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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 |
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 in 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 here all of the outstanding accomplishments of the 5th Armored Division, check out the official website by
clicking on the logo below or go to Paths of Armor and read the entire book chronicling the division's history
during the Second World War.
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 in 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 here all of the outstanding accomplishments of the 5th Armored Division, check out the official website by
clicking on the logo below or go to Paths of Armor and read the entire book chronicling the division's history
during the Second World War.
| 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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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.
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.
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, above and below, is made of wood, and was sent to 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.
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
told me he would occasionally discuss this incident and
Henry Olivas, like so many World War II Veterans, rarely It
is a famous part of 5th Armored Division history along with
he would occasionally discuss this incident and he would
occasionally discuss this incident and their tracks for war
crimes and, if possible, avoid getting for war crimes and, if
possible, avoid getting captured by the Russians by
making their way to the west 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.
told me he would occasionally discuss this incident and
Henry Olivas, like so many World War II Veterans, rarely It
is a famous part of 5th Armored Division history along with
he would occasionally discuss this incident and he would
occasionally discuss this incident and their tracks for war
crimes and, if possible, avoid getting for war crimes and, if
possible, avoid getting captured by the Russians by
making their way to the west 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.
| Postcards from World War II and an example of the famous V-Mail that was sent from soldiers overseas, it was reduced, |
| 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
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
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.
A letter written from "Some Where In Belgium"
in October, 1944 from Henry to his brother, my
Grandfather Pete Olivas, and his wife, my
in October, 1944 from Henry to his brother, my
Grandfather Pete Olivas, and his wife, my
| A Certificate of 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. |
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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 |
Grandmother Ida's brother, on October 7,
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
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
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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.
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 |
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| 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
troops on the coast of New Guinea at Port Moresby, adjacent to Australia, the U.S. Navy,
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
troops on the coast of New Guinea at Port Moresby, adjacent to Australia, the U.S. Navy,
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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| 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 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
War read like this:
"In These Gardens Are Recorded the Names of Americans
who gave their lives in the service of their country and
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Since his remains were not recovered, Joseph
Trabucco's name was placed in one of the ten
the grand stone staircase at the National
Trabucco's name was placed in one of the ten
Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, also
Memorial , also knows as the Punchbowl
National Cemetery, in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Trabucco's name was placed in one of the ten
the grand stone staircase at the National
Trabucco's name was placed in one of the ten
Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, also
Memorial , 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
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
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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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
ships, but a number of others, Joseph Trabucco
apart amdiships. It is possible he was lost at this
time. Captain Frederick C. Sherman was the last
time. Captain Frederick C. Sherman was the last
man off the ship and destroyers scuttled that ship
man off the ship and destroyers scuttled that ship
at 8:00 pm on May 8, 1942. The U.S. Navy lost 66
at 8:00 pm on May 8, 1942. The U.S. Navy lost 66
airplanes and an estimated 543 men in the battle.
ships, but a number of others, Joseph Trabucco
inlcuded, were in stretchers on deck waiting for
transport when the fires ignited torpedo warheads
ships, but a number of others, Joseph Trabucco
apart amdiships. It is possible he was lost at this
time. Captain Frederick C. Sherman was the last
time. Captain Frederick C. Sherman was the last
man off the ship and destroyers scuttled that ship
man off the ship and destroyers scuttled that ship
at 8:00 pm on May 8, 1942. The U.S. Navy lost 66
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
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.
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
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.
| Angela Carmen Olivas Butler |
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| Angela Kate Butler |
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