Posted 12 years ago
scottvez
(977 items)
I just picked up this small grouping that is identified to Engelbert "Bert" Ruescher, who served in WW2 with the 504th PIR.
Ruescher, who died earlier this year, joined the Army in February of 1943 from NY City. He was single, worked in the glass industry and was 19 or 20 years old.
His dogtags are the early style "Next of Kin" dogtags, which most likely carry his mothers NOK information.
Ruescher's early 43 enlistment, means he probably missed the early action of the 504th at Sicily ("Operation Husky") in JUL 1944.
He may have been part of the first replacements and seen his first action at Salerno or Anzio (where the nickname "Devils in Baggy Pants" was given to the Regiment).
Because of casualties the 504th was not part of Normandy Invasion.
The 504th did jump during Operation Market Garden and was a part of the defenses of Bastogne.
The photograph is a French Real Photo PostCard and shows a full standing Ruescher. He wears the ABN oval on his hat and proudly shows both his Combat Infantryman's Badge (CIB) and Airborne Wings. Additionally, he wears a Purple Heart and Campaign Ribbon bar. I don't have information on when/ where he was wounded. Most likely the image was taken in late 1944 while on R & R in France.
Reproduction of these images in any form is not authorized.
scott
Thanks for looking tom and tony!
scott
Thanks for looking and commenting bellin.
Best Wishes for a Happy New Year!
scott
He looks like he could take on a bear!
Hope you are doing well Scott, Happy New Year!
Thanks amber-- he did take on a bear!
He participated in some of the toughests fights in WW2.
scott
Thanks manikin and walksoftly!
scott
Thanks tlmbaran and vetraio!
scott
Thanks for looking majestic!
scott
Thanks for looking buss!
scott
Thanks for looking p.
scott
Thanks for looking mikko!
scott
Thanks tom!
scott
Looks like type 2 dog tags. Somewhere in my stash I have a pair with a seven digit serial number. These would have been issued before July of 43. Every time I find a pair I wonder about the original owner and the story behind him.
Yep-- thanks for looking fhrjr.
scott
Thanks dino!
scott
This is my father. He was wounded in the thigh and buttocks and carried some shrapnel in his hand between the webbing of the fingers.
He was born in Germany and came here as a toddler. His father, my grandfather, fought for Germany under Kaiser Wilhelm. My father spent his life trying to prove that he was American. After the war, he worked for Grumman and then became a police officer around the time I was born.
After he was wounded, he was in a hospital in Italy. He talked about Mt. Vesuvius erupting.
Thanks for sharing your stories!
scott