Gallery #5 = WW II GI's All Aboard !!!! Starting the long Journey back to the USA. June 1945 Photo Gallery by Bob Searl, Sr.(b1917-d2017) at pbase.com

Gallery #5 = WW II GI's All Aboard !!!! Starting the long Journey back to the USA. June 1945

WWII GALLERY #5 OF 5..........Photos of the welcome journey back to the USA from Pilsen, Czechoslovakia to Bamberg, Germany by truck transport, then a two week trip across Europe to the Port of LeHavre, France by rail 40X8 box car. Back across the English channel again to port of Southampton, England. On June 28, 1945, Boarded US Troopship, SS Argentina [the very same ship that brought a few of us across the North Atlantic to Scotland THREE long years ago, in 1942. Landed in Newport News, Virginia on July 2, 1945. Discharged from Fort Dix, NJ on July 4, 1945. Happy Reunion with wife and three year old daughter !!!!! Had not seen them for three looooooong Years...

The GOING HOME Official Orders !!!!	The last card from the ETO!!	Final WWII V-Mail from Europe !!	40 X8 Boxcars - Bamberg, Germany to LeHavre, France
40 X 8 Boxcar, Germany to LeHavre, France	40 X 8 Boxcar, Germany to LeHavre, France	Bomb Damage - Germany	Bomb Damage Germany
Bomb Damage Germany	Bomb Damage Germany	Bomb Damage Germany	Bomb Damage Germany
Displaced Persons Camp	LeHavre, France	Port of Southampton, England	US Troopship SS Argentina
SS Argentina	SS Argentina	SS Argentina	HEADING HOME SS Argentina At Sea
SS Argentina At Sea	Back Home again !!!	Arrival Telegram	GOODBYE to my Comrades of the 56th Signal Battalion "HOME AT LAST"
THEN & NOW	Alfano [NJ]	Schreibstein	Hauck [NJ]
Weimer	Searl [NJ]	Tyrer [MA]	Unknown
Cordell [NJ]	Fischetti [NY]	Mongell [NY]	Chase
Leddy [NY]	Work	Magyar	Fabel [NY]
Vasti [NY]	Gahres [PA]	Lunt [NY]	Schum [NY]
StLaurent [MA]	McShane [NY]	Dyckes [NY]	Catanzano [NY]
DuFault [MA]	Horne [MA]	Hilliard [IL]	Palermo [NJ[
Florio [NY]	Porter [GA]	Townsend [NJ]	Osterhout [ ?]
White [NY]	Boggus [GA]	Kartsounes [IL]	Krueger [MN]
Berg [NY]	Unknown03	H.Tetu [FL]

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Rich Schreibstein		06-Jul-2011 21:19
My father, Robert Schreibstein, shown in the top row of head shots, was born May 2, 1921 in the Bronx and died August 8, 2002 in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is buried at Arlington. He was a platoon leader in the 56th Signal Battalion. After WWII, he left the service and went to work for NY Telephone. He re-entered the service in 1949, was a company commander in Korea and eventually retired in El Paso, Texas as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1964. My brother, Bert, and I were both Signal Corp officers. Bert did two tours in Vietnam and retired as a LTC in 1992. I spent seven years on active duty and my last assignment was as a company commander with "C" Company, 9th Signal Battalion in Fort Lewis, Washington. I left the service in December 1976. We both mirrored my dad's footsteps. Your gallery honors him and all who served. Thank you for the memory.

Dave Butler		05-Apr-2011 17:12
A most remarkable and intriguing story, I found this so very interesting as the son of a G.I. who passed through Bristol and maybe even Patchway as you did. I have been unable to discover his identity from just a name with uncertain spelling but I feel connected to his story when looking at this site. I am proud to be the son of such a generation of men, I served 12 years in the British Army (Royal Corps of Signals)but was never called upon to endure such hardships over such a long period. I Salute you and your comrades and thank you for your service D J Butler Bristol UK

Mike H.		31-Jan-2011 19:17
My dad wrote on the back of an old photo, “Aug. 6, 1945 in Lohr, Germany one week or so after I returned from the hospital in England. It took almost one month of traveling via boat, 40x8 box cars and army trucks (not a pleasant trip)." I now know what a 40x8 looks like. Thanks for sharing!

larry ferrante		06-Jan-2010 03:21
hi there, my father was a lieutenant with the 56th sig. bn. His name was Constantine Ferrante. Do you have any information or pictures of him? it would be greatly appreciated. thank you. Larry Ferrante e-mail is lpfelectricinc@yahoo.com and my phone number is 207-415-0330.

Guest		05-Jul-2008 12:48
Grazie per questo bellissimo book fotografico. Le foto raccontano un pezzo di storia che tutti dovrebbero conoscere. grazie per tutto! Tito Righi

Ken Andrews		24-Apr-2005 19:04
Dear Mr. Searl, Thank you for your service and for the brilliant historical collection of photos. My Uncle Fred Vogt traveled a similiar path. He talked about St. Vith and at Buchanwald, he was part of a detailed assigned to controliing and guarding the town's mayor, who asked to go back to his office on the second day and while the G.I.s were in the adjacent room, he located a previously hidden gun and killed himself. My Uncle, like you took photos, because he feared that people would not believe the inhumanity. He also brought pieces of human skin from Ilse's horrific collection. When he passed away a few years ago, he had his "collection" delivered to the Holacaust Museum in D.C. My son (a Social Studies teacher) and I (a retired high school teacher) will be going to Normandy for the 3rd time this July and will be following the Band of Brother's footsteps to the Ardennes. Once again thanks for the sacrifice that you and your buddies made for the rest of us and rest assured we will never let it be forgotten.

Scott		09-Apr-2005 09:59
Incredible collection! I have always wanted to see something like this! Thanks!

Joseph Chickadel		29-Jan-2005 03:12
Dear Mr Searl Thankyou for this wonderful archive.My late Dad (Sept'85)T/Sgt Carmine J. Chickadel 56th Signal Bn, would have truly appreciated this site.He is standing next to you in the first 40 by 80 "boxcar" photo.Would you please contact me at: chickadel@dciarchitects.com as I would love to share your memories of him. Sincerely, Joseph Chickadel

Janet		15-Aug-2004 23:29
Wonderful tribute you put together. Thank you for reminding us the cost freedom and we should thank you and every soldier/sailor for making the supreme sacrifice to keep us safe and free. My Dad also served WWII in the Navy...

Joe B		29-Nov-2003 23:57
Thanks for sharing your pictures and experience...and most importantly thanks for your service to our country. My father served in the South Pacific in WWII. You, like him, are truly the finest generation this country has ever produced. Your generation gave so much and ask so little in return. My father was wounded in WWII, yet he never complained, just came home and did the best he could to make a good life for his family. Wish we had more like your generation, now. All my best to your and your family. Joe

Guest		20-Oct-2002 22:37
I wasn't born for another 39 years after WWII ended but I still get a big kick out of seeing these pieces of history. I remember when I was little and my grandfather used to show me pictures of him as a WWII soldier, and he told me all these fascinating stories. Thank you so much for this presentation.

Veronica Fresh		07-Jun-2002 23:40
Your photos were, are, truly wonderful. The faces...stunning. I was born in June of 1945, so I enjoy looking at the world and what it was like back then. Thanks for putting them up, you do a service to the military and you've done it with artistic flair. Veronica Freschi

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