| Maternal Military and Family Archives |
Our family has a rich military history, with Combat Veterans from the Civil War,
World War I and World War II. The commanders and battles are some of the most
famous battles in American military history; from The Battle of Atlanta with
General William "Tecumseh" Sherman to piloting a B-17 over Europe; from
the famed 42nd Rainbow Division in World War I to a Pearl Harbor Survivor;
from a tank officer with Patton's 5th Armored Division in the race across Europe
to an infantry fighter with the 32nd Red Arrow Division in the jungles of New
Guinea and the Philippines; from a pilot in World War I to a Metalsmith with the
U.S. Navy serving on the U.S.S. Lexington who was lost at the Battle of the Coral
Sea along with the ship.
On the left is my Great Uncle Tony Giuffrida, my Grandmother Ida's brother, who
fought in the jungles of New Guinea with MacArthur's 32nd Infantry Division, a
Michigan National Guard Division better known as he Red Arrow Division. They
were one of the first American Divisions of the U.S. Army in see action when the
Japanese forces landed on New Guinea and began marching over the Owen
Stanley Mountains through the Kokoda Trail. This was a threat to Australia and the
Australian soldiers were the first to confront the tough, never say die Japanese
soldiers in some of the brutal fighting conditions in the world.
World War I and World War II. The commanders and battles are some of the most
famous battles in American military history; from The Battle of Atlanta with
General William "Tecumseh" Sherman to piloting a B-17 over Europe; from
the famed 42nd Rainbow Division in World War I to a Pearl Harbor Survivor;
from a tank officer with Patton's 5th Armored Division in the race across Europe
to an infantry fighter with the 32nd Red Arrow Division in the jungles of New
Guinea and the Philippines; from a pilot in World War I to a Metalsmith with the
U.S. Navy serving on the U.S.S. Lexington who was lost at the Battle of the Coral
Sea along with the ship.
On the left is my Great Uncle Tony Giuffrida, my Grandmother Ida's brother, who
fought in the jungles of New Guinea with MacArthur's 32nd Infantry Division, a
Michigan National Guard Division better known as he Red Arrow Division. They
were one of the first American Divisions of the U.S. Army in see action when the
Japanese forces landed on New Guinea and began marching over the Owen
Stanley Mountains through the Kokoda Trail. This was a threat to Australia and the
Australian soldiers were the first to confront the tough, never say die Japanese
soldiers in some of the brutal fighting conditions in the world.
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| Privates Momie and Giuffrida after Basic Training, June 1942, Camp Roberts, Calif. |
| My mother Angela and Uncle Bob visiting Camp Roberts, June, 14, 1942. |
| Great Uncle Henry Olivas Third Army, 5th Armored Division, Northwest Europe, 1944-45 |
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Great Uncle Henry Olivas, a tank officer in General George S. Patton's 5th Armored
Division, also known as The Victory Division, which was trained and commanded by
Major General Lusford E. Oliver and saw extensive action following the Allied landings
at Normandy on June 6, 1944. They participated many of the key battles in Northwest
Europe and achieved a number of firsts in the West European effort to defeat Nazi
Germany.
Before the D-Day landings, General Patton addressed his troops in the speech made
famous by George C. Scott. But the real one is much more profane and interesting.
Click here to read the text of the speech. It is impossible to list all the outstanding
accomplishments of the 5th Armored Division, but if one visits the official website by
clicking the logo below it is possible read the book, Paths of Armor, and navigate
through the whole history of this storied unit and other aspects of World War II.
Division, also known as The Victory Division, which was trained and commanded by
Major General Lusford E. Oliver and saw extensive action following the Allied landings
at Normandy on June 6, 1944. They participated many of the key battles in Northwest
Europe and achieved a number of firsts in the West European effort to defeat Nazi
Germany.
Before the D-Day landings, General Patton addressed his troops in the speech made
famous by George C. Scott. But the real one is much more profane and interesting.
Click here to read the text of the speech. It is impossible to list all the outstanding
accomplishments of the 5th Armored Division, but if one visits the official website by
clicking the logo below it is possible read the book, Paths of Armor, and navigate
through the whole history of this storied unit and other aspects of World War II.
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| A postcard from my Great Uncle Tony Guiffrida to his nephew, Bob Olivas, my Mother's brother, during Basic Training at Camp Roberts in California, January 17, 1942. He signed the post card "Your Uncle (Buck Private) Tony." |
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| Tony Giuffrida, left, on leave in Australia while fighting in New Guinea, one of the toughest places on Earth to participate in combat. |
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| Great Uncle Tony Giuffrida at Camp Roberts, 1942. |
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According to one of three survivors, Geza Bondi, 2,000 slave laborers who had been
making airplane parts in Eastern Germany were stuffed into a freight train and
transported aimlessly for seven days with only bread to eat. When the train reached
Mieste, about eight miles from Gardelegen, they were taken off and began their Death
March. The lame and those who fell by the wayside were shot by the SS Guards, with
approximately 1,200 survivors reaching Gardelegen.
They were herded into a brick and stone grain barn. The hay inside was soaked with
gasoline and the barn was set on fire in conjunction with SS and Luftwaffe elements
gunning them down the helpless in cold blood. The primary motivation for the
massacre, apparently, was that the soldiers wanted to prevent the slave laborers from
attacking German civilians if they were liberated by the swiftly approaching U.S. Army.
making airplane parts in Eastern Germany were stuffed into a freight train and
transported aimlessly for seven days with only bread to eat. When the train reached
Mieste, about eight miles from Gardelegen, they were taken off and began their Death
March. The lame and those who fell by the wayside were shot by the SS Guards, with
approximately 1,200 survivors reaching Gardelegen.
They were herded into a brick and stone grain barn. The hay inside was soaked with
gasoline and the barn was set on fire in conjunction with SS and Luftwaffe elements
gunning them down the helpless in cold blood. The primary motivation for the
massacre, apparently, was that the soldiers wanted to prevent the slave laborers from
attacking German civilians if they were liberated by the swiftly approaching U.S. Army.
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| This postcard, made of wood, was sent to Uncle Bob Olivas, his nephew, during Henry's Basic Training at Camp Cook, Calif. May 22, 1942 |
| April, 13, 1945: The Massacre at Gardelegen Photos found after 45 years in a box |
Henry Olivas, with the 5th Armored Division and elements of the 102nd Division, was cycled through the area at the orders of General
Eisenhower, armed with disposable cameras, to bear witness to this atrocity lest someone try to deny it had happened. The same procedure
was done when the Death Camps were liberated. Local civilians were brought in to view the scene and help bury the charred bodies. The
three witnesses who escaped provided details of the massacre. These eight pictures were taken by Henry and found in a box of photos 45
years in my Grandfather's house. They were just little photos, not more than 1 X 1, which have been enlarged for viewed. Click to enlarge.
Eisenhower, armed with disposable cameras, to bear witness to this atrocity lest someone try to deny it had happened. The same procedure
was done when the Death Camps were liberated. Local civilians were brought in to view the scene and help bury the charred bodies. The
three witnesses who escaped provided details of the massacre. These eight pictures were taken by Henry and found in a box of photos 45
years in my Grandfather's house. They were just little photos, not more than 1 X 1, which have been enlarged for viewed. Click to enlarge.
Henry Olivas, like so many World War II Veterans, rarely
talked about his war experiences. However, his daughter
told me he would occasionally discuss this incident and
that he always referred to it as the Burning of the Barn.
It is a famous part of 5th Armored Division history along
with other units which were brought through the area.
With the war winding down, Germans were trying to cover
their tracks for war crimes and, if possible, avoid getting
captured by the Russians by making their way to the west
and thus American or British captivity. Many taken
prisoner by the Soviet Union did not survive incarceration.
talked about his war experiences. However, his daughter
told me he would occasionally discuss this incident and
that he always referred to it as the Burning of the Barn.
It is a famous part of 5th Armored Division history along
with other units which were brought through the area.
With the war winding down, Germans were trying to cover
their tracks for war crimes and, if possible, avoid getting
captured by the Russians by making their way to the west
and thus American or British captivity. Many taken
prisoner by the Soviet Union did not survive incarceration.
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| Postcards from World War II and an example of the famous V-Mail that was sent from soldiers overseas, it was reduced, put on microfilm and then printed in the U.S. for mailing. |
| A postcard sent from San Diego Naval Training Cts. from Jimmy Frumento to my Grandparetns. Jimmy ended up becoming their brother in law by marrying my Grandmother's sister, Josie Giuffrida. June 2, 1942. |
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All Armored Divisions share the same shoulder patch
design. It was created in the shape of an equilateral
triangle and divided into three sections, each with a
different color. The Blue segment represents the Infantry
components of the Division: Scarlet, the Artillery, and
Yellow, the Cavalry. The tank track and cannon in black,
topped by a red lighting shaft are symbolic of the speed
of armored warfare. The black Arabic numeral in the
upper yellow segment of the triangle indicates the
number of the division. Often, the division's nickname will
appear below the triangle in yellow block letters against
an olive background.
design. It was created in the shape of an equilateral
triangle and divided into three sections, each with a
different color. The Blue segment represents the Infantry
components of the Division: Scarlet, the Artillery, and
Yellow, the Cavalry. The tank track and cannon in black,
topped by a red lighting shaft are symbolic of the speed
of armored warfare. The black Arabic numeral in the
upper yellow segment of the triangle indicates the
number of the division. Often, the division's nickname will
appear below the triangle in yellow block letters against
an olive background.
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| Henry Olvas, note the 5th Armored Division patch. See explanation of patch below right. |
A letter written from "Some Where In Belgium"
in October, 1944 from Henry to his brother, my
Grandfather Pete Olivas, and his wife, my
Grandmother, Ida. The family grew up in the
Little Italy section near Downtown Los Angeles.
in October, 1944 from Henry to his brother, my
Grandfather Pete Olivas, and his wife, my
Grandmother, Ida. The family grew up in the
Little Italy section near Downtown Los Angeles.
| Certificate of Appreciation for Henry's service from the U.S. Government. |
| A postcard from Henry Olivas to his brother Pete, my Grandfather, from Fort MacArthur in San Pedro, California, April 14, 1942. |
| The Olivas family in October 1943 with Sam Giuffrida, my Grandmother's brother, in uniform about to be shipped overseas to work with the Engineering Corps that rebuilt railroads as the forces moved forward (See Sam's letters at bottom of page. L-R: Sam, solider, Uncle Bob Grandmother Ida, Grandfather Pete (whose birth name as Cipriano Oliveras) and my Mother, Angela. |
| 32nd Red Arrow Division Insignia |
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| A postcard from my Grandmother's sister Josie while visiting her future husband, Jimmy Furmento, at Camp Callan, located at what is now UC San Diego., 1942 |
A V-Mail letter and envelope to my mother,
Angela, from her Uncle Sam Giuffrida, my
Grandmother Ida's brother, on October 7,
1944 from the European Front.
Sam was part of the Engineering Corps that
rebuilt the European railroads as the Allied
forces advanced across Europe after the
D-Day landings on June 6, 1944.
These V-Mail messages were reduced and put
on microfilm the flown to the U.S. reproduced
and mailed out. This allowed for thousands of
messages to be delivered quickly and cheaply
from all corners of the world where American
men and women who fighting.
Angela, from her Uncle Sam Giuffrida, my
Grandmother Ida's brother, on October 7,
1944 from the European Front.
Sam was part of the Engineering Corps that
rebuilt the European railroads as the Allied
forces advanced across Europe after the
D-Day landings on June 6, 1944.
These V-Mail messages were reduced and put
on microfilm the flown to the U.S. reproduced
and mailed out. This allowed for thousands of
messages to be delivered quickly and cheaply
from all corners of the world where American
men and women who fighting.
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A September 21, 1944 letter from Great
Uncle Sam Giuffrida to his sister Ida on
U.S. Army stationery. He had just
received a package of goodies from her
and comments on the weather.
Uncle Sam Giuffrida to his sister Ida on
U.S. Army stationery. He had just
received a package of goodies from her
and comments on the weather.
| V-Mail and a Letter from the European Front |
| Certificate of Appreciation for Tony's service from the U.S. Government. |
| A classic cartoon postcard from Charlie Zuppardo at Basic Training at Camp Roberts in California. Written to my Grandmother Ida, he was a friend of her brother Tony and one of the many Italians from the neighborhood who fought and survived the war. |
My Grandfather's, Joseph Trabucco, was lost in at the historic Battle of the Coral Sea (May,
1942) when the Japanese expansion in the Pacific was stymied for the first time, although in
terms of numbers the Japanese could claim victory in the engagement. In their drive to land
troops on the coast of New Guinea at Port Moresby, adjacent to Australia, the U.S. Navy,
through the reading of Japanese communications, sent Task Force 17, centered around the
carrier U.S.S. Yorktown and commanded by Rear Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher, and Task
Force 11, centered around the U.S.S. Lexington and commanded by Read Admiral Aubrey
Fitch, to engage the Japanese Imperial Navy. The Battle of the Coral Sea took place
southwest of the Solomon Islands and eastward from New Guinea.
1942) when the Japanese expansion in the Pacific was stymied for the first time, although in
terms of numbers the Japanese could claim victory in the engagement. In their drive to land
troops on the coast of New Guinea at Port Moresby, adjacent to Australia, the U.S. Navy,
through the reading of Japanese communications, sent Task Force 17, centered around the
carrier U.S.S. Yorktown and commanded by Rear Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher, and Task
Force 11, centered around the U.S.S. Lexington and commanded by Read Admiral Aubrey
Fitch, to engage the Japanese Imperial Navy. The Battle of the Coral Sea took place
southwest of the Solomon Islands and eastward from New Guinea.
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The jungle diseases and hazards claimed more
victims than the fighting, but nonetheless it was
tough slogging for Tony. He told my Uncle Bob that
of all the places he could have been sent, this was
the worst for him personally. Stories from him are
few, but we do know Tony had a pet Koala Bear,
slept in water filled foxholes for days on end and that
fought till the 32nd Division landed in the Philippines.
victims than the fighting, but nonetheless it was
tough slogging for Tony. He told my Uncle Bob that
of all the places he could have been sent, this was
the worst for him personally. Stories from him are
few, but we do know Tony had a pet Koala Bear,
slept in water filled foxholes for days on end and that
fought till the 32nd Division landed in the Philippines.
One story Tony did tell to his daughter, Nancy,
still lives on. One night Tony and one other
solider were stationed on the perimeter of a
camp, along with many others who were
stationed in a wide circle to guard against
night attacks by the fearless Japanese soldiers.
still lives on. One night Tony and one other
solider were stationed on the perimeter of a
camp, along with many others who were
stationed in a wide circle to guard against
night attacks by the fearless Japanese soldiers.
When the morning came, they went to the camp and found
that every solider in the camp had been killed during the
night. Japanese soldiers snuck through the perimeter and
cut everyone's throat in a stealth attack.
that every solider in the camp had been killed during the
night. Japanese soldiers snuck through the perimeter and
cut everyone's throat in a stealth attack.
During the last half of 1942 and 1943, New Guinea
was overshadowed in the news by the more high
profile battles of Guadalcanal, Midway and the fight
up the Solomon Island chain, but it should not be
overlooked in terms of importance and brutality.
was overshadowed in the news by the more high
profile battles of Guadalcanal, Midway and the fight
up the Solomon Island chain, but it should not be
overlooked in terms of importance and brutality.
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| Major General Lusford E. Oliver. He trained and commanded the 5th Armored Division |
| Family Photo Gallery |
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| Joseph Trabucco, World War II, U.S. Navy, Metalsmith U.S.S. Lexington, CV-2, Both Lost in Battle of the Coral Sea |
| The Dedication at the base of the staircase where almost 30,000 names of the those not found from World War II, The Korean War and The Vietnam War read like this: "In These Gardens Are Recorded the Names of Americans who gave their lives in the service of their country and whose Earthly Resting Place is Known Only to God." |
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| Since his remains were not recovered, Joseph Trabucco's name was placed in one of the ten Courts of the Missing that are adjacent to the grand stone staircase at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, also knows as the Punchbowl National Cemetery, in Honolulu, Hawaii. |
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Not only was this the first time the Japanese
advance was checked, but it was the first
major naval battle where the principal ships
never saw each other; naval aviation was the
key component and this set the stage for the
even bigger battle of this type at Midway one
month later. The U.S.S. Yorktown was
severely damaged but made it back to Pearl
Harbor for repairs that allowed it to fight at
Midway, a miracle of naval engineering.
advance was checked, but it was the first
major naval battle where the principal ships
never saw each other; naval aviation was the
key component and this set the stage for the
even bigger battle of this type at Midway one
month later. The U.S.S. Yorktown was
severely damaged but made it back to Pearl
Harbor for repairs that allowed it to fight at
Midway, a miracle of naval engineering.
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The U.S.S. Lexington was hit hard by torpedoes
and scores of injured men were offloaded to other
ships, but a number of others, Joseph Trabucco
inlcuded, were in stretchers on deck waiting for
transport when the fires ignited torpedo warheads
stowed in the after hangar and tore through her
apart amdiships. It is possible he was lost at this
time. Captain Frederick C. Sherman was the last
man off the ship and destroyers scuttled that ship
at 8:00 pm on May 8, 1942. The U.S. Navy lost 66
airplanes and an estimated 543 men in the battle.
and scores of injured men were offloaded to other
ships, but a number of others, Joseph Trabucco
inlcuded, were in stretchers on deck waiting for
transport when the fires ignited torpedo warheads
stowed in the after hangar and tore through her
apart amdiships. It is possible he was lost at this
time. Captain Frederick C. Sherman was the last
man off the ship and destroyers scuttled that ship
at 8:00 pm on May 8, 1942. The U.S. Navy lost 66
airplanes and an estimated 543 men in the battle.
The Olivas Family in the Little Italy section of Los
Angeles, which is now Chinatown. L-R: Uncle Bob,
Grandfather Pete Olivas (Birth name Cipriano
Oliveras), Grandmother Ida, Great-Grandfather
Giuseppe, my Mother Angela Carmen Olivas Butler
Angeles, which is now Chinatown. L-R: Uncle Bob,
Grandfather Pete Olivas (Birth name Cipriano
Oliveras), Grandmother Ida, Great-Grandfather
Giuseppe, my Mother Angela Carmen Olivas Butler
Giuseppe and Agata Giuffrida, my Great Grandparents who came over
from Sicily around 1900. Giuseppe (Joseph), born and raised in Catania,
was married to Agata's twin sister. However, she and their new born
baby died during childbirth. He married Agata, who grew up in a small
town outside of Messina, and they emigrated to America. Coming
through Ellis Island, they eventually settled in Colorado, where my
Grandmother Ida was born. Ida is short for Agata.
Then the family moved to the Little Italy area near Downtown Los
Angeles, which is now Chinatown.
from Sicily around 1900. Giuseppe (Joseph), born and raised in Catania,
was married to Agata's twin sister. However, she and their new born
baby died during childbirth. He married Agata, who grew up in a small
town outside of Messina, and they emigrated to America. Coming
through Ellis Island, they eventually settled in Colorado, where my
Grandmother Ida was born. Ida is short for Agata.
Then the family moved to the Little Italy area near Downtown Los
Angeles, which is now Chinatown.
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| Angela Carmen Olivas Butler |
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| Angela Kate Butler |
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