716th Tank Battalion

Discussion in 'US Units' started by 716_Grandson, Aug 1, 2008.

  1. 716thresearcher

    716thresearcher Junior Member

    I located some more old photos of my uncle and members of his unit. The attached photo of my uncle (kneeling, on right) and four buddies appears to have been taken at Camp Chaffee, AR in late 1943 or early 1944. I'm curious whether this represents the crew of his tank (the number of crew members is right) or simply five friends. All of the faces appear in other photos posted elsewhere in this thread.

    Perhaps a follower of this thread will recognize a relative here.
     

    Attached Files:

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  2. DaveFe

    DaveFe Member

    Thanks for this info. Have been away from this forum for a while but want to get back. My father Mario Ferro was in the Service Company and writes in letters to my uncle who was 15 then about being in the Lingayen invasion as well as New Guinea. He often talked about being on an LST in his diary, but did not mention the name. Now I see USS Belle Grove LSD-2 carried elements of the Service Company. Still don't know which LST but he did comment that he didn't understand how the "boys" could sleep below deck with the tanks as it was so hot down there.
    A map from The Liberation of the Philippines (Samuel Eliot Morison) shows the 3 White and 2 Blue Beaches were at the far left of the invasion forces at San Fabian - Vice Admiral Barbey carrying the 43rd Division TF 78.1 at the White Beaches1-2 facing Mabilao, White Beach 3 facing San Fabian, Blue Beaches 1-2 were a few thousand yards to the right (South) with 6th Infantry Division TF 78.5..
    Have to reread all this. Many of the books at the library have been discarded; not taken out enough.
    The appendix to the above book does list all of the naval forces and commanders. TF 78.5 shows LSD Belle Grove with Cdr. Morris Seavey USNR. The Tractor Unit shows 30 LSTs under Capt. O. R. Swigart plus many other vessels. I'll try to scan these pages.

    I see many more photos and even videos. Eager to look for my father.
     
  3. 716thresearcher

    716thresearcher Junior Member

    DaveFe,
    My guess is that the elements of the Service Company landed from the Belle Grove were some of the company's transport vehicles and other assorted equipment related to service functions. Remaining personnel could certainly been transported on an LST, and then joined up with their equipment on the beach.

    Elsewhere above I alluded to the fact that not everything always went according to plan. If you'd like to understand the enormity of the total landing operation, check out the Ike Skelton Combined Arms Research Digital Library website, search for and download the "Musketeer Mike I" planning document. I would attach it here, but I think it exceeds the allowable size limit for uploads for this site. Once you look at that in detail, you'll see that various elements of the 716th Tank Battalion were not always landed where the plan originally assigned them to land. Subsequently, and to their credit, those units improvised on the fly and made things work.
     
  4. Harlock

    Harlock Junior Member

    I've since heard from descendants of Leo's crew, giving me more detail on they day he died while taking Hill 355.
     
  5. emtguy89

    emtguy89 New Member

    In all the documents posted I have been unable to find a PFC Russell C. Jones, whose grave marker says he was with C/716th Tank Bn, and the online National Archives search says he enlisted 6-28-1944. There's one cropped photo here that looks suspiciously like me, the man on the left of the attached photo. Russell was my grandfather, who died in 1963 long before I was born. Sadly a lot of old links in this thread aren't working anymore.
     

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  6. Brandon Kaufman

    Brandon Kaufman New Member

    Hello all,

    I am the grandson of William Sechrest who served in D Company of the 716 Tank Battalion. I've read through this entire thread and I am awestruck and thankful that it exists and that family members have actually connected on here. My grandpap passed away when I was 9 years old, but I've been fascinated with WWII ever since I found out that he served - running across a thread like this is really a dream come true, as it is filled with tons of information that I've wanted for years.

    He earned a Purple Heart while in the service, but unfortunately I haven't come across his name in any of the AAR's or anything that includes information on wounded in action. We were always told he got shot in the butt, a la Forrest Gump, I guess.

    If anyone has anymore resources that could lead me to more information on his time in the service that would be great. I'm also always on the lookout for further information on the actions of D Company as well.

    Take care,

    Brandon

    I forgot to add...

    I've seen some people post individual reports that included things like proficiency with different weapons and things like that from their training exercises. How did you find this? Where could I find something similar for my grandfather?
     

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  7. 716thresearcher

    716thresearcher Junior Member

    Hello Brandon,

    There are many links in this thread, some of which, unfortunately, are no longer functioning. You may want to begin with reading the 716th unit history. Page 12 of this thread has a link (which is functional; I just checked it) where you can download a copy. There are several versions of it in different stages of completeness and legibility. Also check out the US Army "green books" series The US Army in World War II. The War in the Pacific: Triumph in the Philippines, by Robert Ross Smith. It's the high-level strategic overview but many actions are described at a fairly granular level. It is a great information resource and will point you toward additional research resources, including primary source documents. Larger libraries should have it. If you are near a university and/or federal depository library, you should be able to find it. (I actually ordered my copy from a bookstore in the UK!).

    I have also communicated with others on this thread at times in the past, and they have been very helpful. Some are hopefully still following this thread. Good luck in your research.
     
  8. jeff jilek

    jeff jilek Member

    Hi all, just refound this group. My Father in law was with the 716th, I believe c or d company. I have that information but just can’t recall at moment. Have 1 photo of a guy on an m4 who was later Kia. Couple more photos of him probably in Philippines. He was a mechanic but regularly was a m5 driver. Also have his company list with names and addresses. Assume it was done on way home. Lastly, some pictures he purchased shipboard on way home. Just a variety of different things and not sure where these were taken. He was t5 Leslie L. Morse of Wisconsin. You can email me at jilekjj@aol.com
    Thanks,
    Jeff Jilek
     
  9. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

    Jeff,

    Welcome aboard or back! After five posts you can use the private message option, accessed via 'start a conversation' when you hover over a members avatar. When yo hover over the avatar it will show when a member was last logged on. Sometimes the email they used is still active and you can get a response.
     
  10. Chet's Grandson

    Chet's Grandson New Member

    My grandfather is Chester M. Ovnand. He was the first American killed in Vietnam and is the second name on the Wall.
    He was killed in '59, before I was born. His military records we destroyed in the NPRC records fire in the 70's.
    I found out that he had served in Luzon and searching led me to this thread.
    I found his name in the 716 tank battalion "after action report".
    Ovnand Chester M. 01015192 Cap HQ CO CAV.
    I have not found his name on the muster report of anywhere else on the links that I can access.
    I'm Hoping someone could help me find some more info.
    Thank you in advance
     
  11. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

    Research scratchpad

    Using his service number he appears in a list of active duty officers, in the 'Armored Cavalry Journal' November-December 1949, as a Captain, on. pg. 25, posted to (error 7699) 7899 School of (error ?Studies?), with a NYC APO 541 number. See: https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Armor/mYUgPYe6FSgC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq="01015192"+++"ovnand"&pg=PA25&printsec=frontcover

    I am slightly puzzled he was a Captain in 1949 and a Master Sergeant at the time of his death in 1959. Do you know what happened? See: Chester M. Ovnand - Wikipedia

    You could search the first link above for more officers assigned there and potentially subsequent issues of the journal, assuming they continued to print such a list!

    No immediate trace on the School of Studies. It appears the US Army records use Sch not School. I would suggest it was language training, nothing too sensitive due to politics and security if it was in Austria.

    Kept on looking, it was the 7899 School of Standards @ Zell am See, some 50 miles south of Salzburg. It's role (in part):
    From (scroll to the last article): USAREUR Units & Kasernes, 1945 - 1989

    The website has an owner's email and has much more general information, including a map of Austria showing the four occupation zones. See: USAREUR Units & Kasernes, 1945 - 1989

    I have looked online for the correct numbered school and found nowt. Changed to "School of standards" + "Zell am See" and there a trio of books that refer to the school.

    In the January 1949 history article there is a partial list of assigned formations, none are armor / tank.

    There are some hits on APO541, which was in Salzburg, Austria in 1949 (Austria was occupied by the Four Powers after WW2 for several years). Salzburg was in the US Zone and the US HQ till 1955. Most of the hits are postal information / stamp collections.

    I checked with his name and service number on our US "cousin" and nothing there for him or his WW2 unit. You could try asking there too: WWII Forums

    Online search with "716 tank battalion" found a small number of hits, mainly obituaries and one pointer to a divisional history.
     
    Last edited: Apr 3, 2023
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  12. Chet's Grandson

    Chet's Grandson New Member

    After WW2 the army had a RIF. He re-enlisted at a lower rank.
    He served in Korean war. He was stationed in Austria for a few years. I believe he had something to do with ski patrol.
    At some point he was wounded and received the Purple Heart. He also received the bronze star for valor.
    I am looking to find where he would have been when he received these.
    Another question I have, If he was a captain in the C company would he have any say in the naming of his tank? One of the tanks in a picture is Classy Peg. His daughters was 4 at the time and her name was Peg.
     
  13. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

    RIF?

    I have no idea how US honours are officially announced and recorded. Some here may know, note our usual focus is British & Commonwealth formations etc. Austria is very unlikely to be where he was awarded. It was peaceful through the Allied occupation, though not without tension. Ski patrol is possible, more likely skiing.

    Back to you.
     
  14. jeff jilek

    jeff jilek Member

    Reduction in force

    Company D

    My father in law was also d company
     
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  15. jeff jilek

    jeff jilek Member

    M5 from co. D unloading at Cebu Philippines
     

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  16. Chet's Grandson

    Chet's Grandson New Member

    Upon further research i found that he went on to the 1st calvary at Los Negros. It was here that he was wounded and received his Purple Heart. Would someone know where i might find an after action report? I have been amazed at the information that i was able to extract for the time in the 716th from this thread.
     
  17. 716thresearcher

    716thresearcher Junior Member

    Here you go.

    After action report, 716th Tank Battalion, 9 Jan 45 thru 8 Feb 45, 18 Mar 45 thru 8 Feb 45
     
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  18. jeff jilek

    jeff jilek Member

    716th pic1.jpeg

    One of a number of photos brought back. No way to identify if these were 716th, but he did receive these on the way home. Most of photos are army, and assume Philippines.
     
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  19. Brandon Kaufman

    Brandon Kaufman New Member

    Great to know! If I find any information specific to D company I will be sure to share.
     
  20. Brandon Kaufman

    Brandon Kaufman New Member

    Does anyone have a colorized photo or any information on what the 716’s field uniforms would have looked like when they were in action?
     

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