Dogface Soldiers Memoirs
 

Corporal
Howard B. Nickelson

 

Introduction

Drafted

Operation Torch

Conversation Part 1

Sicily

Conversation Part 2

Anzio

Breakout

France

Germany

Austria

Austria

On May 2, 1945 I was lolling about in the beautiful scenery of Salzburg, Austria when I heard my name called, and yells "Hey boy, you are going home!" I was issued a new Eisenhower jacket, a clean pair of ODs and a new bag to put my few belongings in. I locked up and tucked away a box of reject photos, which are a part of this story. I was also given my medals — a theater ribbon with ten battle stars, four arrowheads for D-Day landings, the Croix de Guerre, five overseas stripes and one hash mark. I already had my Purple Heart.

I was sent to Marseilles where I thought they never would send a ship to haul us home. I was discharged on June 27, 1945. I don't know what happened to the Fuzzy's Folly darkroom, but all the original negatives, some 1,300 plus were burned. Sob! Sob! All that hard work and history up in flames.


High Pointers 

Here are the "high pointers" who were going home from Austria except the glum ones: the first sergeant on the left end and the company commander on the right end. How about those smiles, and who wouldn't after 32 months of chasing the Germans from Casablanca to Salzburg. I am standing third from the right.


Berchtesgaden 

Jack Cole visited Berchtesgaden and took a number of photos and liberated some goodies bestowed upon Adolf during his heyday.


Schloss Klesheim 

Schloss Klesheim near Salzburg was taken over as 3rd Division Headquarters near the end of the war.


Schloss Klesheim 

Schloss Klesheim was elite. Hitler used this castle to house famous dignitaries before they visited him at his Eagles Nest in Berchtesgaden. Why it never got bombed is a mystery, I guess we saved it for a party given by 3rd Division Commanding General O'Daniel on the last night of the war.


Schloss Klesheim 

The table was 75 feet long and the General sat at one end and talked to the other end by phone. This was a party for officers. The band played and it looks as if the officers had a bath, shave and a haircut. They also had to remember how to eat off a real plate.


 



Howard B. Nickelson |  Introduction |  Drafted |  Operation Torch.
Conversation Part 1 |  Sicily |  Conversation Part 2 |  Anzio
Breakout |  France |  Germany |  Austria

Memoir appears by permission
of Howard B. Nickelson
August, 2006.
All rights reserved.