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2006-12-01 - Scott B. Smith wrote: My Father,PFC Donald R. Smith served in the 66th. As a young boy I recall getting into his footlocker and gazing at all his medals. I wondered what it was like for him. I recall he would tell me what each medal was for but was very short when it came to his personal experience. So here I am. Researching....This can be overwhelming if anyone sees this and has information on my father please contact me. All I know is that he was a medic and truck driver. He died in 1984

2006-11-19 - Joyce Malone wrote: I stumbled on this site while searching for information on the 66th div. My father, Charles M. Rou, served with CO K 263rd Infantry. Daddy passed away on October 14, 2006 and as most veterans of that era, never talked much about what he did. I would love to hear from anyone who may have served with him or who has infomation about the 263rd.

2006-11-18 - Jon Wilson wrote: So pleased to have stumbled onto this site. My father, James A. Wilson II, was a Lt in the 66th Pather's medical corp. He passed in 1998 and afterwards I found his Bronze Star he received for performing his duties in May, 1945. Although I do not have an official account, my mother told me before he passed that Dad lead a couple of jeeps and other soldiers to go behind enemy lines to save some wounded solders. I don't know if they were successful or not. Dad never spoke of the "war" events. He would talk about receiving his medical training on the train to Pensicola, FLA wherein he would practive giving shots to oranges. If anyone has any information about my father's service in the 66th, please let me know. Thanks. Jon

2006-11-13 - Wilmer Laurits Rehberger wrote: My grandfather, Wilmer Laurits Rehberger served with the 66th, Black Panthers. He died in 1961 and we dont have a lot of information on his time in service but he might have been in the 66th Artillery, 66th Division. He has no stone or marker on his grave and I would like to get one put there. Unfortunatly his records, like most other WWII vets were destroyed in the big fire. If you know of him, served with him, have any information whatsoever of him I would appreciate hearing from you.

2006-11-12 - Harold Shull wrote: My dad was a 66er. 871st Field Artillery Battalion, Battery "C" I have done quite a bit of research on the 66th Division as he was another of those that didn't talk about his war experience. Probably the best website that I have found on the 66th Division is: http://www.66div.com/index2.html The webmaster is a 66er himself and has posted a great deal of information on the division as well as the "Leopoldville" sinking. This website has been around for several years however the web address has changed several times. The web address shown above is currently active. Good luck to all in the research of your loved ones.

2006-11-11 - Frank Stepongzi wrote: My father attended a 66th Panther Division reunion in the mid 1980's. Following the reunion, they published a Panther Veteran Organization Membership Directory (1986) and contains approximately 1200 names with unit/company designations. I scanned this in and have it available. Each page is individually scanned in high resolution with total file size of 11 MB. I plan to rescan it in a lower resolution to get the sizes down. If you are interested in a copy, email me and I'll send it.

2006-11-11 - Cassandra Joiner Winter wrote: Hello to all my fellow brothers & sisters, nieces & nephews--for that is how you all seem after reading many of your messages. My dad, T/Sgt Enman R. Joiner L Co 264th Infantry, is still living & tho in poor health has a mind sharpe as a tack. He was at Ft. Robinson, Camp Blanding & Ft. Rucker(where he met my mom)before being shipped out to England. He left Southhampton on that fateful Christmas Eve, however thru some snafu in the staging area his "L" Co. was not put aboard the correct ship, The Leopoldville, with everyone else. They were instead loaded onto the Cheshire... & that may be why I am here at all. No message that I have read makes mention of a book that was written about that whole event. It only came to my attention a number of years ago. It is an old, out of print book titled "A Night Before Christmas" & is the whole story written in very simple novel style. I was able to locate a copy for my dad & will get author & publisher & post them for those of you interested within the next few days. He was with the group that went to Lorient & from there on to Germany. The little hamlet where he was quartered on the Mosel(near Koblenz)is named Winnegan. I believe he was part of the group to be processed on to the Pacific, but he had enough 'points' to go home, which he did. He married the girl waiting for him back in Alabama & they are still together, tho she is now pretty much is primary care giver. He won a Bronze Star in that 'Forgotten War' at Lorient. I will be building a web page to share with you the rich stories & photographs he has given me & Sunday I will wear his Uniform to our Vetrans Service. And when I go to be with him on Sunday afternoon I will take printouts of some of these messages & begin reading them to him to see if he remembers any of the people you have asked about. Thank you for sharing your stories with me. Below is the link to the web page I have set up for my Dad, Enman R. Joiner. Please feel free to stop by & look at the pictures ... stories will follow soon ... I hope! Also a picture of the book "A Night Before Christmas" by Jacquin Sanders. Amazon.com currently shows 9 books available ... http://home.comcast.net/~nedsand/

2006-11-08 - LM Dvorak wrote: Until recently our family never knew the tragedy of the Leopoldville. My uncle, Willian Edward Bell (aka. Buck) was lost with it's sinking, any photos or info. would be appreciated. He was from Mc Curtain Co. Oklahoma. Thank You, LM Dvorak lillianmargosunny@yahoo.com

2006-10-29 - Greg Templeton wrote: Hi, I'm looking for information on my grandfather, who served in the 264th infantry regiment, 66th ID, A Company, according to old letterheads I found in his collection of wartime memorabilia. His name was Wilbert Roy Templeton, but for the time I knew him he went by Bill. Unfortunatley, he passed away several years ago, and of course I never had the foresight to record any of his stories. i do remember one or two, he told me of a time where he was on guard duty, and was firing at a circling German Messerschmidt from a jeep outside a capured german barracks, and ended up strafing the top floors of the barracks with his machine gun. He also told stories of being in the Ardennes under artillery fire, and clearing out towns, going house to house. He also served in the 104th ID, and I dont know when these events occured, so they might not be pertinent here. If anyone recalls the name or the stories, please contact me. Email is "kombatkarl67@yahoo.com" All information is greatly appreciated, as is the service of all you fighting men here. It is because of you brave few we read and write in english today! Thanks!

2006-10-21 - Charlie Clackett wrote: My grandfather, Henry Lewis Seitz served as a Staff Seargent in company "M" of the 262nd Regiment, 66th Infantry Division and traveled across the English Channel on the troopship 'Chesire' on Christmas Eve, 1944. I am assembling family history information about his experiences and was looking for any collaboration regarding photos or movments of this Regiment. Thank you!

2006-10-18 - Chris Tucci wrote: My Father Joseph Tucci fought with the 66th. He was in France. If anyone served with him I would like to here from you. He passed away in 1990. I am interested where he fought (Battles)

2006-10-17 - Beth Ferree wrote: My father, Donald Ferree, was in the 263rd Infantry 66th Division. He won a bronze star and was part of the intial group into Dachau. I have found letters he wrote while overseas and am putting them together into an ebook if anyone is interested. I will have the ebook up on my website for sale hopefully within the month. I will give the URL as soon as I have it purchased. If anyone else has personal papers or letters from this period that you would like to see published, please contact me as I am going to try for a print publishing after I've released it digitally. Also, I have the yearbook and quite a bit of other information here. My father was honored by the local Jewish association for heroism and he took photos of Dachau at the time of the liberation that are now in the museum in Germany. I think the family still has copies of those photos, but I'll have to go hunting for them. I'm a professional writer and I would like to create something that will honor our fathers and grandfathers' memories. Thanks, Beth

2006-10-14 - Terry Ciechowski wrote: My father Herbert Watson Morrison was in the battle at Casserine Pass. He was wounded there and was discharged from the army because of his injuries. Anyone that has any information about my Dad or might have known him I would love to hear from you.

2006-10-13 - amy hobbs wrote: my grandfather ronald milsom inlisted in 1940 he was a sapper and served in italy he never spoke about his experiances in the war he has been dead for 20 years and i have just recently found out he liberated a death camp , if any one has any information on anything please let me no thank you

2006-09-30 - Dee Wharton wrote: My husband was a survivor of the troopship Leopoldville. For all the years we were married (36 years) Christmas eve was always a nightmare. He never talked about the war, except he wrote he would not be coming home on the same boat. It was sunk in the channel. His name is not included in any of the books written about it. He was one of the few who were not accounted for before they shipped him out. His name is William T.(Tom or Willy) Wharton, born in Feb, 1926, listed from Mesquite, Nevada. If you have any information to share or pictures of the Leopoldville or 66th Panther Division, 264th Company G, please let me know or contact me with any comments you may have.

2006-09-28 - Anonymous wrote: I have a question requarding the origin of a belfy in a photo from 1945 (possible Koblenz Germany or France). If you have any knowledge on the subject, please contact me

2006-09-14 - Gerry L Humphrey wrote: Looking for info on army troop ships that left NYC on or about 1/31/46 heading for Le Havre France. Also on PFC Starkey Johnson Co C 15th Inf 3rd Div.Doing family history on him. Would appreciate any help.Does anyone know of apo's 272, 3, and 776 were located during WWII Thanks

2006-09-06 - John Surerus wrote: My father was on the Leoupoldville when it sank on Christmas eve and survived. Did anyone know him or serve with him?

2006-08-11 - Tim Ferris wrote: Hi All, My Father S/Sgt Rex E Ferris (1920-1974) served in the 66th Black Panther Division 721st Field Artillery in WWII .He was in charge of the Mess Hall. I Have Some information on where he served ( Bittany France ) . I also have a book with photos of all the men in the division .Unfortunately no names are included in the book.I will Gladly send a photocopy of any Battalion to anyone who requests it. Im looking for any information on the battalion movements. Any surviving Members of the 66th . there are a few name written in by my father who passed away in 1974 before I had the brains to talk to him about it .names written in are Lt. Barca ? Roy Ingstrom Nelms ?

2006-07-29 - Rev. Gene Boisseau usn-ret wrote: searching for a Pamphlet written by Lord, Stuart B. titled "A brief history of the 172nd Field Artillery,and the 197th Field Artillery & separate units of the NHANG. Concord NH: HQ,STARC, 1994, pp 23--30 (5 photo copied pages) UA330F76.1994.

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