Treasure Chest Thursday: Larsen, Slapnik & Hibsch of the 417th MPEG Co

Editor's Note: this is another in a series of posts about re-creating my father's WWII military history.

Myself, Ola Larson (back), Albert Slupnick

That's what my father wrote on the back of this photo.  You see, "myself" was Robert M. Hibsch.

I named the photo "The Three Buddies".  They look like they're pals  don't they?

"The Three Buddies"
Albert Slapnik  (left), Ola N. Larsen, Jr. (back), Robert M. Hibsch (right)

Source: Personal collection of Denise Hibsch Richmond

Backside of above photo (click images to enlarge)

Source: Personal collection of Denise Hibsch Richmond

Having possession of the 1944 Roster of the 417th Military Police Escort Guard Company, I am happy to provide more details about my father's buddies:

Larsen, Ola N., Jr.  39908823 as he appeared on the roster or Ola N. Larsen, Jr. as his loved ones may search for him. He was a Private First Class.

Slapnik, Albert 3961*981 as he appeared on the roster or Albert Slapnik as his loved ones may search for him. He was a Private. The asterisk in his serial number was added by the Author to signify an undecipherable symbol.

All three soldiers were also named in the company photo. I was able to identify my father.  I hope the descendants of Ola N. Larsen, Jr. and Albert Slapnik are able to identify their guy.

Like my previous posts about the 417th MPEG Co, I’m hoping the families of Larsen and Slapnik will contact me and share what they know about the 417^th MPEG Co.  Please leave a comment below or send me an email: write2medenise@gmail.com.  I look forward to hearing from you! 

Military Monday: Roster of the 417th Military Police Escort Guard Company

Editor's Note: this is another in a series of posts about re-creating my father's WWII military history.

Hello out there to the descendants of the 142 soldiers (if my count is accurate) who are named on this roster for the 417^th Military Police Escort Guard Company (417^th MPEG Co) dated 11 January 1944.  This post is for you.

This valuable roster was part of the military documents I obtained during my visit to the National Archives at College Park, College Park, Maryland in May 2016.  The documents tell the history of the 417^th MPEG Co during World War II. I’ll write about that soon but I was anxious to release the roster first.   

Be sure to cross-check your ancestor's name on this roster with the names on the Company photo. I was able to recognize my father in that photo.  I hope you're fortunate enough to do the same.  My father's name and serial number are highlighted in yellow on the roster.

Like the post with the Company photo, I’m hoping the families of the soldiers named on this roster (click images to enlarge) will contact me and share what they know about the 417^th MPEG Co.  Please leave a comment below or send me an email: write2medenise@gmail.com.  I look forward to hearing from you!  

417th Military Police Escort Guard Company

Roster 11 January 1944, pg 1

Obtained from NARA College Park by Denise Hibsch Richmond

417th Military Police Escort Guard Company

Roster 11 January 1944, pg 2

Obtained from NARA College Park by Denise Hibsch Richmond

TRANSCRIPTION OF 1944 ROSTER
INTO SEARCHABLE FORMAT

417^th MILITARY POLICE ESCORT GUARD COMPANY
11 January 1944
(Date)
COMPANY ROSTER

Gullet, Cecil Lynn, James E. Miller, James S.

Captain Second Lt. Second Lt.

0-493486   0–496792 0-1169253

Co Cmdr Co Off. Co Off.

FIRST SERGEANT Dunlap, Fred L. STAFF SERGEANTS Evans, Jesse N. Shields, Charles A., Jr. SERGEANTS Gardiner, Vernon C. Jontow, Bernhard L. Jordahl, Vernon J. Tucker, Walter D. Warden, Homer F. CORPORALS Arnold, Floren D. Blitzblau, Sheldon S. Charon, Albert W. Evans, Wade L. Goodwin, Daniel J. Hauser, William T. Lavery, Thomas E. Malone, Herman C. McBride, Jess L. Nagel, Philip L. Newsome, Oscar E., Sr. Stender, Ralph R.   Wells, Lloyd J. TECHNICIANS 5th GRADE Brooks, Woodrow W. Collins, Michael G. Kramer, Charles T. Long, Jesse E. Pitz, Ferdinand F. PRIVATES FIRST CLASS Angell, Victor C. Armstrong, Jewell A. Ash, Joseph A.   Baker, William E. Barnes, Edward R. Basye, John C. Bauer, Harley O. Berry, Helsey L. Birge, Ernest E. Blair, Harold E. Bradshaw, Johnnie B. Clarkson, James V. Cook, Charles H. Cundiff, T.B. (I O) Dahlberg, John F. Erickson, Gordon O. Fleming, Raymond W. Gregston, Wayne I. Guerrero, Jose F. Hermansen, Marlen R. Irey, Jack A. Kelly, Le Roy Kirk, Robert LaClair, Laurence R. Larsen, Ola W., Jr.  Massey, Joseph Z. Miller, Fred Moraitis, John W. Murphy, Paul P., Jr. Nessly, William F. Noe, Donald K. Osinski, Arthur A. Owens, Elias Pinianski, Basil W. Pomerantz, Daniel D. Poulton, La Marr W. Provonsha, Joseph A. Ragsdale, Samuel B. Ramerman, Elmer B.  Reed, Lawrence E. Rhoad, Luther B.  Robb, Alden M. Schneider, Herman J. Shipman, Virgil J. Slifer, Harry R. Stanko, Paul, Jr. Smith, James G. Smock, Arthur C. Spies, Alvin V. Verkuyl, Donald A. Vogel, William G. Volek, John B. Walker, Walter J., Jr. Walton, Raymond K. Williard, Alvin C. Wilson, Aubrey W. Wolovnik Sidney   Yingling, John A. PRIVATES Adelson, Robert L. Akers, Edison A.  Anderson, Ivan T. Arnold, Pedro L. Bautista, Frank Bradshaw, Jackson P. Buckler, Arthur Burt, Jack W. Carpenter, Henry J. Cook, Harold H. Dalton, John S., Jr. Doers, William H. Doyle, Sylvester E. Gammon, Robert L. Gatavaski, Albert M. Gottfried, Sam Handwerker, Louis Hibsch, Robert M. Jacobsen, Grant Kramer, Nathan NMI Jensen, Donald H. Jiminez, Alex N. Lehman, James T. Litot, George E. Marvin, Leon Messner, Roy E., Jr. Metter, Robert J. Moyher, Andrew F. Mykleby, James E. Otto, John G. Pfeifer, Frank B. Piekarski, Kazimir Rameriz, Paul Ray, Chester J. Rhodehamel, Elmer R. Richardson, Orville E. Roberts, Richard A. Rukavina, Steve M. Russell, Lloyd R. Shurtliff David C. Slapnik, Albert Smith, Emerson Smith, Warren E. Souder, Edward B. Stanard, Kenneth Stewart, Elbie Talmadge, Raymond B.  Wallman, Leon West, John E. Wheat, Paul L. Whelan, Edwin J. White, Elbert E

35175543 39908922 33262252 39280667 12182183 37320467 38000973 34141956 391228*4 32656932 39908871 39199345  39557885 39461866 33182409 6268567 35477549 6665097 34448283 39199249 39280717 35156*86 39280676 33310083 39908863 39908919 39908920 39408991 39199319 39038741 33479301 39555970 39555734 39461872 39693067 36440867 39122831 39199350 39557717 39038706 39908925 39038743 34202208 39693101 39555750 39908799 39615665 39279101  39199305 39199356 39908823 39908857 39199340 36311606 33551654 39199356 39555752 36555225 33460749 13055917 33577508 39908766 39908449 39461415 39199308 39122354 33497084 39908758 39038570 39198931 37246942 33675026 39908432 35578270 39199234 39693119 39615679 33152412 33409702 33085945 33076055 39199296 39279337 33015430 32972994 33250665 39908875 39556021 32699190 33387686 32728699 39908865 33302668 39908797 39908793 39122875 36235847 39199346 31065759 32162433 32712582 39280776 39908909 36627653 36294353 18103065 39557871 35537651 39199261 36555294 39038751 20307013 36815015 32701442 37338045 32725790 6953633 39557702 15055273 34368248 39408743 39615995 39557179 39908386 3961*981 36318197 39038737 32485916 36563632 35210273 32701940 32518738 35528117 39693120 32707416 34680199

 Author's Notes

1,  *asterisk added by Author to signify undecipherable symbol in the serial number

2.  "Page 27" and "Page 28" on roster image added for Author's use 

3.  "Declassified Authority" notation required by NARA on all images of documents

Military Monday: 417th Military Escort Group Co Photo

Editor's Note: this is another in a series of posts about re-creating my father's WWII military history.

My father, Robert M. Hibsch, kept several papers from his days in the Army during World War II (WWII) which I have now. He served as a military policeman with the 417^th Military Police Escort Guard (MPEG) Company.  The 417^th MPEG Company was located at camps in England: Bourton-on-the-Hill, Truro, and Galmpton, and Cherbourg, France.[1]

The picture shown here was found in his papers.  It’s not the original photo; it’s on regular 8½” x 11” white paper that has faded.  Unfortunately, there is no date or location. Someone hand printed the names of the soldiers in order in which they appear. The “author” must have known the identity of the soldiers and was probably in the photo himself

My father is in this picture which makes it very valuable.

Challenge to family: can you find him without looking at the names row by row?

Challenge to descendants:  is your father or other relative in this photo?  I’m posting it and transcribing the names printed on it in hopes that the descendants of these soldiers can share information about the 417^th MPEG Company.  Please contact me!

417th Military Police Escort Company Photo

Source: Personal Collection of Denise Hibsch Richmond

Click image to enlarge

FRONT ROW:

Otto, D.J. Goodwin, Kramer, Vogel, Armstrong, McBride, Newsom, Lavery, Stender, Houser, Jordahl, Warden, Gardiner, Tucker, Jontow, Butzblau, F.D. Arnold, Charon, Clarkson, Birge, Collins, W Evans, Noe, Doers, H. Cook.

SECOND ROW:

Gatavaski, Angell, Massey, Myklesy, Wallman, Marvin, Jacobsen, Walker, Rhoad, Stanard, Adelson, Rukavina, Kramer, Gottfried, Capt. Gullett, W.E. Smith, Lt. Lynn, Rhodehammel, 1st Sgt. Dunlap, Barnes, Russell, Fleming, Guerrero, Doyle, Ragsdale, Provonsha, Berry, Pinianski, J.P. Bradshaw, Akers, Jimenez, Dalton, Shipman, Larsen.

THIRD ROW:

Rameriz, Pfiefer, Anderson, Dahlberg, Erickson, Nessly, Buckler, Rammerman, Handwerker, Souder, Baker, Roberts, Kirk, Spies, Brooks, Long, Pitz, Volek, LaClair, Smook [Smock], Whelan, Hibsch, P. Arnold, Slapnik, C.H. Cook, Burt, Poulton, Stanko, Messner, Stewart, Schneider, Gregston [Grecston].

BACK ROW:

Osinski, Talmadge, J.B. Bradshaw, Piekarski, Robb, Ray, Gammon, Blair, Ash, Pomerantz, J.G. Smith, Wilson, Condiff, Murphy, Jensen, Shurtliff, F. Miller, White, Richardson, Verkuyl, Bauer, E. Smith, Walton, West, Metter, Moyher, Malone.

---

[1] Miller, James S.. 1^st Lt, FA Commanding, HISTORY OF THE 417^th MPEG COMPANY FROM 1 FEB 1944-1 FEB 1945, 19 June 1945, p. 8 of 28, Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1917, Record Group 407, National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD. Note: file obtained by Denise Hibsch Richmond contained 28 sheets of loose papers and personally numbered in order of appearance 1- 28.