897th and 3562nd Ordnance HAM Companies, 1941-1945

897th Ordnance Heavy Automotive Maintenance Company
3562nd Ordnance Heavy Automotive Maintenance Company
1st Army, V Corps, European Theater of Operations

Belgium, 1944: the war rages on, the weather is lousy, and your truck's frame is bent. Who ya gonna call? The 897th, that's who! They performed difficult repairs under adverse conditions.

Welcome to this WWII history site commemorating the 897th and 3562nd Ordnance HAM Companies, maintained by the son of 897th veteran Julian Gocek. I love to hear from veterans and their families, current service people, and history buffs. With the passing of my father at age 97 in 2015, I doubt any 897th vets are still with us. Best wishes to all the families.

The site is laid out to be mobile-friendly, but with over 250 original wartime photos from the Gocek, Hammond, and Chenevey families, and others, watch your data usage. Just keep scrolling! Contact info at the bottom.

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This day in history: Saturday, May 19, 1945: Pilsen, Czechoslovakia.The unit moves eastward from Weiden, Germany a distance of 70 miles to Pilsen, Czechoslovakia, setting up shop in a huge Luftwaffe hangar at the Pilsen airport. With its large concrete apron and spacious covered work area, it is an ideal location. In front of the shop is a mile square airport on which the 897th builds a ball diamond and plays all comers, who bow to the superb play of the 897th players. After a year and a half of duty with the First Army, the 897th is assigned to Third Army. The First Army departs the European theater for redeployment to the CBI (China, Burma, India) theater.

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