On a Wing and a Prayer: A 901st FA Liaision Pilot Grouping Lands in the 76th Collection

1st Lt Marshall was born in 1914 in Michigan. He quickly answered the call to service by serving in the Illinois National Guard as a Field Artilleryman in the 122nd Field Artillery Battalion. He worked as a salesman in Peoria, Illinois when he met and married his wive in 1938. Following the war years, he once again felt the call to service and enlisted in March of 1943. Quickly rushed to pilot training to be an Artillery Liaison Pilot he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on March 31, 1944. Qualified to fly in May of 1944, he was shipped to Camp McCoy to join HQ Btry, 901st Field Artillery Bn in the 76th Infantry Division.

He flew many daring missions in his Piper L-4 "Grasshopper" Light Observation Craft over enemy occupied territory and the grouping consists of many maps, translation books, escape and evasion tools, plus so much more.

He was ultimately awarded two Air Medals for his service during the Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central European Campaigns.

He passed away in 1952 and is buried in his hometown National Cemetery in Michigan

This grouping originally came straight from the veteran's daughter and will be a centerpiece in the collection for years to come. 

From PFC to Master Sergeant: An Easy-Co 304th Regt Veteran Identified IKE

Master Sergeant Lyle LeLand G-A-S-K-I-L-L was born on November 12, 1918 in Fairfield, Idaho. One of four brothers, Lyle enlisted in June of 1944. Upon completion of Basic and Infantry Training, he was quickly fast-tracked to 3rd Platoon, Easy Company, 304th Regiment, 76th Division in time for their departure for the ETO on Thanksgiving Day, 1944. He served in all three Campaigns with the 76th and at the cessation of combat, was a PFC. Lyle stayed on for Occupation Duty and was ultimately discharged as a Master Sergeant in 1946. 3 out of 4 brothers served during the war and their picture is below. Two served in the Pacific and Lyle was the lone man in the EAME. All survived the war unscathed.

After the war, Lyle began a career in casualty insurance which remained his life's work. He married his wife Edna in January of 1950 and together they had three children. He passed away in July of 1996.

HQ-Btry, 364th Field Artillery Bn Veteran Grouping

T/5 Stanley K. Sternberg (later VonSternberg) was born August 16, 1925 in Salem, MA. He entered service in October 1943 serving with HQ Battery, 364th Field Artillery Battalion in the 76th Division. In an interview, he stated his memorable experiences during the war were witnessing the surrender of 100,000 German troops the day the war ended. He was a jeep driver for the HQ Battery Commanding Officer and stated he thoroughly enjoyed his duties during his time in the Field Artillery. He stayed in constant contact with two of his 364th buddies until his final years of life. They were Arley Nelson and Lou Goyak (Pictured left and middle in the photo below)

He shipped back to the US in August of '45 with the 4th Infantry Division and served with the Div Arty HQ Battery. Stanley remained in the Reserves after the war ended and was honorably discharged in February of 1948. He also was a lifetime member of the 76th Infantry Division Association. In the late 1940's he also changed his last name to vonSternberg. After his service in the Army, Stanley attended and graduated from the Vesper George School of Art of Boston and was a technical illustrator and industrial draftsman for GTE-Sylvania for all his working career. Stanley ultimately passed away in 2016.

This jacket is a beautiful all original tailored example with a zipper front. The material of it closely resembles pre-war officer's jacket fabric. This grouping came straight from this veteran's son and will be cherished in exhibits for years to come!

 

 

HQ-Co, 2nd Bn, 417th Infantry Regiment Ike Grouping Obtained

D. William B-A-I-R-D was born on September 4, 1923 and attended schools in Pennsylvania and New York. After graduation from the Watkins Glen High School, he enrolled at the New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse University.

In early 1943, he enlisted in the Army and was assigned to HQ-Co, 2nd Bn, 417th Regiment in the 76th Division. He served in all three campaigns with the 76th and came out unscathed! He proudly wore his Combat Infantryman’s Badge which he was awarded in February of 1945 after the Sauer River crossing assault. After hostilities in the European Theater concluded, he spent some time in England at the Army College at Shrivenham and was discharged in June of 1946. He joined the New York National Guard in the late 1940s and surprisingly became a field artilleryman with the 249th Field Artillery Bn.

He passed away on Friday, February 19, 2016 and was a resident of Lancaster, New Hampshire at the time.

His hat is laundry marked to him and this grouping came direct from the estate with several 76th Div patches and also his original Good Conduct Medal.