Remagen, anyone been there?

Discussion in 'WW2 Battlefields Today' started by Owen, Apr 8, 2008.

  1. Franek

    Franek WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Owen, you are telling me things that I never knew obout our division in England. I for one did not have that experience.
    Going across the channel on a british ship was hell too.It was a rough crossing and they fed us kidney stew. We all got sick and puked all over the place. Le Harve was like heaven to us.All we wanted to do was get off of that ship.
    So here we are in France. This was really different from anything that we ever saw. Wecamped in an apple orchard. There were no latrines. We dug slit trenches. They were ditches about 2 feet wide in which we straddled to do our thing.
    I remember two french girls loading apples and watching us using the slit trench.When word of thios got out,it seemed like everybody needed to use the trench.
    On thr way to Belgium ,anybody that knew how to drive wasgiven a 21/2 ton truck loaded with GI's. We formed a long convoy, and at each villiage we were greeted by people offering wine,bread,and flowers.
    Funny things happen during war.

    Owen,you are a historian, And a good one. Go into google and look up Pvt, Eddie Slowik. He was the only American soldier executed for cowardice in WW2.I will give you more battles that you never heard of in time.
     
    Owen likes this.
  2. Franek....

    A day late and a dollar short I am but welcome to the site! Thank you so much for adding your unique perspective4 and recollections. Good stuff!

    -EB
     
  3. Franek

    Franek WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    I told a lot about my exploits in WW2.
    But there is something that I should mention. I pay my respects to my adversary, the German Soldier. It should be mentioned just how good a soldier he was. Wether he was just naturally that good or was he forced to fight as well as he did. They were very well diciplined and taught to obey their superiors. They performed very well. I just hope we never have to fight them again. I suppose that they had to fight or be shot by their own. I know of cases where that happened.
    There was but one case in WW2 where an American soldier was executed by a firing squad for cowardice. His name was Pvt. Eddie Slowik( look it up on google or Yahoo) He was a ist generation Polish American from Detroit.This was a sad case.
     
  4. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Old Hickory Recon

  5. Franek

    Franek WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Jeff;
    I looked all over for that URL. I read it before but could not find it. It seems that I heard something similar to that awhile back. I for one found it very interesting.
     
  6. Mostonian

    Mostonian Member

    Franek, I'm going to Marburg for a football (soccer) match in three weeks. Can you remember where abouts you were? I could take pictures of it as it is now for you.
     
  7. Franek

    Franek WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Historian, Golly what a wonderful offer. But even at that time I never realized where I was. Just tidbits from english speaking Germans. I heard Marburg mentioned.All that I remember was that it was a large house. I assumed this by the size of the room.
    I also heard KASSEL being mentioned. But I never made it there THANKS AGAIN
     
  8. Franek

    Franek WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    OPPS,SLIPS. I am sorry.I got your name wrong.
     
  9. Franek

    Franek WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    MOSTONIAN;
    I just looked at your profile and see where you are planning a trip to the Ardennes. I am glad for you in in the same respect I envy you. I just wish that I could be there with you. But alas,I waited too long and I am now too old.
    Make sure you hit the Losheim Gap. That is where the main German thrust came through. Our one division was hit by six German divisions and Peiper panzer division. Look for old dugouts. Watch out for old mines. Also look up Bucholtz station. History was written there too. HAVE FUN:)
     
  10. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

  11. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Old Hickory Recon

    Franek,

    I enjoyed the telephone conversation with you this morning. I hope to talk with more as we both get the opportunity.
     
  12. Franek

    Franek WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Jeff; I sent you an Email with the address that you gave my daughter.. I included the story that I promised you. It looks like I may have made a mistake on your address
    Here is the web site that I told you about .http://franek.webs.com


    I am going to send you my Email so that I can copy your address the right way.
    Looking for your Mail:)
     
  13. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Old Hickory Recon

    Moderators,

    I have Franek's email address, could you remove it from the post to protect him?
     
  14. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Franek,

    Quite a few years ago I was visiting friends near Köln and was given the chance to sail down the Rhine from Bonn with a group who were guests of a local MP.

    We sailed past the Bridge Towers at Remagen and they still looked impressive without the bridge.

    I always wondered why they never rebuilt the railway bridge there.

    The bridge caused many casualties when it finally collapsed without warning.

    Always good to read your posts.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  15. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    I always wondered why they never rebuilt the railway bridge there.
    Because , Tom, it was just a spur to get supplies to the Western Front in WW1, it was a military railway. Not the civilian mainline which follows the course of the Rhine.
    I had to explain that to Gerard on my photos of the bridge too.
    :)
    see post #54 on here.
    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/ww2-battlefields-today/15131-my-summer-holiday-war-related-bits-2.html


    see also
    Ludendorff Bridge - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    However, by the time World War I ended, the line between Neuss and Remagen had not been completed and never was. This is also the reason why the bridge at Remagen was not rebuilt after WW2.
     
  16. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Owen,

    Many thanks for clearing that up, most informative that it was a military line.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  17. Franek

    Franek WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Always good to read your posts.

    Regards
    Tom[/quote]

    Tom; It is funny, but when I was discharged. We were issued a lapel pin to wear designating that we were discharged veterans. No body wanted to wear them,for we all were veterans, and wanted to put the past behind us. It has been said that we WW2 veterans never talked about it. That was true. They call us the (Greatest Generation ). Most thought that we never talked about it because of the horror of war.I for one do not accept that reason. In my estimation, we kept quiet because we all had a story to tell. We all had different experiences. Other than a few old men that always wanted to listen to a war story. none of the younger people spoke of it. It was behind us. Those of us that came back were lucky.. Some never came back. The rest of us just went on with our new life's.

    It was only a long time after the war that the young people started asking questions.But by now, most of the old timers were gone.. Sixty five years is a long time to try to remember our youth. I still have recollections of events that happened. But I never told them because they are sketchy. Pieces are missing.. War is a strange experience. I was only in combat for five months. I was twice wounded and captured, when others in my platoon never received a scratch. Now,Was I in the wrong place at the wrong time or was it fate?

    Upon the request of my Grandaughter,. She asked me to write my story so she would have something to show her kids. This I did. It takes me from my childhood to the time of my discharge.. For those of you that might be interested,check it out. At the age of 84, It is my legacy to the younger generation.

    http://franek.webs.com
     
  18. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Frank,

    I checked out your website some time ago, a great Legacy for family and other persons to read.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  19. britman

    britman Senior Member

    Great post by the OP with all the pictures. I remember it well when I was on a School Trip in 1984.
     
  20. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Taken after the war. View overlooking the Rhine River as boat traffic passes through space that was once arched by the Remagen Bridge, the location of a fierce battle to cross this span before the Germans blew it up in WWII in March of 1945.
    [​IMG]

    First US Army men & equipment pouring across Remagen Bridge; 2 knocked-out jeeps in fore; during WWII. 11th March 1945.
    [​IMG]
     
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