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894th TD Battalion

167572_894th-2195
The 894th Tank Destroyer Battalion on a reconnaissance mission in the Kasserine Pass, Tunisia, Feb 25, 1943. Signal Corps Photo #167572 from the National Archives.
894th__Recon_Co._Northern_Italy__1945-2544
A group of 19 men from 1st Platoon, Recon. Company of the 894th. Taken while in Northern Italy, in 1945. Shown L to R top row: Pete Berardi, Mac Jenkins, Lt. Byron Braly, Big Rogers, Herbert Coleman, Clyde "Doc" Childress, Robert White, Thelma Gamel and Oscar Heim. Bottom row L to R Capt. Bill Davis, Larry Fitzgerald, Lowell Roberts, Billty Oltremari, Carl Gresham, Tom Koziol, John Fox, John Michaels, Leif Harmon, Frank Krawazak. This photo is one of a number of images given to Tom Grannis by Larry Fitzgerald. Larry served with Tom's father Robert L. Grannis in the 802nd before shipping overseas.
894th__Berardi__Schumaker_with_German_prisoner-2945
In the spring of 1945, while still stationed in the mountains of Italy, Pvt. Pete Barardi (driving) and Pvt. Joe Schumaker (in back) having a fit because they had placed their German prisoner behind the jeep's machine gun....it wasn't loaded. Photo courtesy of Larry Fitzgerald and Tom Grannis.
894th_Gamel_and_Fitzgerald_in_M18_after_Rome-2946
Shown standing in the turret of an M18 Tank Destroyer is Larry Fitzgerald on left with Thelma Gamel on right. The photo is dated June 1944, a week or two after they had been in Rome. The 894th is not known for having M18s but On Point (The Journal of Army History) mentions in their article on the M18/T70, that 5 of the new models were sent to Italy and assigned to the Reconnaissance Company of the 894th. The units participated in the breakthrough operations at Anzio in late May. Photo courtesy of Larry Fitzgerald and Tom Grannis.
894th_Gresham__Jenkins__Oltremari__Fitzgerald-2947
Nearing the end of the war in 1945, the men were getting tired. Carl Gresham sits in the jeep with the puppy, Mac Jenkins is their driver, Billy Oltremari the gunner and Larry Fitzgerald on far right with the M3 Sub-machine gun. The M3 was also know as the "Grease Gun". Photo courtesy of Larry Fitzgerald and Tom Grannis.
894th_Larry_Fitzgerald_and_Clyde_Childress_at_chowtime-2948
Larry Fitzgerald stands on left with Clyde "Doc" Childress, who was one of the unit's medics. It was chow time near Vidiciatico, Italy, which was south-west of Mount Belvedere. Photo courtesy of Larry Fitzgerald and Tom Grannis.
894th_Larry_Fitzgerald_and_girls_school-2949
Larry Fitzgerald is surrounded by what he calls his "fan club". It was actual a group of girls from a girls school, that the unit encountered during their movements through northern Italy. Photo courtesy of Larry Fitzgerald and Tom Grannis.
894th_Larry_Fitzgerald_with_Thompson_winter_44_45-2950
Larry Fitzgerald poses with a Thompson Sub Machine gun. Here you can also clearly see the 5th Army patch on his left soldier rather than the Tank Destroyer (black panther patch) worn by most of the TD soldiers. Photo courtesy of Larry Fitzgerlad and Tom Grannis.
894th_Larry_Fitzgerald_w_MG_in_mtns_1945-2951
Another photo of Larry Fitzgerald, taken while on duty, with a .30 caliber machine gun. This was taken early in 1945, during the last winter he would see in Europe. Photo courtesy iof Larry Fitzgerald and Tom Grannis.
894th_Oltremari__Gresham_Childress_in_German_Cmd_Car-2952
Shown sitting in a German Command Car, Billy Oltremari is on left, Carl Gresham is center and Clyde "Doc" Childress is on right. The war had been over for just a few weeks at the time. Photo courtesy of Larry Fitzgerald and Tom Grannis.
894th_Recon_men_in_North_Apennines_winter_44_45-2953
A group of men from Recon. Company stand with their Armored Personnel Carriers. The front one is an M8 while the back one seems to be an M20. Photo courtesy of Larry Fitzgerald and Tom Grannis.
894th_White__Gresham__Oltremari__Koziol__Fitzgerald__Rogers__1_31_45-2954
Shown in back row L to R is Robert White, Carl Gresham, Billy Oltremari and Tom Koziol. In front is Larry Fitzgerald and Big Rogers. The image is dated January 31, 1945, which was Larry's 24th birthday. Photo courtesy of Larry Fitzgerald and Tom Grannis.
894th_Reunion_Photo___Sharp_1-3371
A reunion group from the 894th held sometime prior to 1998. Locations is identified as Owen's Cabin. Shown in the photo, seated second from the right, is Rubert A. Sharp. Photo courtesy of Gina Hicks.
894th_Reunion_Photo___Sharp_2-3372
A second reunion photo of a smaller group from the 894th. The location is identified as Owen's Cabin. Shown in the photo, seated on far right, is Rubert A. Sharp. Photo courtesy of Gina Hicks.
894th_Silver_Star_Recipients_North_Africa-3861
This photo, provided by the Steinberg family, is believed to show the six members of the 894th Tank Destroyer Battalion who were awarded the Silver Star Medal in March for actions during the Battle of Kasserine Pass. The list of men includes Captain Noble H. Abney, 1st Lt. Ramsey L. Oakes, 2nd Lt. John L. Foos, Cpl. James Hulsey, Cpl. Alex Steinberg and Pvt. Julian Wilson.
894th-Mine-crew-uncovers-mine111-SC-167607-001-4157
A mine crew from the Recon. Company of the 894th Tank Destroyer battalion uncovers and ties a rope to a buried German mine buried in North Africa. The rope permits them to pull the mine from its hole without the danger of it exploding. A signal Corps photo from 2/26/43, provided by the National Archives Still Picture Branch, courtesy of Lowell Silverman. (#MM-McG-43-240)
894th-SSgt-Garland-Martin-holds-mine111-SC-167606-001-4158
Staff Sergeant Garland Martin of the Recon. Company of the 894th Tank Destroyer Bn. holds a personnel mine that was laid by retreating German forces in North Africa. The mine weighs about three pounds and was removed by an expert mine crew from his unit. Martin hails from Culman, Alabama. A signal Corps photo from 2/26/43, provided by the National Archives Still Picture Branch, courtesy of Lowell Silverman. (#MM-McG-43-237)
894th-TD-units-on-recon-in-Kasserine-Pass111-SC-167611-001-4159
Units of the 894th Tank Destroyer Battalion perform reconnaissance mission in the Kasserine Pass, Tunisia. In the foreground is a wrecked half-track and in the background is the town of Kasserine. A signal Corps photo from 2/25/43, provided by the National Archives Still Picture Branch, courtesy of Lowell Silverman. (#MM-ALC-43-298)