196th Signal Photo Company - Unit History

The co-authors continue to compile materials connected with the operations history of the 196th Signal Photo Company. We are especially grateful to Donald Wiedenmayer who provided tabular data outline the unit's combined still and motion picture coverage. The unit roster of 196th Signal Photo Company includes key personnel who formed the original command core of the Army's 3131st Signal Service Company.

196th SPC Roll of Honor / Unit History / 196th SPC - Campaign for Sicily

Motion Picture Coverage / Still Photo Coverage

Photo Gallery

HEADQUARTERS

196^TH SIGNAL PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPANY

CAMP GRUBER, OKLAHOMA

1 November 1945

SUBJECT: Histories of Subordinate Units

TO:            The Adjutant General

                  War Department

                  Washington, D.C.

                  (THRU CHANNELS)

Chronological History

A.     Original Unit

    (1)    Designation: 196^th Signal Photographic Company

    (2)    Date of Organization: 24 February 1945

    (3)    Place of Organization: Trespiano, Italy

    (4)    Authority for Organization: Sec. III, GO #19, Hq Fifth Army, cs, under T/O & E 11-37.

    (5)    Sources from which personnel was obtained, i.e., by transfer from other units, voluntary enlistment, or draft: 3131^st Signal Service Company.

B.    Changes in Organization: None.

C.   Strength, commissioned and enlisted. 

24 February 1945 - Arrived Trespiano, Italy

27 April 1945 - Left Trespiano, Italy

28 April 1945 - Arrived Verona, Italy

31 May 1945 - Left Verona, Italy

1 June 1945 - Arrived Montecatini, Italy

4 July 1945 - Left Montecatini, Italy

5 July 1945 - Arrived PBS Staging Area, Pisa, Italy

11 July 1945 - Left PBS Staging Area, Pisa, Italy

12 July 1945 - Aboard USAT Henry Gibbons

24 July 1945 - Debarked USAT Henry Gibbons

25 July 1945 - Arrived Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia

27 July 1945 - Left Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia

28 July 1945 - Arrived Camp Gruber, Oklahoma

2 November 1945 - Inactivated Camp Gruber, Oklahoma

E.   Marches: None

F.  Campaigns: North Appennine Campaign - 24 February 1945 to 23 April 1945; Po Valley Campaign - 24 April 1945 to 8 May 1945.

H.    Battles: None

H.   Commanding Officer in Important Engagements:    Captain Ned R. Morehouse

I.    Losses in action; officers and men. None.

J.   Former and present members who have distinguished themselves in action:

North Appennine and Po Valley Campaigns. Awarded Bronze Stars for Meritorious Service: Staff Sgt. John J. Mulcahy, 2nd Lt. Louis J. Murchio, Jr., 2nd Lt. Robert H. Schmidt, 2nd Lt. Harry L. Kreider. Bronze Star Clust Awarded to 1st Lt. Frank L. Morang. Legion of Merit for Meritorious Service awarded to First Sgt. Charles O. Baker.

K.    Photos of personnel, important scenes of events: None

/s/ FRANKLIN CAVE

1^ST Lt., C.M.P.

Commanding

HEADQUARTERS

196^TH SIGNAL PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPANY

CAMP GRUBER, OKLAHOMA

26 October 1945

SUBJECT: Histories of Subordinate Units

TO:             The Adjutant General

                  War Department

                  Washington, D.C.

                  (THRU CHANNELS)

1. The 196^th Signal Photographic Company under direction of Army Pictorial Service became activated on 24 February 1945 at Trespiano, Italy. Was composed of 17 Officers, 1 Warrant Officer, and 130 Enlisted Men, and was under the command at that time of Captain Ned. R. Morehouse.

2. A photographic company is unique in its operation as their coverage on a wide front makes it both possible and necessary for all of its combat photo teams to act, for the most part, as their own. That is to say, while there are certain missions to cover, the photographers are at liberty to go as far as they like, of course, always keeping in mind that a “dead” photographer is worth very little to his organization. Only when a man can go up, get the pictures and return, is his value to the unit put to best advantage.

3. The 196^th was attached to the Fifth Army during the closing months of the Italian campaign; from activation date on 24 February 1945 to 1 June 1945 when it returned to Montecatini for redeployment to the United States.

4. The mission of this command was to gather both still and motion pictures. The pictures to be secured were of many varieties. While their primary objective was to secure pictures of combat, the various missions entailed all types of record, historical, publicity, strategic and others of a morale-building nature. The company had a laboratory, which moved constantly with the organization itself and a well set-up headquarters personnel which had to keep the forward elements of the command teams always supplied with materials and necessities to aid them in completing their hazardous missions. For instance, in keeping the vehicles always read for their difficult journeys through rough terrain. Seeing the food, PX supplies, changes of clothing and photographic supplies were ever on hand. The Headquarters camera repair department had to have the cameras always in top condition. This was particularly difficult due to the many miles that separated the photo combat teams and the headquarters of these teams.

5. The Company was set up in such a way that there was one photo liaison officer with each Corps of the Army. At this time under Fifth Army, the 196^th, with its Army Pictorial Service officer at Fifth Army HQ operated under IV Corps and II Corps. From these corps the liaison officers delegated teams, averaging six for each Corps, composed of one still man, one motion picture man and one driver, and assigned to the various Divisions on the line at the time. From then on each team worked separately, most of the time living at Battalion or Division Headquarters or whatever suitable housing was possible to protect their valuable equipment. Seeing that the equipment was maintained in perfect running order was a prerequisite to all other requirements. Working closely with Division CP’s these teams found out where the best material was to be found and where to go to secure it. The team would then proceed down through Regiment, Battalion, Company and even platoon if there was sufficient safety to make the pictures and yet return with them.

6. There were many problems to consider. One of them was the difficult terrain over which the teams traveled and the absolute necessity of getting their pictures back to Corps. After all, old pictures, of a particular news and noteworthy occasion are of no value if too late to tie in with the news of that particular sector engaged at the time. Getting the pictures to Corps, then flown back to rear laboratories and processed and flown to the States after censorship, was carried on with the least possible delay. Another thing was the constant traveling forward and backward under constant enemy fire. However, due to the set-up of the organization where it worked closely in touch with all echelons of the Division it was assigned to, the teams performed their work with speed and efficiency.

7. One of the most hazardous and yet most important duties was that of oblique terrain photography for the S-3’s of the Divisions. This work was little known to the general public and yet was a key function in the final stages of the Italian Campaign. From these terrain photos Divisions worked out their overlays, artillery used them for plotting and the enlarged prints were valuable all the way down to the platoon in determining patrol action or counter measures against enemy positions. The work done by the 196^th in terrain photo work was highly praised by Major General V.E. Prichard, the Commanding Officer of the 1^st Armored Division and by Fifth Army Lieutenant General Lucian K. Truscott himself, besides the individual commendations by many of the Division officers. This work was carried on extensively for the 91^st, 85^th, 88^th, 34^th and 1^st Armored Divisions during their actions in the North Apennine Mountains south of Bologna.

8. It is important to note here that the cameramen as brought into the company were pleased where their particular qualifications could do the most good. A good news man, who acted as such in civilian life, was sent to forward areas, where after being broken in by the men already a long time in the combat zone, would relieve another man in need of rest or a change of sector. Some cameramen remained in rear areas for PRO work and the other photo necessities and at the same time became more aware of the combat work going on in case they were required to join a combat team. The motion picture men saw rushes periodically of their work and the still men received back any culled negatives and both received periodic critiques on their work to keep abreast of improvements and recommendations. Thousands of feet of movie film shot was used by the major newsreel companies, the Signal Corps films such as Screen Magazine and Combat Bulletins and other specially prepared films like “San Pietro”, “Army Nurse,” “Cub Pilot”, and many other vital films both an aid to training and also of general public interest. The pictures made by the still men were used extensively by all major photographic syndicates and newspapers, Yank Magazine, ETO newspapers and hundreds of other publications.

9. It was in the last stages of the Italian campaign, which extended from driving the Germans out of the Appennines, across the Po Valley to their final surrender in the foothills of the Alps. It was a proper meeting when members of the 196^th of the Fifth Army and the 163^rd of the Seventh Army joined hands across Brenner Pass in the Alps. Some of the outstanding photography of the war was accomplished in the engagements driving the enemy out of the mountains south of Bologna and their utter retreat across the Po Valley and our own speedy chase, including the crossing of the Po River. During these days of a speedily moving front, the photo teams had great difficulty in covering the daily action, returning with it to Corps Headquarters and catching up with the forward elements the same night or the following morning. However,  this was done and the first pictures of Bologna is an outstanding example, as the photographs made by members of the 196^th were rushed to Fifth Army rear a full 10 hours before any other organization or other cameramen were able to get back with pictures of thie fall of this city. It was this way during the final days when the public in America were daily getting a graphic photographic account of the retreat of the German forces in Italy.

10. But the job did not end there. As the occupation work grew and war criminals were being sought out, the camera teams were still working with the Divisions. Going on CIC raids, covering occupation work and recording for history all the intricate details even the written word could not secure.

11. In the meantime the Company Headquarters had moved from Trespiano, Italy, to Verona in order to be able to serve their combat teams over an entire front from Trieste to Genoa along the entire Austrian and French border. However, on 1 June 1945 the 196^th was recalled from active duty with the Fifth Army, to be one of the first units for indirect redeployment to the Pacific. This meant, with a tough fight still going on in the Pacific, the 196^th would be rushed to the States for a 30-day rest and then on to the Pacific theatre.

12. On 1 June 1945 the organization set up quarters at Montecatini, Italy and began staging for their redeployment. On 5 July 1945 the 196^th arrived at the PBS staging area, Pisa, Italy, and bivouacked while awaiting passage to America. They went aboard the USAT Henry Gibbons at Livorno, Italy for embarkation on 12 July 1945. Left port of Livorno 14 July 1945 and arrived at Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia, 25 July 1945 where the ment went to their respective reception centers for their 30 days recuperation and rest before assembling again at Camp Gruber, Oklahoma.

13. On 27 July 1945 the 196^th Headquarters was set up at Camp Gruber, Oklahoma, and they began POM training for overseas deployment on 10 September 1945. First Lieutenant Franklin Cave assumed command 25 September 1945 and the 196^th Signal Photographic Company became inactivated 2 November 1945.

/s/ FRANKLIN CAVE, 1^ST Lt., C.M.P., Commanding

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