557thwwII

Members of the 557th AAA AW BN C Battery

557th History Bloginformation, contact: James C. Sattel, jcsattel@gmail.com

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http://557thaaawwii.blogspot.com/

Brief overview of the 557th

The 557th was activated 11 February, 1943. The authorized strength of the unit consisted of 39 officers, two warrant officers, and 800 enlisted men. The unit consisted of men primarily from Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, and Washington DC.Ultimately the 557th would fight in four major WWII campaigns in the European Theater of operations, serve in Germany in the Army of occupation, and, today (1959) be an active unit of the Army reserve. (excerpt from: The Story of the 557th, Clyde D. Boden, Jr., 16 May,1959)

Front row-left to right Javaronne --Wes Holland--Dale Mitchell
Second Row--left to right --Andy--Hespedi-Bill Arndt--Monzo
Third Row John Baylin--Ben Madanick-Dom Carlini--Harry M Rightnour

84th Division shoulder sleeve insignia

"Railsplitter"

Division nickname
The 557th was attached to the 9th Army from untill November, 1944 at which time the unit was reassigned to the 84th Infantry. The 84th Infantry Division derives its nickname, "Railsplitter" division, from the divisional insignia, an ax splitting a rail. This design was created during World War I, when the division was known as the "Lincoln" division to represent the states that supplied soldiers for the division: Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky. All figured prominently in the life of President Abraham Lincoln, of log-splitting legend.

Harry Rightnour

"...This is me in our Mount...It was taken near the Elbe

River, a short time before the war ended. We shot down

a plane here. It landed about 200 yards from our gun.

I may be able to get a picture of what was left of

the plane and the pilot. H Rightnour, May, 1945

"...Boarding ship at LaHarve France August 2, 1945

for trip across (English) Channel to Southhampton,

England..." H Rightnour

Clyde Persion

Life during war; European Theater,

1944-1945

"This is the Kraut from the plane that landedclose to our gunwhen we were near the Elbe River.A few weeks before the war ended. The top of his head was cut-off and and every bone in his body broken."...Harry Rightnour...

Clyde Pierson

Harry Rightnour, Ft Fisher

"A little souvenier of Marcelle Thill for my best friend Harry"....August 19, 1945, Luxenbourg

Harry Rightnour was there dinner guest.

"These are the four half-tracks of the first platoon. Mine is C-6. This was taken in Plankstald near Hildleburg..." H. Rightnour

"...Me again chopping wood. That lump on my back is a hood. It came in mighty good on these cold days..." H Rightnour..

Hanover, Germany

Salvadore Piazza

Deauville France...Nice babe on the bike...

Soldier of Battery C, 557th A.A.A. AW Battalion wearing gloves in winter weather, Europe, 1944-1945. Soldier is use the EE-8 Field Phone handset connected to the case on the truck.

Mel Stafford

Wes Holland, Harry Rightnour, Jim Smith

L to R...Brigham, Mitchel, Glasser

"At the Elbe River...How do you like that camaflaugejob on the pit...We dug sod and placed it around the pit"...H Rightnour

Cutting fuel for the stove...Again...

"That's me sitting on one of the flat cars we road from Brunswick (sp) to France. The row of box behind us were filled with German POW's. They were a sorry looking site (Holland)How about those beach chairs! some class..."

Harry Rightnour