This is an updated version of the video. If you have seen the first version already, skip straight to 40:38 to see the new information Colonel Ford's grandson later came to visit the site of his granfather's death. A video of his visit can be seen here: th-cam.com/video/ncOuGu9bO0o/w-d-xo.html
This is an unusual and surprising case. The fact Ford was an officer and the suspicious circumstances of death made it be documented better than usual. There was also a lot of luck involved, for example for the German source info.
Thank you for all your work on this project and for dispelling the rumors. Your work has been critical to my research on the 65th’s experience during WWII. I study the mass migration of Puerto Ricans to the mainland US during late World War II through the 1990s. Your research has been extremely illuminating. Well done. The Puerto Rican men who volunteered to join the Army during World War II took their service very seriously. For many of them the military was the first real job they ever had where they actually made money. The Army (and the war economy) offered poor Puerto Ricans a rare chance at economic/social mobility. Edit: Your honesty regarding the more “controversial” aspects of 3/65’s time in the alps honors their memory. Not once did it ever seem like you were doing anything other than respectfully telling their story. Your honesty and attention to detail is unlike many other published histories that gloss over the Borinqueneer’s World War II combat chronicle.
Thanks a lot for your kind and fair comment. You mention the Puerto Ricans who volunteered for the army, but as shown in the video, a key point is to differentiate between the volunteers and those who were drafted. I forgot to say in the video that the one volunteer who was wounded by his own grenade had multiple wounds all over his body, which is consistent with an actual accident, unlike those who only had hand wounds, presumably because they held the grenade behind a tree or over a parapet to avoid severe wounds. "Glossing over" is indeed what has often been done regarding the WWII history of the 65th, with some very blatant facts being ignored. If you make some sort of publication about your research, I would be very interested to see it.
@@CrocodileTear You’re right. It’s an important distinction to make. Makes me wonder how different things would have been had the 65th gone to the Pacific Theater instead of the ETO/MTO. I’m in the process of turning my research into a short essay to go along with my graduate program applications this winter. When it’s finished I’ll reply to this comment again & we’ll figure out how to get it to you. I ran a display that focused on Latinos in the U.S. Army during WWII several times this summer at a few different sites in the northeastern US. I recommended your video to dozens of people and continue to whenever the topic arises.
God i really appreciate 🙏 this podcast on the 65th I am. A 50-year-old. American of puerto rican descent I always try to find documentaries. On the puerto ricans who fought during the world Wars This was amazing. Does anyone have any information on puerto rican? Pilots during world War 2
Damn those letters that turned up are absolutely amazing! That they even acknowledge the firefight with that patrol is such a stroke of luck, its hard to even comprehend! Good work as always!
My father is a veteran of the 65th Infantry Regiment and was in Korea and returned to Puerto Rico afterwards where he continued to serve in the 65th Infantry Regiment until he was transferred as a driver for a Colonel and later re-enlisted on active duty and eventually served in Vietnam and retired after 21 years of service. He had told me about the 65th service in WWII. Both my older brother, who served with the 82nd, and eventually with the 65th Reserve Command (successor of the 65th Infantry Regiment) in Puerto Rico, and I served both on active duty and the US Army Reserve in PR. The 65th Infantry Regiment was a Puerto Rico National Guard unit. Another fun fact, both of us also served in cold weather (me way more than my brother), and although I hated the cold and spent more than a month in snow on several exercises and at least 3 blizzards in Fort Carson, CO, and in Northern Germany as well, I would never have self inflicted injuries. That’s nuts. Working in the cold for many people who have had done so before is traumatizing. Fortunately I had done so as a young child and teenager, so it wasn’t a shocker for me, just annoying, and I did experience chilblains and almost frostbite. So, I can believe that some of these “jibaritos” would have self inflicted wounds, just to get out of cold. Another fun fact, my older brother did jump into Germany during a REFORGER exercise when he was with the 82nd Airborne Division. By the way, both of us, were born in San Juan, PR, at Fort Brooks which had been the US Army’s Hospital in San Juan. Glad I got to see this. Thanks!
It's absolutely astounding you were able to dig up as much info as you did. Especially the info from the German side as well. I can only imagine how much work that entailed, and I am incredibly appreciative that you did. It really made for a nice cap to the initial video. Thank you.
A cluster of self inflicted wounds like that in december might be chalked up to christmas and homesickness amongst a group of draftees who are living in the field in shitty conditions, under enemy fire at times. And with the US practice of keeping units in the field indefinitely and sending out replacements out to them instead of rotating units, a wound was the only way to get away from the front. Shooting yourself in the hand is one thing, but self-inflicted hand grenade wounds speaks to rather a greater level of desperation.
Everything on your channel paints a superbly human picture of soldiers and the war. Wonderfully researched and narrated. Thank you so much for giving us such a clear picture of humanity in times of war.
My respects to you and your investigation. We appreciate that you went deeper on this subject and brought more fact checked conclusions. Edgard Rodriguez Cales, nephew of Aristides Cales Quirós.
Very exhaustive and fascinating research again, Jean Loup! Thanks for that. Also after reading the personal letters to family, I can't help but feel sad for these soldiers on both sides. May God bless all of them. ☧
A very unique and interesting tale. tt is striking that the letters home have the same enchantment with the surroundings, and share the same fate. I was thinking that Col. Ford's wound would have been more grievous as the bullet exited and he really wasn't able to give a reliable final testimony of his condition except for that,
It is a sad fact that a huge percentage of the suffering and casualties in WW2 happened in those last 6 months. Always darkest before the dawn, as we say. Great research!
It’s interesting to see what an old fatigued helmet from ww2 can uncover. The imprint such events as this leave in the environment is fascinating! This is a very well done examination.
Thanks! A story told in this way with a second part and conclusions is very engaging. By the short, I was convinced that col. Ford was killed by "friendly fire" and portoricans were not reliable. This video tells the real story. A combination of facts that caused some victims, while both armies could have waited the end of the war with no losses. Wermacht was very good in stakeouts, static battles, bunkers positioning and so on. Maybe they had a little very hidden place, which left patrols pass until they were in front of another bunker which could have taken by surprise the patrol in a crossfire. That's the shot in the officer's back. Headless patrol under 2 points of fire.
@@CrocodileTear And the prior patrol had been ambushed, Col. Ford's irresponsibilty, led not only to his death, but to the death of soldiers under his command. He couldn't fly, maybe he couldn't lead men on patrol.
I had misgivings, not so much about Colonel Ford was killed, but about the award of the Silver Star to Sgt Quiros. I don't see how it is possible, that the same guys that wanted to frag the Colonel, would think to recommend another member of the same patrol for a Silver Star, the second highest medal in the US Army. I think it was the Colonel's inexperience that got him killed. Thank you, for continuing your research, I find it absolutely incredible that someone in the US Army, would have been irresponsible enough to post an unhardened unit, like the 65th, into such a severe environment without suitable equipment or training. I understand that the 65th was replacing a Hawaiian Regiment,, but that unit had fought all the way through Africa and Italy from the Torch landing. (also, the most highly decorated unit in the history of the US Army).
Mr Gassend your work is inspiring. It is very clear that you take lots of time to do these videos, and they are always filled with unique information and lots of nuance / respect for the history and people involved. a role model historian !
A little clarification on the German letter: "...mit Hochglanz abgeschmiert" -"abgeschmiert" means 'smeared away', a bit with the idea of smearing jam on bread. The English translation in the sense of the sentence would be 'wiped them away'. -"mit Hochganz" ('with high gloss') refers to the German action, and could be translated as 'with perfection'.
Thanks for a remarkable investigation and presenting it as truly compelling story. You revealed real people behind the sad statistics of war. Well done.
Phenomenal! and all that out of finding an old helmet. at the end " so, this i pretty much all the evidence i can bring to the table" dude, no one ever asked for more.
Thank you for uploading this video. I didn't know much about the 65th Infantry, so this video coming out just a few months ago is absolutely great. Thanks!
amazing story. Thank you so much for all your research bringing this incident a fair hearing. So sad that they made it so close to the end of the war in a quiet sector of the front only for the Colonel to be a victim of his own pointless actions. look forward to more of your detective work. 👍
I taught wound ballistics as a SWAT sniper and in the Army . . . one explanation would be that the front penetration of the projectile is slightly larger than the actual round, while the exiting of said projectile is much larger and if striking the back bone and nerves associated would or could make the soldier believe he was struck in the back due to the violent ripping and shredding of the areas around the spine . . . either way an excruciating way to go . . .
On July 12, 1973, a fire broke out at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, MO. The fire destroyed approximately 16-18 million Official Military Personnel Files (OMPFs). The fire affected record collections including U.S. Army personnel discharged between November 1, 1912 and January 1, 1960. The fire destroyed 80% of the records.
The guy is a career soldier and the only real way to advance is by leading combat missions he wanted to finish off his career with a higher rank. most career officers are like that BUT some do it to the cost of everything else usually their own soldiers imo
You did a great deal of research to find out what happened. • It is unfortunate Colonel Ford opted to step away from the quiet little war and lead an unnecessary patrol to a German position. • Ford and the 65th infantry regiment had to be the worst match possible. • I’m wondering who was the previous commander of before Ford? What was it like when he was in command and why would he recommend Cordero?
@@CrocodileTear Not the first or last time a commander is assigned to a regiment with no experince and failed to listen to men with more experience. Thank you.
Merci as always Jean-Loup! The „wiped with high shine“ means avec bravour, perfect as described in the school books. „Hochglanz“ is used to describe polished cars, or nowadays for glossy magazines like Vanity Fair etc. the way that Blume uses it is understandable, but not common use. Seems he has created the meaning for this word himself. Interestig in this regard is also his „abgeschmiert“, this is a technical term that literally means „smeared with grease“ like if you oil something so it moves better. In this sence it rarely is or was used, but often if a machine fails! If a cars or motorcycles engine malfunctions and abruptly stops working for example, then you say „Der Motor ist abgeschmiert“. Or also if a flying object like a plane or drone suddenly looses hight, maybe even crashes, than you say „Der Flieger ist abgeschmiert“. But never is it used to say that you killed someone, Blume strongly dehumanizes in this sentence!
And I find it interesting that.. well, Ford was quite high ranked, how come the Germans didn’t celebrate that? Why doesn’t Blume even mention? Was Ford in disguise, wasn’t his rank obvious by his uniform etc? As you said the Germans in the cable house were experienced, why didn’t they know WHO they shot and captured? And the names he mentions seem to be made up.. Captain Blume and Holz, Mr Flower and Mr Wood.. oh well. Another thing remarkable is that Fords father in law is a „von Seydlitz“, an old prussian family who faught in both world wars on the German side. What a story! An old Colonal wanted to be an eagle but couldn’t fly, so he spent twenty years of training by the sea, just to be sent to the highest mountains to show what he learned. As easy as a fish climbing a tree! And to his aid were sent some friends, who were raised on a very warm island and knew everything about the waters - but knew absolutely nothing about the freezing cold, have never seen snow or ice before; nor about high altitudes. How breathing feels more heavy, how one gets less oxygen. Were they at least tested if they were free from giddyness? I guess not.. and in the other side of the frontline, on mountains just as high and cold, were Captain Flower and Lieutnant Wood, talking about silver and babies and raising some Glasses together before both of them drop dead only a few months later. Horrible. Please let us have learned a little from this so history doesn’t have to repeat itself over and over and over and over again!
Thanks for the German language explanations. That is a very good question, why didnt they notice who they had killed? I dont know. Presumably, Ford being very "textbook", he probably didnt take any personal documents and may have removed his rank insignia. His daughter told me he left his ID tag behind, but the exhumation report shows that to be untrue. In any case the ID tag didnt specify the rank, it just indicated if the person was an officer. Holz and Blume are real confirmed names.
In that context 45:07 „mit Hochglanz abgeschmiert“ could be translated that they gloriously and easily defended against that attack, like in a superlative way.
Oblt. Blume’s comment “auf Hochglanz abgeschmiert” translates to something akin to “given a shiny nosedive” or a “high polished crash”. In meaning it translates to “given a hell of a bloody nose”.
I think that everyone commenting should remember the Motto of the Infantry School is “Follow Me!”. While Colonel Ford may have been out of his depth based upon the limited information provided, there are several inescapable facts: 1) Ford was commissioned upon Graduation from West Point in 1924. During the hard years of peace, he probably rose to the rank of Captain, or at best Major, by 1940. Low budgets--small army--limited promotions. 2) Ford’s original commission CANNOT have been TC. TC, a combat service support branch, was formed in 1942, under the services of supply. The most notable commander of the Services of Supply during WWII was a long term Engineer officer (a combat arm). It’s likely that those promoted to positions of responsibility had spent their careers in a combat arm, be it infantry, FA, Emgineers, etc. 3) Cordero Davila actually received the Silver Star in Korea, but was subsequently relieved thus his record is at best….spotty. 4) The combat effectiveness of the 65th was likely proportional to the treatment received by the regiment. Remember that segregation existed in the military at that time. The 442nd and the 65th were both assigned to difficult mountain terrain, as was the 92nd ID in Northern Italy. Attitudes towards the unit from echelons above may have contributed to the piecemeal assignment of the regiment to combat. It’s sad, but lots of folks to this day including our last president, sometimes forget that Puerto Ricans are proud Americans with a history of distinguished service Maybe Ford shouldn’t have been there. Perhaps he was unqualified. But perhaps his death occurred in a small unit action where he attempted to set a standard of conduct for his subordinates to follow. A leader LEADS, while a commander may be an administrator or a leader, but rarely both.
Please watch the updated version of the video then update your comment: m.th-cam.com/video/-9BG_1hJRM0/w-d-xo.html&pp=ygUXMTk0NCBjb2xvbmVsIGZvcmQgZGVhdGg%3D
Attitudes but also ALTITUDES ! None of them had ever experienced mountains or the thin air at those elevations ! When I go from the beach to Denver 5280 ft within 3 days I will feel the altitude sickness and fatigue everyone is different but most of us recognize it ! Now imagine that you have NEVER Experienced Altitude sickness .
Attitudes but also ALTITUDES ! None of them had ever experienced mountains or the thin air at those elevations ! When I go from the beach to Denver 5280 ft within 3 days I will feel the altitude sickness and fatigue everyone is different but most of us recognize it ! Now imagine that you have NEVER Experienced Altitude sickness .
Amazing research and it must have been a kick when you got this response from the German side. Thanks for all the effort you went through to leave no stone unturned until it all added up. Excellent work!
Cowardice exist in every military and just about every unit, even in special formations. The human psyche is still very much misunderstood. If you mix depression and discomfort to anything, it's surely to foul up something.
They were Puerto Ricans. Puerto Rico is a US territory. The Island of Puerto Rico was one of the first places in the Americas colonized by Europeans. Puerto Rico was a Spanish possession from 16th century to 1898 when the USA took control of the Island during the Spanish-American War. I live in NYC, there are 1.1 million Puerto Ricans here, more than anywhere outside of Puerto Rico. I can tell you from experience that Puerto Ricans don't really consider themselves Americans even though they are all US citizens. There is more to this than cowardice.
Excellent research as always! I wonder how he came to become the CO of this unit. Was it so late in the war that they had few choices of available men, or did he petition to go anywhere the fighting was just to be in combat?
Great piece of work. My onoy criticism is that you seem to have avoided one key detail - he was moving forward towards the enemy but was shot in the BACK
Hey! Love your content. I know you love us Paratroopers, so I thought that I would share this piece of Airborne trivia. Did you know that a unit of the 442nd actually was part of the Airborne invasion of Southern France? Yup, on July 15, the Anti-Tank Company of the 442nd RCT was withdrawn from the front line under secret orders. The men didn’t find out why until several days later when they reached an airfield near Rome, where they learned that they had been assigned to glider training. From there they were moved to Grosseto, some 100 miles north of Rome. For about two weeks they trained to be glider infantry, moving from airfield to airfield. The Anti-Tank Company spent many hours learning to securely lash down and load the equipment into the gliders. On August 5, they were attached to the 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Airborne Task Force for Operation Dragoon. These men had the distinction of being the only members of the regiment to wear the Glider Wings, akin to Parachutist Wings.
Hello. Yes, I am familiar with them, and interviewed two or three of the AT Nisei veterans for my book "Autopsy of a battle". Surprisingly they didnt have a single man killed in southern France.
@@CrocodileTear I should have known that you, of all creators on TH-cam, would actually know that! I will have to get you book. 24 of my 28 years were in Airborne units. So encountering someone who is both interested and knowledgeable, is refreshing.
Did anyone notice that aviation trainee Ford was interviewed and evaluated by Major Hickam? Major (Later Lieutenant Colonel) Horace Hickam is considered to be a pioneer in military aviation. He died in a landing accident in 1934 and Hickam Air Force base in Hawaii is named after him. Based on Hickam’s broad experience in aviation I have to conclude that if he felt Ford was not suited to be a pilot he was probably right.
The appointment of George Ford could have been based on his future value as a political opportunity . Governors of Puerto Rico had come from the ranks of U.S. military generals for many decades after the taking of P.R. from spain. The thought of a possible Governor that actually commanded Puerto Ricans in a battlefront could have been influenttial .
great research, the only people it affected at the time was his family , seeing what you have found makes it interesting listening what these men went through. this was a large part of colonel Fords life good or bad still very sad like many others that it ended like that, Thank you
That doesn't add-up when you look at the historic demographics of the military volunteers. Lower income, white males, from the south (include Texas and Oklahoma). Even in 2024, with southern white males given lower priorities for enlistment opportunities, they are still the largest percentage.
The fact that he was walking uphill and stated "he was shot in the back" should not be dismissed. The trauma of a high velocity round hitting a human body leaves a significantly larger wound than the entry wound. So a soldier situated behind the officer would easily see an exit wound than an entry wound. More research needs to be done.
At 59:54, In 1976 there was a huge fire at the military personnel archives in Virginia where millions of WWII and Korean War military records were lost.
This little story, is to explain, how an issue like Colonel Ford being washed out of pilot training can happen. As a former flight instructor and check pilot, I can state with certainty, that a person can be above average, (or even gifted), mentally and still not have the airmanship skills required to become a pilot. I was required to do a final check ride on an academy graduate, to determine whether or not he should be eliminated from flying training. During the check ride, he accomplished all the air work with average and sometimes, above average skill. Everything was satisfactory until he attempted to land the aircraft. He flew a good pattern, up to and including the final approach, but could not get the aircraft within 50 Ft of the ground. I knew I was going to fail him, but it really bothered me right up until the debriefing. As we were sitting in the debriefing room, I looked him in the eye, to ask him what he though he did wrong. It was upon looking into his eyes, that I was astonished to see that one of his eyes was diverging at an ungodly angle. The answer to the question of why he couldn't land the aircraft was obvious, he had no depth perception, and the only time it showed, was when he was under stress.
@@CrocodileTear I agree, but by the time the guy got to me, , he already had 15 hours and two failed solo checks. Most of the pilots that washed out, were because they couldn't solo. The next most difficult was instrument flying, followed by formation flying. In military training, particularly on jets, time was money, and the student would only have three chances to pass. I instructed at at a time in the mid 60s, when the RCAF was training pilots by giving them their first flight on a jet. They learned, that the average student could solo in the same amount of hours, normally 12, but it was more cost efficient to make this a continuation of the selection process on a piston trainer, and making the jet training a separate process. It still took a minimum of 12 hours to solo them, .
Sounds to me that Col Ford was in transportation and really wanted a combat posting. (The war was winding down and he was always a behind the lines type of Officer) He mentioned in the first letter presented that he had been unhappy before his posting to the 65th. Based on the views of his personality he probably pestered and pushed the point of a transfer and was given command of the 65th. It appears that the 65th was a misfit unit that probably went through quite a few commanders. Those are the type of units that Ford would get as they come up more often for a leadership change. Col Cordero seems to have been a lax Officer who didn't want to make any waves with his troops and wanted to ride things out in an apparent quiet sector. Col Ford recognized this, but he reverted to his past lack of tact in dealing with Cordero's issues. His public chewing out of Cordero certainly would have soured many of the troops in the regiment as they probably knew of Ford's lack of combat experience and overall lack of command experience at the front. A wonderful presentation. I always look forward to another of your investigations.
Fascinant et extrêmement intéressant. J’avais regardé la première version et je viens de ré-écouter la deuxième version au complet. Je m’interroge à savoir comment est-ce possible qu’un soldat soit uniquement blessé à la main en utilisant une grenade à fragmentation? Serait-il possible qu’ils utilisaient seulement le mécanisme de mise à feu interne contenant l’amorce en le dévissant du corp de la grenade pour ensuite enlever la goupille et la cuillère? Le grand père de mon épouse a servi dans la 1 SSF et dans le 1st Canadian parachute bataillon, son papa à lui est mort au combat en France en 1917 près de Ypres. Son corps est encore MIA. Continuez votre excellent travail, je suis toujours excité de voir un nouveau vidéo sur votre channel TH-cam. Merci
"Je m’interroge à savoir comment est-ce possible qu’un soldat soit uniquement blessé à la main en utilisant une grenade à fragmentation? Serait-il possible qu’ils utilisaient seulement le mécanisme de mise à feu interne contenant l’amorce en le dévissant du corp de la grenade pour ensuite enlever la goupille et la cuillère? " After puting the video online, I thought about this and realized I should have mentionned this. Indeed, I think they just used the grenade fuze, or else held their arm above the parapet of a foxhole. One of the 3 guys wounded after Ford's death (by a grenade in his hand) had a serial number starting with 1, and he was also hit in the head, chest, etc. That smells of a real accident, unlike these guys who were only wounded in the hand.
Correction, my wife great-grandfather was killed near Lens in France, not Ypres in Belgium. Pte William Allely, 47th Canadian Infantry Bataillion. KIA 25th august 1917 during the battle for hill 70. Body not recovered, no known grave site, name engraved on the Vimy memorial. His son, that he never met, Sgt Ralph Allely served in the 1st Canadian Parachute Batalion and the 1 SSF (Devil’s brigade) during WWII.
@@CrocodileTear I've heard of WW1 soldiers dying from trying to use a steel helmet to cover their own hand and a grenade underneath so maybe they used a sandbag or something do the same more successfully. It's pretty horrific thing to do but it would be harder to prove deliberate self-inflicted wounding (which would be a court martial offense) compared with shooting your own hand/foot
He may have sent a letter home to his wife so she wouldn't worry about him. He may have been saying all those things about clouds and beautiful mountains so she would think he wasn't in any danger.
Rather excellent investigation but i'm astonished about that officer. I know the locations, and already Italians in 1940 had had very hard time to advance there for a few km: it's strongly favorable to the defenders.. Why the hell did he go there himself? That was the ideal position to hold out till the end of the war unharmed. We'll sit here, on our side, and they'll sit there, on their side. We duck in when they shoot, and they'll duck in when we shoot. We'll exchange some artillery rounds every day, and that's all. In my opinion he was in search for glory, the end of his career was approaching and it was probably the last possibility to become a war hero. He found it: he was shot dead, in a stupid manner, on a stupid patrol, for nothing. And I'm surprised to learn how well the other officers described him: a stubborn and overconfident person that had found his personal glory. At the end of the war, the Americans were probably still in the same positions, and the Germans in theirs. There is no way to advance in that configuration, or only under very heavy losses. That's why the troops advanced elsewhere: why to sacrifice your men at that part of the front? It's ten times easier elsewhere. Just go the other way round.
I enjoy your videos. But I need to clarify a comment you make in the video. “It wasn’t really their war” as an US navy veteran from PR, the son of an army veteran and the grand son of an army veteran. I take exception to that. Puerto Ricans have been US citizens by birth since 1917, a US territory since 1898. And proudly served since WW1. The account it’s an embarrassment to the 65th which in Korea was a highly decorated unit. The 65th was part of a segregated army, where their white officers saw them as foreigners and racially inferior. Every war the US has been in has been OUR war. We have bleed for our nation, the US, and I want to set the record straight on that.
Hi. I am not sure why I said that, I just got the feeling that the Puerto Ricans may not have felt as concerned about a war in Europe as other Americans did. But I may be totaly wrong on that, and in any case I always try look at individuals first, and dont bunch everybody up and make generalisations aboutt hem based on their nationality, etc.
@@CrocodileTear the 65th has a main highway in PR named after them. Plus monuments in every Puerto Rican community in the US. Their exploits in Korea is the source of their fame. While complicated, the relationship between PR and the rest of the US is a complicated one. My family has served with pride, I do agree that draftees are going to be reluctant to combat. And I am typing this 126 years after PR was annexed by the US. While WW2 happened, 40 + years since that annexation. Those men had parents and grandparents born during the Spanish colonial era.
A few more considerations, as a former infantryman… the mountainous terrain can both confuse the perception of where the shot came from, as well as where the shot impacts its target. The German response seems at odds with how trained and experienced infantry respond to a patrol: if I have mortars available, I will respond with those, keeping my lead positions concealed; if I am going to respond with direct fire, I will wait until the whole patrol is exposed, resulting in more casualties. On the other hand, perhaps someone thought a guy with field glasses was a high-value target?
The Germans had no need to conceal that cable house. I was the only building in the area and a known German position since months. By their actions, the Germans killed a regimental commander. In this terrain with mortars, they probably would not have achieved much.
RE Colonel Ford’s Air Force time: Ford may well have been excellent in most areas but just had trouble in one, which could be enough to make expert assessors think that neither he nor his plane could be risked in combat? My wife is an excellent driver, but can’t park the car without bumping up the kerb or leaving the car so far from the sidewalk you need a plank to get to it. Not everyone can excel in all departments, that doesn’t mean they are no good - just not quite good enough in special circumstances.
At this time in the war boot camp training was being cut by two full weeks at the very least. Early in the war there was much more training, but as casualties mounted and the "meat grinder" of two different fronts eas telling upon the US. The likelyhood that full winter survival training was taught to most soldiers was unlikely. If you have worked in the high mountains as I have in the winter, as well as summer, you would be sympathetic to anyone in those horrible winter conditions.
I agree with your in-depth research here. Much like the HBO series Band of Brothers told by the US men who lived thru so much in WW2, the huge Bureaucracy of the military can cause inept or spiteful commanders to be in charge at critical moments, pistols to go off on oneself or a buddy, the best and bravest to die young while a drunken slacker makes it into old age a successful businessman after the war. Unfortunate, crazy stuff. RIP Col. Ford.
You never hear about the campaign in Sth France. I wonder how many people are even aware of it? With the Normandy landing and break out recieving basically all the attention. Even though Allied troops were fighting in Italy since 1943 in hard fought battles.
@@CrocodileTear my grandfather and uncle were in Italy 2nd Polish armoured division. My uncle was in Nth Africa 1st, but my grandfather trained in England. They saw many bad things.
In regards to feeling where your shot. The nerves for your ribs and chest come from your spine and wrap around. If your are shot through the front and the round penatrates through and severes the nerve in the back the pain is going to radiate from the back. Due to the speed on the wound vs the speed of a nerve relay pain from the front will never make it to the brain to be "felt"
This is reminiscent of a court trial (no-one accused ,no defence required), but a trial where no more evidence can be obtained! Put this video onto law college website pages and it Would make an Excellent 'Watch This, Now Disscus ', if that's still done.
![일상 속 기분 좋음 [Proto disco meme]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/DwmEIaZ7XGQ/mqdefault.jpg)
this is a masterpiece.
Thanks a lot for your appreciation!
This is an updated version of the video. If you have seen the first version already, skip straight to 40:38 to see the new information
Colonel Ford's grandson later came to visit the site of his granfather's death. A video of his visit can be seen here: th-cam.com/video/ncOuGu9bO0o/w-d-xo.html
👍
Thank you! You might want to pin this comment
I pinned it for the first hours, but couldnt resist pinning a more witty comment by a viewer afterwards
wow!!!
I didn't catch how they communicated with each other. Did some of them speak English? Did Ford get shot in the back too?
Sounds like a fragging if so.
This has to be one of the top ten channels in all of TH-cam. Content is par excellence .
I agree, so interesting.
It's actually really quite surprising how much information and physical evidence you can dredge up about the individual people in these conflicts.
This is an unusual and surprising case. The fact Ford was an officer and the suspicious circumstances of death made it be documented better than usual. There was also a lot of luck involved, for example for the German source info.
@@CrocodileTearyour like a war whisperer. The amount of info and sources you uncover its insane!
Thank you for all your work on this project and for dispelling the rumors.
Your work has been critical to my research on the 65th’s experience during WWII. I study the mass migration of Puerto Ricans to the mainland US during late World War II through the 1990s.
Your research has been extremely illuminating. Well done.
The Puerto Rican men who volunteered to join the Army during World War II took their service very seriously. For many of them the military was the first real job they ever had where they actually made money. The Army (and the war economy) offered poor Puerto Ricans a rare chance at economic/social mobility.
Edit: Your honesty regarding the more “controversial” aspects of 3/65’s time in the alps honors their memory. Not once did it ever seem like you were doing anything other than respectfully telling their story. Your honesty and attention to detail is unlike many other published histories that gloss over the Borinqueneer’s World War II combat chronicle.
Thanks a lot for your kind and fair comment. You mention the Puerto Ricans who volunteered for the army, but as shown in the video, a key point is to differentiate between the volunteers and those who were drafted.
I forgot to say in the video that the one volunteer who was wounded by his own grenade had multiple wounds all over his body, which is consistent with an actual accident, unlike those who only had hand wounds, presumably because they held the grenade behind a tree or over a parapet to avoid severe wounds.
"Glossing over" is indeed what has often been done regarding the WWII history of the 65th, with some very blatant facts being ignored.
If you make some sort of publication about your research, I would be very interested to see it.
@@CrocodileTear You’re right. It’s an important distinction to make. Makes me wonder how different things would have been had the 65th gone to the Pacific Theater instead of the ETO/MTO.
I’m in the process of turning my research into a short essay to go along with my graduate program applications this winter. When it’s finished I’ll reply to this comment again & we’ll figure out how to get it to you.
I ran a display that focused on Latinos in the U.S. Army during WWII several times this summer at a few different sites in the northeastern US. I recommended your video to dozens of people and continue to whenever the topic arises.
God i really appreciate 🙏 this podcast on the 65th I am.
A 50-year-old.
American of puerto rican descent I always try to find documentaries. On the puerto ricans who fought during the world Wars This was amazing. Does anyone have any information on puerto rican? Pilots during world War 2
Damn those letters that turned up are absolutely amazing! That they even acknowledge the firefight with that patrol is such a stroke of luck, its hard to even comprehend! Good work as always!
This video sets the standard for research and story telling. You do excellent work Jean!
My father is a veteran of the 65th Infantry Regiment and was in Korea and returned to Puerto Rico afterwards where he continued to serve in the 65th Infantry Regiment until he was transferred as a driver for a Colonel and later re-enlisted on active duty and eventually served in Vietnam and retired after 21 years of service. He had told me about the 65th service in WWII. Both my older brother, who served with the 82nd, and eventually with the 65th Reserve Command (successor of the 65th Infantry Regiment) in Puerto Rico, and I served both on active duty and the US Army Reserve in PR. The 65th Infantry Regiment was a Puerto Rico National Guard unit. Another fun fact, both of us also served in cold weather (me way more than my brother), and although I hated the cold and spent more than a month in snow on several exercises and at least 3 blizzards in Fort Carson, CO, and in Northern Germany as well, I would never have self inflicted injuries. That’s nuts. Working in the cold for many people who have had done so before is traumatizing. Fortunately I had done so as a young child and teenager, so it wasn’t a shocker for me, just annoying, and I did experience chilblains and almost frostbite. So, I can believe that some of these “jibaritos” would have self inflicted wounds, just to get out of cold. Another fun fact, my older brother did jump into Germany during a REFORGER exercise when he was with the 82nd Airborne Division. By the way, both of us, were born in San Juan, PR, at Fort Brooks which had been the US Army’s Hospital in San Juan. Glad I got to see this. Thanks!
It's absolutely astounding you were able to dig up as much info as you did. Especially the info from the German side as well. I can only imagine how much work that entailed, and I am incredibly appreciative that you did. It really made for a nice cap to the initial video. Thank you.
A cluster of self inflicted wounds like that in december might be chalked up to christmas and homesickness amongst a group of draftees who are living in the field in shitty conditions, under enemy fire at times.
And with the US practice of keeping units in the field indefinitely and sending out replacements out to them instead of rotating units, a wound was the only way to get away from the front.
Shooting yourself in the hand is one thing, but self-inflicted hand grenade wounds speaks to rather a greater level of desperation.
I agree with you completely on all points.
Everything on your channel paints a superbly human picture of soldiers and the war. Wonderfully researched and narrated. Thank you so much for giving us such a clear picture of humanity in times of war.
Excellent story well researched. It should give us pause to realize how events can end tragically. Enjoyed very much.
Dude, these stories you dig up are amazing. And you’re a great storyteller.
My respects to you and your investigation. We appreciate that you went deeper on this subject and brought more fact checked conclusions. Edgard Rodriguez Cales, nephew of Aristides Cales Quirós.
Very exhaustive and fascinating research again, Jean Loup! Thanks for that. Also after reading the personal letters to family, I can't help but feel sad for these soldiers on both sides. May God bless all of them. ☧
A very unique and interesting tale. tt is striking that the letters home have the same enchantment with the surroundings, and share the same fate. I was thinking that Col. Ford's wound would have been more grievous as the bullet exited and he really wasn't able to give a reliable final testimony of his condition except for that,
It is a sad fact that a huge percentage of the suffering and casualties in WW2 happened in those last 6 months. Always darkest before the dawn, as we say. Great research!
Your work deserves so much more recognition, very interesting video
It’s interesting to see what an old fatigued helmet from ww2 can uncover. The imprint such events as this leave in the environment is fascinating! This is a very well done examination.
Thanks! A story told in this way with a second part and conclusions is very engaging. By the short, I was convinced that col. Ford was killed by "friendly fire" and portoricans were not reliable. This video tells the real story. A combination of facts that caused some victims, while both armies could have waited the end of the war with no losses. Wermacht was very good in stakeouts, static battles, bunkers positioning and so on. Maybe they had a little very hidden place, which left patrols pass until they were in front of another bunker which could have taken by surprise the patrol in a crossfire. That's the shot in the officer's back. Headless patrol under 2 points of fire.
In this case the German stronghold was a known position that had been there for months.
@@CrocodileTear And the prior patrol had been ambushed, Col. Ford's irresponsibilty, led not only to his death, but to the death of soldiers under his command. He couldn't fly, maybe he couldn't lead men on patrol.
I had misgivings, not so much about Colonel Ford was killed, but about the award of the Silver Star to Sgt Quiros. I don't see how it is possible, that the same guys that wanted to frag the Colonel, would think to recommend another member of the same patrol for a Silver Star, the second highest medal in the US Army. I think it was the Colonel's inexperience that got him killed.
Thank you, for continuing your research, I find it absolutely incredible that someone in the US Army, would have been irresponsible enough to post an unhardened unit, like the 65th, into such a severe environment without suitable equipment or training. I understand that the 65th was replacing a Hawaiian Regiment,, but that unit had fought all the way through Africa and Italy from the Torch landing. (also, the most highly decorated unit in the history of the US Army).
Mr Gassend your work is inspiring. It is very clear that you take lots of time to do these videos, and they are always filled with unique information and lots of nuance / respect for the history and people involved. a role model historian !
Speechless. This is so interesting and I love attention to detail, using a lot of resources.
All the best!
Great video. Well done research and bringing history to life.
Well done. An excellent initial analysis made all the better with your subsequent research and findings. Thanks for the update!
Even though I have watched your video two times prior, I viewed it again, with the newly added information.
Your channel is simply fascinating Sir.
A little clarification on the German letter:
"...mit Hochglanz abgeschmiert"
-"abgeschmiert" means 'smeared away', a bit with the idea of smearing jam on bread.
The English translation in the sense of the sentence would be 'wiped them away'.
-"mit Hochganz" ('with high gloss') refers to the German action, and could be translated as 'with perfection'.
Thanks for a remarkable investigation and presenting it as truly compelling story. You revealed real people behind the sad statistics of war. Well done.
Thanks for your video. Your research is excellent. It was truly enjoyable and I’m looking forward to watching all the rest of the work you’ve done.
Excellent presentation. Well researched with convincing conclusions. Thank you for a very entertaining video.
Excellent video! Thank you for the update and all the research you put in!
Phenomenal! and all that out of finding an old helmet.
at the end " so, this i pretty much all the evidence i can bring to the table" dude, no one ever asked for more.
Thank you for uploading this video. I didn't know much about the 65th Infantry, so this video coming out just a few months ago is absolutely great. Thanks!
Again and again the work you present is truly incredible.
amazing story. Thank you so much for all your research bringing this incident a fair hearing. So sad that they made it so close to the end of the war in a quiet sector of the front only for the Colonel to be a victim of his own pointless actions. look forward to more of your detective work. 👍
I taught wound ballistics as a SWAT sniper and in the Army . . . one explanation would be that the front penetration of the projectile is slightly larger than the actual round, while the exiting of said projectile is much larger and if striking the back bone and nerves associated would or could make the soldier believe he was struck in the back due to the violent ripping and shredding of the areas around the spine . . . either way an excruciating way to go . . .
Impressive detective work!! 💙💙💙
Very interesting. Got to love WwII history. Thank you for your efforts.
Very good investigation and storytelling .
On July 12, 1973, a fire broke out at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, MO.
The fire destroyed approximately 16-18 million Official Military Personnel Files (OMPFs).
The fire affected record collections including U.S. Army personnel discharged between November 1, 1912 and January 1, 1960. The fire destroyed 80% of the records.
Thankfully as you see, Col Ford's file seems to have been barely damaged, though unfortunately one of the witness statements did disapear...
You make marvellous content.
love your videos. these stories need to be told
Fascinating and brilliant historical research. Congratulations.
This was very intresting! Thx for reupploading! P.s. OH thanks it was a extra part 2!!
The guy is a career soldier and the only real way to advance is by leading combat missions he wanted to finish off his career with a higher rank. most career officers are like that BUT some do it to the cost of everything else usually their own soldiers imo
You did a great deal of research to find out what happened.
• It is unfortunate Colonel Ford opted to step away from the quiet little war and lead an unnecessary patrol to a German position.
• Ford and the 65th infantry regiment had to be the worst match possible.
• I’m wondering who was the previous commander of before Ford?
What was it like when he was in command and why would he recommend Cordero?
I have the name of the previous commander, but I have no clue about the details... Not sure anybody knows nowadays.
@@CrocodileTear
Not the first or last time a commander is assigned to a regiment with no experince and failed to listen to men with more experience.
Thank you.
You did an amazing job on this. Great work & research!!
❤ Thank-you
FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!GREAT VIDEO,THANK YOU
Great story to uncover and well done on the research and somery of info relating to the men and their accounts..
excellent video! I am watching a couple of times...
Excellent video.
The author is a phenomenal storyteller
love your work
Really well done,Great channel.
Thanks for this very interesting story and analysis.
Merci as always Jean-Loup!
The „wiped with high shine“ means avec bravour, perfect as described in the school books. „Hochglanz“ is used to describe polished cars, or nowadays for glossy magazines like Vanity Fair etc. the way that Blume uses it is understandable, but not common use. Seems he has created the meaning for this word himself.
Interestig in this regard is also his „abgeschmiert“, this is a technical term that literally means „smeared with grease“ like if you oil something so it moves better. In this sence it rarely is or was used, but often if a machine fails! If a cars or motorcycles engine malfunctions and abruptly stops working for example, then you say „Der Motor ist abgeschmiert“. Or also if a flying object like a plane or drone suddenly looses hight, maybe even crashes, than you say „Der Flieger ist abgeschmiert“. But never is it used to say that you killed someone, Blume strongly dehumanizes in this sentence!
And I find it interesting that.. well, Ford was quite high ranked, how come the Germans didn’t celebrate that? Why doesn’t Blume even mention? Was Ford in disguise, wasn’t his rank obvious by his uniform etc? As you said the Germans in the cable house were experienced, why didn’t they know WHO they shot and captured?
And the names he mentions seem to be made up.. Captain Blume and Holz, Mr Flower and Mr Wood.. oh well.
Another thing remarkable is that Fords father in law is a „von Seydlitz“, an old prussian family who faught in both world wars on the German side.
What a story! An old Colonal wanted to be an eagle but couldn’t fly, so he spent twenty years of training by the sea, just to be sent to the highest mountains to show what he learned. As easy as a fish climbing a tree!
And to his aid were sent some friends, who were raised on a very warm island and knew everything about the waters - but knew absolutely nothing about the freezing cold, have never seen snow or ice before; nor about high altitudes. How breathing feels more heavy, how one gets less oxygen. Were they at least tested if they were free from giddyness? I guess not.. and in the other side of the frontline, on mountains just as high and cold, were Captain Flower and Lieutnant Wood, talking about silver and babies and raising some
Glasses together before both of them drop dead only a few months later. Horrible.
Please let us have learned a little from this so history doesn’t have to repeat itself over and over and over and over again!
Thanks for the German language explanations. That is a very good question, why didnt they notice who they had killed? I dont know. Presumably, Ford being very "textbook", he probably didnt take any personal documents and may have removed his rank insignia. His daughter told me he left his ID tag behind, but the exhumation report shows that to be untrue. In any case the ID tag didnt specify the rank, it just indicated if the person was an officer.
Holz and Blume are real confirmed names.
In that context 45:07 „mit Hochglanz abgeschmiert“ could be translated that they gloriously and easily defended against that attack, like in a superlative way.
Thank you mate, for doing all the research and sharing the information for us all.
Oblt. Blume’s comment “auf Hochglanz abgeschmiert” translates to something akin to “given a shiny nosedive” or a “high polished crash”.
In meaning it translates to “given a hell of a bloody nose”.
I think that everyone commenting should remember the Motto of the Infantry School is “Follow Me!”. While Colonel Ford may have been out of his depth based upon the limited information provided, there are several inescapable facts:
1) Ford was commissioned upon Graduation from West Point in 1924. During the hard years of peace, he probably rose to the rank of Captain, or at best Major, by 1940. Low budgets--small army--limited promotions.
2) Ford’s original commission CANNOT have been TC. TC, a combat service support branch, was formed in 1942, under the services of supply. The most notable commander of the Services of Supply during WWII was a long term Engineer officer (a combat arm). It’s likely that those promoted to positions of responsibility had spent their careers in a combat arm, be it infantry, FA, Emgineers, etc.
3) Cordero Davila actually received the Silver Star in Korea, but was subsequently relieved thus his record is at best….spotty.
4) The combat effectiveness of the 65th was likely proportional to the treatment received by the regiment. Remember that segregation existed in the military at that time. The 442nd and the 65th were both assigned to difficult mountain terrain, as was the 92nd ID in Northern Italy. Attitudes towards the unit from echelons above may have contributed to the piecemeal assignment of the regiment to combat. It’s sad, but lots of folks to this day including our last president, sometimes forget that Puerto Ricans are proud Americans with a history of distinguished service
Maybe Ford shouldn’t have been there. Perhaps he was unqualified. But perhaps his death occurred in a small unit action where he attempted to set a standard of conduct for his subordinates to follow. A leader LEADS, while a commander may be an administrator or a leader, but rarely both.
Please watch the updated version of the video then update your comment: m.th-cam.com/video/-9BG_1hJRM0/w-d-xo.html&pp=ygUXMTk0NCBjb2xvbmVsIGZvcmQgZGVhdGg%3D
Attitudes but also ALTITUDES ! None of them had ever experienced mountains or the thin air at those elevations ! When I go from the beach to Denver 5280 ft within 3 days I will feel the altitude sickness and fatigue everyone is different but most of us recognize it ! Now imagine that you have NEVER Experienced Altitude sickness .
Attitudes but also ALTITUDES ! None of them had ever experienced mountains or the thin air at those elevations ! When I go from the beach to Denver 5280 ft within 3 days I will feel the altitude sickness and fatigue everyone is different but most of us recognize it ! Now imagine that you have NEVER Experienced Altitude sickness .
I just love your videos
Amazing research and it must have been a kick when you got this response from the German side. Thanks for all the effort you went through to leave no stone unturned until it all added up. Excellent work!
I couldnt believe it when I got the German letter!
Cowardice exist in every military and just about every unit, even in special formations. The human psyche is still very much misunderstood. If you mix depression and discomfort to anything, it's surely to foul up something.
They were Puerto Ricans. Puerto Rico is a US territory. The Island of Puerto Rico was one of the first places in the Americas colonized by Europeans. Puerto Rico was a Spanish possession from 16th century to 1898 when the USA took control of the Island during the Spanish-American War. I live in NYC, there are 1.1 million Puerto Ricans here, more than anywhere outside of Puerto Rico. I can tell you from experience that Puerto Ricans don't really consider themselves Americans even though they are all US citizens. There is more to this than cowardice.
Excellent research as always! I wonder how he came to become the CO of this unit. Was it so late in the war that they had few choices of available men, or did he petition to go anywhere the fighting was just to be in combat?
Great piece of work. My onoy criticism is that you seem to have avoided one key detail - he was moving forward towards the enemy but was shot in the BACK
That point is adressed in the video. We dont know whhere he was shot, we just know what the colonel said.
Another very interesting video, you are a very intelligent man. And you speak a very good english, better than I do. Thank for sharing.
Hey! Love your content. I know you love us Paratroopers, so I thought that I would share this piece of Airborne trivia. Did you know that a unit of the 442nd actually was part of the Airborne invasion of Southern France? Yup, on July 15, the Anti-Tank Company of the 442nd RCT was withdrawn from the front line under secret orders. The men didn’t find out why until several days later when they reached an airfield near Rome, where they learned that they had been assigned to glider training. From there they were moved to Grosseto, some 100 miles north of Rome. For about two weeks they trained to be glider infantry, moving from airfield to airfield. The Anti-Tank Company spent many hours learning to securely lash down and load the equipment into the gliders. On August 5, they were attached to the 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Airborne Task Force for Operation Dragoon. These men had the distinction of being the only members of the regiment to wear the Glider Wings, akin to Parachutist Wings.
Hello. Yes, I am familiar with them, and interviewed two or three of the AT Nisei veterans for my book "Autopsy of a battle". Surprisingly they didnt have a single man killed in southern France.
@@CrocodileTear I should have known that you, of all creators on TH-cam, would actually know that! I will have to get you book. 24 of my 28 years were in Airborne units. So encountering someone who is both interested and knowledgeable, is refreshing.
Great video and research, i have nothing positive to say .Just imagine the poor guys that were supposed to depend on this unit.
Did anyone notice that aviation trainee Ford was interviewed and evaluated by Major Hickam?
Major (Later Lieutenant Colonel) Horace Hickam is considered to be a pioneer in military aviation. He died in a landing accident in 1934 and Hickam Air Force base in Hawaii is named after him.
Based on Hickam’s broad experience in aviation I have to conclude that if he felt Ford was not suited to be a pilot he was probably right.
Thanks for pointing that out. I did not know who Hickam was.
There was something about convulsions I saw on one of the papers? That could have been part of them not letting him fly.
The appointment of George Ford could have been based on his future value as a political opportunity . Governors of Puerto Rico had come from the ranks of U.S. military generals for many decades after the taking of P.R. from spain. The thought of a possible Governor that actually commanded Puerto Ricans in a battlefront could have been influenttial .
"mit Hochglanz" is in this context more like "splendidly"
great research, the only people it affected at the time was his family , seeing what you have found makes it interesting listening what these men went through. this was a large part of colonel Fords life good or bad still very sad like many others that it ended like that, Thank you
Great work on this one
I'd rather have soldiers who grew up in a cold climate than a hot climate any day. They are simply tougher people.
That doesn't add-up when you look at the historic demographics of the military volunteers. Lower income, white males, from the south (include Texas and Oklahoma).
Even in 2024, with southern white males given lower priorities for enlistment opportunities, they are still the largest percentage.
The fact that he was walking uphill and stated "he was shot in the back" should not be dismissed. The trauma of a high velocity round hitting a human body leaves a significantly larger wound than the entry wound. So a soldier situated behind the officer would easily see an exit wound than an entry wound. More research needs to be done.
What extra research do you suggest other than exhuming Col Ford's body?
At 59:54, In 1976 there was a huge fire at the military personnel archives in Virginia where millions of WWII and Korean War military records were lost.
You can see the edges of the pages are burnt
what the story! like a S.Kubricks Paths of Glory
This little story, is to explain, how an issue like Colonel Ford being washed out of pilot training can happen.
As a former flight instructor and check pilot, I can state with certainty, that a person can be above average, (or even gifted), mentally and still not have the airmanship skills required to become a pilot. I was required to do a final check ride on an academy graduate, to determine whether or not he should be eliminated from flying training. During the check ride, he accomplished all the air work with average and sometimes, above average skill. Everything was satisfactory until he attempted to land the aircraft. He flew a good pattern, up to and including the final approach, but could not get the aircraft within 50 Ft of the ground. I knew I was going to fail him, but it really bothered me right up until the debriefing. As we were sitting in the debriefing room, I looked him in the eye, to ask him what he though he did wrong. It was upon looking into his eyes, that I was astonished to see that one of his eyes was diverging at an ungodly angle. The answer to the question of why he couldn't land the aircraft was obvious, he had no depth perception, and the only time it showed, was when he was under stress.
Thanks for sharing this story. In Ford's case, if there was a visible physical cause, I think it would be included in the files.
@@CrocodileTear I agree, but by the time the guy got to me, , he already had 15 hours and two failed solo checks. Most of the pilots that washed out, were because they couldn't solo. The next most difficult was instrument flying, followed by formation flying. In military training, particularly on jets, time was money, and the student would only have three chances to pass.
I instructed at at a time in the mid 60s, when the RCAF was training pilots by giving them their first flight on a jet. They learned, that the average student could solo in the same amount of hours, normally 12, but it was more cost efficient to make this a continuation of the selection process on a piston trainer, and making the jet training a separate process. It still took a minimum of 12 hours to solo them, .
Sounds to me that Col Ford was in transportation and really wanted a combat posting. (The war was winding down and he was always a behind the lines type of Officer) He mentioned in the first letter presented that he had been unhappy before his posting to the 65th. Based on the views of his personality he probably pestered and pushed the point of a transfer and was given command of the 65th. It appears that the 65th was a misfit unit that probably went through quite a few commanders. Those are the type of units that Ford would get as they come up more often for a leadership change.
Col Cordero seems to have been a lax Officer who didn't want to make any waves with his troops and wanted to ride things out in an apparent quiet sector. Col Ford recognized this, but he reverted to his past lack of tact in dealing with Cordero's issues. His public chewing out of Cordero certainly would have soured many of the troops in the regiment as they probably knew of Ford's lack of combat experience and overall lack of command experience at the front.
A wonderful presentation. I always look forward to another of your investigations.
Fascinant et extrêmement intéressant. J’avais regardé la première version et je viens de ré-écouter la deuxième version au complet.
Je m’interroge à savoir comment est-ce possible qu’un soldat soit uniquement blessé à la main en utilisant une grenade à fragmentation? Serait-il possible qu’ils utilisaient seulement le mécanisme de mise à feu interne contenant l’amorce en le dévissant du corp de la grenade pour ensuite enlever la goupille et la cuillère?
Le grand père de mon épouse a servi dans la 1 SSF et dans le 1st Canadian parachute bataillon, son papa à lui est mort au combat en France en 1917 près de Ypres. Son corps est encore MIA.
Continuez votre excellent travail, je suis toujours excité de voir un nouveau vidéo sur votre channel TH-cam.
Merci
"Je m’interroge à savoir comment est-ce possible qu’un soldat soit uniquement blessé à la main en utilisant une grenade à fragmentation? Serait-il possible qu’ils utilisaient seulement le mécanisme de mise à feu interne contenant l’amorce en le dévissant du corp de la grenade pour ensuite enlever la goupille et la cuillère? "
After puting the video online, I thought about this and realized I should have mentionned this. Indeed, I think they just used the grenade fuze, or else held their arm above the parapet of a foxhole.
One of the 3 guys wounded after Ford's death (by a grenade in his hand) had a serial number starting with 1, and he was also hit in the head, chest, etc. That smells of a real accident, unlike these guys who were only wounded in the hand.
Thank you Jean-Loup, it is the most plausible explanation indeed. So interesting nonetheless, I feel for these poor guys.
Correction, my wife great-grandfather was killed near Lens in France, not Ypres in Belgium. Pte William Allely, 47th Canadian Infantry Bataillion. KIA 25th august 1917 during the battle for hill 70. Body not recovered, no known grave site, name engraved on the Vimy memorial. His son, that he never met, Sgt Ralph Allely served in the 1st Canadian Parachute Batalion and the 1 SSF (Devil’s brigade) during WWII.
@@CrocodileTear I've heard of WW1 soldiers dying from trying to use a steel helmet to cover their own hand and a grenade underneath so maybe they used a sandbag or something do the same more successfully. It's pretty horrific thing to do but it would be harder to prove deliberate self-inflicted wounding (which would be a court martial offense) compared with shooting your own hand/foot
He may have sent a letter home to his wife so she wouldn't worry about him. He may have been saying all those things about clouds and beautiful mountains so she would think he wasn't in any danger.
Rather excellent investigation but i'm astonished about that officer. I know the locations, and already Italians in 1940 had had very hard time to advance there for a few km: it's strongly favorable to the defenders.. Why the hell did he go there himself? That was the ideal position to hold out till the end of the war unharmed. We'll sit here, on our side, and they'll sit there, on their side. We duck in when they shoot, and they'll duck in when we shoot. We'll exchange some artillery rounds every day, and that's all. In my opinion he was in search for glory, the end of his career was approaching and it was probably the last possibility to become a war hero. He found it: he was shot dead, in a stupid manner, on a stupid patrol, for nothing. And I'm surprised to learn how well the other officers described him: a stubborn and overconfident person that had found his personal glory. At the end of the war, the Americans were probably still in the same positions, and the Germans in theirs. There is no way to advance in that configuration, or only under very heavy losses. That's why the troops advanced elsewhere: why to sacrifice your men at that part of the front? It's ten times easier elsewhere. Just go the other way round.
The French attacked the German positions three weeks before the war ended and pushed the Germans back, but suffered about 300 KIA
I enjoy your videos. But I need to clarify a comment you make in the video. “It wasn’t really their war” as an US navy veteran from PR, the son of an army veteran and the grand son of an army veteran. I take exception to that. Puerto Ricans have been US citizens by birth since 1917, a US territory since 1898. And proudly served since WW1. The account it’s an embarrassment to the 65th which in Korea was a highly decorated unit. The 65th was part of a segregated army, where their white officers saw them as foreigners and racially inferior. Every war the US has been in has been OUR war. We have bleed for our nation, the US, and I want to set the record straight on that.
Hi. I am not sure why I said that, I just got the feeling that the Puerto Ricans may not have felt as concerned about a war in Europe as other Americans did. But I may be totaly wrong on that, and in any case I always try look at individuals first, and dont bunch everybody up and make generalisations aboutt hem based on their nationality, etc.
@@CrocodileTear the 65th has a main highway in PR named after them. Plus monuments in every Puerto Rican community in the US. Their exploits in Korea is the source of their fame. While complicated, the relationship between PR and the rest of the US is a complicated one. My family has served with pride, I do agree that draftees are going to be reluctant to combat. And I am typing this 126 years after PR was annexed by the US. While WW2 happened, 40 + years since that annexation. Those men had parents and grandparents born during the Spanish colonial era.
Could be a great movie... RIP
A few more considerations, as a former infantryman… the mountainous terrain can both confuse the perception of where the shot came from, as well as where the shot impacts its target. The German response seems at odds with how trained and experienced infantry respond to a patrol: if I have mortars available, I will respond with those, keeping my lead positions concealed; if I am going to respond with direct fire, I will wait until the whole patrol is exposed, resulting in more casualties. On the other hand, perhaps someone thought a guy with field glasses was a high-value target?
Also, excellent work!
The Germans had no need to conceal that cable house. I was the only building in the area and a known German position since months.
By their actions, the Germans killed a regimental commander. In this terrain with mortars, they probably would not have achieved much.
If I am looking vor someone Missing. How can I contact you?
My email is shown at the end of most videos and is also on my youtube page.
RE Colonel Ford’s Air Force time: Ford may well have been excellent in most areas but just had trouble in one, which could be enough to make expert assessors think that neither he nor his plane could be risked in combat?
My wife is an excellent driver, but can’t park the car without bumping up the kerb or leaving the car so far from the sidewalk you need a plank to get to it. Not everyone can excel in all departments, that doesn’t mean they are no good - just not quite good enough in special circumstances.
At this time in the war boot camp training was being cut by two full weeks at the very least. Early in the war there was much more training, but as casualties mounted and the "meat grinder" of two different fronts eas telling upon the US. The likelyhood that full winter survival training was taught to most soldiers was unlikely. If you have worked in the high mountains as I have in the winter, as well as summer, you would be sympathetic to anyone in those horrible winter conditions.
I agree with your in-depth research here. Much like the HBO series Band of Brothers told by the US men who lived thru so much in WW2, the huge Bureaucracy of the military can cause inept or spiteful commanders to be in charge at critical moments, pistols to go off on oneself or a buddy, the best and bravest to die young while a drunken slacker makes it into old age a successful businessman after the war. Unfortunate, crazy stuff. RIP Col. Ford.
Band of Brothers seems to me mostly exaggerated fiction...Ambrose anyone?
You never hear about the campaign in Sth France. I wonder how many people are even aware of it?
With the Normandy landing and break out recieving basically all the attention.
Even though Allied troops were fighting in Italy since 1943 in hard fought battles.
And they were fighting in Africa in 1940-42.
You can look up my book about southern France: Autopsy of a Battle.
@@CrocodileTear my grandfather and uncle were in Italy 2nd Polish armoured division.
My uncle was in Nth Africa 1st, but my grandfather trained in England.
They saw many bad things.
Bloody well done mate
Excellent
In regards to feeling where your shot. The nerves for your ribs and chest come from your spine and wrap around. If your are shot through the front and the round penatrates through and severes the nerve in the back the pain is going to radiate from the back. Due to the speed on the wound vs the speed of a nerve relay pain from the front will never make it to the brain to be "felt"
This is reminiscent of a court trial (no-one accused ,no defence required), but a trial where no more evidence can be obtained! Put this video onto law college website pages and it Would make an Excellent 'Watch This, Now Disscus ', if that's still done.
On a personal note, I've enjoyed, liked and subscribed, thank you.
Thanks
Colonel Cordero relieved of his command of the 65th in Korea.
You had a letter from Fords father in law, did you actually speak to a surviving family member to get the perspective of the Ford family?
I was in contact with his daughter for many years until she passed away.
Very good lessons
A Regimental Commander should never lead a patrol. That task is delegated to battalion and company commanders.
Cette histoire pourrait faire un excellent film !
En effet. Si vois avez un contact a Hollywood...