About my blog
At the persistence of my grandson, joey roth, we are setting up a blog. He insists that I should write my grandpa tales on the net and invite people who are so inclined to join me in telling our tales for future generations. Perhaps they will learn from us. Also know about our trials and tribulations and perhaps help them through their own problems, if any. I am now 90 years old, born in 1917. If you have any tales, you wish to add, please do so. I expect to try to dig out past relationships with former friends and former G.I.s from WWII. Please respond if you know of me or have any interesting stories to share.I wll try to list all of the WWII GIs I had the privilege to meet during my 3 year tenure. And afterwards, our return to normal civil life, the people with whom I met and /or dealt with in the business world.
George Fore Jr. said
Irving, I found your Blog tonight through a Google search. I was looking for 904th Engineers as I have been searching for anyone connected with them for many years. The reason was My Dad (George Emmett Fore) was in the 904th from it’s inception at Fort McDill in Tampa and stayed with them through out the War. He was older than most, Born 1910, a Motor Vehicle Driver and ended up a Technical Sgt. He departed 8 Feb 43 on the Thomas H. Barry and also arrived Feb 19, 1943. I have found some information on the 904th. Most came from the Memories of “William Warren Teets”. He is still living, but recently dianosed with cancer. He has been looking for surviving members of the 904th for some time and will be very glad to hear from you. He and I correspond often. Warren Teets’s address is 3424 Southcrest Blvd, Lakeland, Florida 33813-4186
PH: 863-644-9298.
My dad never spoke of his time in the war very much.
I am looking forward to your Blog on your time with the 904th. I would also like to share info on my Father and the 904th. I have several pictures you might have taken. Sincerely, George Fore Jr. 209 Sutton Road, Big Cove, AL 35763-9782 PH: 256-518-9782.
irvroth said
Dear George. I was surprised and happy to hear from you. My purpose for my blog was to leave some record for my grandchildren Your comment confirms that my effort will be appreciated by my descendants, as evidenced by your own desire to find info re: your dad. I was only with the 904th for a short period because I had gotten ill in Sicily when the 904th was on it.s way through Sicily and headed to Italy. I’ll be writing about my experience in Tunis next. We were encamped in a large tenement building in the heart of Tunis, where we printed maps and detailed plans. I will search for photos, perhaps something will turn up re: the 904th and your dad. Great to hear from you. Stay in touch. Irv Roth
George Fore Jr. said
Irving, First I wish to thank you for your service to our Country and to Freedom. Thanks!
I too am preserving as much history for posterity as I can. Dad did not leave much about himself as he was a diabled veteran. I share a litte out of our family history book. I am looking for more to add to his chapter. Some of what I know is as follows:
The 904th was made up of about five Platoons and Dad was assigned to the motor pool of 30 to 40 guys under a Sgt Maharis. The 904th was a separate unit of its own. They were formed and special trained for the forward edge of the battle field and attached to the 3rd Army, the 5th Army and the 15th Air Force. On February 8, 1943, they shipped out on the Thomas S. Barry at the port of New York. They landed in Casablanca, North Africa February 19, 1943 in the cold, wet winter and their supply ship failed to make it. They were two weeks before receiving blankets and other supplies. It was a rough start. Dad was under the third Army in Sicily until the invasion of Italy at which time they were reassigned to General Mark Clark’s Fifth Army. They were later assigned to the 15th Air Force. I believe Captain Brokaw left the 904th and went on to prepare for the invasion of France. Captain Brokaw was killed August 29, 1946, in the French Alps at Grenoble. Lt. Lehman became their new Company Commander. Lt. Lehman set up Head Quarters for the 904th in Volmero, Italy near Naples.
Dad was in what was called the FEBA, (forward edge of the Battle area.) They were scattered among other forward units for support. They were not infantry who was always on the front line, but as a truck driver had to continually supply the line with ammo, gasoline and supplies while receiving bombings, being strafed and shot at. They cleared mind field and other many special operations. He was never physically wounded, but sustained a combat nervous breakdown while near Rome, Italy. Dad was put into a hospital in Naples or Rome with shell shock. While there, lying in the hospital bed at night, he could see the German flares light up the sky so that they could see where to bomb. The Germans bombed the hospital out from under them. He survived that and recovered enough to continue serving until the war was over, but came out with a service connected disability. Dad was later put in a carpenters slot so that he could be promoted and rose to the rank of Tech Sergeant, an E-6 Craftsman / Supervisor position.
He served in battles and campaigns in Tunisia, Sicily, Naples-Foggia, Rome-Arno and received the EAME Ribbon with 4 Bronze Stars. The 904th had also received a Unit Citation. Being a small special unit, there is not much in the history books about this unit.
Dad would not talk very much of the war, but I will relate a few incidents he did speak of. While driving a 2½ ton truck in Italy, a German plane strafed the convoy and Dad’s truck was hit killing his buddy in the seat beside him. The co driver operated the 50 caliber machine gun attached to the top of the truck. Dad said the hardest thing was to loose the men under his supervision. The winters were the worst for the men. During battles in the winter they were sometimes forced to sit in fox holes with water up to their waist. When able to move forward he had to sometimes pick men out of their holes with ice frozen around their waist and advance them to the next available fox hole; some half frozen and still he had to tell them to keep fighting. War was much harder on the men then, than it is today. Dad was fortunate in that he was a truck and Jeep driver for much of the war and not always on the wet ground.
Dad returned to the states July 29, 1945, after the Germans surrendered, and was discharged on Oct 2, 1945 in Greensboro, North Carolina from the 904th Engineers (AF) Hq Co Apo 528. Service number 34 284 238. He spent 3 years 4 months and 10 days in Service to his Country. 2 years, 5 months, and 22 days of Foreign Service. My first 2 years were without a dad at home.
I ask him a few times about how it was in the war. He responded once by asking if I had seen Audie Murphy in “To Hell and Back”. Dad said “it was much like that”. He said he was near Murphy’s outfit while serving under General Patton and Clark. I believe maybe the action part was like that but without living it, we will never understand the pain, sadness, loneliness and longing for home and family. Two and one-half years of nights, thinking of those who were killed around you. Dad said the long winters were the worst of conditions.
There was more but maybe you can relate to what I’ve written. I tried to attach a picture but this section would not paste in. If you are willing to send me your Email address and home address I will be able to share my pictures and files with you. Thanks, George Fore Jr.
By the way Warren Teets Email is warrose3131@aol.com
irvroth said
Hi George. I read your brief history of your dad and some of his travels thru Sicily, The Boot of So. Italy, Foggia and Naples and Naples duplicates my own voyage. I was stationed in Vomero section of Naples for several weeks. We took over an apartment overlooking the Bay of Naples. Below us was an Ack,Ack outfit manned by English troops, to ward off German aircraft, stationed in the Rome area. I intend to search for material that may be of interest to you. I suggest that you buy or rent out of the library a book” An Army At Dawn by” Rick Atkinson ( The War in North Africa, 1942-1943. It’s an amazing story of that conflict….Re: your E-mail address. I tried to send a reply, but the address shown was rejected by the computer. Send it to me shirv2b@gmail.com
irv roth said
Hi George. I am trying to recapture some more of my movements . I am looking at some saved letters from my brother, who served in the Pacific and the address he wrote to me was, 904 Eng. Av. Hq. Co., APO 528,New York, N.Y. This is the address you mention in your description sent to me. Was this his writing address during his period in Italy. What division was he in? I was with Hq. Co. Irv
George Fore Jr. said
Irving, As said before, He was based with the Motor Pool. He drove a truck some at start. While in Naples he was a jeep driver for a Colonel. My understanding, he was FEMA and back and forth with different groups for short periods of time. Warren said they were groups that were loaned out to different units as needed. Dad was attached to the Carpenter platoon later on. Lt. Lehman became their new Company Commander after Capt Brokaw and set up Head Quarters for the 904th in Volmero, Italy near Naples. I do not have information on which division.
Dads address was A.P.O. 528 on the early copies of letters I have. I do not have copies of later letters. Unfortunately I have not gotten to go through Mom’s letters yet. She is still living and I am waiting to go through her old mail she saved. I will Email you a picture of dad. Did you get to take a picture of Capt. Brokaw?
Thanks, George
irvroth said
Hi George. This is getting exciting. As your dad said, we were small groups with special duties that were required by the tip brass. I may have ridden in a truck that your dad drove or who commanded a large group of trucks when we entered Sicily and Italy after the Nazis were driven out. I still recall the cheering and flag waving that the Italian citizens greeted us with as we drove through Taranto. We continued up to Foggia and crossed over the mountain into Naples, where we stayed for a few months. I look forward to any photos and I will go thru my collection and see what I can mail you. You mention Capt. Brokaw. Is he related to Tom Brokaw, who wrote the war book “The Greatest Generation” I am currently resding it. (I don’t recall a Capt. Brokaw) IRV
George Fore Jr. said
IRV, I have not found any connection to Tom Brokaw.
Van is not in his Book.
Captain Brokaw formed and trained the 904th at McDill in Tampa as a special group of chosen men for a special unit.
They received a Unit Citation or “The Meritorious Service Unit Plaque for Superior performance of duty in the accomplishment of exceptionally difficult tasks in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations during the period 1 May 1945 to 30 June 1945.” By Command of Brigadier General Myers
Thomas M. Lowe
Brigadier General, USA
Deputy Chief of Staff
Info on:
Van Seymour Brokaw
Captain, United States Army
Information courtesy of Roger Brokaw:
Van Seymour Brokaw
27 September 1887 – 29 August 1946
Van Seymour Brokaw became an engineer; served in World War One, in the 32nd Division of the 107th Engineers, and over seas, in Alsace; at Aise Marne, at Oise Aine and the Argonne, in France as a Master Sergeant, Sr. Grade.
After his discharge he was a civil engineer for the Transcontinental Railways. He did on location construction work, maintenance operations, track elevations, terminal layouts, and rail yard facility surveys. He also did concrete and steel bridges and highway construction along with general engineering.
He married, March 5, 1934, to Helen Imhoff, of Arlington Virginia, a daughter of Antone and Helen (Skirvan) Imhoff. They had no children.
Van Brokaw was commissioned a Second Lieutenant and was put in the Reserve Officers, defense unit, in 1941, in Milwaukee Wisconsin.
He was the Commanding Officer of the 108th Engineers of Chicago, Illinois; was a regular staff assistant of the division of engineers, of the Second Army Battalion Company Commander Air Corp Signals A.W., Air Base Group.
He was air Corp Base Training Commander at the 812th Engineers Battalion (A.V.H.) C.O. 904th Engineers of the Air Force Headquarters Company. Having been loaned to the A.T.C, he took that outfit overseas, in the African Campaigns, in World War II. His unit participated in the invasion of Italy, and the preparation for the French Invasion.
After the hostilities had ceased he was killed, in an aircraft accident, in the French Alps at Grenoble, on 29 Aug 1946.
Later his body was returned to the United States and was buried in Arlington Cemetery Virginia. Section 11 Grave Number 141.
During his life he had been an active member of the Chicago, “Red Arrow” club and helped to organize it. He was also a 32nd Degree Mason and of the Scottish Rites, in Washington, D.C.
BROKAW, HELEN WID OF BROKAW, VAN S
DATE OF BIRTH: 09/20/1897
DATE OF DEATH: 09/11/1959
DATE OF INTERMENT: 09/15/1959
BURIED AT: SECTION 11 SITE 141 NH
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
WIFE OF VAN BROKAW, CAPT CORPS OF ENGINEERS USA
BROKAW, VAN S
Captain, United States Army
VETERAN SERVICE DATES: Unknown
DATE OF BIRTH: 09/27/1887
DATE OF DEATH: 08/29/1946
DATE OF INTERMENT: 02/20/1947
BURIED AT: SECTION 11 SITE 141
I sent a photo of Van, My Dad and Warren Teets by Email
George Fore
irv roth said
Thanks, George for your wonderful report on Capt. Brokaw. I can see that you have done lots of research. I have a commendation from a French General that I will mail you. Ir refers to the 902nd. It will, go out as soon as I can make a copy. Thanks again for your excellent report. Irv
irvroth said
Att’n George Fore and all the family. Dates, etc of my three years in the Army Air force. Date of induction, Aug 8, 1942
Date of discontinuance, Oct. 31, 1945. Date of departure to MTO, 8/02/43, Arr.19/0243,Africa .Battles & CAMPAIGNS…No. Africa, Central Europe, Sicily,Naples,Foggia,Rome(Arno),Rhineland,Germany.
rollerfebaybe said
Hey
I like Your site. It is very interesting. Do You have RSS I would add to my favorites.
Let me know when it will be ready. Kee it UP.
regards Szczecin Hotele
MichaellaS said
tks for the effort you put in here I appreciate it!
LnddMiles said
Pretty cool post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say
that I have really liked reading your blog posts. Anyway
I’ll be subscribing to your blog and I hope you post again soon!