1945 Germany Uncle Carl and the Totem Pole (Sepia Saturday) click here

1945  Carl with "German  totem pole"

I have been busy writing a memorial about my late Uncle Carl Konesky to be posted on a website established by Rob Haldeman to honor the US Army Tank Destroyers of World War II.  I have shared several photos of  my late uncle here on this blog and while going through more photos I found this  from  1945 in Germany, on the back he had written "myself beside a German totem Pole."  He was with the 809th Tank Destroyers  all through  Europe and on clean up operations in Germany,  end of the war, Olsenburg is one of the places he mentioned and on other photos, Goettingen.  I was taken by this photo because I have read much on World War II but  I have never seen anything like this.  It survived amongst his belongings all these years, a tiny 2 inch  by 3 inch black and white photo. I scanned it hoping to learn more.   I wonder if this statue was carved from a tree or something else?  Does it stand today somewhere?  I am glad Carl found it of interest and took that photo but I sure would like to know more.  

I have now other mysteries which will take research, letters to the US Army records center and crossed fingers.  I am assembling Carls ribbons from his military service and I find that he received a Distinguished Service medal, something not commonly awarded.  

  It is  "awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the United States Army, has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great responsibility. The performance must be such as to merit recognition for service which is clearly exceptional.Exceptional performance of normal duty will not alone justify an award of this decoration. For service not related to actual war, the term "duty of a great responsibility" applies to a narrower range of positions, than in time of war, and requires evidence of conspicuously significant achievement. However, justification of the award may accrue by virtue of exceptionally meritorious service in a succession of high positions of great importance."   Although Carl kept meticulous records, there is nothing about that medal, only the medal itself, a red and white ribbon.  Another family mystery lingers; there was no talk about the "war"  around me because of the circumstances of my father, a US Army Air Corp b-24 pilot whose plane and crew disappeared months before my birth.   Everyone was quiet, and Carl who was always like a father shadow figure to me never said anything.  So now I want to know and will have to ponder and dig, there is no one to ask.  And really other than myself, no one who would be interested, so I share this here for the wide web.  

Looking over his honorable discharge I see that he also had a bronze star, which is an " individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the U.S. Armed Forces and the ninth highest military award (including both combat and non-combat awards) in the order of precedence of U.S. military decorations. " 

 I found only this tiny photo of another soldier from the 809th (logo patch on shoulder pinning a large star on Carl in Germany.  How I wish I knew this story.  Maybe I will find out maybe I won't.   Carl was not one to brag, but I wonder if he ever thought how curious I would become about all things military.   I doubt this is a bronze star, it looks so big, but maybe they did what they could with what they had.  He had sent these photos home to his parents, who kept them for his return home.  All photos passed by the U S Army inspector as stamped on the back. 

These would all make suitables for Sepia Saturday to which I have not posted, but  suppose I should share these there.   So  click on the title to this post to get to the Sepia site, lots of interesting tidbits there from others world wide and across the sea...

Uncle Carl's Germany 1945 Sepia Saturday Week 52 (Click here to go to the Sepia site)



1944 on the way to Germany

This Sepia I share some select photos from Uncle Carl's time in Germany  with the US Army, 809th Tank Destroyers,  all dated 1944-45 World War II.  He had mailed all these photos home so they are all stamped on the back "passed by Army Examiner" along with his handwritten notes. I am surprised that some were released  although I suspect that the mail took so long  to arrive stateside  that by the time the photos made it to their destinations it would have been old news shown at the movies.  So unlike today's instant in our face 24/7 from the battle zones.  I have labeled each photo in Uncle Carl's words. 

Some photos were just noted as "Germany" some Gottingen, some Gottengham and  others Guttenghamn.  Likely Uncle Carl wasn't certain or careful of the spelling if he even knew it.   I Googled and found Gottingen Germany today, a very old city in what was the Saxony region and home of a noted University.  According to Wikipedia, (not to be confused with the notorious Wikileaks)  "The origins of Göttingen lay in a village called Gutingi. This village was first mentioned in a document in 953. The city was founded between 1150 and 1200 to the northwest of this village and adopted its name. In medieval times the city was a member of the Hanseatic League and hence a wealthy town.  The University of Göttingen (German: Georg-August-Universität Göttingen), known informally as Georgia Augusta, is a university in the city of Göttingen, Germany.   Founded in 1734 by King George II of Great Britain and the Elector of Hanover, it opened for classes in 1737." 

1944  Yanks to Germany



That first  photo, by  his writing makes me think the 809th TD Battalion had not yet arrived in Germany.  It does not state where they were but I am thinking surely they did not have to walk/march all the way to Germany.  This is the Battalion and a lively group they are.  Somehow my Uncle had his camera on the ready.   This next photo of  two unidentified soldiers merely had Yanks, as the label below.  I think the man on the left may be in other photos and I will have to see if his name is revealed.  I am wondering if these were Americans or Brits, simply because he used the term "Yanks." 

What little  my Uncle would tell me of his War experiences, he was very fond of the Brits who served with and  among them.  While he  never wanted to return to Europe, instead spent his travel hunting and fishing and being with his Army buddies at reunions, his wife Aunt Marge traveled with her sisters, but only to Spain, Italy and  Portugal.  He said he had seen enough to last him a lifetime.





Germany  train held



This photo does not identify where in Germany, but since all the rest are in "Gottingen" I suspect this might  be there as well.  The photo of the train and several below were all taken May 12, 1945 according to his notes.  Evidently they were occupying the buildings and the town.   

German Ammunition plant blown up by our Air Force. Along side of where we stay



This is the building where I stay now you can see where the bombs hit



 The above photo had no name on the back, my limited knowledge of German tells me this was off limits.  I think this man may be in other photos and may be identified later.



Airplane engines that were left behind by the Germans

 

Corporal  Sims, our mailman, Cpl. Lowe, our medic, and Sgt. Slick

Carl in the rubble pipes to salvage

When I look at this photo of my Uncle in the "rubble" I think, that being Teofil's son, he would scrounge and save every bit of whatever might be useful at whenever for whoever would need it.  I suppose it was a relief to be merely picking and gathering instead of leading the seek and destroy mission.    





German plane destroyed by the Yanks



 This last photo with only a few of the men from the 809th at their reunion in  Greensboro North Carolina in 1973.  Uncle Carl was president of the Reunion Committee for several years and arranged many of these events.  ; he is seated in the center holding the tank destroyer's battalion logo.  He never missed a reunion until the years caught up with him and as with others traveling was not on the agenda.  He may be one of the oldest survivors now at 92.  He was proud but quiet about those years, a patriot as were all those  men. I remember him saying  "It was a suicide mission.  Well it was OK for those of us who survived...."

As usual click on the title to this post to go to the Sepia Saturday international host site.  From there you can browse what others have shared this week.