304th Vet Joins the Onaway Herd!

T/5 Donald C. Berry was born in 1924 in Burnham, Maine. The son of farmers, he graduated high school in 1942 as a star athlete in football and basketball winning state in 1942. 

Enlisting in the Army in 1944, Berry would find himself in the 76th Infantry Division. Berry served in the 304th IR’s 1st Bn. HQ Company, known as the “Red Battalion'' as a part of the HQ and Communications platoon.

The 304th finally found itself in combat on the 22nd of January in Belgium, with 1st Bn HQ establishing a CP in Herborn on January 25th. Throughout January and February, his company would find itself fighting in Luxembourg and Germany with the A&P platoon taking the brunt of the attacks. 

March of ‘45 brought even more intense combat, with artillery barrages becoming more frequent, especially in the battles for the Moselle River which would take place during the 11th through 13th of March. In the town of Monzel the HQ and Communications platoon, which Pfc. Berry was a part of, fortunately took only a single direct mortar round. 

On April 17th the Regiment would end up meeting the Soviets at Almittweida, and on May 8th Allied forces would celebrate VE Day! 

Berry served on occupation duty with the 1st ID’s 26th IR, and would spend time stationed in Nuremburg during the trials. He would also re-enlist in 1946 with the 2nd Armored Division for a short while. 

After the war he would return home, selling building materials, owning a restaurant, and being an active commander in his local VFW. He passed away in 2017.

A 304th, C-Co Grouping Reunited

SGT Charles D. Price was born near Everett, Pennsylvania on March 6th, 1911. He registered for the draft on October 16th, 1940 and was inducted in to service on March 13th, 1942. Bouncing around bases, he was stationed at Fort Benjamin Harrison (Indiana), Camp Wallace (Texas), Fort Bliss (Texas) where he served with 402nd Coastal Artillery, Norfolk, Virginia, and finally Camp McCoy (Wisconsin) where he joined C-Company, 304th Infantry Regiment in the 76th Division. 

Shipping overseas with the unit on Thanksgiving Day, 1944, SGT Price entered combat at the Luxembourg/Germany border in the town of Echternacht in February of 1945. Except for a broken thumb, SGT Price came through the war unscathed. He settled down after the war in Flint, Michigan where he was an automotive technician, and marrying Phyllis Sullier in 1948. He passed away on his birthday in 1988 at the age of 77.

This grouping came to me in two different lots directly from the vet’s grandson. The C-Company yardlong was first purchased and framed and the untouched Ike jacket came to me almost a year later. The grandson was able to provide numerous original photos with it as he wanted all of Price’s wartime items to stay together. 

A Wisconsin Guardsman Turned Combat Leader

SGT Lester E. (Les) Dake was born on February 19, 1919 in Mayville, Wisconsin. A 1937 Graduate of Dorchester High School, Les worked at various jobs until October 15, 1940 when he enlisted in B-Battery, 121st Field Artillery Regiment in the 32nd Division, Wisconsin Army National Guard. 

He trained in Camp Livingston, LA and attended additional training at the Edgewood Arsenal, MD and also Fort Sill, OK. He joined the 76th Division and was assigned to B-Battery, 901st FA Bn at Camp McCoy, WI. Les went overseas in November of 1944 to the European Theater. He was awarded 3 Battle Stars, Battle of the Bulge, Rhineland and Central Europe. He returned to the US on August 21st, 1945 aboard the Queen Mary with the rest of the 30th Division (my grandfather included!) where Les was assigned to the 118th FA Bn. SGT Dake was Honorably Discharged on October 26, 1945. 

On November 6, 1948 in Dubuque, Iowa he was married the to Merle E. Thompson. Les worked at the former Harvey Company until 1966 and then moved to Belvidere, IL where he worked at the Chrysler Corporation until his retirement in 1984. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and camping.

Below are stories SGT Dake told his daughter about the war:

- “Coming back from patrol the driver of the jeep he was in stopped and asked if he could hit the deer that they saw. He didn't see the second behind the first one and got 2 for one shot. All patrol members started asking just how good of a shot he was. The EOD had just cleared a minefield and stacked the explosive for later disposal. The Lt. with dad asked if he could hit those mines at 250 meters. Dad started to raise his gun when the Lt. said not with your gun. Use the gun from that dead German. So he picked up a German 8mm Mauser and shot the mines. The German artillery always sent 3 rounds at the top of the hour and it was getting close to that time so when the mines exploded the 1st Sgt which no one liked thought it was an artillery attack and dove out of his jeep into a January mud puddle. He wanted to know who shot those mines so he would be peeling potatoes for the rest of the war. No one ever told him.”

 

- “Another story he told of coming upon a castle about half way between the German border and Berlin. When they stopped for the night part of their unit was to set up their camp on the grounds with orders not to disturb the residents unless necessary. They were met by the servants of the castle with a couple bottles of wine and happy faces. They had run out of food and were hiding in the wine cellar as much as possible. When the Americans came they shared wine with the troops in order to feed themselves.”

 

- “The last story I recall him telling was of a time he had guard duty somewhere in Belgium and some distance away was a German camp. Each morning one German fellow would walk to a point outside a building and relieve himself. This would go on each day around the same time. Dad wanted to have a little fun at the guys expense so one day when he walked out there and set his gun against the wall he was greeted with a surprise. While he was relieving himself dad let a few rounds go near his feet. The fellow was scared enough that he left his gun behind but never again returned to that area to take care of relieving himself.”

 

SGT Dake passed away on April 18, 2012 in Medford, WI.

This uniform comes complete, unaltered, and untouched. It still has his ARNG collar brass and DUIs. The shirt is outfitted with green combat leader stripes.

A Combat Infantryman Turned Pharmacist: A C-Company, 385th Regiment Veteran’s Story

T/5 Edward H-U-S-N-I served in 1st Squad, 3d Platoon, C-Company, 385th Infantry Regiment, 76th Infantry Division.  Born in New Jersey on March 6th, 1926, he grew up in Jersey City and had quite the social scene being dubbed his classes “Woman Hater” (??) in his yearbook superlatives. He voluntarily enlisted March 10th 1944 just 4 days after turning 18. Upon completion of basic, he was stationed at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin and upon movement orders East, staged at Camp Miles Standish with the 385th for their voyage across the Atlantic in the S.S. Sea Owl on Thanksgiving Day 1944. The 385th crossed the English Channel and landed at Le Harve, France on January 12th, 1945. His platoon entered in to combat in mid-February on the Siegfried Line between Luxembourg and Germany. He raced through Germany with the 76th until V-E Day where he served on Occupation Duty near Zwickau. The 76th was deactivated in August 31st and he was then transferred to Bolbec, France where he served as a guard at a German PW camp.

Upon returning home, Edward graduated from the University of Nebraska with a degree in Pharmacy, was married in 1956, and opened up his on pharmacy which he would retire from in the 1970s. He and his wife had two daughters and he passed away in 2013 at the age of 87.

This uniform was purchased directly from his son and remains in untouched condition. Of particular interest is the dog tag chain stitched around the mighty Onaway and ADSEC patches.

Thanks for looking and thank you Edward for your service and sacrifice 🇺🇸

An Iowan Turned Infantryman: An H-Co, 385th Regiment, 76th Infantry Division Vet

Corporal Delbert M. P-O-R-T-E-R was born April 14, 1919 the son of Robert and Linnie (Messerly) Porter in Colfax Township, Webster County. He attended country school and graduated from the Fort Dodge High School with the class of 1938. On January 12, 1939 Delbert was united in marriage to Elaine "Billie" Treloar.

On April 14, 1944 Delbert was inducted into the United States Army serving his country in H-Co, 385th Infantry Regiment, 76th Infantry Division in Gen. Patton's 3rd Army. During his tour he received the following decorations and citations: 2x Overseas Service Bars, the European African Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon with 3x Bronze Battle Stars, the Good Conduct Medal and the WWII Victory Medal. Delbert was honorably discharged on January 5, 1946.

Delbert had a passion for cooking and loved to be in the kitchen and owned and operated Porters Poultry Place from 1942-1964 and Del Porter's Pancake Feast from 1965-1982.

He passed away at the age of 90 on Sunday, May 31, 2009.