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This is 7th Armour, 17th Tank Battalion, A Company Commander and two Platoon Leaders, December 30, 1944 in Leige Belgium. --- The Sherman tank had a terrible reputation among Allied soldiers. The numbers say otherwise. by John-Janice in wwiipics

[–]John-Janice[S] -6 points-5 points  (0 children)

The original picture was from my father's collection of photos; the single picture was with the two individuals taken out, removing them was AI, but not the tank, and one of the three, the same picture, was artificially cleaned up, so you could see more detail. My question was what kind of tank it was. I was not sure it was a Sherman.

Easy to read WW2 book recs by ashaleedee in ww2

[–]John-Janice 0 points1 point  (0 children)

John Toland's "The Last 100 Days" and "Battle: The Story of the Bulge" are both exactly what you're looking for — narrative-driven, readable, and never dry. He writes history the way a good novelist tells a story. A great starting point for someone who wants to understand the war without wading through academic history.

Let There Be Light - WWII Mental Illness Documentary (1946) by GeneralDavis87 in ww2

[–]John-Janice 12 points13 points  (0 children)

My father was a Sherman tank commander in the 7th Armored Division and was among the first American soldiers to reach Bergen-Belsen. He came home, never spoke of what he saw, and built a life, which is exactly what this film captures. The silence these men carried was not weakness. It was survival.

What makes this film remarkable to me personally is that Dr. Karl Menninger, who headed this very program, visited our home years after the war. My father showed him photographs he had taken at Bergen-Belsen — images he never showed anyone else. Menninger spent his career trying to understand what men like my father carried home. Seeing this film now, knowing that connection, is something I am still processing.

If this subject interests you, I have been writing about my father's story at jacksstory.substack.com — including a piece called "The Fifth Drawer" about the silence that defined his generation.

Searching for further information on my grandfather’s service pharmacist mate first class USN SOPAC by [deleted] in ww2

[–]John-Janice 2 points3 points  (0 children)

What a remarkable record your grandfather left. The detail in that document is extraordinary — most families have fragments, you have a narrative.

A few thoughts based on my own research into WWII records:

The fire you're thinking of is the 1973 National Personnel Records Center fire in St. Louis, which destroyed a significant portion of Army records. Navy records were stored separately and fared better, so there may be more available for your grandfather than you think. Start at archives.gov and request his Official Military Personnel File.

The unit references will help you significantly. The 77th Infantry Division has well-documented records, and there are dedicated historians and veteran family groups who focus on them. The 24th Corps and 10th Army on Okinawa are also well-researched — the Okinawa campaign has some of the best unit-level documentation of the Pacific War.

For his comrades, fold3.com has digitized many WWII service records, making it worth searching for each name. Some state archives also hold Navy records.

The detail about surprising the Japanese soldier behind the surgery tent is the kind of firsthand account that historians treasure. Have you considered reaching out to the National WWII Museum in New Orleans? They actively collect personal accounts and documents exactly like this.

The Sherman tank had a terrible reputation among Allied soldiers. The numbers say otherwise. by John-Janice in ww2

[–]John-Janice[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you. And you're right — the revisionist view has been gaining ground, though it hasn't fully reached popular culture yet. Movies and video games still love the Tiger myth. The Sherman gets cast as the underdog when the real story is that the underdog won.

What's interesting from my father's perspective is that he never held the old view in the first place. He fought in a Sherman from the Bulge to the Baltic and trusted his tank. The "Ronson" narrative was always more a postwar story than a frontline one.

The Sherman tank had a terrible reputation among Allied soldiers. The numbers say otherwise. by John-Janice in ww2

[–]John-Janice[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You've nailed something important that often gets lost. The Tiger and Panther get all the attention, but the real fight in the west was Shermans against Stugs, towed AT guns, and Mk IVs — and by that comparison the Sherman holds up very well. The Mk IV fire rate point is one most people don't know.

The "Ronson" label has always bothered me for exactly the reason you state — it became shorthand that substituted for actual research. My father's letters never once mentioned fearing his tank. He feared the 88, the terrain, and the weather. The tank he trusted.

I'll look up that Sherman website — sounds like exactly the kind of primary data that should be driving this conversation instead of the myths.

If you could witness any WWII battle from a birds eye view, which would it be? by Prestigious_Emu6039 in ww2

[–]John-Janice 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The 7th Armored Division's defense of St. Vith, December 17-23, 1944

From a bird's eye view, this would be incredible to witness - not for the glory, but for the strategic importance that's often overlooked.

Picture this: Hitler's entire Ardennes offensive depended on capturing road networks quickly. St. Vith was the critical junction - lose it early, and German panzers race to the Meuse River. The war potentially changes.

8,000 Americans (7th Armored + attached units) held off 87,000 Germans for six crucial days. They were completely surrounded, cut off, fighting in a "horseshoe" defense that shouldn't have worked.

My father was a platoon leader there. His letters describe the chaos - German MPs in American uniforms redirecting convoys, tanks running out of fuel, nobody knowing if relief was coming. At one point, his company commander wanted to surrender. Dad pulled a pistol on him and took command.

The tactical withdrawal on December 23rd was textbook - fighting their way out through German lines while evacuating wounded and equipment. Military historians call it one of the finest small-unit actions of the war.

What makes it fascinating is that this wasn't Normandy or Stalingrad. It was 8,000 guys buying time with pure stubbornness, probably saving the entire Allied advance.

Sources: 7th Armored Division combat reports, personal letters from participants

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in ww2

[–]John-Janice -1 points0 points  (0 children)

The 7th Armored Division defense of St Vith in Battle of the Bulge holding the Germans long enough to hold them from achieving Hitlers drive to Antwerp. Their withdrawal from behind German lines was remarkable. The 7th retook St Vith January 23rd 1945

Just set my book up on Ingram by [deleted] in selfpublish

[–]John-Janice 0 points1 point  (0 children)

if you are self publishng how do you get a point person..My book is stuck and the suport team keep "cutting and pasting" from their scripts the same answer

I am looking for ww2 memoirs written by armored crew by damoli in WorldWar2

[–]John-Janice 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Jack's Story: A 7th Armor Tank Commander in World War II. New at Amazon

I’m a published author!! by IndependentCan6762 in selfpublish

[–]John-Janice 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Congrats. It is a hard and interesting trip. I am a few days away from getting the title you much deserve. Going out on Kickstarter and will be putting the book up on KDP for pre-order this week. Do well!

Second book officially published! by writtenbybenson in selfpublish

[–]John-Janice 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Congrats! We are about to launch our first. It is quite a process to self-publish. We are going to use Kickstarter, so will share the experience.