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ORIGINAL WWII US ARMY ETO SPECIAL ORDERS DOCUMENT GROUPING (1943–1945)Approx. 25 Pages | 611th & 608th Ordnance Battlefield Automotive Maintenance (OBAM) UnitsUp for sale is a fascinating and cohesive archive of approximately 25 pages of original World War II U.S. Army Special Orders and related military correspondence dating from December 1943 through October 1945.This substantial grouping documents the administrative, personnel, legal, transportation, and logistical activities of U.S. Army personnel serving in the European Theater of Operations, with references to assignments and movements throughout the United Kingdom, France, and Belgium.Rather than a collection of unrelated papers, the archive provides a chronological look at the operations and personnel associated with Ordnance Battlefield Automotive Maintenance units and other supporting organizations during the final years of WWII and the immediate postwar period.ARCHIVE HIGHLIGHTS:• 1st LT. HERSCHEL C. GAULEY – A central figure throughout the archive, appearing from his service as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1943 through later assignments as a 1st Lieutenant. Documents reference promotions, official travel, finance responsibilities, claims duties, and postwar logistical assignments.• SPECIAL COURTS-MARTIAL DOCUMENTATION – Includes military justice material concerning a battalion-level Special Court-Martial panel. Named officers include Major Cooke, Capt. Gadoury, Capt. Taylor, and Lt. Gauley, who is identified as Defense Counsel.• EUROPEAN THEATER LOGISTICS – Documents official movements, travel authorizations, allowances, assignments, and field operations involving locations including London, Glasgow, Plymouth, Rouen, Lens, Lille, and other European destinations.• COMMAND SIGNATURES & AUTHORIZATIONS – Multiple documents contain period signatures and official authorizations, including those of Capt. Frederick M. Hansen, Adjutant, with orders issued “By order of Colonel Smoak.”EXTENSIVE NAMED PERSONNEL ROSTER:A particularly valuable aspect of this archive is the large number of individually identified servicemen. Documents contain typed names, ranks, Army Serial Numbers, assignments, and other administrative information useful for military and genealogical research.Named personnel include:• Pvt. Leo J. Jenkins – 36827694
• Tec 5 Fred C. Lowe – 34670703
• Tec 5 Edward N. Watts – 33535474
• Pvt. Henry O. Eachus – 14029955
• Major Frederic E. Hendler – 0494895
• 1st Lt. Gilmore M. Perry – 01552768
• T/5 Simon J. Means – 33434717
• Cpl. William D. Gorman – 32418931
• Pvt. Kenneth O. Bartley – 33628889
• Pvt. Eddie Moore – 35447172
• Cpl. Varl Smelcer – 39454417
• Pfc. William T. Canderburg, Jr. – 38175333
• 2d Lt. Karl W. Boehm – 01554923…plus numerous additional officers and enlisted personnel.Units referenced within the grouping include the 3013th and 3014th OBAM Companies, 717th and 733rd Railway Operating Battalions, 582nd Army Postal Unit, and other supporting organizations.HISTORICAL & RESEARCH VALUE:This is an excellent primary-source WWII archive offering a detailed look at the often-overlooked administrative and logistical infrastructure that supported American forces in the European Theater.The combination of named personnel, Army Serial Numbers, unit designations, dated Special Orders, travel locations, courts-martial documentation, official signatures, and wartime-to-postwar chronology makes the grouping particularly appealing to:• WWII militaria collectors
• U.S. Army and ETO historians
• Ordnance and logistics researchers
• Military justice researchers
• Genealogists and family historians
• Railway and transportation historians
• Collectors of original wartime documents and ephemeraCONDITION:Good, stable vintage condition consistent with authentic 1940s military paperwork. The grouping includes period onionskin and standard military paper.Expect age toning, minor edge wear, handling marks, folds, and areas of staple oxidation/rust consistent with documents of this age and type. The typed content remains crisp and legible, making the archive suitable for historical research, scanning, preservation, or display.Please review all listing photographs carefully for the exact documents included and their individual condition.SHIPPING:The complete grouping will be carefully packaged and shipped flat in a rigid protective mailer with tracking to help ensure the documents arrive safely and remain preserved.
