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| Sgt. William Bowling served in the 743rd Tank Battalion in France and Germany. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/93057170/william-j_-bowling https://www.reddit.com/r/TankPorn/comments/6e298u/a_sandbagged_m4a3e2_jumbo_of_the_743rd_tank/ |
William J. Bowling never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
He was born on December 18, 1919 in Manchester, Kentucky. His parents James and Ida were also both born in Kentucky. His father worked as a farmer and later as a washer man. William had two older sisters, one older brother, four younger brothers, and two younger sisters. By 1940 William had completed eight years of education and was living with his parents.
He volunteered for the army in June 1940. He was sent overseas in June 1944. He became a sergeant in Company A, 743rd Tank Battalion. Before Sgt. Bowling joined his unit, the 743rd TB landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day in support of the 116th Infantry Regiment. Sgt. Bowling joined his unit as a replacement. In mid-June it was switched to supporting the 30th Infantry Division and remained so for the rest of the war. It fought to the Siegfried Line and in the Battle of the Bulge.
Sgt. Bowling was killed in action on February 25, 1945 when his unit was advancing near Steinstrauss, Germany.
His grave is at Greenwood Cemetery in Hamilton, Ohio.
Last year on this date I profiled Anzio fallen John Bogacz, 3rd Infantry Division, and his brother Eugene. You can read about John and Eugene here.
On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!
I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
The following is a letter written by Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel. William D. Duncan, of the 743rd Tank Battalion to all the soldiers who served in the 743rd.
ReplyDeleteTankers of the 743:
You have accomplished your mission m Europe. You have accomplished it only as great soldiers could. Never, from the day you hit the Normandy Invasion Beach until this day, have I had any doubts as to your courage or your willingness to sacrifice your lives for those of your comrades.
"We Keep The Faith." Yes, you have kept the faith of those who died in Flanders Field in '17 and '18, of those who died in the water and on the sands of Omaha Beach, of those who died beside, the hedgerows of Normandy, of those who fell in the orchards and farmlands of France, Belgium and Holland, of those who threw their soft bodies against the steel and cement obstacles of the Siegfried line, of those who pushed to the Roer, froze in the bitter winter campaign of the Ardennes, and of those whose bodies were strewn from the Roer River to the Rhine and from the Rhine to' the Elbe River.
You have kept the faith your loved ones had in You, your country had in you, Colonel Upham had in you, and I had in you.
Never has a man had the opportunity of working with and associating with a finer group of officers and men than you of the 743rd. You have met and defeated the best the Germans had. Now, many of yon will meet and defeat the best the Japanese have.
My prayers go with you.
WILLIAM D. DUNCAN
Lieutenant Colonel, Infantry
743rd Tank Battalion,
Commanding.
(This letter was written after Germany surrendered, but, before Japan surrendered)
This letter is dated 10 July 1945 and datelined, Kloster Kreuzberg, Germany. It is the forward to the book entitled, "Move Out Verify" with the following description.
ReplyDelete"A Battalion truck was driven hundreds of miles through Germany to locate and haul a linotype machine so that type could be set for this book. This is just one of the sometimes fantastic difficulties overcome during the manufacture of these pages in the bomb-devastated city of Frankfurt-on-Main in July 1945.
That the book did get printed at all is astonishing. to its author. lst Lt. John D. Hess, aided by German-speaking Tech. Sergeant Frank Gartner, looked after the considerable details of publication. The 21 chapter illustrations are by Pfc. Norman E. Hamilton. The writing is by Pfc. Wayne Robinson, who here wishes to acknowledge the great help given by so many, from tank commanders to cooks to personnel clerks, in getting the facts for this combat story. And also contains the following dedication:
"To Lieutenant Colonel John S. Upham, Jr., who forged the spirit of a great tank battalion the Officers and Men of the 743 sincerely dedicate this book.
"Move Out Verify" can be found online at: https://digicom.bpl.lib.me.us/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1069&context=ww_reg_his