10 July 1944 Garand Picture of the Day

[Mark in Rochester]

Information

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[Bob Womack]

Wow. Look at all the guys silhouetted in the background. Some sergeant is going to come along and scream.

Bob

[RAM1ALASKA]

Mark,,, Any info on this picture ??
Thanks..................

[fjruple]

Interesting photo. Looks like they are trying roll out a camo net. Cannot understand why a 1/4 ton Jeep trailer is in that position. At first I thought it was a Jeep with a trailer had hit a mine.

[Daan Kemp]

Preparing shelter for stores or similar. Or folding it up after use.

[Mark in Rochester]

Mark,,, Any info on this picture ??
Thanks..................

Found this on the web

US Signal Corp photo. The official Signal Corp stamp states the photo was taken July 25th, 1944 near St. Giles, France. An expert on Signal Corp photos told me that many of the 1:25,000 maps used in the war did not name many of the small French villages. It was common to use a larger village name to place a photo rather than the actual location. There is actually two St. Giles close to where I believe this photo was taken. A St. Giles about 2 miles NE and the famous St. Giles about 4 miles South, south of the St. Lo/Periers Road....the objective of the 119th IR and the 2nd AD on July 26th. Back to the photo...I believe this be the scene of the friendly bombing of Tech 4th Grade Patsy Barbato, Regimental Journal Clerk of the 119th. After Action Reports for the 119th written on Aug. 4th, 44 state that the 119th Regimental C.P. was near the church at le Mesnil Durand. It also states that on July 25th, Technician Fourth Grade Barbato, the regimental journal clerk, was hit by a heavy bomb, and the regimental journal and all maps and overlays in his possession for July 24th and 25th were destroyed. The history to July 24th had already been written, hence is fairly accurate, but the history for the 24th, 25th, and 26th is written largely from memory after a busy week. In Workhorse of the Western Front on page 36 it states 40 of the 133 119th's casualties were sustained near the regimental command group, on the road near le-Mesnil-Durand. In the 119th's official history book on page 22 it states the Regimental CP was at le Mesnil Durand and on page 24 states on that morning (25th) Tech 4th Grade Barbato, the Regimental journal clerk, was hit directly by a heavy bomb. On page 23 of the history it states: Then the bombers, B-17s and B-24s appeared and still heavier flak came up at them. The bombers came, moving south, and with great precision and effectiveness bombed the Regiment around le Mesnil Durand and passed on. Approximately a squadron released their load of medium and heavy bombers. Close inspection of the photo shows maps, map cases, jeep trailer, etc. The stamp identifies the photographer as Lovell of the 165th Signal Company. This same photo can be found in the Center for Military History book, "Breakout and Pursuit". Note also the camouflage net would probably be found at a small command post.

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