Issue Number 20 April 2002
All information in this Newsletter is developed by Fred Clinton, Webmaster, 63rd Infantry Division and does not necessarily reflect the
views of other individuals and is in no way an Official Publication of the 63rd Infantry Division or 63rd Infantry Division Association.
views of other individuals and is in no way an Official Publication of the 63rd Infantry Division or 63rd Infantry Division Association.
If you remember, in my last issue I was
Virginia with 80 degree temperatures. Well
better. We had over 90 degree
temperatures during the month only to be
followed by near freezing temperatures. I
wore myself out taking plants outside,
bringing them in, taken them out, covering
them and just about everything else you can
imagine. If that wasn't enough a tornado
with a rating of "umpteen" went sailing
through the area a couple of days ago just
a few miles south of us. But, enough of my
good times If I don't move these fingers
fast enough my April Newsletter will be my
May Newsletter. So down to business.
REUNIONS:
Another reminder to check out the details
on the various reunions planned for the
63rd Infantry Division Association and
some of its Chapters. Go to the Reunion
Page for details.
ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL PEACE
MEETING AT THE CROSS OF THE
JEBSHEIM MILL, JEBSHEIM,
FRANCE.
I know that I mentioned this last month, but
I wanted to bring it to your attention again
in case you plan on being in the Colmar,
France area on 23 Jun 2002. If you are
don't miss this event, I think you will find it
worth while.
Also in connection with my trip to the
meeting I will be meeting with the Historian
of Ensheim, Germany on 24 and 25 Jun
2002 and with the Herr Meister, Historian
for the 17th SS Panzer Division on 26, 27
and the morning of 28 Jun 2002 in
Neuenstadt am Kocher near the
Jagst/Kocher River. If any of you plan on
being in Europe at that time and would like
to meet me in either Ensheim or Neuenstadt
am Kocher, please let me know so we can
make appropriate arrangements.
If any of you have questions or comments
to make that would be appropriate for me
to pass on to either of these Historians,
DIVISION MEMORIALS:
In the process of updating the 63rd Infantry
Division Chronicles I discovered two
additional memorials relating to the 63rd
Infantry Division. One is a barracks named
after Lt James Robinson, Jr (MOH) 861st
FA Bn. The Field Artillery OCS named
their barracks after Lt Robinson in that he
was , according to them, the only Field
Artillery Officer in WWII to receive the
Medal of Honor.
The other item is a bust of MG Louis
Hibbs, CG 63rd Infantry Division when he
was a cadet at West Point. This bust was
dedicated at West Point in 1978 by the
63rd Infantry Division Association.
Photos of these new additions will appear
in the Division Memorials Section of the
Web Site and in the revised 63rd Infantry
Division Chronicles.
MEMORABILIA ITEMS FOR SALE:
Don't forget to check out the Memorabilia
Section for new items being offered for sale
by the Association Historian and Editor of
the Blood and Fire.
AUTHOR SEEKING INPUT FROM
WWII VETERANS
Lisa Gold, daughter of Cpl Irwin Gold, AT,
253d Infantry (deceased) would like to
make contact with 63rd Infantry Division
veterans who would be willing to answer
questions about their WWII experiences.
Lisa is currently in the process of writing a
story about four(4) WWII buddies who
meet each week for a poker game and their
WWII experiences are a main part of their
discussion during the game. If you were
one of those guys who took all of my
money at poker you may have something to
offer Lisa to help along her story line.
You can contact Lisa by e-mail at the
following address: lgold@charter.net
Virginia with 80 degree temperatures. Well
better. We had over 90 degree
temperatures during the month only to be
followed by near freezing temperatures. I
wore myself out taking plants outside,
bringing them in, taken them out, covering
them and just about everything else you can
imagine. If that wasn't enough a tornado
with a rating of "umpteen" went sailing
through the area a couple of days ago just
a few miles south of us. But, enough of my
good times If I don't move these fingers
fast enough my April Newsletter will be my
May Newsletter. So down to business.
REUNIONS:
Another reminder to check out the details
on the various reunions planned for the
63rd Infantry Division Association and
some of its Chapters. Go to the Reunion
Page for details.
ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL PEACE
MEETING AT THE CROSS OF THE
JEBSHEIM MILL, JEBSHEIM,
FRANCE.
I know that I mentioned this last month, but
I wanted to bring it to your attention again
in case you plan on being in the Colmar,
France area on 23 Jun 2002. If you are
don't miss this event, I think you will find it
worth while.
Also in connection with my trip to the
meeting I will be meeting with the Historian
of Ensheim, Germany on 24 and 25 Jun
2002 and with the Herr Meister, Historian
for the 17th SS Panzer Division on 26, 27
and the morning of 28 Jun 2002 in
Neuenstadt am Kocher near the
Jagst/Kocher River. If any of you plan on
being in Europe at that time and would like
to meet me in either Ensheim or Neuenstadt
am Kocher, please let me know so we can
make appropriate arrangements.
If any of you have questions or comments
to make that would be appropriate for me
to pass on to either of these Historians,
DIVISION MEMORIALS:
In the process of updating the 63rd Infantry
Division Chronicles I discovered two
additional memorials relating to the 63rd
Infantry Division. One is a barracks named
after Lt James Robinson, Jr (MOH) 861st
FA Bn. The Field Artillery OCS named
their barracks after Lt Robinson in that he
was , according to them, the only Field
Artillery Officer in WWII to receive the
Medal of Honor.
The other item is a bust of MG Louis
Hibbs, CG 63rd Infantry Division when he
was a cadet at West Point. This bust was
dedicated at West Point in 1978 by the
63rd Infantry Division Association.
Photos of these new additions will appear
in the Division Memorials Section of the
Web Site and in the revised 63rd Infantry
Division Chronicles.
MEMORABILIA ITEMS FOR SALE:
Don't forget to check out the Memorabilia
Section for new items being offered for sale
by the Association Historian and Editor of
the Blood and Fire.
AUTHOR SEEKING INPUT FROM
WWII VETERANS
Lisa Gold, daughter of Cpl Irwin Gold, AT,
253d Infantry (deceased) would like to
make contact with 63rd Infantry Division
veterans who would be willing to answer
questions about their WWII experiences.
Lisa is currently in the process of writing a
story about four(4) WWII buddies who
meet each week for a poker game and their
WWII experiences are a main part of their
discussion during the game. If you were
one of those guys who took all of my
money at poker you may have something to
offer Lisa to help along her story line.
You can contact Lisa by e-mail at the
following address: lgold@charter.net
NEW HISTORY PROJECTS
COMPLETED
This past month I spent several hundred
hours scanning and adding revisions to The
63rd Infantry Division Chronicles and the
254th Infantry History "Trail of 254 thru
Blood and Fire".
To the Chronicles I have added up to date
rosters relating to assignments and awards,
a large number of photos, added some
changes in the history relating to events that
took place after the Chronicles were written
and have placed all of this on a single CD
which also includes a alphabetical listing of
over 62,000 men who were assigned to the
division from September 1943 to
September 1945.
The Historian and I are still revising and
editing several pages, but for the most part
it is ready for viewing, the whole 818 pages
of it. There are plans to sell this revision as
soon as it is ready, however sales cannot
begin until permission is received from the
63rd Infantry Division Association
Executive Council. Efforts are underway to
obtain that approval prior to the August
Reunion so that the new and revised
Chronicles can be sold at that event. I will
keep you informed.
The great thing about this format is that we
can make changes to the various rosters as
new information is found. The Historian is
still reviewing copies of morning reports
from 63rd Infantry Division units and new
additions and changes to status are
discovered frequently. Another advantage
is that we can now supply the CD to
various museums and libraries to ensure that
the history of the 63rd Infantry Division will
forever be available for researchers,
relatives of 63rd Infantry Division veterans
and those that are just curious about
WWII.
I will add an epilogue to the 254th Infantry
History which will include rosters of all men
assigned to the 254th Infantry, a list of men
who died while the regiment was in Europe
, an updated list of awards to 254th Infantry
Soldiers and the addition of the Citations
for three additional Presidential Unit
Citations and the French Croix de Guerre..
The 254th Intantry History CD will also be
made available to museums and libraries.
Exact distribution has not been determined .
Both of these CDs are in pdf format and
can be read by Acrobat Reader, which is
included with the CD. They are organized
so that the complete book can be uploaded
to the Acrobat desktop and all you have to
do to read the book is scroll down page
after page.
The Chronicles CD has a detailed index as
part of the book so that you can quickly go
to any date you are looking for in the
history or to any roster you wish to see.
Also this month I have converted the
Awards CD files to the pdf format so that
they are viewable with Acrobat Reader.
As I told you last month, this file contains all
Division General Orders, Regimental
General Orders, a few special orders and
some selected rosters.
History is a living thing.
Speaking of Living History, did you know
that there is a "Living History Group" that
acts as a 63rd Infantry Division
organization? They have WWII uniforms,
vehicles and weapons and appear at a
number of functions as members of the
63rd Infantry Division..
If that isn't enough did you know that there
is now a Internet site that has a wargame
ongoing using the 63rd Infantry Division as
the main US fighting force?
NEW INQUIRIES
Don't forget to review the new entries on
the Mail Call and Buddy Search pages:
Mail Call Consolidated List
Buddy Search Consolidated List
I'll be in touch next month.
Fred Clinton, Webmaster
COMPLETED
This past month I spent several hundred
hours scanning and adding revisions to The
63rd Infantry Division Chronicles and the
254th Infantry History "Trail of 254 thru
Blood and Fire".
To the Chronicles I have added up to date
rosters relating to assignments and awards,
a large number of photos, added some
changes in the history relating to events that
took place after the Chronicles were written
and have placed all of this on a single CD
which also includes a alphabetical listing of
over 62,000 men who were assigned to the
division from September 1943 to
September 1945.
The Historian and I are still revising and
editing several pages, but for the most part
it is ready for viewing, the whole 818 pages
of it. There are plans to sell this revision as
soon as it is ready, however sales cannot
begin until permission is received from the
63rd Infantry Division Association
Executive Council. Efforts are underway to
obtain that approval prior to the August
Reunion so that the new and revised
Chronicles can be sold at that event. I will
keep you informed.
The great thing about this format is that we
can make changes to the various rosters as
new information is found. The Historian is
still reviewing copies of morning reports
from 63rd Infantry Division units and new
additions and changes to status are
discovered frequently. Another advantage
is that we can now supply the CD to
various museums and libraries to ensure that
the history of the 63rd Infantry Division will
forever be available for researchers,
relatives of 63rd Infantry Division veterans
and those that are just curious about
WWII.
I will add an epilogue to the 254th Infantry
History which will include rosters of all men
assigned to the 254th Infantry, a list of men
who died while the regiment was in Europe
, an updated list of awards to 254th Infantry
Soldiers and the addition of the Citations
for three additional Presidential Unit
Citations and the French Croix de Guerre..
The 254th Intantry History CD will also be
made available to museums and libraries.
Exact distribution has not been determined .
Both of these CDs are in pdf format and
can be read by Acrobat Reader, which is
included with the CD. They are organized
so that the complete book can be uploaded
to the Acrobat desktop and all you have to
do to read the book is scroll down page
after page.
The Chronicles CD has a detailed index as
part of the book so that you can quickly go
to any date you are looking for in the
history or to any roster you wish to see.
Also this month I have converted the
Awards CD files to the pdf format so that
they are viewable with Acrobat Reader.
As I told you last month, this file contains all
Division General Orders, Regimental
General Orders, a few special orders and
some selected rosters.
History is a living thing.
Speaking of Living History, did you know
that there is a "Living History Group" that
acts as a 63rd Infantry Division
organization? They have WWII uniforms,
vehicles and weapons and appear at a
number of functions as members of the
63rd Infantry Division..
If that isn't enough did you know that there
is now a Internet site that has a wargame
ongoing using the 63rd Infantry Division as
the main US fighting force?
NEW INQUIRIES
Don't forget to review the new entries on
the Mail Call and Buddy Search pages:
Mail Call Consolidated List
Buddy Search Consolidated List
I'll be in touch next month.
Fred Clinton, Webmaster