30th Division Old Hickory

Good Morning,
My name is Volker Dederichs and I live in Würselen !
I am in contact with the descendants of PFC Allison R. Jackson,
and I have his last way reconstructed in Würselen.

Enclosed images and the German newspaper article.

Many greetings

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Mr. Watson,

My name is Adam Winegardner. My grandfather was Jack H. Geisel and served in the 30th Division, 120th Regiment, Co. D in World War II. He was a true patriot and a great man. Jack was a replacement and got to France sometime in August. He passed away almost three years ago and I am doing some research for myself and my family about his service. He didn't talk to us much about his experiences. I have just accomplished having his name added to the roster of the 30th Division

I have attached his DD 214. As you may notice, he was not credited with having participated in the Battle of the Ardennes (Battle of the Bulge). This is because he was in a hospital (in Paris I think) at the time recovering from a bad case of psoriasis. He was born with that skin disease and it is known to flare up when under stress. He said his skin was raw from head to toe before he asked to get it checked out. He did not return until after that battle was over. I'm not sure exactly whe

I know that years ago, some of his buddies from the army stopped to see him,sent letters/Christmas cards, and called him different times after the war, but at the time I asked him about them, he couldn't remember any names. He could however, remember his serial number. He said they asked you for it everywhere you went.

He told me some stories about his time during the war.
-He told of the night before/during the crossing of the Rhine River, that he could read a letter he received from his mother from the light of all the artillery shells being fired on the enemy before the crossing.
-When he received cigarettes in his rations, he traded them for candy because he didn't smoke.
-He ate his thanksgiving dinner that was brought up from the rear on a roof shingle because he no longer had his mess kit. (I'm not sure what happened to it.)
-He lost his toothbrush at some point and found another in a barnyard. Boiled it and used it until he got a new one.
-Said they took their first showers in a month in a coal mining town. The showers were at the coal mine and were for use of the coal miners but they got to use them. He couldn't remember what town it was, but thought maybe it was Spekholzerheide, Holland.
-Once they entered Germany they often found potatoes in rooms in the middle of the house. They would fry them and eat them. They also used the tablecloths for sheets.-They were being shelled (not sure when or where) but while he was digging a foxhole, he took off his long sleeved shirt because it was warm and threw it over a fence. When he went to get it back, it was rolled up in a ball with a large piece of shrapnel in the middle that burnt holes in it. He carried around that piece of shrapnel for a while then threw it out.
-Almost everyone got seasick on the way over to England and it took at least ten days because they went down towards South Africa to avoid U-boats. On the way back, however, he did not get seasick because he was so happy to be going home.
-He also mentioned being strafed and shelled sometimes by their own planes and artillery

It wasn't until after he died that I found the pictures I have attached to this e-mail. I never got to ask him who is in the pictures with him. I have also attached his obituary. If there is any way to put them on the website to ask if anyone knows who they are, I would like very much to do that. If not, it is no problem.
Thank you so much for all you do.

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Please click on link and help this great project move forward if you so feel inclined!!!!!

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Unbelievable addition of Van Heely photo collection...I'm continually amazed.

Looking for any information of Pvt. James H. Young, 117th Inf. Reg. Co. A !!!!

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A MUST HAVE BOOK detailing the 30th's battle movements and action in and around Stoumont and LaGleize!!!!!!!
Follow this link: http://www.panzerwrecks.com/ditm2info.html

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Albert P. Lavorin holding the flag

Norman E Wilson in front to the flag and Albert P. Lavorin holding the flag on the right

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Wonderful aerial photo of Alsdorf area November 18th, 1944 from Hans Hasenjager

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MY FATHER SERVED WITH THE 117TH, COMPANY K FROM AUG. 18TH TO VE DAY. IT IS TO HIM AND HIS FELLOW BRAVE COMRADES THAT THIS SITE IS DEDICATED.

It is the hope of this website that information can be made readily available for all who wish to have a better understanding of what these National Guard and replacement soldiers experienced in the ETO. The 30th Division was ranked as the TOP division in the ETO by Col. Marshall, GSC, Historian of the ETO. This site will make as much information available as time will allow. It is an ongoing labor-of-love. Please feel free to contact me with any information you may wish to share. I strive to make all items ACCURATE and to give CREDIT whenever due. If any item is listed incorrectly PLEASE contact me immediately. Most all photos and maps will appear as thumbnails, so clicking on each will enlarge them. Reading and printing of reports will require the Adobe Reader software which is free. I have provided a link on Reports page to assist in obtaining. I have found many family members of 30th Division vets to be actively seeking to learn more about their fathers' and grandfathers' military service. Please feel free to contact me with any and all questions.