cereal
Grapefruit Juice Sweetened
Coffee, Milk, Sugar

Dinner
Southern Fried Chicken
Potatoes, mashed with butter
Gravy Brown
Creamed Sweet Peas
Fruit
Vanilla Ice Cream with Cake
Bread, Butter
Coffee, Cream, Sugar

Suppper
Meat
Escalloped Potatoes
Creamed Gravy
Combination Salad
Spiced Salami
Sweet Pickle Relish
Butterscotch Pudding
Bread and Butter
Lemonade

OUR OFFICERS

Lt. Col. Henry G Learnard Jr. Battalion Commander
Major Robert E Murphy Battalion Executive Officer

BATTALION STAFF

Capt. Harry F Carey S-1
Capt. Robert L Bowers S-3
1st Lt Alfred J Kiekbush S-2
1st Lt John B Poole S-4

COMPANY OFFICERS

Capt. Clement C Van Wagoner Company Commander
1st Lt Nathan H Nordin Company Executive Officer
1st Lt Orville W Overmoe 2nd Platoon
1st Lt Walter H Burt Jr. 3rd Platoon
1st Lt Robert N English 1st Platoon
2nd Lt Eugene Musial 1st Platoon
2nd Lt William Hale Weapons Platoon
2nd Lt Lawrence H Murphy 2nd Platoon


COMPANY HEAD QUARTERS
1st Sgt Santora, Edward F.

Communications
Sgt Wier
Cpl Olson
Pfc Knueve
T/5 Kelleher
Pfc Plastini
Pfc Barclay
Pfc Manci
Pfc Pasciac
Pfc Dubow
T/4 Baker

Supply
S/ Sgt Reaume
S/ Sgt Connor
Pfc Rhodes
Pfc Lamprecht

Kitchen
S/Sgt Metts
T/4 Anderson
T/5 Varpness
Pfc Davis
Pfc Kirchner
Pfc Zaverl
Pfc Dorsey
Cpl Anderson
Cpl Moore
Cpl Watkins
Pfc Freshwater
Pfc Godbehere
Pvt Hurley
Pfc Argenti
Pfc Niederfringer
S/Sgt Skorupa
Sgt Schmit

FIRST PLATOON
Platoon Hq

T/Sgt Raymer
S/Sgt Boser
Pvt Bennett
Pfc Williams

1st Squad
Sgt Smith
Pfc Byrom
Pfc Acuna
Pfc LaVigne
Pfc Vecchione
Pfc Hester
Pfc Case
Pfc Lazure
Pfc Chichester
Pfc Miller, Benjamin
Pvt Giles
Pvt Davis, Pearl
Pfc Parr
Sgt Beck

2nd Squad
S/Sgt Dunkin
Pfc Hutson
Pfc Haywood
Pfc LeBlanc
Pvt Mlcek
Pfc Hosterman
Pfc Rients
Pfc Bird
Pvt Counts
Pfc Lombardi
Pvt Jeanes
Pfc Stevens
Pvt Slocum
Pfc Adams
Sgt Ashcraft

3rd Squad
Sgt Magnani
Pfc Fulco
Pfc Campbell, Wm C
Pfc Gordon
Pfc Cewe
Pfc Weber
Pvt Peet
Pfc Underwood
Pfc Pischl
Pfc Cox
Pfc Veague
Pfc Wahl
Pvt Kiess
Sgt Kessler
Pfc Pitt
Pfc Fish
Pvt Spampinato
Pfc Carter

SECOND PLATOON
Platoon Hq

T/Sgt Adams
T/Sgt Schmidt
S/Sgt Spain
Pfc Jones
Pfc Prickett
T/3 Tipton

1st Squad
S/Sgt Hogya
Pfc Kyriazes
Pvt Guereca
Pvt Campbell, Wm H.
Pfc Longwell
Pfc Hile
Pfc McNeill
Pfc Christensen
Pfc Landry
Pvt Morris
Pfc Hager
Pvt Foster
Pfc Cowan
Sgt Wiseman

2nd Squad
S/Sgt Farley
Pfc Smith, R. J.
Pfc Cohen
Pfc Hiland
Pvt Tucker
Pfc Reed
Pvt Shifflett
Pvt Mohler
Pfc Bakken
Pfc Thompson
Pfc Stertzell
Pvt Elwyn
Pfc Hintz
Cpl Harris

3rd Squad
S/Sgt Llewellyn
Pfc Penner
Pfc Falkner
Pfc Liles
Pfc Backus
Pfc Call
Pfc Ham
Pfc DiMauro
Pfc Huckins
Pfc Koenig
Pfc Barry
Pvt DeLoggio
T/4 Shipman

THIRD PLATOON
Platoon Hq
T/Sgt Parfitt
Sgt Foust
Pfc Homrich
Pfc Haggerty

1st Squad
S/Sgt Phillips
Pfc Shute
Pfc Allen
Pfc Martin
Pvt Diaz
Pfc Was
Pfc Garrison
Pfc Miller
Pvt Blair
T/5 Herrin
Pvt Miller, Andrew
Pvt Carter, James H.

2nd Squad
Sgt Craven
Pfc Kaufman
Pfc Riley
Pfc Austin
Pfc Golden
Pfc Hunt
Pvt Harper
Pfc Farrell
Pvt Hopkins
Pfc Surber
Pvt Brosmer
Sgt O’Callaghan
Pfc Griffith
Pvt Curatolo
S/Sgt Blankenship

3rd Squad
S/Sgt Stewart
Pfc Hensen
Pfc Taylor, Roy
Pfc Quillin
Pvt Lamothe
Pfc Bauer
Pfc Mugg
Pvt Mayer
Pfc Rumpf
Pfc Ruyle
Pvt Miller, Andrew B.
Sgt Alexander
Cpl Eisele
Pfc Taylor, H. L.
Pfc Huskins
Pfc Casaburi
Sgt White
Pfc Crews

WEAPONS PLATOON
Platoon Hq
T/Sgt Sullivan
Pfc Hughes

60 mm Mortar Section

S/Sgt Loviglio
Pfc Hughes

1st Squad
Pfc House
Pfc Ferris
Pfc Mullen
Pfc Hunt
Sgt Sarosy
Pfc Feest

2nd Squad
Pfc Johnson
Pfc Dekker
Pvt Zapico
Pfc Vandever
Pvt King
Pfc Brunner

3rd Squad
Sgt Gabrys
Pfc Vaccarello
Pfc Ealy
Pfc Kasabian
Pfc Helt
Pvt Duberstein

LMG Section
Sgt Sperando
Sgt Crull


1st Squad
Sgt Howdyshell
Pfc Pickett
Pfc Gunderson
Pfc Ritchhart
Pvt Friesenhahn
Pvt Putnam
Pfc McGill, J. C
Pvt Herman
Pfc Rogness

2nd Squad
Sgt Stanley
Pfc McGill
Cpl Harrell
Pfc Augino
Pvt Mason
Pfc Bryant
Pvt Holsonbake

Transportation
Pvt Chesnut
Pfc Conner
Pfc Burns
Pfc Anderson
Pfc Kosky
Pfc Welsh

Original Woodcuts by ELLY JUENGLING-WIESNER
Printed by FR. HOFMANN, NUERNBERG, now SCHEINFELD




The two pages above are wallet size copy of our grandfather's service records. They are exactly like the larger ones we have. Yes, hard to read since they were in his wallet.

 The First Division Monument, May 20, 1946



This is a certificate for a pistol he brought home. This is no longer in our possession. Not sure where it ended up.

Below are what we think are certificates for more gun/s he brought home.





1 comment:

  1. Great Post! There are actually many pictures online that show 18th IR members on occupation Duty at Scheinfeld/Schwarzenberg Castle.

    ReplyDelete