Mark & Steve,
I would love to talk to you both about your loved ones' experiences with the 773rd. Mark, I am thrilled to know that your grandfather is still living! I live in the Dallas area and don't have any plans of visiting Chicago anytime soon. With my daughter's help, I might could Skype. I need to learn how to do that since my daughter will be attending grad school at Vanderbilt this fall and it would be helpful to know how! I could also call you both. My email address is
write2harriet@gmail.com.
If you haven't discovered the following website, I would suggest that you check it out. It has been very helpful...
http://www.tankdestroyer.net/index.php?option=com_content&am.... Under the 773rd newsletter and roster, I couldn't locate your grandfather's name under Co. B or even your dad's name, Steve. I could have overlooked it, though, too. The list could be incomplete, also.
I have several questions...were they in a tank? or support? What postition? Did they go over to England on the Acquitania the end of Jan, 1944 with the unit? While in England what all did they do? I know that they were able to take leaves into London, Stratford-on-Avon, Oxford, etc. What kind of things did they do on these leaves? My uncle wasn't a drinker or womanizer, so what kind of things would he have done? What was it like living in the tanks once they were in France? Did they participate in the Battle for the Falaise Gap? What do they remember? What about Paris? They went around it but I know that they rested for 2 weeks and got 18 hours passes into Paris. Any memories? What do they remember about the battle for Lunneville and the Parroy Forest?
In my story, I do want it to be factual but I also want it to be a human interest story. I don't want just facts but I want the book to tell the human side of serving during WWII in a TD. I want to put muscles, flesh, and feelings on the bones of this story! Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I will also contact you both by email so we can exchange personal information.
Thanks,
Harriet Wright