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Liberty Ship John Banvard

Posted by Glenn Godart on November 6, 2019, 1:06 pm

Hi,
I’m seeking advice from Rick Pitz. My dad was a Ritchie Boy and embarked on the John Banvard Liberty ship 11/23/1943. He then probably landed st Anzio on 1/22/1944 on the same ship. Rick, if you are on line please connect with me. Thank you.
Glenn Godart

Liberty Ship John Banvard or Conrad Weiser

Posted by Glenn Godart on October 3, 2021, 6:07 pm, in reply to "Liberty Ship John Banvard "

Hi,
I’m seeking advice from anyone familiar with the Liberty Ships that landed at Anzio Beach in January 1924. My dad was a Ritchie Boy and embarked on the John Banvard or Conrad Weiser Liberty ship 11/23/1943. He then probably landed at Anzio on 1/22/1944 on the same ship.
Glenn Godart

Re: Liberty Ship John Banvard

Posted by Rick Pitz on November 9, 2019, 10:39 pm, in reply to "Liberty Ship John Banvard "

Glenn:
Happy to help if I can. What specifically are you looking for?

Rick

Re: Liberty Ship John Banvard

Posted by Claire Uschold Jones maiden i on August 2, 2020, 11:48 pm, in reply to "Re: Liberty Ship John Banvard "

I know the elder Rick PITZ and the younger son Rick Pitz. The elder preaches at the jail once a week at the jail/ prison. The younger lives with him and takes care of everything. He's a model of a son. I believe he's on Facebook. I can't give you any info for its private. It's called liberty ship John Banvard. Perhaps some of you elder WWll vets were with him.

Re: Liberty Ship John Banvard

Posted by Rick Pitz on August 3, 2020, 9:58 am, in reply to "Re: Liberty Ship John Banvard "

Claire

I am neither of the Rick Pitz’s that you refer to.

Rick Pitz (Arizona)

Re: Liberty Ship John Banvard

Posted by Claire M Uschold-Jones on August 2, 2020, 11:12 pm, in reply to "Re: Liberty Ship John Banvard "

Hello to the men of the Liberty Ship John Banvard. Are you communicating with the elder Rick RICHARD PITZ OR RICK PITZ? THE RICK I KNOW IS HIS SON and is in his late fourtys. The elder Rick PITZ is at least in his mid to late eighties. I will notify him, the younger that you are on Facebook? He's a devoted son. He is redoing both bathrooms in there house right now. Thank you. Claire Jones. The elder is to have hip surgery soon.

Re: Liberty Ship John Banvard

Posted by Glenn Godart on November 9, 2019, 11:37 pm, in reply to "Re: Liberty Ship John Banvard "

Rick,
I would also love to see a photo of the John Banvard if that is possible.
Glenn

Re: Liberty Ship John Banvard

Posted by Glenn Godart on November 9, 2019, 10:59 pm, in reply to "Re: Liberty Ship John Banvard "

Rick,
Thank you for responding. My dad passed in 1986 and never talked about his time at war let alone that he was a Ritchie Boy. Based on the date he was deployed, the John Banvard was the only ship that left ofr Algiers on that date. I also know that my dad was with the fifth Army and most likely landed at Anzio as the John Banvard arrived late December 1943. I also know from research that the John Banvard was involved in Operation Shingle so I'm guessing my dad was on that ship. I just have no proof. Anything you can help me with reagrding the John Banvard wouod be helpful so that I'm accurate as I wrote a story about my dad, Fritz Goldarbeiter. Thank you.
Glenn
GlennGodart@gmail.com

Re: Liberty Ship John Banvard

Posted by Rick Pitz on November 10, 2019, 11:32 am, in reply to "Re: Liberty Ship John Banvard "

Glenn:
I am afraid that I am not going to be of much help here. Most of my research has been for merchant ships in the Pacific Theater. I have very little info on John Banvard. She was at Anzio as part of Operation SHINGLE, stayed in the area until February 1 when she had completed unloading. On January 26 she was victim of a near miss by a glider bomb, and the crew abandoned ship. As far as I can tell, any troops she carried had already been disembarked by that time. She suffered little damage and the crew was returned to the ship the next day.

It wasn't clear from your post if you knew your father was on the Banvard at Anzio, or if you assumed that since he was on her in November going to Algiers. It was not at all uncommon for army troops to be transported on different ships if they spent any time at an intermediate port. I just don't have more info on Banvard's movement during this period.

Sorry I can't be of much help here.

Re: Liberty Ship John Banvard

Posted by Ron Carlson on November 18, 2019, 1:47 pm, in reply to "Re: Liberty Ship John Banvard "

Glenn,

I can add some additional information to what you and Rick Pitz have discussed but there is nothing definitive as to whether your father was aboard JOHN BANVARD when that ship arrived at Anzio.

A “Ship Search” of the excellent website ConvoyWeb (https://www.convoyweb.org.uk/hague/index.html) shows all of the voyages of JOHN BANVARD at http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/ports/index.html?search.php?vessel=JOHN%20BANVARD~armain. According to this listing, JOHN BANVARD departed Baltimore on November 20, 1943, likely without troops aboard. She made a quick run down the Chesapeake Bay (18 hours or so) to Hampton Roads, i.e., the Norfolk area. She likely embarked troops in Norfolk and departed Hampton Roads on November 24 in convoy UGS-25. The nominal destination of the convoy was Port Said, Egypt, but well before reaching that port, JOHN BANVARD was one of 16 ships that departed the convoy and steamed to Oran, Algeria, arriving there December 12, 1943.

JOHN BANVARD departed Oran on December 22, joining a passing east-bound convoy, UGS-26, and remained with that convoy for two days until reaching Bizerte, Tunisia, on December 24. She probably did not enter Bizerte but on the same date continued, either unescorted or in an unspecified convoy, to Naples, Italy, arriving there on December 26, 1943. The ship remained in Naples for the better part of a month, until departing on January 21, 1944, arriving off Anzio on January 22.

According to the website World War II Troopships, JOHN BANVARD carried troops of the 82nd Engineer Combat Battalion while in convoy UGS-25 (see http://ww2troopships.com/crossings/1943b.htm and scroll to 43-11-23). The 82nd disembarked at Oran and eventually was transported to Liverpool, England, arriving there January 20, 1944. Later the unit landed at Omaha Beach on the Normandy coast on June 16, 1944 (see http://www.82ndengineers.org/82nd-ourhistory.htm).

Presumably your father was not in the 82nd Engineer Combat Battalion because you know he went to Anzio and the 82nd did not, and therefore it is unlikely he was aboard JOHN BANVARD when she left Hampton Roads. This illustrates a point Rick Pitz made, namely that a military unit might move on different ships if spending time at an intermediate port. On the other hand, neither does it prove that he and his unit were NOT aboard JOHN BANVARD if his unit joined the ship when it left Oran or when it departed from Naples. So, to be short and simple but not definitive, your father may or may not have been aboard JOHN BANVARD when the ship arrived at Anzio.

If you know the more specific unit of the 5th Army to which your father was assigned (regiment, battalion, etc.), a Google search for that unit may be useful. There are many unit histories to be found on the Internet, some of which identify the ship(s) in which the unit traveled as, for example, the unit history of the 82nd Engineer Combat Battalion as noted above.

Good luck in your further research.

Ron Carlson, Webmaster
Armed Guard / Merchant Marine website
www.armed-guard.com

Re: Liberty Ship John Banvard

Posted by Glenn Godart on June 6, 2021, 12:02 pm, in reply to "Re: Liberty Ship John Banvard "

Dear Ron,
I just saw your response to my inquiry. My father embarked Hampton Roads on November 23/24,1943. John Banvard was the only ship that embarked on that same date from Hampton Roads. That is why I made assumption he was on that ship. I also know he was with 5th Army as a specialist in Order if Battle at Monte Casino. After Liberation of Rome he was promoted to IV Corps of 5th Army. Any further comments from you would be appreciated. Thank you. My email is glenngodart@gmail.com

Glenn Godart

Re: Liberty Ship John Banvard

Posted by Glenn Godart on June 6, 2021, 12:17 pm, in reply to "Re: Liberty Ship John Banvard "

Dear Ron,
I noticed Conrad Weiser also embarked same day from Hampton Roads. My father graduated from Camp Ritchie in fall of 1943 and was deployed to serve with 5th Army already in Italy with General Clark. I have all his military papers and know for a fact he embarked 11/23/1943 from Hampton Roads. I assumed he landed at Anzio sometime shortly after his ship arrived in North Africa unless he disembarked in Naples but from what I read it seems like all troops disembarked at Anzio Beech. Please provide any comments you can. Thanks.
Glenn Godart

Re: Liberty Ship John Banvard

Posted by Glenn Godart on June 6, 2021, 11:50 am, in reply to "Re: Liberty Ship John Banvard "

Dear Ron,
I just saw your response to my inquiry. My father embarked Hampton Roads on November 24,1943. John Banvard was the only ship that embarked on that same date from Hampton Roads. That is why I made assumption he was on that ship. I also know he was with 5th Army as a specialist in Order if Battle at Monte Casino. After Liberation of Rome he was promoted to IV Corps of 5th Army. Any further comments from you would be appreciated. Thank you. My email is glenngodart@gmail.com

Glenn Godart

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