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16th TD Group

16th_Grp__Eugene_Whitt_w_Bazooka_Ft_Hood_1942_-2487
Eugene Whitt, of the 16th Tank Destroyer Group, fires a bazooka during training at Ft. Hood, TX. Photo dated 1942. Courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp__7_members_of_the_unit__while_in_France-2488
A group of seven men from the unit is shown somewhere in France. L to R is Sgt. George Eerbstoesser, Cpl. Eugene Whitt, Cpl. Michael Massarotti, Sgt. Pilone and three unknowns. Whitt and Eerbstoesser were good friends and after the war, Eerbstoesser was the main character in many war stories told in the Whitt home. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp__11_Personnel_from_the_unit__ETO_1945-2489
A group shot, identified as being taken in Europe, in 1945. Shown L to R is McCuen, Williams, Pilone, Spiner, Wright, Whitt, Paul Wilson, McIlmoil, Unknown, unknown, Gurney, Carson. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp__15_soldiers_in_France_1944-2490
A group shot of sixteen from the unit taken in France, 1944. Their relaxed posture makes me think this was taken close to the unit's Headquarters, some distance behind the lines. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp__A_destroyed_German_town-2491
What's left of a German town. Taken somewhere along the path of the unit. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp__another_group_policing_area_while_at_Foxley_Manor-2492
A group of soldiers from the 16th, on patrol, while in England. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp__Col_Harry_J._Wheaton-2493
Colonel Harry J. Wheaton who commanded the 16th during their training and while in Europe. A quick search identifies that he was born May 28, 1903, and passed away on June 10, 1975. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. He also served in the Korean War. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp__Eugene_Whitt_and_6_others-2494
Labelled as a "Motley Crew", shown in back L to R is unknown, Sgt. Paul Wilson, MSgt. Cameron Wilson, Cpl. Eugene Whitt and another unknown. Front row is TSgt. Gordon McIlmoil and 1st Sgt. Bert Cantrell. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp__German_pillbox_at_Seigfried_Line_1945-2497
Standing in front of a captured German pillbox along the Siegfried Line, 1945, is Eugene Whitt, second from left. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp__Gobbin__Kuchev__Hovryn_and_Cantrell-2498
Another demonstration of the proper use of a bazooka. Hopefully that round is only for practice while near the barracks. Shown L to R is Gobbin, Kuchev, Hovryn and Cantrell. The spelling of these names may not be accurate. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp__Lt._Mann_seated_at_Camp_Breckinridge__KY_1944-2499
Taken at Camp Breckinridge, KY, in 1944. Lt. Mann, who was from Ft. Worth, TX, is shown seated. The soldier standing is unknown. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp__Machine_Gun_training___McIlmoil_on_left-2500
TSgt. McIlmoil on left, other is unknown. Preparing for machine gun training on a Browning 30 Cal., while stationed at Camp Hood. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp__Mary_Whitt__Patton_and_Hancock_in_1944.-2501
Shown standing is Hugh M. Patton, Lt. Hancock is on right with Mary Whitt, wife of Eugene Whitt, on left. Taken sometime in 1944 before the unit shipped out. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp__Medic_at_a_German_Tank__Alsace_Lorraine_1945-2502
Here, a Medic from the unit is shown walking away from a German Mk V tank that was knocked out with a bazooka. Location is the Alsace-Lorraine area of France, 1945. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp__MSgt_Williams_and_Sgt_McIlmoil_in_Germany_1944-2503
Shown is Master Sgt. Williams on left with Sgt Gordon McIlmoil while in Germany, 1945. McIlmoil "Mac", was a regular visitor to the Whitt home. Eugene's son Jack recalls that he would visit every few years when he was a child. After the war, Mac worked as a card dealer at the Golden Nugget, in Las Vegas. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp__Phil_Haddad__Killed_in_Germany_jeep_hit_mine_1944-2504
A photo of Phil Haddad while at one of the training camps in the U.S. Phil is identified as being KIA (Killed in Action) when his jeep hit a mine. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp__Pvt_Jackman_of_South_Carolina__1943-2505
Pvt Jackman, who was from South Carolina, takes a much needed bite of a sandwich while training in 1943. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp__Sgt_Erbstoesser_and_Cpl_Whitt__France_1944-2506
Identified as St. Orald, France (not sure of the spelling). Sgt. George Erbstoesser and Eugene Whitt in 1944. George and Eugene would become very close and be like brothers over the years. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp__Sgt_Paul_Wilson_of_Jackson_MS-2507
Shown is T/4, Paul Wilson, of Jackson, Mississippi,. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp__soldiers_with_orphans_in_France_1944-2508
Several men of the 16th take time to make friends with a few orphans from a French town. Shown L to R is Sgt. Paul Wilson of Mississippi, Sgt. Cameron Williams of Ohio, Sgt. Cantrell of Ft. Smith, Arkansas and Pvt. Landi. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp__Unknown__Whitt__Williams__Peterson_at_Ft._Hood_1942-2509
Shown L to R is an unknown soldier, T/5 Eugene Whitt, Sgt. C. Williams and T/4 Peterson at Fort Hood, TX, in 1942. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp__Whitt_and_Baker_in_Germany__1944-2510
Eugene Whitt on left and Joseph Baker on right, with what is left of a radial engine. You can still see one of the propeller blades on the left. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp__Whitt_and_Baker_of_HQ_Company__Bitche__FR_1944-2511
Eugene Whitt, on left, with Joseph Baker take a quick moment for a photo while in Bitche, France. The 16th had moved into town to provide anti-tank support to an infantry unit. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp__Whitt_and_First_Sgt_Cantrell__Germany_1945-2512
Eugene Whitt, front, and 1st Sgt. Bert Cantrell examine a newspaper with what looks like snow on the ground in the background. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp__Wilson__Cantrell__Thigpen_at_Camp_Hood_1942-2513
Shown L to R are Sgt. Paul Wilson, 1st Sgt. Bert Cantrell and T/4 Max Thigpen while they were stationed at Camp Hood, TX. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp__Wilson_and_Haddad_at_Ft._Hood_1942-2514
Paul Wilson and Phil Haddad doing some machine gun training on a Browning 30 Cal., while stationed at Camp Hood. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp_Capt_Hugh_Sutherland__Recon_Co._Ft._Breckenridge_TN_1943-2515
Captain Hugh Brock Sutherland who commanded the reconnaissance section of the HQ Company. Unlike the battalions, the groups only had a HQ Company. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp_Col_Wheaton_inspection_Haddad__Nagel_and_Lindsey-2516
Colonel Harry Wheaton inspects the troops while stationed at Foxley Manor in England. Soldiers being inspected are Phil Haddad, Nagle and Lindsey. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp_Eugene_Whitt_working_on_battalion_newsletter-2517
Eugene Whitt stands cranking out the unit's newsletter or bulletin. Eugene's journalism background surely had some influence on him being chosen for the task. This image was probably taken while back in the states but Eugene continued to write and had articles published in the Stars and Stripes newspaper that was distributed to all the military units. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp_Foxley_Manor_served_as_HQ_for_the_battalion-2518
Shown is Foxley Manor, which is located near the Welsh border, in England. It served as Headquarters for the 16th and various other U.S. and Canadian units as well as a hospital during WWII. Further research identifies that after the war, it was used as a refugee camp for displaced persons, including many that were former Polish military personnel. The building was demolished in 1958. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp_HQ_Company_in_England-2519
A group of about thirty soldiers of the HQ Company, 16th Tank Destroyer Group. Unlike the battalions, which had 600 to 800 men, the Group HQ's had approximately 30 to 40 personnel. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp_officers_at_Breckinridge_KY-2520
A photo taken at Camp Breckinridge, KY, shows the officers of the unit. Although removed from this image, there were names for most of the men written about their heads. Unfortunately they were difficult to read and we have no list to compare them. Col. Wheaton is standing front and center. Shown next to him to the right, but in the back row, is Cpt. Sutherland. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp_Pilone__Whitt_and_Juan_Vela_in_Pirmassens__Ger._1945-2521
Shown L to R is Pilone, Eugene Whitt, and Juan Vela, who was from San Antonio, TX. The photo was taken at Pirmassens, Germany, in 1945. Whitt's son, Jack, remembers showing a Nazi flag at school as a child and Pirmassens was where his father had gotten it. He also remembers his father telling stories of his WWII buddies and Vela was the subject of a number of them. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp_Sgt_Gaffri_at_Westminster_Abby__London_1944-2522
Supply Sergeant Herbert C. Gaffri, in front of Westminster Abbey, in London. This would have been during the time the unit was stationed in England. SSgt. Gaffri was from Iowa and passed away in 1994. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp_SSgt_Torrenzio_DePonte__TN_1942-2523
An image of Staff Sergeant Torenzio DePonte, who was from Pennsylvania. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp_Sutherland_and_Whitt_at_Cmp_Breckenridge_1944-2524
Cpt Hugh B. Sutherland on left with Eugene Whitt seated behind the typewriter. Identified as Camp Breckinridge , KY, in 1944. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp_Sutherland_and_Whitt_at_Cmp_Breckenridge_Mary_photo-2525
Captain Hugh B. Sutherland and T/5 Eugene Whitt review some plans for their upcoming departure to Europe. This photo was taken at Camp Breckinridge, KY, in 1944, by Mary Whitt, Eugene's wife, who was working for a news agency at the time. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
16th_Grp___track_detail_looking_for_something_to_police_up-2526
Another detail of soldiers from the 16th, marching around the Foxley Manor countryside in England. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.
Tank_Destroyer_Sign_at_Camp_Hood__TX-2527
The 16th Tank Destroyer Group was formed at Camp Bowie, TX, on April 3, 1943, but moved to Camp Hood, TX, just over a month later. They were only at North Camp Hood for 5 months before being transferred to the Tennessee Maneuver area for war games. Photo courtesy of Jack Whitt.