Thursday, January 19, 2017

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 417th MPEG Co.  Please leave a comment below or send me an email: write2medenise@gmail.com.  I look forward to hearing from you! 


Monday, January 16, 2017

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 417th Military Police Escort Guard Company (417th 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 417th 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 417th 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

417th 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


Monday, January 9, 2017

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 417th Military Police Escort Guard (MPEG) Company.  The 417th 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 417th 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.. 1st Lt, FA Commanding, HISTORY OF THE 417th 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.