Babe Was Among the Replacements for N. Africa POWs

Just days before Babe enlisted in in the army and made his first stop at Camp Upton on Long Island, something rather momentous was happening in Northern Africa that would ultimately affect my uncle. It probably explains why, in part, Babe’s second stop was Camp Wheeler in Georgia.

In February 1943, members of the 34th Infantry Division, the “Red Bull” division, were overrun by the army of German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. Without going into too much detail, hundreds were killed or captured in the battles. It was a significant defeat for the Allied forces — perhaps one of the first major defeats.

In the course of my original research to learn more about Babe’s life, I found the names of dozens of members of the unit he ultimately served: the Antitank Company, 168th Infantry, 34th Division. I wrote 80 letters and was blessed to receive more than 25 replies. Many said the same thing as this one from Lee Wilcox in Iowa: Read more of this post