Identified WWII / Post War 79th Division Photograph Group

The group is comprised of approximately 43 photographs a several pieces of paper memorabilia which relate to the service of Edward J. Herb, who enlisted in the Army in January of 1945. The photographs range in size from 1-7/8 inches by 2-5/8 inches up to 8 inches by 9-3/4 inches, with several of the photographs having handwritten notations on the reverse. It appears that Herb was deployed to combat in the European Theater with the 79th Infantry Division and served in combat long enough to receive the Combat Infantry Badge. One photograph appears to show Herb in Europe, holding two rifles, and wearing a pistol in a shoulder holster. His Combat Infantry Badge is worn on his shirt. On the reverse of the photograph he wrote “Rough looking, ain’t I? You should have seen me a minute later. A shell came in and I was laying on my puss in the gutter”. Interestingly, it appears that, when the war in Europe ended, Herb was deployed to occupation duty in Japan. One item in the group is the menu for Christmas Diner for the 8th Army in Japan in December of 1945. A number of the photographs show Herb and other soldiers (still wearing the 79th Division patch on their uniforms) in Japan, with some of the photographs having been taken in a Japanese photographer’s studio. The largest photographs are all post was photographs of 79th Division personnel with anti aircraft missiles and launch vehicles.