Robert L. Bobcat Williamson, E Company, 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 17th Airborne Division (ASN 39336775) was born on February 19 1925. Bob Williamson has several claims to notoriety, which consists of two very good reasons. First, Williamson, has become my very close friend ever since we met in 2001, at the Branson, MO, reunion. Our friendship permitted us to fondly rename each other. He is now my Bobcat and I am his Tomcat, as the two very loyal airborne feline buddies. His other claim to fame was that he was the buddy of Stuart Stryker, the winner of one of our four Medal of Honor recipients. They both volunteered for the airborne at their induction in Oregon.
Bobcat entered military service at the Portland Oregon Draft Board. From Portland, he and Stryker was bused to Fort Lewis where they first saw a paratrooper in dressed uniform. His entire group of draftees liked that look and volunteered for the paratroops and were then transported to Fort Benning, Georgia in a train that took a week. Upon arrival, they met a paratroop Sergeant, who admonished them for joining such a dangerous unit while still so young. He offered them “quit slips” should they change their minds, but there was no ‘quitter’ among them. After they all went through very rigorous physical trainings at the Frying Pan (Lawson Field) area at Fort Benning, some of the guys signed the quit slip except Patterson, Stryker and Bob, who refused to sign because they wanted the extra $50 pay per month.
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Jul
23
2009
Category : 588th Field Arty Bn, 588th Fld Arty Bn, France (North), Germany
This copy of the History of the 558th FA Battalion was reproduced by the Military Department, State of Colorado. It was copied from the original history as prepared by Lt Gilbert Hahn upon request of the Historical Section of the Artillery School. Their request was predicated on the basis that the original cadre came from a Colorado unit – the 983rd Field Artillery Battalion. It would be amiss if we failed to mention the great contribution by the State of Utah from whence came the bulk of the fine young men that filled the ranks. The States of Tennessee, Washington, Oregon and California each sent sizeable contingents; however, most States were represented by one or two.
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Apr
10
2009
The 6th Infantry Division was activated on Oct 10 1939 at Ft Lewis Washington as 6th Division and moved to Fort Jackson South Carolina Nov 9 1939. It was then relocated to Fort Benning Georgia on Apr 12 1940 and in Alexandria Louisiana on May 8 1940. A little later, the 6th Inf Div was relocated to Fort Snelling Minnesota – Jun 1 1940 and sent to Lincoln Minnesota on Jul 17 1940 before it returned to Fort Snelling Minnesota Aug 19 1940; participated in Arkansas Maneuvers of Aug 1941 and Louisiana Maneuvers of Sep 1941. On Oct 10 1941, the 6-ID moved to Fort Leonard Wood 10 where it was re-designated 6th Motorized Division on Apr 9 1942 and moved to the I Corps Tennessee Maneuvers on Sep 11 1942. Sent back to Fort Leonard Wood on Nov 10 1942 the division moved to Camp Young California on Nov 29 1942 where it participated in the Desert Training Center #1 IV Armored Corps Maneuvers until Feb 22 1943. On Mar 28 1943, the 6-ID arrived at Camp San Luis Obispo, California, where it was re-designated 6th Infantry Division on Mar 21 1943 and departed the San Francisco POE on Jul 21 1943 and arrived in Hawaii on Jul 29. The 6-ID left Hawaii on Jan 26 1944 and arrived in the Milne Bay New Guinea on Jan 31 1944, assaulted Sansapor New Guinea on Jul 30 1944, assaulted Lingayen Gulf Philippines on Jan 9 1945 and arrived in Korea on Oct 18 1945 where it remained active thru 1946.
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Mar
04
2009
Stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington and known as the 3rd Division it moved to Fort Ord, California Jan 22 1940 then returned to Fort Lewis, May 19 1940. It moved again to Hunter-Liggett Military Reservation, California May 25 1941 for IX Corps California Maneuvers. The 3rd returned to Fort Lewis again on Jul 1 1941 and participated in the Fourth Army Maneuvers Aug 15 to Aug 30 1941. The 3rd was then transferred to Fort Ord, California on May 1 1942 and was re-designated 3rd Infantry Division on Aug 1 1942. Sent to Camp Pickett, Virginia on Sep 22 1942, it staged at Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia on Oct 27 1942 and departed Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation on the same date. The 3rd Inf Div assaulted Fedala North Africa on Nov 8 1942, assaulted Sicily Jul 10 1943 and arrived Italy Sep 18 1943. On Jan 22 1944, the 3rd assaulted Anzio then southern France on Aug 15 1944. The division entered into Germany on Mar 13 1945, arrived New York POE Sep 4 1946 and then Camp Campbell Kentucky Sep 8 1946.
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