World War II Database

1.  Bill says:
18 Dec 2010 05:31:23 PM

Another German soldier, who has been in the field way too long.
He's been awarded the Infantry Assault Badge
looks like its Silver in color.
Awarded after three or more Infantry Assaults
Counter-Attacks, Reconnaissance Operations
and Hand-to-hand combat.

Awarded a wound badge looks like its black in color.
Black:
Wounded once or twice

Silver:
Wounded three or more times

Gold:
Given posthumously, or wounded five or more times.
Over 5,000,000 wound badges were awarded during WWII.
Any recipient of the wound badge in silver or gold awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class.

Awarded the Eastern front medal w/ ribbon
nicknamed the "Frozen Meat Award"

Rank Corporal
Equipment: Field glasses, shovel and what
looks like MP-40 ammo pouches and a pistol
holster lower right side, photo doesn't show
his MP-40/9mm Submachine gun.

2.  Bill says:
18 Dec 2010 08:44:40 PM

I can't believe all that information, can be
ascertained, simply by looking at a photograph.
Do you want me to explain?
I would love to hear this!

Question to above photograph

3.  Bill says:
19 Dec 2010 03:56:29 PM

MEN OF THE WEHRMACHT

Could the soldier in the above photograph be one of the estimated 3.5 to 4 million German troops killed or wounded on the Eastern front

Today over 60 years after the end of WW II
remains of soldiers continue to be found in
Russia, Eastern and Western Europe.
The German War Graves Commission continues to identify the remains of other fallen
soldiers, in areas of operation, where the German army operated.

Between 1939 to 1945, 18,000,000 served in
the German army. The Allied Control Council
dissolved the Wehrmacht on August 20, 1946.

Did You Know...

There are 20 German Military Cemeteries in
Russia today.

Further Reading:

The Forgotten Soldier
By Guy Sajer
Who fought on the Eastern Front
Published by
Potomac Books 2001
ISBN 1574882864

4.  Bill says:
20 Dec 2010 07:05:57 AM

WHERE HAVE ALL THE SOLDIERS GONE, GONE TO
GRAVEYARDS EVERYONE,WHEN WILL THEY EVER LEARN
WHEN WILL THEY EVER LEARN...

During the last four months of the war, on the Eastern front, the Germans suffered over 400,000 casualties.
Between 75 to 80% of its losses were on the Eastern front. 9 out of 10 German soldiers died or wounded, were on the Eastern front.

Today over sixty years after the end of WWII
The German War Graves Commission continues to identify the remains of fallen soldiers
found across Russia and Europe.

5.  Bill says:
21 Dec 2010 08:15:18 AM

Besides the loss in human life, equipment losses at Stalingrad were enough to supply
1/4 of the German Army. By 1944 about 40% of
the German Army were still facing the Russians.

During WWII, the German Army lost 136 General
Officers, from September 1939 to May 1945 the
German Army lost one General every two weeks.
The German Armed Forces had over 3,000 General Officers in the Army,Navy,Air Force and Waffen SS.


Suggested Reading:

The Eastern Front
The Soviet-German War
1941-1945
By J.N. Westwood
Published By
The Military Press
1984
ISBN 0-517-42314-6

6.  Bill says:
3 Apr 2011 10:53:04 AM

Another piece of equipment the corporal is
holding is his entrenching tool, better known to civilians as the shovel.

GET HIT WITH IT, AND YOUR DONE...

This could be a devastating weapon used in hand-to-hand combat swing this down upon an enemy, your able to cut through flesh and bone get hit with it a couple of times, and your done!

Fighting on the Eastern front was brutal, with no quarter given soldiers would use
their weapons, if both ran out of ammunition
they used the rifles as clubs, drew their bayonets, entrenching tools or axes, even
used their helmits, bare hands and maybe even through rocks at each other...

Mercy on the Eastern front... I'm sure it happended on both sides, but most likely it was a bullet to end an enemies suffering. War is a dirty rotten, filthy business, a rotten business.