I thought this was interesting. Recently in Germany and an actual memorial to fallen soldiers. In this case the local Infantry unit 234 Celle. The columns all have the country and year the unit served in.

People here probably already know but Germany has a history of calling up units based on towns or regions. The idea being that men from the same area will fight harder for each other.

Personal opinion the downside being that you have less of a chance of matching the right man to the right job.









And a memorial to the soldiers and victims of WWII.

JJMt said:

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That is interesting. Thanks for posting.

I've always been told that we stopped organizing military units by geographic locality after the Civil War. There's too much of a risk that the units loyalty will be to their geographic locality rather than to the nation.

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Exception being national guard units that get called up. They are still a geographical unit albeit some states have guard units that specialize in specific areas for better integration to Pentagon needs when activated.

Thanks for posting. Some of my ancestors were born around the area and I had the opportunity to visit in 2008. It's a beautiful small city that largely remained intact during & after WW2. I believe the inscription states: "1939-1945 'A reminder to the fallen and the victims of the war from the city and district of Marienwerder West Prussian. The City of Celle".

I will post some pics of their Christmas market later if you like.

National Guard units in WWII were geographically based, hence all the Kia from one town in Virginia with the 116 Infantry on D-Day. It's even that way now. The unit I was attached to in Afghanistan was A Company of the 181st Inf. 26 Div. Mass National Guard. They were ALL from Boston.

Cen-Tex said:

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Thanks for posting. Some of my ancestors were born around the area and I had the opportunity to visit in 2008. It's a beautiful small city that largely remained intact during & after WW2. I believe the inscription states: "1939-1945 'A reminder to the fallen and the victims of the war from the city and district of Marienwerder West Prussian. The City of Celle".

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Celle's market

https://imgur.com/gallery/xK4lZQ3

Frankfurt's market

https://imgur.com/gallery/GEGL2NV

From the Frankenlink

I recall that a NM guard unit lost a lot of people and a lot taken prisoner at Bataan.

http://www.bataanmuseum.com/bataanhistory/

Interesting that NM soldiers would be designated as Coast Artillery but I guess a cannon is a cannon is a cannon.

I also wondered if the geographic locations for NG units and as the war progresses they had to have been filled in with whomever was available. For example my grandfather was drafted out of Texas (at the age of 35) in 1943, was designated an infantryman and was attached to the 147th Infantry regiment whose parent division was the 37 ID. He saw action on Iwo Jima too. Weird how a Texas man wound up in a unit of Ohioans

Thanks for the tidbit. The Lincoln area is a neat place to visit.

Years ago, we ate at a Mexican food restaurant in Red River, NM. The owner's father-in-law was a Bataan survivor, and they had articles and pictures of him displayed. I spoke to the survivor's daughter briefly, she said they were worried about coming home, that they would be despised for surrendering.

Was a pleasure to assure her that there are those of us who know their story, and consider them heroes.

BQ78 said:

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I think the US stopped forming units by region after the CW more for the reason that an entire town's male population could be killed in a single day if the unit was heavily engaged. I think forming by region does have the benefit of steeling the will of the cowards. Many a man was ostracized at home after the war if he showed the white feather to his fellow citizen-soldiers.

You still have regional organization with guard units called to active duty. Think of the slaughter of the 36th Division by Mark Clark just after the Salerno landings.

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Old timers from the Brazos Valley will still tell you stories that if Mark Clark had ever shown his face in Burleson County after WWII that he would have been shot dead on sight (and with no witnesses).

1.) Celle is a beautiful city. I will visit there again

2.) The Bataan March and Japanese captivity in general. Does anyone have any residual qualms about using atomic weapons on Japan? Suggested reading: Prisoners of the Japanese: POWs of World War II in the Pacific Paperback January 16, 1996//by Gavin Daws (Author)

Did you look at these?

Celle's market

[url=https://imgur.com/gallery/xK4lZQ3][/url]https://imgur.com/gallery/xK4lZQ3

I did look at your pics Madman, and I was impressed. When I was in Celle it was during a pause in an ARMY Operation. I walked all over the city and stayed a while. Upon leaving I had tears in my eyes and considered having my name removed from the manifest roster and just staying in Celle...for life. It was and remains one of my best experiences in and of Germany.