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: Tuesday, December 14, 1943: Reservoir Camp, Gloucester, England.All members of the 897th have been qualified to wear the ETO service ribbon. The change from the California desert to the cold, damp English climate gives rise to much respiratory infection. More than half the men are incapacitated at one time or another during the month of December. In spite of this, a fourth echelon automotive maintenance shop is kept in operation and contact parties sent to the 3rd Armored Division and 101st Airborne Division.

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