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.

897th thumbnail

Click for roster and high resolution photo

This day in history: Saturday, March 20, 1943: Palm Village (now Palm Desert), CA, USA.On 1943-03-08, the company moved to Palm Village (now Palm Desert), CA. The move poses a problem in camouflage. As part of a maintenance Battalion, they operate shops and live under combat conditions. Digging in, disruptive painting, and camouflaging, plus numerous mock air raids, lend realism to the situation.

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