Hey. I would like to know more about those photos and what Units. My Dad served in Italy with the US 5th Army.
Photo at Time = 1:52 is not Po Valley. Looks like Autumn floods further south and maybe prior to Cassino.
Photo at Time = 2:45 looks exactly like a photo of my Father's unit, 328FA, based on background details. I have two other versions of this photo showing that "hut" made from crates.
Thank You! My father too 5th Army Artillery N Africa - Italy. He didnt tslk about it much, never learned exact unit. Funny how life goes I was MP VN era...., my son 2Lt 25ID Iraq, Artillery. Guess that gene skipped a generation....,
That photo IS a photo of the 328FA. I have the exact same one on my website--posted below. The news release described the photo as:
15 FEB 45 5/MM-45-2392
FIFTH ARMY, RAMAGNOLA AREA, ITALY
GUN CREW OF 105 MM HOWITZER, BATTERY B, 328TH F.A. BN., 85TH DIV., RELOADING GUN TO FIRE ON GERMAN POSITIONS IN THE APENNINE MOUNTAINS SOUTH OF CASTEL S. PIETRO ON HIGHWAY #9.
PHOTO BY HARTMAN 3131 SIGNAL SERVICE CO
My Dad was a Forward Observer for this very same Battery B, 328FA. This artillery battalion was part of the 85th "Custer" Infantry Division.
The date is before the official start of the Po Valley Campaign. They were in the mountains that let them look down into the plains and across Hiway No. 9.
You need to research your Dad's military service. If you can find some documentation on what unit he was with, then I have several reference books that will probably give some info as to where his unit served. Have you written off for his service records? There are other ways to find the ID of his unit.
Speaking of the 328FA, here is a nice little unit history of that unit during WW1. I've never seen a book like this as it not only has a group photo of Battery B, but it has a short story to tell of each member, enlisted and officers, who served in France. They acted as a replacement/training depot and didn't see much combat in WW1, only going to the front the last month of the war. The book is full of cartoon caricutures with names to ID the ones in the drawings.
