(360 Pages) Compiled by Robert H. Cardinell, Division Historian
INTRODUCTION
In January 2004, I compiled and had printed 253 page book of World War II combat stories by the men of the 65th
Infantry Division titled "Just Good Stores". No official history or after action reports were included. Regardless,
through these varied stories by the men, an unofficial combat history emerges of their impressions, thought and
experiences during WWII.
This book, Volume 2, of "Just Good Stories" is an offshoot because the first book omitted many good stories from
letters and publications such as the 65th Halbert newsletters. I offer you this second book that starts with the
activation of the 65th in summer of 1943 & carries the action through our war in Europe to the final inactivation
of the Division in Austria in August 1945. I have tried not to include the same story in both books.
In combination these two books of "stories" cover the history of the 65th Division from beginning to end in a more
personal and exciting nature than the official history, journals and after action reports on file in museums and
archives or in my own 500+ page history book compiled on the 65th Division in WWII.
Please note this is not a beautiful finished product, but the pages are extracts from the many sources, then copied,
cut & pasted together to try and fill each page, so not always in a proper sequence. Photo copies are not sharp,
but meant only to give impressions or events or people. Despite this, the overall contents covers the history of
the 65th from beginning to end through the personal experiences of the men involved.
Note in these 360 pages, 151 different 65th Division men have contributed stories, reports or photos and 656 65th men
are named alphabetically by page number in subsequent pages of this introduction section.
As a refresher, even for our own men who have been out of the service for over 55 years, the following are also
included in this section: · A chart of a typical Infantry Division organization in WWII. · Explanation of some military abbreviations used. · A list of maps of Europe by page number in order to locate towns named or to follow the route of the
different units.
Robert H. Cardinell
65th Inf. Div. Assn. Historian
Former S-2, 3d Bn, 261st Inf.
