F/329th Veterans grouping
Group of miscellaneous items identified to S/Sgt. Charles R. Whitcomb
The items of this grouping were donated by the Cleveland Grays Armory Museum to the 83rd Infantry Division Association on the 2017 Reunion in Cleveland, Ohio and given in my care for adding to my collection. Looking at all the items in the grouping it is clear the items belonged to Mr. Charles Robert Whitcomb of Ohio, who served with Company F of the 329th Infantry Regiment.
Top piece of this grouping is a very nice Photo Album with over 280 black and white photos of the men of Company F, 329th Regiment. Appears to be in the US and taken during basic training at Camp Atterbury, the Tennessee Maneuvers of 1943 and Camp Breckinridge. Most of the photo's are identified what makes this a great piece of history. In front of the album, there is a large list of names for the men of F/329.
Further, the lot consists of: a 83rd Unit History 'Thunderbolt Across Europe', a Unit History of the 329th Infantry Regiment 'Buckshot', a Unit History 'Combat Digest' of the 2nd Battalion, 329th Infantry Regiment, a copy of the original book 'The Ragtag Circus' by Buckshot Crabill, six bound pamphlets titled "The Nervy Exploits of Sam Magill" reproduced from "Never a Shot in Anger" by Col. Barney Oldfield, eleven (11) issues of newspapers from the 83rd Infantry Division, including: 83rd Thunderbolt for ....., the Softcover book 'Memories of Heaven, Memories of Hell' by George J. Trebonyak, the book 'Remembrances, My Journey through the war' by Robert Parsons Jr., a booklet titled "Two Memoirs, The Battle of Normandy and The Battle of McMinn County" by Frank C. Carmichael and an Untitled and undated photo, possibly of fraternity, either Delta Sigma Chi or Zeta Sigma Chi.
S/Sgt. Charles R. Whitcomb
Staff Sergeant
Charles R. Whitcomb
Staff Sergeant Charles R. Whitcomb
Charles Robert Whitcomb was born on September 18, 1921 in Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio, as the son of Grace Wellman (1885-1973) and Isaak T. Whitcomb (1883-1926).
Charles R. 'Bob' Whitcomb enlisted in the Army in 1942. He took some of his basic training at Camp Atterbury, Indiana and at Camp Breckinridge, Kenthuky. On September 5, 1942, he married Lavona F. Deardorff. Bob Whitcomb took part at the Tennessee Maneuvers of 1943, before going to the European Theatre of Operation (ETO). For his service he was awarded, among other decorations, the Combat Infantry Badge.
He was a lifelong resident of Ashland and a member of First Christian Church, American Legion Harry Higgins Post 88 and the Ashland Evening Lions Club. For 25 years, he was a real estate broker for Ward Real Estate in Ashland.
Charles R. "Bob" Whitcomb died at the Metro Health Medical Center in Cleveland on September 6, 2008 following an illness of four weeks. He is buried, togheter with his wife Lavona (1922-2016), at the Ashland Cemetery, Ashland, Ohio.
click on the images to enlarge
